A TORFAEN head teacher is to lead two primary schools simultaneously in September in what is believed to be a first in Gwent.

Gill Ellis, head teacher of Coed Eva Primary School in Cwmbran since 2009, has been on secondment to Blenheim Road Primary School in St Dials for the past two terms after the previous head teacher was given a promotion to a school in England.

Mrs Ellis stressed her roles as executive head teacher would not be an amalgamation as each school will retain its staff and independent governing bodies. But good practice, such as being values-based and after-school programmes, would be shared across both sites, totalling 735 pupils and 90 staff, she said. “It’s an exciting prospect,” said Mrs Ellis, 54, formerly a head teacher in St Mellons and now chairwoman of the Fairwater cluster of schools, which includes Greenmeadow Primary School and Fairwater High School.