TWO North Yorkshire primary schools have decided to pool their resources and become a federation.

Kirkby Fleetham and East Cowton CE primaries near Northallerton will federate from September 1.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said: “The governors of the two schools held a formal consultation on the proposal, including a number of public meetings, and have agreed the move after backing from parents, staff and the community.”

Under this federation the schools retain their own budgets and buildings and remain part of their local community, but they have a shared leadership and management and a single governing body working in the best interests of both schools and their pupils.

Kirkby Fleetham and East Cowton have worked very closely together for some time. At the end of this term Ruth Smith, the current head of East Cowton, will be leaving to take up a role in teacher training and from September the two schools will have a shared head teacher, Helen Dudman, Kirkby Fleetham’s present head.

Ms Dudman said: “This is an exciting development for the two communities. The federation will serve to combine the strengths of both schools and will widen opportunities for pupils in terms of access to more specialist teaching and social interaction.”