Two North Devon schools to share a head teacher

TWO NORTH Devon village primary schools are looking to create an educational partnership with combined staff and one head teacher.

Filleigh Primary School and Chittlehampton Church of England Primary School are on track to form a federation, if plans put forward by governors are approved.

Staff will be shared across both the schools, governed by one executive head teacher and one governing body.

Devon County Council said Steve Mellor, the current head of Filleigh, will become the executive head teacher of both school in January.

Chittlehampton head Jayne Kyle will move to a new headship.

A new head of teaching and learning would be appointed to work across both schools.

Notice of this vacancy is already listed on the website of Filleigh primary.

The two schools are small, with roughly 100 pupils at Filleigh, and 37 at Chittlehampton.

The partnership would take effect in April if approved by parents.

A wide-ranging consultation exercise has been launched for parents to have their say on the plan.

Among the benefits cited are working with a larger partnership prior to secondary school.

Presentations will take place at 6.30pm on Monday December 7, at Chittlehampton School and at 5pm on Thursday, December 10, at Filleigh Primary.

Drop-ins will also take place on December 14 and 15 at both schools between 9am and 10am and 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Comments on the proposal should be made to the chairs of governors at each school by 3.30pm on January 22.

The governors will make a final decision in February.