Published at 16:37, Thursday, 20 September 2012

THE sharing of expertise is helping an Ulverston school and its partner primary to flourish.

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Ulverston has been operating in federation with Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, in Dalton, for the past eight months.

Together, the schools form the Our Lady of Furness Catholic Federation with one executive headteacher – Nicola Rielly – and one governing body.

Mrs Rielly has been the head of Our Lady’s for six years and she has been the executive head of St Mary’s since April 2010.

The partnership was created after 12 months of consultation between the two school communities and Mrs Rielly splits her time between both schools.

Each school has an assistant headteacher to support her leadership.

The faith schools both have caring, friendly and supportive environments, and they are both schools which are successful and held in high regard by their communities.

Mrs Rielly said: “It (federating) has been extremely positive. The children have lots of opportunities to work across the schools, through the federation choir, the federation sport day and at the South Cumbria Music Festival. It really is collaboration at its best.

“We have double the expertise and we can share resources and it enriches the curriculum.

“It is extending the children’s learning opportunities.”

ICT training is just one area which has been boosted through the partnership.

The schools are building the federation each day, and there are plans for more joint activities, such as a joint Year Six residential in a couple of years.

Mrs Rielly said St Mary’s was a school with a “great sense of community,” “a wonderful family feel” and with “exceptionally supportive parents and highly dedicated and talented staff.”

The school is proud of its success in sports, such as netball and football, and its work in music.

In the school’s last Ofsted and church inspections it was praised as being good with outstanding features, with community cohesion being one of highlights.

The pupils were also delighted to receive a letter from Buckingham Palace thanking them for their congratulations message to the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee.

Earlier this year, children from the school welcomed Prince Andrew to Ulverston firm Forge Europa on his visit to the area.

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk