Investigation into school partnerships

A year long study by the ASCL into school partnerships has found:

- There is a strong intellectual case for collaboration
- Lateral learning helps to spread ideas
- Collaborations can bring economies of scale, widen curriculum choice and ensure the broader welfare of students through working with other agencies
- Collaborations improve teaching and learning as well as the organisations leadership and management
- Outcome and opportunities for students are increased in line with the partnership's objectives

However, the author also noted that the benefits of partnership working are not evenly distributed and not always straight forward to assess.

They found the main barrier to partnership working is insufficient funding followed by transport, excessive meetings and the lack of a common timetable. There were also barriers around a conflicting inspection regime and the nature of local authority engagement. Whereas clarity of purpose, funding and a flexible model of working were seen as assisting the partnership to flourish.

Most partnerships involve at least six schools, with most schools being in 2 or 3 partnership initiatives. The main motivation behind partnership working is the drive to raise student attainment. 60% of partnerships are less than 3 years old and 90% of partnerships spend less than £100,000 on management and administration.

The report also highlights learning from the Private sector, federations, ICT, the 14-19 pathfinders and the extended schools services.