A PRIMARY school is to officially link up with other schools after an outside headteacher helped it deal with inspectors’ concerns.

St Nicholas’ Primary School in East Challow has this month joined Wantage’s Vale Academy Trust.

The trust includes King Alfred’s Academy – which helped St Nicholas’ get out of special measures – and Charlton Primary and Wantage CE Primary.

Andy Browne, then assistant headteacher at King Alfred’s, was drafted in as interim headteacher after Ofsted put St Nicholas’ in special measures.

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It was then rated good in all aspects by Ofsted inspectors last year.

Mr Browne – still at St Nicholas’ – said the help it gave to the primary shows the benefits of working together in an academy trust.

It will involve schools working with specialist teachers overseeing subjects like English and maths across the four schools.

And it will save the trust money because the schools will share services such as catering and IT. Mr Browne said: “It is very hard for a small school to go it alone these days.

“With the new curriculum this year expectations for achievement are so high. Being able to call upon the expertise of other schools is a real plus.”

St Nicholas’ is one of the smallest schools in the area, with an annual admission of 15 pupils and a total of 81 pupils at present.

Mr Browne said: “We are meeting together so we have a clear idea of where each school is at. We can identify more able children or groups of children who need more support.

Mr Browne added: “I am delighted St Nicholas’ is now a member of the Vale Academy Trust.

“We have already benefited from a close, working relationship with the trust in so many ways.

“You will find at St Nicholas’ outstanding PE coaching and training, inspirational Spanish teaching, state-of-the-art pupil profiling.

“We have a rich, creative curriculum centred on pupils’ curiosity, imagination and talents – all developed in partnership with the Vale Academy Trust.”

Vale Academy Trust executive headteacher Simon Spiers said: “Andrew Browne, supported by the interim executive board, the diocese and King Alfred’s has done a remarkable job to transform this school into the wonderful primary it is today. St Nicholas’ will now join a growing partnership of schools in Wantage and Grove where the vision is all about outstanding local education for children and young people led by local headteachers and local governors.”

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