WINCHESTER College, one of the oldest and most expensive places to study in Britain, is to help in the running of a state school.

The college, founded by William of Wykeham in the late 14th century, is to offer its expertise to a new academy opening in Midhurst, West Sussex.

The announcement comes as speculation grows that the Charity Commission is planning to tighten the rules on which bodies qualify for lucrative tax breaks.

At present, many public schools, such as Winchester College, benefit from the system.

However, that could be lost if Westminster tightens the rules so that exclusive places of education would have to prove a benefit to the wider community if fees are deemed beyond the reach of most people.

Several private schools, including Dulwich and Marlborough, already have links with the new academies being championed by the Government.

Winchester now looks set to join them, with the proposed creation of a new one in Midhurst, which will be formed by merging three existing schools this September.

The college, where annual fees can exceed £20,000, is not committing any cash to the scheme. Instead, it will come from Westminster, and the United Learning Trust, which already runs 13 academies and is a not-for-profit body attached to the United Church Schools Trust.

Winchester College headmaster, Dr Ralph Townsend, said: "Our input will concentrate on raising standards and aspirations of teaching and learning.

"In practice this will involve one of our dons in a half-time commitment to oversee our link with the academy."

He added that while the new Midhurst school would specialise in science, the college would provide support across all subjects.

Said Dr Townsend: "Winchester will have a direct involvement in governance at the academy in the formation of all its policies and in setting professional standards for the staff."

The precise role of the college in the new academy is due to be reviewed on an annual basis.

Dr Townsend added: "This is a wonderful opportunity for Winchester to look outward, to share its wisdom and experience with another school with similar aspirations and to learn from our partner school.

"It can only to be to our advantage to work with the maintained sector in a positive and meaningful way.

"Midhurst is 45 minutes' drive from Winchester, which makes contact convenient, while preserving an appropriate distance."