FIVE schools in the Okehampton area could join forces to allow them to provide a better education for their young people.

Okehampton College, Boasley Cross Community Primary, Bridestowe Primary, Exbourne Church of England Primary, and Lydford Primary are looking to form the 'Dartmoor Federation' which would see the schools share a single governing body.

The federation would mean the chance to share expertise and resources across the schools while allowing them to maintain their individual identities.

If the scheme goes ahead, the federation would be in place at the start of the next academic year this September.

A letter sent to parents and carers of children on Monday January 17 marked the start of a six-week consultation process, aimed at gathering the views of staff, parents, the local community, local authority, and other key partners, including the Diocesan Board of Education.

Daryll Chapman, principal at Okehampton College, said: 'This is a very exciting time for all the institutions involved, and most importantly I feel it will be a very positive thing for our young people.

'The federation we envisage would allow us to be far more strategic in the way we deliver education to our young people.

'This collaboration will ensure our learners receive a consistent, high quality education that will be of real benefit to them throughout their lives.

'Children will have access to better resources and more expertise, and in the long term it will mean that pupils moving from local primary schools to the college will be perfectly equipped for the transition process, which is already rated "outstanding" by Ofsted.

'At the same time, we're keen that each school will retain its own individual identity, staff, site, curriculum, uniform, inspections, budget and values. Exbourne Church of England Primary School will maintain its Christian identity.'

Nick Brady, headteacher at Bridestowe Primary School, said: 'In order to achieve the best education for our pupils, school leaders need to be able to fully focus on the teaching and learning process. The federation will give us greater flexibility to do this and I relish the opportunity to work with our partner schools and shape a very positive future for the young people in our community.'

The schools and college will each have their own Partnership Board, which will allow local views to be represented, and both staff and parent representatives from each school would sit on the federation's governing body, which will take overall responsibility for the federation.

Mr Chapman moved to reassure parents: 'We feel passionately about trying to maintain educational provision in our local villages, and the proposed federation may help secure the primary school's futures, though we're not guaranteeing the safeguarding of unviable schools.'

Okehampton Primary School will not be taking part in the federation at the present time. Headteacher Hazel Fox said: 'As a sizeable school, we do not have any concerns about our sustainability. At the present time we're concentrating on improving our school ourselves, and we are succeeding at that task. We want to maintain that progress.

'Once we have moved further forward, we may look into partnerships in the future, but it's just not a priority for us at the moment.'

Views on the federation can be registered by writing to the chair of governors at any of the schools, or by attending any of a number of meetings at the schools involved. Consultation responses must be received by 3.30pm on Monday March 7.

Following the public consultation, the governing bodies of each partner will decide independently if they wish to proceed with the federation.