MILIBAND ENCOURAGES GREATER COLLABORATION

12 Feb 2003 11:45 AM

School Standards Minister David Miliband today enabled a greater number of independent and state schools to work together to raise standards for the benefit of all their pupils.

Visiting the Corporation of London, Mr Miliband announced an extra £1.85 million over the next three years for the pioneering Independent/State School Partnerships Scheme. The extra investment will allow up to 80 new partnerships to be set up by 2006.

The scheme has already funded 180 partnerships over the past five years, helping around 600 schools to forge closer links with one another to raise standards, create opportunities for gifted and talented pupils and share best practice. 60,000 pupils have benefited from this scheme.

The principles of collaboration and partnership promoted by this scheme are at the heart of the vision for a new specialist system to transform secondary schools set out on Monday by Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Charles Clarke. By working together, schools can provide more opportunities for both pupils and staff, share best practice and can provide more choice for parents.

David Miliband said:

"Raising standards across secondary schools means sharing expertise from every source. These partnerships have already proved their worth - so we are creating many more. Working together to raise standards is at the heart of our vision for transforming secondary education. Applications for the next round of partnerships are now open, and I hope to interest many more schools from both the independent and state sector in the scheme".

Editor's Notes:

This press notice relates to England

1. David Miliband was visiting the Corporation of London's Guildhall to meet pupils from schools which have formed an Independent/State School Partnership who were taking part in work experience there.

2. The £1.85 million increase in Government funding over the next three years will bring spending on the scheme to £1.25 million in 2003-04; £1.6 million in 2004-05; £2 million in 2005-06.

3. In the first five years of the scheme, contributions from private sponsors totalled £650,000. Future funding may be further supplemented by private sponsors.

4. School Standards Minister, David Miliband, gave a speech to the Conference of Independent/State School Partnerships in Brighton on 8 October 2002. Press Notice 2002/0185 refers.

5. The Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Charles Clarke, set out his vision for a radical new specialist system to transform secondary education on 10 February 2003. Press notice 2003/0016 refers. The document "A New Specialist System" can be found at www.teachernet.gov.uk/makingadiff

6. Further details about the scheme and how to apply for funding are available on our website at www.dfes.gov.uk/buildingbridges

7. David Miliband also announced the membership of the
Independent/State Schools Partnership Forum. A permanent independent/state school partnerships forum was established in October 2002, with a remit to promote further cross-sector collaboration across Government policies, advising and reporting to Ministers. Chaired by Eric Wood, County Education Officer for Warwickshire, membership includes chief education officers, independent and maintained school headteachers, and representatives of professional and educational organisations. Details at Annex A.

ANNEX A - MEMBERSHIP OF INDEPENDENT/STATE SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS FORUM ANNEX B - CASE STUDIES OF INDEPENDENT/STATE SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

PUBLIC ENQUIRIES:
0870 000 2288
info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

INTERNET ADDRESS :
www.dfes.gov.uk

If you would like to receive email notification of new press notices in the subjects of your choice, please click on 'register' on our site: www.dfes.gov.uk, 'Latest News'.

ANNEX A
INDEPENDENT/STATE SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS FORUM

Mr Eric Wood - Chairman
County Education Officer
Warwickshire Education Department
Mrs Marion Gibbs
Headmistress
James Allen's Girls' School, London

Mr Graham Badman
Strategic Director, Education and Libraries
Kent County Council

Mrs Cynthia Hall
Headmistress
School of St Helen & St Katherine,
Oxfordshire
Dr Jill Clough
Principal
East Brighton College of Media Arts
Dr Tim Hands
Headmaster
Portsmouth Grammar School

Ms Maureen Cruickshank
Headteacher
The Beauchamp College, Leicester

Mrs Pat Langham
Headmistress
Wakefield Girls' High School

Mrs Irene Dalton
Headteacher
Wombwell High School
Barnsley

Mr Frank Morgan
Secretary
Association of Governing Bodies of
Independent Schools

Mr Keith Davies
Headteacher
Tidbury Green Primary School, Solihull

Mr Chris Parker
Headmaster
Nottingham High School

Miss Barbara Hall
Headteacher
Sandon High School, Stoke-on-Trent

Mrs Jean Scott
Chairman
Independent Schools Council

Mr John McLeod
Chief Education Officer
Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council

Dr Martin Stephen
High Master
Manchester Grammar School

Mr Alan Stockley
Headteacher
Landywood Primary School, Staffordshire

Mrs Lesley Watson
Headmistress
St Mary's Westbrook, Folkestone

OTHER ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTED

National College for School Leadership
HSBC Education Trust
Sutton Trust
Ogden Trust
Youth Sport Trust
Secondary Heads Association
National Association of Headteachers
General Teaching Council
Confederation of Education Service Officers

OFSTED
Learning & Skills Council
Catholic Education Service in England and Wales
Church of England Board of Education
ANNEX B - CASE STUDIES OF INDEPENDENT/STATE SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

'Bright Sparks'
The Partners

The Hammond School, Hoole All Saints Infant School and other Cheshire primary schools.

