How a Sunderland partnership is using school-to-school collaboration to face challenges together
Vanessa Huws Jones from our Schools Partnership Programme (SPP) Associate Team speaks with Natalie Fountain, Executive Head across four Sunderland schools within the Wise Academy Trust.
Communication, openness, honesty, collective will and commitment – In a time of uncertainty and constantly evolving guidance for schools, how can effective school-to-school collaboration become the vehicle to help schools respond and plan across a partnership?
Natalie and her colleagues have been part of SPP for a number of years and have been instrumental in embedding collaborative practice and peer review as an integral part of the trust’s approach to school-led improvement and accountability.
From the collective creation of home learning packs, to sourcing of PPE, and sharing expertise between schools along with an increased use of technology, Natalie gives a very open and relatable account of the challenges currently facing our schools. By knowing how to work effectively together, they are doing their very best to serve their communities.
“It’s a brave person who goes against the grain as a lone wolf. If you’ve got a trust of twelve schools working together saying 'this is what we’re doing’, it means you’re a little bit protected because you’ve all agreed together”.
Listen to Natalie and Vanessa's conversation below:
About WISE Academies Trust
WISE Academies is a Multi-Academy Trust that incorporates a number of academies in the North East of England. WISE stands for: We Inspire Success and Excellence, which sums up their vision. The Trust is dedicated to getting the best possible outcomes, ensuring that every pupil achieves their full potential within a rich learning environment.
The Trust is a DfE-approved charity that consists of both converter and sponsored academies.
WEBINAR: A collaborative approach to recovery
Recorded Thursday 9th July
We believe in the power of collaboration. That's why we’re developing training and guidance for school partnerships to enable peer review and collaborative approaches to continue to be sustainable and impactful in an age of social distancing - and support Covid-19 recovery.