Orsett and Bulphan schools to share a head

TWO small borough schools are to form an innovative alliance and share a headteacher.

From January 2009, Orsett Church of England Primary School will form a “soft federation” with Bulphan Church of England Primary School. This means that although the schools will keep separate identities, two governing bodies, two budgets and two Ofsted, they will have one headteacher, one senior leadership team and one co-ordinator for each curriculum subject.

Governors decided to form the federation in order to retain high quality leadership, a stable, experienced workforce which in turn will lead to high standards of achievement for all.

Federation Headteacher, the Reverend Iain Bendrey, currently at Orsett and previously Head at Bulphan sees this as an exciting time for the two schools.

He said: “This is a real positive step forward for our two schools that are at the heart of their communities. Small schools have always struggled to attract good leaders and retain good teachers because of the difficulty in offering positions of leadership.

“By sharing the head and deputy, and by having co-ordinators working across the two schools we are able to offer staff the opportunities for professional development which will encourage them to stay at the school for a longer period of time.

"More importantly though, a larger, experienced staff also means wider opportunities for our children in all areas of school life.”

Chair of governors at Orsett, Amanda Bray, said: “I am delighted that the federation is being formed. It will ensure that both schools are sustainable and I am confident that everyone involved will be committed to this new way of working. "Staff will receive great development opportunities and children will enjoy and achieve in both schools.

Her Bulphan counterpart Janet McCheyne added: “We are delighted to be taking this next step of federation between our village school and Orsett. It will allow us to retain our individual ethos whilst children, staff and parents will benefit from all kinds of shared experiences and expertise.”