BRIDGWATER'S Chilton Trinity School is looking to its exciting future with a possible Academy Status and partnership with one of Britain's best schools.

The Governing Body of Chilton Trinity is currently exploring the opportunity of converting to academy status, following many months of discussions.

The move is also driven by the changing political landscape, with the Government pledging by 2020 all schools will be required to become academies.

It is intended that Chilton Trinity will form a partnership with the existing Clevedon Learning Trust (CLT), which currently has a 1,000-strong secondary school regarded as one of Britain's best.

Two primary schools, along with four more primaries and one secondary are also due to join shortly.

Westover Green and Puriton, two of Chilton’s feeder schools, are currently also consulting to join the Clevedon Learning Trust.

Headteacher Lesley Greenway said: "These are very exciting developments which will help us develop even further as a community school.

"We have been working closely with Clevedon School for the past three years, sharing inset opportunities so this is a natural extension of that work.

"The concept is to develop a Bridgwater Hub, with other local schools joining the Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). "A major benefit in entering into a partnership with the CLT is that it is committed to a local focus and being modest in size.

"This will allow Chilton Trinity to focus on educational improvement, and to share the developmental skills offered by the CLT.”

She added: “CLT have vision and values very similar to Chilton Trinity, and have a well established Learning Hub that provides career development opportunities for teachers and support staff.

"Chilton Trinity will keep the same name, the same staff, the same uniform and exactly the same conditions of service for all employees."

Eilleen Tipper, chairman of governors added: “This joint collaboration opens a window of opportunity for Bridgwater, with the possibility of doing something different.

"Our students will be able to work with youngsters with equal abilities but who may have a different outlook in terms of what they can achieve.

"There may be some modest financial economies of joining the MAT, with direct revenue funding from the Government’s Education Funding Agency (EFA), and access to capital grant funds for building improvements, which have been minimal in recent times from the County Council.”