To provide an exciting and innovative collaborative approach to teaching, learning and governance, in order to ensure that every child in the HAST family receives an excellent well-rounded education from age 3 to 19.

Strengthening Partnerships Parkfields Middle School Harlington Upper School Arnold Middle School Toddington St George Lower School Sundon Lower School Westoning Lower School

Building on a tradition

From good to outstanding

Trust Collaboration : - Builds knowledge Adds capacity Widens curriculum opportunities Promotes the broader welfare Supports school improvement

Previous Leadership Styles Up to mid 1980s Head-centric/collaborative 1980s – early 1990s Head-centric/competitive 1990s – early 2000s Distributed/competitive Early 2000s – present distributed/collaborative

Defining a school partnership An arrangement between 2 or more schools having one or more of the following: A constitution A financial commitment Shared use of staff Jointly delivered activities and ………..

is overseen by ….. Agreed management arrangements e.g. A joint Governing body or committee A management group of Heads/Principals An executive Head Some other transparent supervisory arrangement

Trust Schools are: - ● State funded foundation schools ● Supported by a Charitable Trust ● Partnered by local organisations and businesses

A Trust School in practice ….. manages its own assets; employs its own staff; sets its own admissions arrangements.

Cultural barriers Having different ethos and policies One school opting out Staff opposition Parental resistance Governor resistance

Operational barriers Transport Too many meetings (HTs/COGs) Timetabling local authority support Lack of ICT infrastructure

Strategic Barriers Insufficient funding Initiative overload Differing pay and conditions Variable admission arrangements Performance tables Inspection process Lack of national benchmarking

Key Success Factors Build on previous relationships/cooperation A mature self evaluation Understand the culture/ambition of potential partners Unity of purpose Agreed priorities

Opportunities The Trust will provide: an “all-through” education; shared vision and strategy; economies of scale; shared staffing, leadership and governance.

A vision for our future Our vision: - is focused on education; supports a common ethos in a single-tier structure (i.e. 3 – 19) provides mutual support at a time when LA capacity is uncertain.

A vision for our future Raising Standards Improved Collaboration Autonomy and Freedom Profile and Ethos Partnership

Shared Services The Business Manager’s group: Saving some schools money; Collaboration to find economies of scale that work; Formalised support for each other; Gained funding for an investigation in to better business models (NCSL).

Trust Board representing the Governance of the Harlington family of schools Trust Inclusion & Support Co-ordinator (TISCO) All support agencies e.g. Youth Services, Social Services, Health, Police etc., plus Extended Schools Harlington Family of schools Support within schools e.g. HUB, Palm centre, SENCo Vulnerable Child

Trust Families Extended Provision & Inclusion Co-ordinator to provide a coherent student support service: Operational development; Specific needs; Provision for families.

Trust Learning Learning Futures (Paul Hamlyn Trust) Years 3, 7 and 9 working collaboratively: ‘Plan a Campaign’, ‘Take a Product to Market’ and ‘Raise Awareness’; Joint Day on four different sites across the Trust; Final Performance to invited audience.

Further considerations… Choose your partners wisely! Clarify expectations at an early stage; Continuity from Trust Board members; Bank account for funds specific to Trust work; Building sustainability; Engagement of all local schools.

Any questions?