I had the opportunity to update Kent influencers last week on the educational landscape regionally. It was the perfect platform to talk about school partnerships and their crucial role in academic recovery post-Covid.
Schools have managed to continue collaborating during lockdown, making use of new relationships and innovative technology and meeting new need. Student initiatives have been particularly heart-warming: making PPE, raising money for computer hardware, reading stories over Zoom and instigating peer mentoring schemes for attainment or well-being. Teachers have enjoyed the convenience of meeting virtually, to share ideas on remote teaching methods and centre-assessed grades.
Now schools must work together to close the gap widened by the pandemic.
• Explicit instruction of the Big Ideas in each subject is the priority – taught by experts. Where a school lacks subject specialists, such as in MFL or physics, can neighbouring schools help? Where there are electronic resources, can they be shared?
• Practical subjects such as science, PE and performing arts have been a particular challenge during lockdown and the gap in skills will need to be plugged if we are to see continued uptake beyond GCSE. Can schools collaborate to share facilities and opportunities within and beyond the curriculum?
• Teacher networks are more important than ever as schools grapple with re-opening, testing, student and staff well-being and public exam grades. Can training sessions or meetings be broadened to include partner schools?
School partnerships within and across sectors have flourished in recent years – David Carter described collaboration as “the oxygen of the education system”. It would be easy for schools to retreat into their shells after March 8th. However, bridges and trust have been built and this is the time for school leaders to draw on their partnerships for the benefit of all our children.
[Image: Lorenzo Quinn]