TWO leading independent schools in Glasgow - Laurel Park and Hutchesons' Grammar - are to merge despite strong parental opposition, it was confirmed yesterday.

The boards of governors of the two schools issued a joint statement saying the girls' school and its co-educational counterpart would merge under the name of Hutchesons' Grammar.

The move was met with anger from parents, many of whom believed the two boards were prepared to consult further before making a final decision.

However, it appears they have few options other than to move their children to another school, since the boards are believed to be within their legal rights to agree a merger.

A number of parents of the girls who attend Laurel Park in the city's west end have expressed anger at the plan because it will mean the loss of the school's single-sex status and its particular ethos.

Robert Kerr, representative of the Laurel Park parents' action committee, said a vigorous campaign of opposition to the move would be mounted, and warned Laurel Park board it had seriously under-estimated the strength of parental feeling.

Some parents of pupils at Hutchesons', on the south side, which has a current role of 1900, have also accused its school board of acting in a high-handed manner and failing to consult parents' wishes. Jack Irvine, one of Glasgow's leading public relations consultants, who has two children at Hutchesons', said last night he was ''astonished at the stupidity and arrogance'' of the board of governors for going ahead with the merger.

''There has been no consultation with parents. I do not know of a single parent who is not totally, totally against it.''

Mr Irvine said he was ''almost speechless'' at the ''audacity'' of the the board and its chairman, Derek Mason, and said he knew of no-one other than the two boards who supported the amalgamation.

He also said he felt extreme sympathy for the parents of pupils at Laurel Park. ''They chose a single-sex school in a particular geographical location and that has now been blown apart. I feel bitterly, bitterly sorry for them. We have our own reasons for opposing the merger but, in a way, it is more damaging for them.''

However, in a joint statement, the chairmen of the two school

boards, Mr Mason and Mrs Fiona Sandford of Laurel Park, said last night: ''Today's announcement guarantees a stable, long-term education for all Laurel Park pupils. Both schools will gain from the strengths of the other.

''Both boards of governors wish to stress that they took fully into account the concerns of both sets of parents. However, the reality is that Laurel Park's junior department now has only 107 pupils across all year groups.

''These numbers are insufficient to provide healthy future senior school class sizes for teaching by subject beyond 2002. The Laurel Park governors therefore had to take rapid, determined action.''

The Laurel Park building will be used as a co-educational primary, named Hutchesons' Primary School (Lilybank Terrace). Older pupils will attend Hutchesons' Senior School at the current building, while the school's existing primary will remain unchanged.

From August of this year, the junior school at Lilybank Terrace will have boys as well as girls, while girls who will be entering sixth year at Lilybank Terrace will have the choice of staying there or moving to Hutchesons'.

From August 2002, all secondary pupils at Lilybank Terrace will join the appropriate year group at Hutchesons' Grammar senior school in Beaton Road.

All other senior girls at Lilybank Terrace will remain under their existing teachers in single-sex classes as Hutchesons' pupils for that school year.

Meanwhile, Hutchesons' will cut its intake of first year pupils by approximately 25 pupils to make space for the transfer of pupils.

John Knowles, currently rector of Hutchesons', will become rector of the amalgamated school. The headmistress of Laurel Park, Mrs Elizabeth Surber, resigned at the end of last year.

A spokesman for the two boards said there would be no immediate job losses and added: ''All will remain in post as employees of the school to allow the smooth transition for pupils and teachers.

''In the longer term, artificially high staff numbers will be allowed to reduce to an appropriate level as teachers retire or choose to move on.''

Mr Knowles said the merger could make Hutchesons' Grammar School the largest independent school in Glasgow with a total roll of more than 2300.

He sought to reassure Laurel Park parents concerned about the loss of a single-sex education for their daughters, saying that there were as many girls as boys at Hutchesons' and the school would endeavour to offer private, pastoral care to all its pupils.