After community consultation, the primary and secondary schools decided to amalgamate and seek funding to build a new campus at the existing secondary school site.

No timing has been decided, but $10.4 million has been secured from the Victorian and Federal governments.

Secondary school principal Mal Goldsworthy said the merger would improve the quality of education and encourage peer tutoring of younger students.

“This will remove the 'cliff face' of year six.”

Mr Goldsworthy said education had become stage related rather than age related, and having one school would help students progress.

“The physical proximity will encourage group learning.”

The second draft of a master plan was being discussed.

“We are not going to rush it,” Mr Goldsworthy said.

Primary school principal Lyn Coulter said it was a show of commitment by government to regional education.

Ms Coulter said the school was growing, and was bucking the trend of declining enrolments in the region.

“We would have to be the only school in the area to have 20 preps in 2010, then 25 preps the year after.

“Against all odds we are actually experiencing growth.”

Both principals said the merger would give access to more specialist areas and attract a higher calibre of teacher.

It would also and help retain skilled staff.

Each government has provided $5 million as part of Building the Education Revolution and the Victorian Education Plan.

Education Department regional director Ron Lake said the merger would help improve teaching in the middle years of school.

“Curriculum and teachers can be shared across the grade six, year seven interface,” Mr Lake said.

“It will avoid duplication, and as schools get smaller there is less flexibility.”

He said Boort was one of the last towns of its size to go to a P-12 structure.