House prices in Marlborough could be set to soar as families keen to get their children a free public school education flock to the town.

It follows a deal that has been struck between St John’s and Marlborough College which allows some of the comprehensive school children to be taught at the £30,000 a year college for their sixth form years.

At the moment ten St John’s students, who are studying the International Baccalaureate, now follow the college’s timetable within its historic walls, wear a college-style uniform and attend on a Saturday morning.

The collaboration has come about because both schools had experienced a dip in the number of students wanting to take the IB and to make lessons viable the Master of the college, Nick Sampson, and St John’s headteacher, Patrick Hazlewood, agreed to let them share lessons.

The fall in IB numbers at St John’s was believed to have been caused by one parent spreading a rumour that the course was to be dropped. Dr Hazlewood confirmed this was the case but declined to comment further.

The new collaboration has already boosted the number of pupils wanting to study the IB as 46 St John’s students have already put their names forward for next year.

Julie Fellows, manager at Carter Jonas estate agents, thought the collaboration could push up house prices.

She said: “There is always a demand for homes in Marlborough because parents want to get their children into St John’s and this will only get bigger with the college link.

“Being in the catchment area for St John’s already keeps house prices high.”

At Henry George estate agents in Kingsbury Street, one of the staff said: “Getting homes in Marlborough so that children can go to St John’s has been a priority for families for a long time and that demand will increase, if anything, because St John’s and the college are working together.”