Wollongong's historic St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School will close in 2012, when it will merge with John Vianney Primary School in Fairy Meadow.The amalgamation of the two schools was announced by Wollongong Catholic Bishop Peter Ingham, who said the Fairy Meadow site would be developed to accommodate the 556 students enrolled at both schools.Director of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong, Peter Turner, acknowledged the move would disappoint some, but said it was an exciting new chapter in the schools' history."St Francis Xavier's is a very significant part of history for the Catholic people of Wollongong," the schools director said."I'm aware of that sadness and I'm a great respecter of tradition and the past, but part of the change process is the need to keep moving forward and upgrading our facilities."The move will be funded in part by a combined $4.5 million that the schools were awarded under the Federal Government's Building the Education Revolution (BER) program.Architects are now working on plans for the expansion of John Vianney's. Mr Turner estimates a further $2 million will be needed in addition to the BER funding, but said no exact figure had been worked out.He said there had been discussions about the future of the cathedral precinct since 2003, when an advisory committee to the Bishop had recommended redevelopment of the site."That puts a question over what would be the future of St Francis Xavier's," Mr Turner said.The schools director said it had been deemed timely to make the move while the funding from the BER program was available.The school site will remain the property of the Diocese of Wollongong and Mr Turner said Bishop Ingham would take advice on its future uses.St Francis Xavier's principal Fran James said there would be plenty of time for the school community to adjust to the change."The beautiful new facilities will provide better learning opportunities," Mrs James said."Special education has always been associated with St Francis Xavier's and that won't change. "The new school will have first class special education facilities."St Francis Xavier celebrates its 100th anniversary on its existing site next year, although the school was first established on the site of St Mary Star of the Sea College in 1873.