A COUNTY Durham school and college have joined forces to make land-based agricultural courses more accessible to students.

Teesdale School and Sixth Form and East Durham College have formed the partnership with post-16 students being offered improved transport options, as well as flexible timetables and changes to the curriculum at the college’s Houghall Campus, in Durham.

In return, Teesdale School plans to enable parts of the courses to be delivered at school in Barnard Castle while plans are also in the pipeline to offer pre-16 students agricultural teaching in school and on placements.

Courses available to post-16 students at Houghall include level one to three qualifications in agriculture, animal care, arboriculture and forestry, countryside management, equine studies, floristry, horticulture and gardening and veterinary nursing.