It has become a hot topic on our website and from our online poll, which has received more than 12,000 votes, people remain divided on the issue - 34 per cent have voted in favour of a merger while 65 per cent remain against the proposals.

The decision to merge the two village schools has evolved over time starting more than two years ago when Dinton School lost its head teacher.

Due to difficulty recruiting a replacement, Bucks County Council approached the governing body at Cuddington to consider sharing their head teacher, Pam Talbot.

Governors agreed and Mrs Talbot became acting head teacher at Dinton last year, which governors and parents say saved it from closure. In April this year the county council approved the schools' proposals to become jointly governed and the next logical step, according to governors and some parents, is to fully merge the schools.

The proposal now being considered by the council's education department is to turn Dinton School into a junior school and Cuddington as a feeder infant school.

Some parents in both villages say this will give them more choice when selecting a junior school for their children as Haddenham Junior Community School is currently their only option.

But others say they do not believe all the facts have been explored and in the long run a new junior school will take pupils away from Haddenham, which will inevitably mean they will have reduced resources leaving them unable to offer places to children from Cuddington. This will therefore potentially remove Haddenham as an option.

Mother-of-three Cathy Morris-Jones, from Cuddington, is in favour of the merger.

One of her children goes to Cuddington and the other two go to Haddenham Junior. She praised the governing body for their hard work.
She said: "Due to Mrs Talbot, Cuddington has come on dramatically and the Ofsted report was absolutely brilliant.

"I cannot speak highly enough of that school. I am not knocking Haddenham, but why take away this opportunity when there can be this other choice? Mrs Talbot will work very hard to make sure this combined school takes off."

The Christian ethos in the schools was also an influencing factor in many parents' comments.

Mrs Morris-Jones said: "I would like my children to continue in a church school. It has been very unsettling for them. To be able to have a smooth transition for the babies on up to seven years old with their friends would be better. It would be so good for the children to have that continuity."

The Diocese of Oxford which covers Buckinghamshire is in favour of the move. Leslie Stephen, director of education, said: "We see this as the best option for the future of both schools, and above all, for the future of the children."

Those more reserved about the merger want to make sure everyone is aware of all the possible long-term implications.
Head teacher of Haddenham, Sue Roberts, said: "Currently we take a third of our pupils from the two schools (last year it was 15 from Dinton and eight from Cuddington). There has been a rising trend especially from Dinton."

She estimates that within five or six years they will lose the equivalent of three classes of children.

Mrs Roberts said: "We cannot offer three classes if children aren't coming. It's about money. We cannot afford to have another teacher for ten children. The choice won't be there. That's the point. The staff costs are the biggest expense in a school."

She added that they want to keep positive relations with all schools involved.

"I completely understand what Dinton and Cuddington are trying to do. I would try in the same way to preserve both schools. I don't think the county realise the implications of this."

Deputy head teacher Caroline Sweeney added: "I don't think they realise how many pupils come here. The knock-on effects will mean that we will not be able to do the amount of extra-curricular activities we pride ourselves on.

"All the resources are in place here. There's no requirement to do extra work on the building which one would assume there will be over there because it is so much smaller."

Supporters say without the merger, Dinton and Cuddington schools will inevitably close, but Mrs Roberts highlighted the potential influence of the expanding population of Aylesbury.

"I understand they want to keep the village schools but with all the building in Aylesbury there will be a westward flow of pupils. People come out of Aylesbury to use the schools now."

With the consultation period continuing all of these opinions will have to be analysed by Bucks County Council.

Cabinet member for achievement and learning Marion Clayton will have the final say after officers have prepared a report advising her of the solution. She estimated it would take about two months before they announce their decision.

To view all the letters on this issue, click here