STAFF at The Taunton Academy are hoping to see students achieve even more following a link-up with an outstanding further education college.

Richard Huish College, which has formed a multi-academy trust, has become the sponsor of the North Taunton school.

As part of the process, the new Richard Huish Trust has secured “sig-nificant funding” from the Department for Education to support and continue an on-going improvement plan.

The Taunton Academy has made significant improvements in the last 18 months, including the completion of a £13million building project.

The trust will be looking to use the educational expertise of Richard Huish College, an Ofsted outstanding educational institution, to continue to build on this previous work.

Huish principal John Abbott said: “We are extremely excited about working with The Taunton Academy.

“The partnership will create a range of opportunities which will benefit both organisations through the sharing of best practice and resources.

“It will also create a strong educational vision across primary, secondary and further education in North Taunton.”

Mark Trusson, principal of The Taunton Academy, said: “I am delighted that we are entering into this new phase with Richard Huish College.

“The aim is to help us to move to ‘outstanding’ in as short a time frame as possible.

“Huish is an outstanding FE college that can support our progress in many ways. Many of our students move on to Huish and there are lots of curriculum and educational continuity projects we can undertake that will advantage our students.

“This is already beginning to happen, for example, Huish students have been buddying with reluctant readers in Year 7.”

The Taunton Academy was set up after Ladymead and The St Augustine of Canterbury Schools closed.