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Two schools in Abertridwr will strengthen their ties in the new year by forming a single governing body.

Cwmaber Infants School and Cwmaber Junior School will enter into a federation arrangement in January, described as “a more formal way of extending collaboration and promoting closer working relationships”.

Both schools have been “collaborating” informally since 2020 and share the same headteacher, according to a Caerphilly County Borough Council report.

Councillors heard previously a recent consultation process had found support for the plan among members of the schools’ communities.

Those in favour of the proposal said the collaboration to date had been “successful and benefits all stakeholders of the two schools”.

It “makes sense to bring everyone together when making decisions” by moving to a more formal partnership, they argued.

According to the council, the schools’ joint pupil committee of ten children had also decided they were “in support of the proposal”.

At a cabinet meeting, on Wednesday December 12, Cllr Carol Andrews – the cabinet member for education – said the federation plan “had been proposed by the schools and governors, and supported at [a] scrutiny” committee meeting.

Cllr Philippa Leonard, the cabinet member for planning and public protection, asked what would happen if the federation did not work successfully and the schools wished to sever those closer ties.

She was told the schools would have to go through a similar consultation process before being able to “de-federate”, should that situation ever arise.