Manchester Primary School in Mooroolbark and Barngeong Reserve Kindergarten will merge in October to provide an extended education program for children’s learning and development from kindergarten to school.

The kindergarten will retain its base on the corner of Bambra St and Lee Ann Cres in Croydon North, but the school, based in Monomeith St Mooroolbark, will take control of the running of its programs.

Manchester Primary principal Peter Jenkins said there would be major benefits to come out of the merger and the education model that the school had developed would be one the Education Department could now use to support other schools that also run kindergartens.

Leading teacher and parent Julia O’Callaghan, who designed the education model, said merging a kindergarten with a primary school recognised the importance of seamless transition as children progress into school.

The kinder caters for 100 children, from toddlers to four-year-olds, and 350 children attend Manchester Primary School.