Two Bolton primary schools including The Bolton News School of the Year are joining an academy trust alongside two of the borough's secondary schools.

Beaumont Primary School, in Ladybridge, and Lostock Primary School, in Lostock, are joining the Leverhulme Church of England and Community Trust.

The academy trust of almost eight years includes Harper Green School and Rivington and Blackrod School both of which are "good" schools according to an inspection last year. Beaumont Primary School is another "good" school according to an inspection last year, as well as being The Bolton News School of the Year, while Lostock Primary School is the only one of the four which is "outstanding".

In future the primary schools are to be independent of the control of the council with funding from the national government rather than the local government.

They are to benefit from the experience and expertise of the teams at the secondary schools and vice versa in a big boost to both the staff and the students.

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The chief executive of Leverhulme Church of England and Community Trust, Paul Roach, said: "We are delighted to welcome both of these highly performing schools, Beaumont Primary School and Lostock Primary School, to Leverhulme Church of England and Community Trust. 

"This expansion aligns with our commitment to growth and success, contributing to our vision of providing high-quality education that creates a community of happy, successful and well-rounded individuals.

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"By working together, we are confident that we can enhance learning experiences and opportunities for all pupils, students and staff across the Trust.

"I would like to extend my gratitude to the leadership teams and governing bodies at Beaumont Primary School and Lostock Primary School for their hard work throughout this process. 

"We look forward to welcoming and supporting both schools as they join us in our commitment to delivering high-quality education for all our pupils and students."

Beaumont Primary School and Lostock Primary School are joining the academy trust in the coming weeks.

For information on Leverhulme Church of England and Community Trust go to leverhulmeacademytrust.org.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.