TWO schools at opposite ends of the borough have got together to improve classroom standards.

Whitefriars Community School in Whitefriars Avenue, Wealdstone, and Heathland School in Eastcote Lane, South Harrow, have, since August, shared a governing body and a executive headteacher – Heathland’s Chris Spruce – who oversees a joint senior leadership team in the schools’ new federation.

Mr Spruce said: “It’s like having one school in two places, like Waitrose has two branches on different high streets, and it’s been fantastic.

“Our leadership teams work together and my staff work together and it’s been successful, and standards have risen.

“The profile of our children between the two schools is very similar and their needs are very similar.”

The schools have kept the same names, pupil numbers, admission arrangements, uniforms and separate budgets, but Heathland, rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, has been able to share its curriculum, and teaching and assessment practices with Whitefriars and in turn has taken some ideas from its northern partner, such as its library system.

Heathland is one of Harrow’s six Knowledge Centres, providing outreach support to other schools and, through local education authority Harrow Council, was brought in almost two years ago to assist Whitefriars.

When that school’s headteacher retired at the end of last academic year, governors invited their southern counterparts to form The Heathland Whitefriars Federation.

Mr Spruce said: “Whitefriars was inspected by Ofsted after just 19 days of this term and previously Whitefriars was a ‘satisfactory’ school.

“We had been working with the school for 18 months and it came out with ‘good’ with a very positive report, with ‘outstanding’ in the leadership category.”

Pupils will start a joint federation newspaper, joint school council meetings and joint staff meetings have been held and in March there will be a federation concert with combined student and staff choirs and orchestras.

Mr Spruce said while Heathland has no space to expand, previously undersubscribed Whitefriars has become a more popular choice for parents and it may get the opportunity to expand on to part of the neighbouring former ColArt factory site that is earmarked for redevelopment.

Catherine Doran, Corporate Director of Children and Families, said: “Harrow Council was delighted to support the governing bodies of Heathland and Whitefriars in their decision to federate in order to secure the best possible outcomes for children.

“The council congratulates the governors, headteacher, staff and pupils on the success of the federation.”