FIVE village schools near Devizes have joined forces in a bid to drive up results and aim for all to reach outstanding status with Ofsted.

Headteachers from Five Lanes, Holy Trinity at Great Cheverell, St Barnabas at Market Lavington, Urchfont and St Thomas a Beckett, Tilshead, have signed a formal agreement that will allow them to share expertise.

Mercedes Henning, who is head of Holy Trinity, said: "The Emmanuel Collaboration has been set up, with a formal agreement signed on September 13. The name Emmanuel means God is with us and reflects the determination of all the schools to work together to continue to provide compassionate, aspirational and joyful environments in which children can thrive and in which they can be provided with outstanding education founded on Christian ethos and values.

"Supporting each other, the schools will strive for ever-improving outcomes for children, in all areas of learning."

She said the long term aim was for all of the schools to be declared outstanding by Ofsted inspectors although she accepts this could take a few years.

She said: "The collaboration will allow us to see if any schools are struggling in a particular area and we can offer support. We will be working to push up SATs results and in turn this will effect Ofsted inspections as these are very much result driven."

But the schools will also work together on other activities including sport and drama.

The head teachers will meet once a month with the different schools hosting on a rota basis. The collaboration does not have a chairman but the head where the meeting is held will chair it each time.

Headteachers and governors had explored the idea of joining together in a Multi Academy Trust but this was rejected as each school did not want to give up its autonomy.

Mrs Henning said: "A decision was made that it was not in the best interests of the children to join a MAT at this stage, but that there would be great benefit to closer collaboration and working together whilst still retaining control of their own independence and finances. This way we have the best of both worlds."