PLANS to reorganise education in West Somerset, unveiled this week, have been greeted as a victory for common sense.

Proposals going before the executive board of Somerset County Council on Tuesday will recommend keeping a modified three-tier system in place, with West Somerset Community College continuing to take pupils from 13-18.

First schools in Crowcombe and Stogumber are to convert to primary schools.

And schools in Dulverton, Williton, Exford, Cutcombe and Timberscombe will federate or amalgamate.

The executive boardwill also be asked to agree that work should be undertaken with Dulverton First and Middle Schools, Williton First and Middle Schools, and Exford, Cutcombe and Timberscombe First Schools to begin discussion for the schools to federate by Summer Term 2007.

Governing bodies of the schools concerned have been warned that if they do not federate by the deadline, statutory notices will be issued to bring about amalgamations of those schools which would involve their closure and the re- opening of two 4-13 schools at both Williton and Dulverton and a school on two sites for Exford and Cutcombe.

Head teachers, worried about the declining number of pupils in West Somerset, asked the council to come up with proposals to address the problem of falling roles in early 2006, after the County Gazette revealed talks had been continuing locally last Autumn.

Jim Butterworth, chairman of the governors of Dunster First School, had earlier said education in the district would be plunged into turmoil under plans which would have seen children up to the age of 11 taught in first schools with middle schools closing.

He told the County Gazette: "Staff, parents and children are having huge problems coming to terms with this option, which needs to be booted out as soon as possible."

He said yesterday (Wednesday): "Assuming they are dropping option one, the current proposals are common sense for education in West Somerset.

"Anything else would have been a disaster.

"It's a victory for parent power and the democratic process."

He added: "We will now have to look closely at the proposals to see how they can be carried out."