This week heralds the beginning of a new and exciting partnership between two popular, local, small schools. Bridstow and Brampton Abbotts Primary Schools, announced this week, that after a period of consultation between the two Governing Bodies the two schools have decided to collaborate through a ‘soft-federation’. Under a ‘soft federation’ both schools will remain as separate schools and retain their individual identities.

Mr Dan Brearey, who is currently the Headteacher of Brampton Abbotts School will become Headteacher of both schools from the beginning of May. “This is an exciting development in the history of our two small schools,” he told the Ross Gazette this week, “Our partnership will strengthen the close ties that already exist between us, by formalising the commitment to work together in the improvement of teaching and learning for all our children. Bridstow and Brampton both have a very similar ethos and shared values and they are both Church of England schools.”

With the backing of Herefordshire Local Authority and the Diocese, it is anticipated that there will be a number of significant benefits, both in the short and longer term for the two schools in this time of educational change.

Mr Brearey added, “Both schools value every individual pupil and recognise the full-potential they have. This partnership will be a way of developing this ethos whilst providing a wealth of other benefits. It will also allow both schools to further improve their academic standards. Collaborative working models will enable curriculum opportunities for pupils to be enhanced.

“We will be able to share expertise to benefit both schools and to create greater opportunities for small groups to work together to improve learning outcomes. We can do this whilst also making savings through the sharing of our resources.”

Under this model of collaboration, Bridstow and Brampton Abbotts look forward to going from strength to strength, providing high quality educational opportunities for many of the children in and around Ross-on-Wye.