A TRIO of Worth Valley Primary Schools have announced they are now part of a multi academy trust.

Oakworth, Lees and Haworth Primaries confirmed they have now come together to form Bronte Academy Trust.

Chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust Gill Holland, who is also head teacher at Lees Primary, said: "This is about making sure we provide the best educational opportunities for children in this area.

"We will share good practice and share expertise across all three schools.

"I want to thank everyone involved in setting up the academy trust, as it's been quite a long process.

"We have done it for completely the right reasons. Yes, we are a business, but we've done this voluntarily as successful schools and we're already beginning to see a positive impact."

Mrs Holland added that about 800 children at the three schools will see the benefit of the change.

A spokesman for the venture said: "This is an exciting step forward for our schools. Oakworth and Lees converted on July 1 and the process for Haworth Primary was finally completed on September 1.

"On Thursday November 10 we had a launch event with representatives of staff, children, parents, governors and trustees."

The launch saw the staff and children from the school councils beginning the morning at West Lane Baptist Church with a talk from Sue Newby and Rebecca Yorke from the Bronte Parsonage Museum.

This looked at the heritage in the village and the significance of the Bronte sisters, who inspired the name of the new academy trust.

Following the talk the group was treated to a tour of the parsonage museum and was also given a guided tour of the village by Ms Newby.

The spokesman added: "We then returned to West Lane Baptist Church for lunch, and were joined by the parents of our school councillors and representatives from the three governing bodies and the trustees.

"We had a brief welcome from our CEO Gill Holland and from one of the trustees, John Brownless.

"This was followed by a wonderful buffet and the cutting of our cake, which was made in the shape of the new trust logo.

"At the end of the day, children in all three schools received Bronte Academy Trust pencils to celebrate our joint working. Everyone had an absolutely fantastic morning.

"The new trust is a great new development in the Worth Valley area, and will bring incredible opportunities across all three schools with a programme of joint training and school improvement work already in place."