TWO secondary schools have reached a historic agreement that will see sixth form education come to Lavington School, near Devizes, for the first time.

Devizes School head Phil Bevan and Lavington School head Sarah Lowkis are both delighted by the partnership that will mean sixth formers will be able to study at the village school from September.

Mr Bevan said: "It is very exciting for both schools. What is happening now is phase one of the project and we wanted to role it out as soon as possible.

"Phase two will include us introducing extra A level subjects and growing the number of students. I would like us to get to a point where no pupils from either school choose to study A levels anywhere else and we attract other students from the wider area.

"We could grow in number to more than 300."

Mrs Lowkis made getting a sixth form a top priority when she took over as head in 2015 but funding problems caused major setbacks.

But now the two schools are to work in partnership and share resources under the banner of Devizes Sixth Form after talks between the two heads started in February and quickly grew into a firm plan. Mrs Lowkis said: "Our new and exciting collaboration with Devizes School has enabled us for the first time in our schools history to be able to offer our students the opportunity to enter the next phase on their education on the Lavington site.

"We are delighted to be able to offer our students the same excellent educational and pastoral provision they have been use to through key stage 3 and 4 as they embark on the final stage of their formal academic career."

Year 11 Lavington students have been involved in designing the interior of the new sixth form base called the Isobuild which is made up of shipping containers which have been fitted out with the help of parents and other villagers.

Mrs Lowkis said: "The support from the community has been fantastic." She has appointed Zoe Telford as head of sixth form for Lavington which will be offering A level subjects of maths, biology, chemistry, psychology, history, geography, food, and sociology.

Health and Social Care and PE will be taught across both sites. Transport between the two sites is to be organised by the schools.

For students already signed up for Devizes sixth form the course provision will not change. But Mr Bevan said that it was not too late for extra students to sign up.