The Project

The 'Bright Sparks' project is providing Saturday morning workshops for able and talented pupils in Mathematics, Science and ICT. It also aims to develop guidance and recommendations for setting up similar projects as well as establish systems for tracking able pupils. The project features on-going support for participating and other able pupils and seeks to encourage closer involvement of all participating local schools.

The Benefits

The project has led to a close working relationship between the two schools and between teachers from the two sectors who have a common interest and enthusiasm. They have gained greater knowledge of Key Stages outside those that they normally work in, as well as considerable understanding of the needs of able children. The partnership hopes that their guidance (www.brightsparks.uk.net) will help other potential groups to set up similar schemes. They have identified a need to support able and gifted children and hope that this will happen in a more organised way both locally and nationally.

Hammond's older pupils, who have helped with the project, have gained considerably from working with adults and children. The responses of children, parents, course deliverers and all involved have supported the fact that this has been a hugely worthwhile project. They hope it will feed into the increasing knowledge of how to support and extend able pupils.

Polly Dangerfield, one of the project co-ordinators, said: "All involved in the Bright Sparks project have gained in so many ways. The feedback we have had from children and parents have indicated the importance of the master classes and the benefits they have given to the children. We have thoroughly enjoyed the experience of the two schools working together. I hope that what we have learnt will be valuable to others; it certainly has been to us. The experience and knowledge we have gained will help both schools in the future and we hope to continue to build on the close relationship we have established."

Contact: Polly Dangerfield (Head of Hammond School) - Telephone: 01244 305350. The Hammond School is a member of the Music and Dance Scheme.

Loughborough Grammar Partnership

The Partners

Loughborough Grammar School, Rendell Primary School, Mountfields Lodge Primary School, and all other Loughborough Primary Development Group schools

The Project

This partnership aims to make better use of resources and facilities to improve learning for all pupils in Mathematics and ICT. The partnership is improving opportunities for more able pupils and is setting up a group to research new resources for able pupils. Teachers also meet regularly to monitor and evaluate the project and share good practice.

The Benefits

The acquisition, as part of the project, of digital camera equipment and "control" software for use in the classroom, has enabled the initiation of more focused activities between the Loughborough Grammar sixth form volunteers and primary pupils. One of the main aims for the future is to develop further legitimate and valid uses of the new technology, and in particular, to permit regular input to the schools' websites by the pupils themselves.

Delivered by Loughborough Grammar's Maths Department, the highly successful series of Maths Masterclasses for more able pupils from all of Loughborough's primary schools has just completed a second year. Now an accepted part of the schools' provision, it will run again for a new cohort, and its finale, a Maths Olympics fun-day, is to be repeated "on the road" in several different locations, to make it accessible to more young people. In future the project will make provision for a 5 day conference for Primary Maths co-ordinators, with LEA input, to devise new materials for use in the Masterclasses and in schools. Hedley Coleman, Headteacher of Rendell Primary School and Chairman of the Loughborough Primary Development Group, said: "It is a project with so many benefits: the pupils enjoy the new activities and are stimulated by the new technology; it helps us to meet the DfES' expectation that every Primary school should develop its own website. More importantly, the help and support from the Loughborough Grammar sixth formers enables our pupils to be involved in the website development, and to enjoy making a hands-on contribution to its content, which gives them real pride and a sense of achievement in their work." John Mellors, project organiser at Loughborough Grammar School, said: "The partnership scheme has encouraged us to set aside our differences and concentrate on working together on a project which benefits pupils, young and old, from all the schools involved, enabling them to develop new interests and skills together and to discover new respect for each other. For teachers it is an enriching experience to work on new projects, and to share expertise with new colleagues." Contact: John Mellors (French Teacher) - Telephone: 01509 233233

Newcastle-upon-Tyne LEA Partnership

The Partners

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Local Education Authority, Royal Grammar School (ind), West Gate Community College, St Cuthbert's RC High School, Walbottle Campus, Heaton Manor School, Walker Technology College

The Project

This project builds on an existing partnership programme by providing enrichment and extension opportunities for potential A*-A grade pupils and encouraging the most able pupils to take science at GCSE and A level.

The Benefits

The measurable outcomes from this exciting development are the potential for pupils to achieve either a bronze or silver Crest Award and the achievement of a higher level in their investigation work at GCSE. The benefits are wide but all aim to raise the aspirations of pupils involved. They will be involved in a piece of applied science that they would not see within the normal school curriculum. Pupils use equipment that would not be available within the normal school environment and work with A' level students focusing on developing their investigation skills. Throughout this valuable programme, they have an individual tutor/mentor to guide them through their work.

Other benefits include: meeting other able pupils; development of confidence - explicitly commented on by staff in some of the schools involved and useful cross-fertilisation of ideas among staff from a variety of schools. The Headmaster of the Royal Grammar School, Mr James Miller, said: "There is certainly no surfeit of educational resources in the North East, and it is vital that we make the fullest use of what we have - and that means schools from different sectors along with the LEA coming together in partnership in the interests of all."

