WEST Somerset schoolchildren look set to benefit from a pioneering new partnership which will deliver "all-through" education from the cradle to further education and beyond.

The governing bodies of the West Somerset Community College and the Exmoor Federation of Schools have agreed to formally strengthen existing links between their establishments.

From September, the college and the three federated schools - Dulverton Middle School, All Saints First School in Dulverton and Exford First School - will work even more closely than already to deliver education for children from birth through to 19.

The governors said this week that the initiative, which would be backed by a yet to be finalised formal framework and teaching structure, would provide exciting new opportunities for pupils.

They said the aim was to ensure that all children from the southern half of Exmoor were able to access a full range of specialist teaching from the age of 11, while continuing to draw on the strengths of their individual schools.

In particular, focus would remain on the nationally-acclaimed Exmoor Curriculum, existing caring and nurturing skills and access to the 'outdoor classroom'.

Although the precise form of the new structure has yet to be determined, the two governing bodies issued a joint statement on their plans and the "huge potential" closer working could bring for the district's young people.

They said that closer collaboration would make the schools and college more accountable to their local communities and make teaching and learning more effective and efficient, while the curriculum could be adapted more swiftly to the needs of each individual child or teenager.

Overall, the link-up would bring higher standards of achievement, the governors said.

"The possibilities offered by this collaboration are immense," Martin McNeill, chairman of the governors at the West Somerset Community College, said.

"For years we have been seeking, though our partnerships with middle schools, to improve the consistency of education in West Somerset and to reduce the discontinuities that prevent our young people from reaching their full potential.

"Our aim is to ensure that all of West Somerset's young people gain the knowledge and skills to face the challenges of the 21st century with confidence and to make a positive contribution to the world they will inherit.

"The 'all-through school' model has been trialled successfully in both urban and rural areas and we expect our collaboration with the Exmoor Federation to be just the start of a more coherent approach to education across West Somerset."

Jackie Smith, chairman of governors of the Exmoor Federation, said she was convinced a much closer relationship with the community college would be of huge benefit to pupils of all ages, both in Dulverton and across the moor.

"We are very proud of what our schools have achieved and are confident that our ability to meet the needs of our rural community will only be enhanced by these proposals," she said.

"Sharing skills and resources with the college offers us a range of exciting options to secure our students' progress and accelerate their learning, as well as to share our successes more widely."

The governors said they would now focus on working with parents, carers, staff and students, as well as with governors and leaders in partner schools, to formulate more in-depth plans for the collaboration.