A LEADERSHIP shake-up could see a pair of Oxford schools part ways after two years sharing the same headteacher.

Wolvercote Primary School and Cutteslowe Primary School are currently led by executive head Jon Gray, with separate posts of 'head of school' and 'assistant headteacher' at each.

Governors have now revealed plans to remove the joint post and instate a more traditional leadership structure at the schools, which educate 289 and 367pupils respectively.

In a Wolvercote school newsletter before the end of term, chair of governors Jenny Knight said: "Although the current structure was beneficial when it was implemented in September 2016, it is no longer a suitable structure for the two schools.

"[Governors] have therefore decided to change the joint leadership structure so that the post of executive head is removed and a separate headteacher post established in each of the schools.

"There will also be a deputy head post in each school."

Governors are currently carrying out consultation and are expected to update parents after half term about any decisions.

Reassuring parents, the newsletter entry added: "For now, there will be no changes to how the school operates - everything will continue as normal."

The neighbouring schools are academies run by the River Learning Trust and were both rated 'good' in their last respective Ofsted reports.

Wolvercote's latest report, published last week, said head of school Lucy Young had 'reinvigorated the school, improved morale and gained the support of staff, parents and carers'.

It added: "Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and warm. Pupils enjoy coming to school and say their teachers make learning fun. "

Cutteslowe's last Ofsted report in 2015 praised Mr Gray and his team for 'creating a strong culture of learning'.

Paul James, chief executive of the River Learning Trust, said decisions about leadership fall to governors rather than the trust.

He added: "Governors will always seek to act in the best interests of the needs of a school at a particular time and in preparedness for the future.

"A structure which may have been appropriate at one particular stage of a school's improvement journey may not be as appropriate as the needs of a school change and it is within a different phase of an improvement journey."