A PRIVATE school has avoided closure after being rescued by one of the top schools in the region.

Raventhorpe Preparatory School, in Carmel Road North, Darlington, has been taken over by Yarm School.

It will be renamed Yarm at Raventhorpe from the start of the new term, on January 4.

All staff have been retained and the school will continue to operate from the Darlington site.

Raventhorpe has suffered from a decline in numbers over the past few years, with the roll dwindling from just under 100 to its present figure of just over 50.

Trustees were faced with the prospect of having to close the school, but the governing body of Yarm School agreed to take on the administration.

Simon Bainbridge, spokes-man for the Raventhorpe trustees, said: "As a trust, our brief is to provide an educational facility in the town.

"In order to keep that facility going, the trust took the view that they needed to go into partnership with a larger organisation, which proved to be Yarm School.

"We are very pleased that we have been able to put that in place and see Raventhorpe move forward and stay in the town on its present site."

Mr Bainbridge said the Raventhorpe trustees had stood down, and the school would become the responsibility of the Yarm governors.

The changeover will be managed by Yarm Preparatory School's headteacher, Gillian Taylor.

She said: "I am sure that the local community will be delighted with this news.

"We will be introducing some exciting changes, and are very positive about the future for Yarm at Raventhorpe."

Mrs Taylor added that an open morning at the school was planned for January 27, at 10am.

David Dunn, headteacher of Yarm Senior School, predicted a rosy future for Raventhorpe.

He said: "We will be investing in new technology, refurbishment and supporting staff development and training.

"We are confident that people will welcome this development, in the knowledge that the school is now guaranteed a safe and promising future.

"The new school will work closely with Yarm Prep School, and the older pupils will have opportunities to participate in events such as sport and music at Yarm.