A GROUP of 24 schools in Rushcliffe is set to club together and become a registered company.
The move will see the primary schools, which include ones in West Bridgford, Cotgrave and Bingham, club together with the hope of making savings and sharing resources.
If the plans get the green light next Monday, the company is expected to be formed on May 1. Each school will be putting £3,000 a year into to what will be named the Rushcliffe Learning Alliance Ltd.
Parent Jacky Turton, 31, of Owthorpe Road, Cotgrave, said if the company saved schools money, she would be in favour. She added: "I can see the benefit. If the schools are buying in lots of stuff, it would work out cheaper to do it in bulk.
"And any savings schools can make is a benefit to the taxpayer at the end of the day.
"Schools should work together a bit more – I know there's competition with league tables and things, but everyone wants to see children get a good education."
Philip Owen, chairman of the children and young people's committee at Notts County Council, said the idea should be commended. He added: "In the long term it should lead to significant savings which can be reinvested.
"It will also help when schools come to buy in expertise – they can work together and that's a fantastic opportunity."
The company will be responsible for purchasing goods and services for the 24 schools and providing services or facilities to other schools.
One benefit of joining forces is that the schools can make a lot of savings when it comes to buying products.
Those savings will arise from having a company structure that can contract with the suppliers directly and avoid the need for several individual contracts between supplier and schools.
In addition, a group of schools working together will be able to wield greater purchasing power with suppliers and they can buy in bulk which will also save money.
And the company structure will also enable schools to save money and free up staff time by sharing the cost of employing a person to deal with purchasing and supply issues.
A council report on the plans says: "The Rushcliffe schools wishing to form the company hope to formalise their partnership working which they believe has been instrumental in their improvement over recent years and the high quality of their provision."
The plans for the Rushcliffe company, as well as a similar scheme which will see seven Mansfield schools become a company, will be discussed at a meeting of the children and young people's committee at County Hall, West Bridgford, from 10.30am on April 15.