Creating a Free School Chain

Rachel WolfDirector

New Schools Network

The Landscape

• Academy chains have been growing for some time

• Chains of independent schools already exist

• The first Free School groups are beginning to make further applications

• Many groups aim to build chains over time

Key Things to consider

• What are the core things that bind the chain together?

• What autonomy will schools within the chain have?

• How will you balance a consistent model with independence for frontline teachers?

• What new skills and people will you need?

• What are the practical benefits and obstacles?

• Is this actually right for you?

NSN Support

NSN is looking at how we can support groups who want to build chains

We will send out more information as we develop new resources

Contact tomphilpott@newschoolsnetwork.org if you would like to discuss this in more detail

Developing a Federation Around Learning and Leadership

David Carter

Executive Principal

Cabot Learning Federation

The Cabot Learning

Federation• CLF Academies in 2012

– John Cabot Academy joined in Sept 2007– Bristol Brunel Academy joined in Sept 2007– Bristol Metropolitan Academy joined in Sept 2009– Hans Price Academy in Weston super Mare from April 2011– King’s Oak Academy in South Glos from September 2011– Bath Community Academy opening in September 2012

The Cabot Learning Federation

• Primary Academies from Sept 2012

• 2 are Sponsored Academies and 2 are Convertors– Hillfields Primary School- Minerva Primary Academy

– Oldbury Court Primary School- Frome Vale Academy

– Summerhill Junior School- Summerhill Academy

– Begbrook Primary School- Begbrook Primary Academy

Benefits of working in a Federation

• The sum of the parts is greater than the individual components– Friendly competition

• Principals lead across the Federation• School Centred school improvement• Single trust streamlines central services to create

more capacity for learning• Staff Training• Greater choice & Opportunity for students

“Collaboration for Outstanding

Achievement”• Objective 1-To support all of our Academies on their

journey to sustained Outstanding performance through partnership, support and collaboration

• Objective 2-To develop, support and train our staff so that they can be inspirational leaders, outstanding teachers, and excellent supporters of student learning

• Objective 3-To lead a sustainable future for the Cabot Learning Federation so that outstanding performance can be secured for future generations of students in our Academies

Why Federation? The “So What”

Question

• What must the structure achieve?– Improved Outcomes for Children– Improved Support and Development for Staff– Improved Cohesion for Parents– Improved status of Education for the

Community– Improved understanding in the Business Sector

CLF Leadership Structure

David Carter-Exec Principal

Cabot Learning Federation Principals & Director of Finance

Head of HR +3 HR Assts

Head of Finance+ 3 Finance Assts

PR and Comms, E learning and

EP PA

AST English, Maths & Science, Leader of Training andDevelopment, Primary Federation Team Leader

CLFStrategic

LeadershipTeam

CLF CentralSupport

Team

CLFEducation

Developing Teaching & Learning

• Main Focus– To identify and share the best practice in teaching and

learning across the four schools• Case Studies

– To design and support school “swaps” & exchanges– To move teachers from Satisfactory to Good– To move teachers from Good to Outstanding

• CLF target is 80% of observations show good or better

– To enable, where appropriate, teachers and support staff to visit and work alongside colleagues from the other Academies

Leadership and Succession Planning

Hub• Leadership Development

Programmes – Emerging Leaders– Middle Leaders– Emerging Senior Leaders

• Make connections for staff visits to schools across the UK and Overseas– Boston USA and Finland– CLF Study Tours when at

least 1 Academy has INSET Day

• Coaching and Mentoring– NQT and PCGE across

CLF– Appointment Directory– Alumni

• Student Parliament Leadership Development Programme

• Senior Leaders on secondment

Student Development

• CLF Vi Form Campus on 3 Academy Sites

• Student Parliament– MP from each Year

Group in Each Academy

• CLF Combination Sports Teams– Rugby, Football (Boys

and Girls), Netball, Hockey and Cricket

• CLF Arts Showcase– Dance Company– Theatre in Education

VI Form BTEC Perf Arts

– CLF Arts team at Edinburgh Festival

• “Teachers of the Future”• Gifted and Talented

– Year 9 Technology– University Visits-Y10

and Y12– Summer School

The Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) Governance Model

Cabot Learning Federation Board of Trustees - sponsored by

Rolls Royce PLC and the University of the West of England.

(15 members)

Each academy has an academy council made up

of 13 members-7 are appointed by sponsors and 6 represent the community

Leadership, Curriculum & Behaviour Sub

Committee

Chairs of Academy Council Sub Committee

Finance and General Purpose Sub Committee

Achievement and Teaching Sub

Committee

How a Secondary Orientated federation can add value to a cluster of Primary Academies

What is the Vision?

