There’s been a new start in many ways for schoolchildren at Barley and Barkway.

This year the children are in single year groups across the two village first schools – which now make up the Barley and Barkway Federation.

Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1 are based in Barkway and Year 2, 3 and 4 in Barley.

To launch this new move, both schools now share a new purple uniform, a marriage of the old blue and red uniforms.

Federation headteacher Sharon Brown said: “We want all of our children to make the best possible progress and our new structure means we can offer continuous provision for children from age two to nine in single year groups.

“We are enhancing social and educational opportunities for our children through this regrouping.”