Plans to merge two schools and knock down their 100-year old buildings have moved a step closer, with bosses now involved in talks for the first time.

Trafford council wants to ‘discontinue’ Stamford Park Junior School and Stamford Park Infant School and build a new 21-classroom school in their place.

The Edwardian school buildings, where mould was found in classrooms and children are sometimes taught in corridors, could be demolished and the Stamford Park Primary School opened by September 2021.

Despite continuing opposition from the junior school’s governing body – and two previous rejections of Trafford council’s £8m offer to build the new school – junior school head teacher Cathryn Downing has confirmed the school is now ‘actively working’ with the authority.

She said: “While the governing body of Stamford Park Junior School does not consider the council’s proposal to be in the best interests of the junior school pupils and have voted twice to reject the proposal, we are now actively working with the local authority to gain the best possible provision for the juniors within the proposed new build primary school.

“The continuing concerns of the junior school governing body, around the over development of this very restricted school site, have not been addressed in our discussions thus far with Trafford council.”

Previously, Ms Downing pushed for the junior school to become an academy, which would have meant no local authority involvement.

She made no comment on that when asked.

In the summer term, mould was found in the ageing classrooms of the infant school. The building was temporarily closed while air purifiers were installed.

Trafford council said essential repairs would cost £1.2m.

A spokesman said: “Our vision is to provide an inspirational learning environment, fit for the 21 century, for the benefit of the current and future children of Altrincham.

“The new school will bring together two highly effective schools to improve the teaching and learning environment for staff and pupils alike.

“The new school will be an energy efficient, low maintenance building, sensitive to the heritage of the previous schools and to the changing interests of the wider community.”

If approved by both schools – and Trafford council’s planning committee – construction work on the new school could begin in summer 2020.

The town hall is consulting on the plans.

Stamford Park Infant School was contacted for comment. Its head teacher spoke in favour of the plans earlier this year.