A NEW partnership of eight Wantage area schools will be “invaluable” to children’s education, one headteacher has said.

Fitzwaryn special school, Stockham Primary School, Grove CofE and five village primaries have formed the new Springline Partnership of Schools (SPS).

More than 1,000 children will benefit from teachers, administrators and governors getting extra training which their schools could not individually afford.

Schools each pay a subscription to cover the cost of training sessions and guest speakers, and staff will meet regularly to share best practice.

Uffington CofE school, one of the most rural and isolated in the group, has said pupils can make new friends and feel part of a bigger community.

The new partnership has risen from the ashes of the Wantage Area Schools Partnership (WASP) which was disbanded in the summer after many of the schools, including King Alfred’s Academy secondary school, joined the Vale Academy Trust which now runs them.

The remaining eight schools formed the Springline partnership and are already feeling the benefits.

Uffington CofE headteacher Amy Carnell said: “The partnership is just an invaluable support and resource .”

The Springline Schools Partnership was officially launched on Thursday when Mrs Carnell organised a concert for 200 of the children at the Beacon in Wantage, showing just what working together in harmony can achieve.

Stockham Primary School year five teacher Catherine Cargill said: “It was great to celebrate the fact that we’re a happy partnership of schools and it’s great for the children to feel part of a wider community.”

The partnership will have a rolling, 12-month development plan with a different theme each year – this year’s theme is IT.

Fitzwaryn headteacher Stephanie Coneboy said: “All the meetings we have are about sharing good practice, and we are offering training to all teaching staff, special needs co-ordinators, administration staff and governors.

“We have speakers and discuss different topics, then bring it back to our own schools to enhance provision and raise pupils’ attainment.”