FOUR West Swindon primary schools have banded together as an academy trust this month amid growing concerns about council funding.

Millbrook, Peatmoor, Shaw Ridge and Westlea primaries, which were formerly state funded community schools, have now broken away from council control and formed the Link Collaborative Trust.

Headteachers from each of the schools made the decision after seeing neighbouring schools being taken over by academy groups, and wanted to keep a grasp of their own independence.

Karen Pyman, head of Millbrook Primary, said the transition to academy status is something all schools may have to consider as funding cuts for councils mean they are unable to provide enough support.

She said: “We feel all schools will have to become academies at some point and we wanted to do it on our own terms.

“Because of the cuts the local authority is having to make they can no longer offer the same level of support and guidance they used to.

“We found sharing our expertise and resources was the most effective way to replace it.

Several schools were initially involved but it later became these four who proceeded to being academies.

“Hazelwood was taken over by a large chain of academies, and others took different routes. We wanted to keep our own identities and remain part of our own communities.

“We did not want to become a large, faceless organisation, and wanted solid links with other schools.

“This allows us to support each other at a much deeper level. We have training in place for all of the school co-ordinators.

“Being in the trust means that quality training is something we can afford to do together.”

Karen added there would be no obvious changes to the operation of the schools, except the removal of the Swindon Council logos.

She said: “We have gone into this in the formation that we wanted and kept our own autonomy while being bound together in a tighter way.

“None of us are changing uniforms, timings of the school day, or staffing. It is more to do with changes behind the scenes.

“Staff will notice some changes in training but hopefully that is a positive move.

“From a parent, community and pupil point of view, they should see no difference.”