Boroughbridge High School and King James’s School federated on 4th January 2021. This followed years of successful collaboration between the two schools and a statutory consultation process in 2020 with parents, staff the local authority and other stakeholders.

Federation enhances the existing collaborative working, secures better and wider opportunities and contributes to the long-term viability of the schools. There are particular benefits in federation in terms of educational and social experiences for pupils and the professional development for staff.

A Federation is a formal agreement between two or more schools to work in partnership to raise standards, find new ways of improving teaching and learning, and build on the strengths of each school. In our Federation both schools remain local authority maintained schools.

Federation allows partner schools to work together and combine the strengths of both schools through sharing a governing body and other resources. This gives more opportunities to pupils in terms of the breadth of teaching, having access to well-qualified specialist teachers and the extra-curricular and social opportunities open to them.

The schools remain separate schools, each retaining their own budget, Headteacher, buildings and identity.

There is a single Governing body appointed to oversee both schools. The two Headteachers retain their full range of responsibilities.

The federated Governing Body provides an effective and accountable mechanism for the schools to combine resources, purchasing, systems and staff which releases strategic capacity for the Headteachers offering value for money and helping the schools to remain viable. The Federation helps the schools to remain sustainable on separate sites, opening up opportunities to share management, administration and Governing Body responsibility. Teaching staff also support each other, sharing curriculum expertise.

Each school retains its ethos, uniform and identity and its central role within the community.

Admissions to each school are made separately. North Yorkshire County Council continue to be responsible for admissions to both schools.

Each school continues to receive its budget share. The Federation Governing Body looks at ways of giving better value for money through joint purchasing, service provision and cross-federation working.