Independent/State School Partnership Conference December 2008
In the last ten years the UK government has supported 330 partnership projects with £10 million of funding. This ISSP conference focused upon the successes and challenges of partnership activity. Different dimensions of the UK’s many partnership programmes were presented by independent and state school Headteachers, ISSP directors, policy makers, funding bodies, LEA representatives and education support organisations. Speaker, Peter Houten (Director of Academies and Capital) discussed a number of DCSF initiatives aimed at benefiting pupils and teachers. The inspirational partnership leader, Marion Gibbs of James Allen's Girls' School, London focused on the need for consultation and networking between Headteachers, the value of engaging school governors and parents and of the enthusiasm and creativity required to drive forwards the partnership agenda. Sir John Rowling, Headteacher Consultant for the National College of Leadership spoke passionately about the ability for effective partnership to raise standards and extend professional development. He referred to the great strengths in the state sectors programme for middle leadership training. Such expertise could be shared through partnership activity. Other examples of successful collaborative activity included revision classes and summer schools. Jack Butler of Future Foundations provided some enlightening examples of how successful summer schools have been established.
The panel of speakers at this inspiring ISSP event agreed that effective partnerships provide a clear and high quality offer with achievable and measurable outcomes and rewards for all involved. The panel concluded that modern partnerships had the potential to support community cohesion and outreach activity rather than the more traditional focus upon patronage and philanthropy.
To conclude Dame Mary Richardson, Chief Executive of the HSBC Global Education Trust,reminded the audience that the key issues of governance, leadership and customer satisfaction are common to both the state and independent sectors. The closing comments resonated with a call for more collaboration between educational institutions at all levels and the need for those involved in the current valuable partnership activity to celebrate their successes and the hard work and dedication that has bought them about.