EDUCATION standards across Dorset have received a huge boost with the announcement that two more learning centres have been appointed National Teaching Schools.

The Tregonwell Multi-Academy Trust and Twynham School came through a gruelling selection process and will now be expected to help other schools reach the high standards they have already achieved.

The Tregonwell Trust – made up of Tregonwell and Queens Park academies in Bournemouth and Longspee School in Poole – has joined forces with a number of partners to form the new Ambitions Teaching School. The partners include the Bournemouth grammar schools, Bishop of Winchester Academy, Linwood School, the University of Winchester, Bournemouth council and charity Achievement For All.

The groups offer expertise in areas as diverse as behaviour, high achievement and teacher training.

Twynham’s appointment is an extension of its work as a National Support School and head teacher Dr Terry Fish’s work as a National Leader of Education. Schools in the area will now be able to contact them to ask for support in areas in which they are having difficulty.

Tregonwell Trust chief executive Brian Hooper told the Daily Echo: “We are very excited and take great joy in this because it is a massive achievement for our organisation.

“There is so much we can offer to other schools but there is also so much we can learn. The aim is to improve the outlook for pupils in all schools and we are enriched by being in partnership with other schools.”

Dr Fish said: “We are delighted to take on this new role and use the experience and expertise which exists within our family of schools to promote opportunity and excellence for all.”

Teaching schools were introduced in 2001 and are all rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. They raise standards through school-to-school support.

l For more education news see The Knowledge on Thursday.