IT could be described as a brave, dynamic move or a reckless gamble. But the educational experiment unfolding in Darlington may have implications for schools throughout the country.

The recipe is unique. Take a highly successful village school and a badly failing urban school. Knock them down and unite them in a new "academy" partly funded by private sponsorship.

The aim is to improve overall educational attainment at secondary level which, at the moment, is simply not good enough.

How the authority has gone about it so far has not been encouraging. The initial announcement of the proposed merger was poorly planned, and a great deal of acrimony developed behind the scenes.

It was always bound to be a controversial path but it has not been handled well so far, with many parents left feeling that there has been insufficient consultation on a rushed proposal that is a fait accompli.

Time - and educational achievements - will determine whether the brave move has paid off or the gamble has backfired.

But it is worth remembering that Darlington Council was recently found guilty of maladministration over its handling of the town's new football stadium.

The authority argued that it was caught in a Catch 22 situation - either let the club die or allow the stadium to open before strict planning conditions had been met.

That may well have been the case but an important lesson must still be heeded.

The principle of listening to the concerns of local people - whether it be school reorganisation, a new football stadium, or the modernisation of a traditional town centre - is at the heart of any good council.