ANOTHER two rural Torridge primary schools are looking to form an education federation in an effort to secure their future.

Bradworthy is uniting with West and East Putford to form a partnership which head teacher, Richard Stephenson, hopes will weather the financial storm facing primary schools.

Both schools are said to be in a good position and will retain their identities, but will benefit from shared working.

Mr Stephenson, who has been Bradworthy head for 12 years, will also take over at the helm of West and East Putford when current head teacher Steph Olliffe takes up the principal position at Pyworthy Primary School in January.

Miss Olliffe, who took on her role in Putford in 2005, said the shared working between Bradworthy and West and East Putford is the only way forward to secure the smaller school for the future.

She added: "I hope the management partnership will secure the school for the local community. It is the centre of Putford. There is no shop, pub or post office and if it were to go, it would be really sad for the area. It is a real concern."

Mr Stephenson said: "It is all still in the early stages but the geography helps as Putford is only three to four miles away from Bradworthy.

"There is an opportunity for pupils from both schools to become very involved in similar things, like trips out. This could work to both our advantage.

"They have specialities and we have specialities. Both schools are in a good position with very good recent Ofsteds. This is nothing to do with weakness.

"The real importance is the role of the schools in the community and by working together we can secure a future, particularly for the smaller of the schools."

Bradworthy has 145 children on its roll and West and East Putford School and Nursery has 21.

The schools will each keep their separate governing bodies but are looking into the potential of sharing roles for staff.

Mr Stephenson added: "It is a great new challenge and there is a lot of potential. It is certainly not a takeover, it is about protecting and moving forward.

"Schools generally are entering a very difficult time financially and there are a lot of challenges in the coming years. By coming together we can weather some storms."

The management partnership will begin on January 1 with a longer term aim of forming a new education federation.

Bradford and Bridgerule primaries created a new Tamar and Torridge Federation in September. Filleigh Primary School and Chittlehampton Church of England Primary School are consulting parents about forming a federation which would start in April if approved.