BOTTISHAM Village College and Swaffham Bulbeck Primary School have been selected for an important new role aimed at raising standards of teaching.

The East Cambs schools are two of only 150 schools in England to be granted teaching school status in an announcement made by the Government this week.

The new status entitles the school to lead the training and professional development for staff.

Staff from the successful schools will now attend a formal induction at the National College for School Leadership’s learning and conference centre in Nottingham.

The teaching schools initiative began in 2011 and allows outstanding schools the freedom to lead a group of schools, working with other partners including at least one university, to deliver high quality support for teachers.

In a joint statement, Bottisham Village College principal Kate Evans and Swaffham Bulbeck Primary headteacher Donna Cornwell said: “We are all very excited at this news. There are already very well established partnerships between the schools in our area.

“The Anglian Gateway Teaching School Alliance gives us the opportunity to build on these firm foundations and enable all partners to work together, in a truly collaborative manner, with the simple aim of developing outstanding learning experiences and outcomes for all of the children and young people in our care.”