TWO Weymouth schools are celebrating being the first schools in Dorset to become Trust schools.

Wey Valley School and Sports College and Wyvern School say they are leading the way for other schools in the county.

The two schools, which share a campus on Dorchester Road in Weymouth, will formally adopt Trust status from September this year.

Headteacher at Wey Valley, Phil Thomas said: “It’s a hugely exciting opportunity to step forward as a school.

“It’s the right time for us, we’ve already seen increasing improvements with results and over-subscription for the first time in the school’s history this year.

“The focus of the trust fits in exactly with the philosophy of our campus since having Wyvern on the site.”

The schools will remain part of the Local Authority education system and leadership, management and governance of each school will remain independent.

However, becoming ‘Aspect Trust’ schools means they can access new sources of funding and develop stronger bonds with partners such as Weymouth College, Bournemouth University, Dorset Children’s’ Services and The Co- operative College.

In addition, charitable trust status will also open up new opportunities to apply for grants from charities, the Lottery and European funding not available to local authority schools.

Mr Thomas added: “It means greater autonomy for pupils and access to a wider range of partners able to help students to aspire to even greater achievements in the future.

“Bournemouth University is the closest university to us and we’re the third and final partner school they’re working with in order to raise aspirations and the only one outside the Bournemouth area.”

Wyvern School provides specialist education for 11-19-year-olds with complex learning difficulties.

Headteacher Sue Hoxey said: “We’re very excited. It just cements the partnership which we’ve got across the campus.

“We’re very excited about becoming a co-operative trust because I think it reflects the values of our school and campus.

“It’s not about funding, it’s about partnership.

“It’s about the work the pupils will do with the mainstream pupils.

“Our pupils will continue the work we already do with Wey Valley and St Nicholas and St Lawrence School and gradually, as they get older, they will see the benefits of working with a lot of different people – something they never used to.

She added: “Being on a co-located campus was leading the way in Dorset in 2006 so this naturally leads on from our relocation.

“The trust is built on partnership, which we started with our move onto the campus.”