Christina Astin, Education consultant supporting school partnerships
Following the sports facilities loan, the independent school reciprocated with a Year 8 Classics programme led by its sixth-form students. What started as a transactional partnership led to a close relationship between the two schools and ultimately the establishment of East Kent Schools Together, EKST, a mutually-beneficial, co-led partnership of 11 members, one of many such ‘regional’ partnerships established in the last two decades across the country.
Heads involved in cross-sector partnerships such as these would recognise state-independent school partnerships as community anchors – like trusts, facilitating the efficient sharing of resources and expertise between schools, improving outcomes for young people whichever school they go to.
Most Heads, however, have not yet experienced such beneficial partnership working and might be sceptical. Partnerships with independent schools might be thought at best irrelevant, more likely some sort of benevolence borne out of their charitable status, or at worst an operation designed to scout talent for bursary places. Suspicions and assumptions persist. It’s understandable since, unlike the example above, many cross-sector partnerships have been initiated by independent schools. But that can change.
The language and experience around cross-sector partnership working has progressed rapidly in recent years and thankfully the days of independent schools being called on to ‘help’ state schools are behind us. There is a recognition that each sector has its unique challenges and superpowers and the more we can learn from each other the better. Independent schools continue to learn valuable lessons from state partners in using data, implementing new pedagogies and caring for the most vulnerable. Many schools are coming together to form regional partnerships like EKST, coordinated centrally and neutrally, to which they contribute on an equal footing to address issues that are bigger than any one school can confront on its own. EKST now involves ten schools (7 state; 3 independent) and a university and draws on many other associate partners locally, truly anchoring itself in that part of Kent.
All schools are battling challenges on a number of fronts: a growing children’s mental health crisis, worries about teacher retention and budgets, concerns about AI and its impact on assessment and curriculum. Reciprocal partnerships such as EKST - and many others (OX14 Learning Partnership, Southwark Schools Learning Partnership, Bristol Education Partnership to name just three) - are well-placed to tackle these together, exchanging ideas and expertise, learning from each others’ experiences and sharing costs of training.
Teacher cluster groups swap ideas about curriculum, assessment, EDI, SEND and build local professional networks. Student voice groups raise money collectively for charity, do civic volunteering or work together as peer mentors across their schools, all the while building bridges between the sectors.
How do such partnerships get started? Some begin from existing relationships, often between Heads, others grow over time – like many school trusts. Some start from a more transactional relationship such as the sports pitches example. But there is nothing wrong with that and if another school can help plug a gap, should it matter which sector it is from?
I led a physics workshop with science teachers at a school in a disadvantaged area. "We can’t do this GCSE required practical as a whole-class activity” the head of science told me, "because we don’t have a working set of multimeters”. "Have you asked the (independent) school next door if you can borrow theirs?”, I asked. They hadn’t – yet.
- If your school has an acute teacher shortage, for example in physics or MFL, why not reach out to a neighbouring school which might be better staffed and ask them to share resources or help with training non-specialists?
- If your school has a fantastic choir but needs an orchestra and space to perform to parents – how about linking with a nearby school that does or suggesting a joint event?
- If your school is finding it hard to access relatable role models for careers inspiration – why not team up with a school that has grown a strong alumni network, see what they do and get some help setting up your own?
In all of these cases you will likely find an open door from a school that may be excited to work with you but shy about how its motives might be perceived. It takes openness, honesty and leadership – three of CST’s core values - but it might just ignite a whole new relationship from which you will both gain.
It’s time to put misconceived stereotypes aside. There are so many challenges facing schools right now and partnerships can be part of the solution. The sectors may have differing resources, but expertise is everywhere and relationships cost nothing to build through visiting and listening to each other. Both school trusts and (most) independent schools are charities whose purpose is the advancement of education for public benefit. All children can benefit from the power of such community partnerships.
The CST Blog welcomes perspectives from a diverse range of guest contributors. The opinions expressed in blogs are the views of the author(s), and should not be read as CST guidance or CST’s position.
