THE headteacher of Wallingford School said he is looking forward to working with staff from a village primary school as part of a multi-academy trust.

Wyll Willis said talks have been taking place with staff at 100-pupil Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Primary School, so it can become part of Wallingford School's managing group.

Mr Willis said when the secondary school in St George's Road bid successfully for academy status in 2011 it chose to establish a multi-academy trust but so far has not created a formal link with another school.

Now an application is to be made to the Regional Schools Commissioner for the proposed link with the Brightwell primary.

Mr Willis said: "We have been asked by staff at Brightwell if we can give them a hand.

"David Burrows is interim headteacher and it's possible that Fin Lewis, one of my deputy heads, could become headteacher there on a permanent basis in due course.

"The primary school has had a tricky time with four teachers in as many years and this arrangement could help to provide some stability.

"It's a good little school which is capable of being a brilliant school but for a school that size losing two or three staff can wreck you so this new arrangement could provide a safety net – additional reassurance.

"I think we will gain from the relationship – if our primary schools in our catchment area wanted to have a look at how this works then we would consider it but we are not keen on taking over the world."

Academies are funded by the Government but can set their own curriculum and terms of employment.

Alastair Wilcox, chairman of governors at Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Primary School in Greenmere, said: "Recruiting headteachers to village primary schools can be incredibly difficult and with this arrangement Wallingford School has the ability to provide us with a headteacher, which could be good for Fin and for us.

"There are fabulous sports, music and science facilities at Wallingford School and we will have opportunities to use them and enrich the education of our students.

"We need the formal approval of the Department for Education to convert, and this will be done through the Regional Schools Commissioner.

"Confirmation could come as soon as next month with the paperwork concluded by April but things are moving forward swiftly.

"Fin is already spending some time with David, learning how the school is run."

Mr Wilcox said Mr Willis was an "inspirational" headteacher who recently gave a "fabulously engaging" talk to governors of the primary school.

Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Primary School has a good Ofsted rating.

Pupils at Wallingford School have been among the top performers in recent years in both A-Levels and GCSEs.

Mr Burrows declined to comment.