PARTNERSHIP working between the private sector and state-schools in Bolton to ensure young people received the very best education was celebrated at the House of Commons.

Bolton School headmistress Sue Hincks, Paul Hodkinson from Bolton Impact Trust and Mike Sidebottom from Smithills School attended the Celebrating Partnerships event, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Independent Education, to recognise the the "thousands" of diverse project on which the independent and the state-sector is working together across the country.

These include subject support in maths, science and modern foreign languages; teacher training; setting up and sponsoring new state schools and careers and higher education workshops.

Miss Hincks said: “It is always a privilege to spend time with Paul and Mike who are so committed to education in Bolton.

"I very much enjoy working with the Bolton Impact Trust, as I did when I worked as a Governor for Smithills. Schools are stronger when they work together and partnerships between state and independent schools are extremely beneficial to all."

Speakers at the event included Lord Agnew, parliamentary under-secretary of state for the school system; Layla Moran, education spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats; Andrew Lewer MBE MP, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Independent Education and Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council.

Julie Robinson, Independent Schools Council chief executive, said: “Working with the Department for Education, we have been making huge strides to develop and strengthen partnership projects between independent and state schools, which benefit tens of thousands of pupils every year.

“Collaborating with local communities and other schools is part of the very essence of our schools. "We know that when carried out effectively by schools choosing to work together voluntarily to achieve clear and specific aims, partnership projects have the potential to unlock new educational experiences for all involved.”

A report entitled Celebrating Partnerships, which showcases the partnerships that exist including the fact that one in ten staff at Bolton School act as governors at state schools.

Bolton School has close partnerships with the primary and secondary secondary, putting on events for all ages to enrich and embed pupils' learning. This includes a maths challenge, science events and much more.

The school also organised the Bolton Children's Fiction Award, a football festival for primary school children. Bolton School also stages a careers fair for young people across Bolton to help them plan their next step.