SEVEN schools have joined forces to drive up standards and bring communities together.

The North Huddersfield Learning Community partnership was officially launched at North Huddersfield Trust School in Fartown.

By sharing resources and expertise, the schools aim to offer better opportunities for children, parents and staff.

In addition to the secondary school, the other six partners are Ashbrow, Birkby Infants and Nursery, Birkby Juniors, Christ Church Academy, Fixby Junior and Infants and St Thomas’ Primary schools.

Organiser Lisa Jagger said: “We will have specialist networks for specialist teachers and we will be able to apply for funding as a group.

“Literacy, numeracy and science will be the initial focus of the partnership. Our aim is to raise standards in the core subjects and helping each other is the first place to start.

“In this day and age and financial climate it is vital to be able to offer more opportunities to children and parents.

“The idea behind the partnership is that there is strength in numbers. The partner schools will be able to share good practice and resources to increase our capacity to meet the needs of pupils and their families.

“Pupils regularly have opportunities to work and learn alongside children from other schools, ensuring children develop not only academic, but social skills for life outside school.”

In early summer the proposed partnership received £10,000 funding from the National Lottery Awards For All Scheme, which supports small community-based projects in the UK.

Starting this month, the partnership will begin using the money to fund a number of one-day excursions for parents and children at the different schools.

Trips to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park at Bretton and The National Coal Mining Museum for England near Grange Moor are on the agenda. The first event will be a visit for families to the ROKT climbing gym at Brighouse.

Lisa added: “The money will be spent to enhance positive interaction between families and to promote community cohesion.

“By sharing resources, we are also able to offer a wider range of enrichment activities – everything from skateboarding to horse-riding and bee-keeping to rock climbing.”