TWO WEST DEVON schools  are to launch an exciting educational partnership to enhance their pupils' learning and development.

The governors of Lamerton and Gulworthy primary schools have decided to work more closely together by forming a federation.

They say the federation will ensure the quality and continuity of leadership for both schools while maintaining high standards in teaching and learning, enhancing pupils' overall educational experience and ensuring the continuity of small, local village schools.

Each school's unique individual ethos and values will be maintained.

Both heads, Ann Mitchell at Lamerton and Melody Nicholls at Gulworthy, are now looking to work more closely together in partnership as joint heads of the federation.

They say there will be greater opportunities to share the skills of individual staff across both schools.

Ann Mitchell said she is looking forward to the federation.

'I think it will be very beneficial to the schools. Both schools have small year groups and this will allow the children to make new friends,' said Mrs Mitchell.

'Each school only has a few members of staff — here in Lamerton we don't have any musical teachers but at Gulworthy they do, and they also have the forest school which will be good for us, and we have things they don't have so there will be a lot of going back and forth between the schools.'

Melody Nicholls said: 'I am thrilled to be working closely with Lamerton. I can see so many positive benefits for working in a federation. The staff and governors were unanimously behind the decision.

'It's going to be really good for us as there are so many different opportunities available in terms of trips and buying things.'

Miss Nicholls said that small schools were so limited in resources when it came to buying things for various projects, instead of the schools both buying the same things, they would now be able to share.

The  FLAG federation (Federation of Lamerton and Gulworthy) comes into effect at the start of the calendar year.

The governing bodies of both schools took the decision to federate following consultations with parents, staff and the wider community.

They are convinced that it offers the very best educational opportunity for the children at both schools now and in the future. 

Some of the benefits of federation will include wider opportunities to enhance pupils' education through joint school projects, residentials, sports and creative arts projects. Pupils will meet and work as a part of a larger group, leadership will be secured for the future, staff expertise in specialist areas will be enhanced and will raise standards.

Staff will have greater career opportunities which will enable the schools to keep valued members and the individual budgets of each school can be used more effectively and creatively to support children's progress with shared resources and facilities benefiting all pupils.

The federation will have one governing body with representation for the parents and staff of both schools, community governors and local authority governors.