"If we want to get sufficient able students to read pure or applied sciences at university, we have got to give them the chance of carrying out proper and challenging practical work at a younger age." The Headteacher of West Gate Community College, Mr J Farnie, said: "This is a great opportunity for pupils to work with their peers from other schools who have similar abilities and interests in science. We aim to raise achievement and increase opportunities for their future. We want these young people to see both science and higher education as their future and this is our way of raising their aspirations towards achieving this."

Additional Information

Walbottle Campus was the lead organisation in 2001-2002 working in partnership with Royal Grammar School and Walker Technology College. The project involved working with gifted and talented Year 9 and 10 pupils researching, improving knowledge and understanding of the relationships between the individual, local government and the European Union. Due to successfully working together on this project, the schools identified other areas of expertise and set up the above project. Contact: Gair Hedley (EIC strand co-ordinator) - Tel: 0191 211 5391.

Ashton-on-Mersey Partnership

The Partners

Ashton-on-Mersey School, in Sale, Manchester, is an 11 to 16 mixed state Secondary Modern School, with Beacon and Sports College Status. Witherslack Hall School, in the Lake District, is an 11 to 16 residential independent school for boys with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. Other partners include Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council and Manchester United Football Club.

The Project

In 2000 the partnership was awarded a grant to work on a two-year project aimed at providing access for Ashton-on-Mersey pupils to high quality residential learning support while Witherslack Hall staff and pupils benefited from Ashton-on-Mersey's expertise in Sport.

The Benefits

Although not yet complete, the project so far has been very successful. Ashton-on-Mersey staff have benefited from behaviour management training at Witherslack Hall. Senior Ashton-on-Mersey pupils have worked with Witherslack Hall staff on anti-bullying. These pupils are now Friends Against Bullying, offering support to vulnerable Year 7 and 8 pupils. Joint outdoor pursuit activities and competitive opportunities in football have increased social inclusion for Witherslack Hall pupils. They have also benefited from the introduction of GCSE Physical Education, and participation in the full range of sports, following staff training by Ashton-on-Mersey. Staff visits to share training and school improvement strategies have become a feature of life at the two schools as part of a self-supporting mechanism.

Tarun Kapur, Headteacher at Ashton on Mersey and project co-ordinator, says: "The involvement of coaches, development officers and staff at Manchester United Football Club has been invaluable in this initiative in helping to provide increased levels of motivation and aspirations. The Manchester United experience has been used as a 'carrot' for the boys at Witherslack to improve their behaviour and attitude in addition to improving their skill levels."

Contact: Mr Tarun Kapur (Head of Ashton on Mersey School) - Telephone: 0161 973 1179

Oxfordshire Partnership

Oxfordshire County Council Education Service, Carterton Community College, The Cherwell School, Our Lady's Convent Senior School, Burford School, Sibford School, St Edward's School. Other partners include National Healthy Schools Local Oxfordshire Scheme, Common Purpose (Your Turn Project), Oxford City Education Action Zone, Thames Valley Police, Community Service Volunteers, Young Enterprise, Unipart and Thames Valley Partnership - Schools in Action.

The Project in 2001-2002

In 2001-2002 Oxfordshire County Council Education Service was awarded a grant for its "Young Citizens' Charter Project". Its aim was to provide opportunities for year 9 pupils to develop innovative and active citizenship projects through a partnership involving schools and their communities.

The Benefits

The culmination of the project was the production of a "Young Citizens' Charter" which is an interactive resource, put on the Oxfordshire Broadband Network for use by all Oxfordshire schools. Karen Marshall, the project co-ordinator, reported: "The main thing that others could learn from this project is the empowerment of young people. This gives the young people motivation, determination, responsibility, creativity and many other useful skills."

The Project in 2002-2003

In 2002-2003, Oxfordshire County Council Education Service was again awarded a grant to launch its "Young Solutions" project. This takes forward the earlier "Young Citizens Charter" project. It will involve each of the schools participating in 2001-2002 teaming up with another school from the opposite sector. The project encourages the paired schools to work with existing and new external partners in close co-operation and aims to further develop the spirit of partnership throughout all schools in the county. The project focuses on environmental issues and improving community relations. It involves partners such as Oxfordshire County Council Environmental Services, Eco Schools, Waste Watch and Commission for Racial Equality. It includes investigation on recycling, pollution, access to services for young ethnic groups and the cultural implications of leisure activities. The culmination of this project will be the production of "Young Solutions - Oxfordshire Young People's Green Paper on Communities". This will also provide a valuable resource for other schools to use, via the Oxfordshire Broadband Network.

Sustainability

The Oxfordshire Independent/State School Partnership is seeking to gain corporate status which would give it the opportunity to raise funds from sources other than Government to support and sustain future initiatives. Contact : Anne Raven (School's Advisor) - Telephone: 01865 428041.

ENDS