• Outstanding 4-19 Education for every child who attends a CLF Academy– From September 2012 a parent has the

choice of a CLF Academy from Reception Class to Post 16 and with our University links to the age of 21

Improving Capacity, Changing Cultures, Building Resilience

Improving the Quality of teaching &

learning

Improving the Quality of teaching &

learning

Improving the quality & Impact of Leadership &

Governance

Improving the quality & Impact of Leadership &

Governance

Improving the quality of

Transition in a 4 to 19 Federation

Improving the quality of

Transition in a 4 to 19 Federation

Improving the Quality and Impact of

Finance and HR Management

Improving the Quality and Impact of

Finance and HR Management

Improving the Quality and

range of SEN and Welfare

Provision

Improving the Quality and

range of SEN and Welfare

Provision

5 Core Strands5 Core

Strands

The Role of the Executive Principal-How does it work? How does it

compare with single School Leadership?

What does an Executive

Principal do?• The Core Role

– Coach and Mentor new Heads and SLT

– Deliver the CLF Leadership programmes

– QA the quality of education– Lead learning reviews

across both schools– Talent Spot and

Succession Plan– Income generation– Report to the CLF Board

– Observe lessons and share best practice with SLT

– Assemblies– Unions, DFE, Press and

Media, NCSL, EFA Partnership for Schools

– Federation Strategic Plans– Relationship with Sponsors– Facilitate teacher

exchanges

The Implications & Advantages of

running more than one School

• Brand Identity• Accelerates schools

improvement as the staff talent pool is greater– One contract-One

workforce

• Economies and Efficiencies of Scale

• Creation of a central team for Finance and HR

• Executive Leadership• Collective

Responsibility for all students

• The key…– Sharing Practice

– Creating New Practice

Patricia SowterExecutive Headteacher

Cuckoo Hall Academies Trust

Organisational Structure

CUCKOO CUCKOO HALLHALL

WOODPECKERWOODPECKERHALLHALL

KINGFISHERKINGFISHERHALLHALL

HERON HERON HALLHALL

PRIMARY ACADEMIES

SECONDARY

Cuckoo Hall Primary:One of the first primary academy

converters• Became a Primary Academy September 2010

• An outstanding school – turned around from special measures

• Autonomy and freedoms to improve education for children

• Over-subscribed and high demand from parents

From Primary School to Academy…

… A seamless transition for pupils (and parents)

The Context

• A very large school: over 800 pupils

• Over 50% EAL

• Over 35% FSM

• An area with very high levels of deprivation

Key Ingredients For Success

• Strong, focussed leadership

• A relentless focus on literacy and mathematics

• Robust systems and structures

• Excellent teaching

• High expectations for ALL children’s learning

• A stimulating and wide-reaching curriculum

• Strong partnership and communication with parents

The Way Forward

• Work with governors to define our own future and take control of our own destiny

• Taking our vision further

• The opening of our first Free School

Woodpecker Hall Primary Academy• Opened September 2011 in temporary accommodation

• A shared vision, but a separate school

• Deployment of existing expertise to ensure success

• High demand and over-subscribed

• Moved to permanent site September 2012

From Vision to Reality:

Artist’s impression

From Vision to Reality:

Artist’s impression

The completed school

Cuckoo Hall Academies Trust

• An over-arching Trust for governance

• Consistency

• Quality

• Effective deployment of resources

Kingfisher Hall Primary Academy

• Opened September 2012 in temporary accommodation

• Another ‘sister’ school within CHAT

• Already fully subscribed

• Will move to permanent site September 2013

Heron Hall Academy:A Secondary “all-through” school

• A long-held vision for our children to transfer to excellent secondary education

• Demand from parents

• Successful proposal: will open for 90 pupils in September 2013

• Building to 6 or 8 form of entry by September 2018

Making It Happen• Never losing sight of the overall vision

• Taking opportunities where possible

• Responding to parental demand

• “Creative thinking” (i.e. accommodation, deployment of resources and expertise)

Sustainability and Future Planning

• Capacity-building

• Governance

• Leadership structure

• Business management

• Operational functions

Building Capacity

• Developing our own leaders:• Mentoring & Coaching

• Opportunities across the schools

• Appointment and induction of new teachers and teaching assistants

• Training our own teachers

• Operational Teams:• Business & Finance

• Marketing & Project Management

• Human Resources

The Future:An exciting partnership

with Buckingham University

• Training teachers with outstanding practitioners

• Apprenticeship model

• Sharing expertise across the primary and secondary sector

We can ALL succeed!

Thank YouThank You