HEADTEACHERS of top-rated schools in Essex are branching out to help raise standards in those that are under-performing
A growing trend has resulted in schools rated as outstanding by Ofsted setting up their own academy trusts to allow them to take other schools under their wing to bring about improvements.
Tomorrow (Friday) sees the launch of the county's latest trust set up by Powers Hall Academy in Witham.
And the start of the term saw Joe Figg, head teacher of Purleigh Primary School take over as executive head teacher of Meadgate Primary School – the first venture of the Purleigh Link Academy Trust established this summer.
Similar trusts have been set up in Wickford, Harlow, Notley, Rayleigh, Saffron Walden and Colchester.
"The days of one head, one school are going," believes Joe Figg, who is spending most of his time at Meadgate Primary in Great Baddow, Chelmsford, where he is bringing in a range of improvements in a bid to move it out of special measures as quickly as possible.
"We are not in business trying to compete with each other, although it has appeared that way in the past.
"Today it's all about schools pooling resources, sharing teachers' expertise, and helping each other ensure pupils receive the best quality education."
The move for heads to manage more than one school has come about partly as a result of the national shortage of head teachers, and the Government's push for schools to convert to academy status making them independent of the local authority control.
Mr Figg admits the move to set up an academy trust at Purleigh came about when he and the governors were looking for a new challenge after the school was rated outstanding by government inspectors last year.
"Effectively, I am head of both schools – Meadgate and Purleigh. My deputy Neil Stotter runs Purleigh on a day-to-day basis, allowing me to focus on Meadgate.
"We want the school to be graded as good within the next 12 to 18 months. "
Meadgate was placed in special measures earlier this year after it was slammed by inspectors for the slow academic progress made by pupils and weak teaching.
In the longer term Mr Figg hopes that the trust will take on another outstanding school and one that requires improvement.
"It will be like a mini authority with our own experts in school improvement, behaviour management, financial management, and every other aspect that schools need. It just makes so much sense to pool our resources – this is the way forward."
A celebration is taking place today at Powers Hall Juniors in Witham as it celebrates becoming an academy and the establishment of its Connected Learning Multi-Academy Trust.
Now known as Powers Hall Academy, the school started the new academic year with a new logo.
Having been graded as outstanding by Ofsted twice in a row, the school's head Jane Bass was approached to ask if she would share her expertise.
She said: "I was asked if we would be prepared to sponsor another school that wanted to become an academy. It's such an exciting venture. We have done a lot of outreach work for quite a number of years, so it wasn't anything new for us.
"Collaborating is the way forward for schools. I'm convinced that our collaboration with other schools had a big part to play in our becoming outstanding. It keeps everybody on their toes.
"I'm supporting a school near Clacton – Engaines Primary, which Ofsted has declared requires improvements.
"As the school already had a strong dynamic head teacher who inherited a school that needs improving, I am the lead head, dropping in about once a week and helping in any area that is needed. It's not such a big role as an executive head as Engaines does not need as much support as some schools.
"It's a great way of working and I hope eventually we will link up with another two schools."