COLLABORATIVE WORKING MODEL
Schools in the South Bank MAT are committed to working together
in the following ways:
THEME / SCHOOL COMMITMENT / MAT OFFER
LEADERSHIP / Each Headteacher will attend and contribute meetings of the Headteacher Group (HTG). These currently take place on a fortnightly basis and are two hours in length.
The HTG will focus on agreeing strategy, setting goals, sharing good practice, identifying school improvement themes and agreement of policies as appropriate.
Each Headteacher will participate in an annual Peer Review process with two other Headteacher colleagues from within the MAT. / The HTG is the engine-room of the MAT and provides guidance for the Trustees and Trust Principal on key goals, approaches and decisions. This flat leadership structure provides individual Headteachers with the opportunity to shape and influence the direction of the MAT.
Each Headteacher will participate in an annual Peer Review process, with one review meeting per term. This will support professional development, replace the use of an LA Advisor and sit alongside each school’s appraisal process.The Trust Principal canalso support governors when carrying out the annual Performance Management Review of each Headteacher, if desired, providing them with evidence from within the MAT.
CPD / Each school is asked to commit up to two Staff Meeting slots per term to facilitate joint training and/or network meetings.
As agreed by the HTG each year, schools are asked to commit to some shared time from their annual complement of Training Days. / A MAT in-house support programme for NQTs and RQTs will be provided as required, utilising strengths across the MAT schools.
The MAT is committed to providing regular opportunities for Middle Leadership training.
THEME / SCHOOL COMMITMENT / MAT OFFER
CPD (cont) / The HTG will review the MAT’s training needs annually. The majority of school improvement support will be drawn from within the MAT. Where there is a need for external, bespoke in-house training (e.g. in statutory areas, such as English, Maths and assessment) any costs can be shared across schools as appropriate. / The MAT is committed, as required, to providing opportunities for staff to shadow their counterparts in other schools. This will always be agreed through the HTG.
The MAT is committed, as required, to providing succession planning through the development and growth of future leaders.
NETWORKS / The HTG will review the MAT’s training needs annually and schools may be asked to nominate an appropriately skilled teacher to take a lead on one of the networks (see right). / The MAT will convene and organise termly network meetings for the following aspects of Teaching & Learning, ensuring that good practice is shared and statutory messages are well understood:
- EYFS
- Year 2
- Years 6
- Deputies/Assistant Heads
- SEND
SPECIALIST STAFF / As agreed by the HTG, schools are asked whether they wish to opt-in to the funding for specialist provision where it is relevant for their school, for example:
- Speech & Language
- EAL
- Occupational Therapy
PUPILS / As agreed by the teachers and ratified by the HTG, schools are asked to participate in MAT-wide creative or sporting events, or year-group projects, where pupils can benefit from working alongside their peers in other schools. / As agreed by the HTG, MAT staff and pupils will have the opportunity to take part in MAT-wide events or activities e.g.:
- Musical performance
- Spelling Bee
- Inter-school sports event
- Curriculum-based project e.g. Penpals
- French Café at Millthorpe
- Science Days at Millthorpe
GOVERNANCE / School Governors are invited, as appropriate, to meet together with other Governors across MAT schools and hear key messages from the Trust Chair – schools are asked to / The MAT will hold regular information evenings for governors, to ensure that they are kept up to date about MAT activities.
THEME / SCHOOL COMMITMENT / MAT OFFER
GOVERNANCE (cont) / encourage a governor presence from their own FGB at these meetings.
There are regular opportunities for Governors to join Trust Committees – schools are asked to encourage participation in these opportunities. / The MAT will facilitate joint governor training as required and encourage opportunities for sharing practice across all MAT schools.
The MAT will facilitate Ofsted-readiness for governors as schools approach their inspection window.
CRITICAL SUPPORT / As agreed by the HTG, schools are asked to contribute, where they have the capacity, to supporting one another during critical situations e.g. absence of the Headteacher or other key staff, Ofsted inspections or other challenging situations. / School Leaders (Headteachers, Deputies and Governors) can draw upon MAT Headteachers in times of critical need (see left).
INCLUSION/SEN / Schools are asked to release their SENCOs/Inclusion Staff for the termly liaison meetings. / The MAT will convene and organise termly network meetings for SENCOs/Inclusion Staff, to ensure that practice relating to SEND, pastoral support and safeguarding is shared. Themes for discussion will include:
- Support for vulnerable children and their families
- Support for pupils with mental health issues
- Performance of vulnerable groups
- Safeguarding
PREMISES / As agreed by the HTG, schools are asked to contribute, where they have the capacity, to supporting one another during critical situations related to school premises. They are also asked to share staff expertise, in order to build up a bank of key skills across the MAT schools. / The MAT will move towards creating a team of premises workers so that across the school teams there are staff trained in:
- Plumbing
- Electrics
- Heating
- PAT testing
- Carpentry
SHARED STRENGTHS / As agreed with individual Heads, where schools have specific individuals with skills and strengths, these will be shared across the MAT as required. / MAT schools will be able both to contribute to shared expertise as required, (drawing upon strengths in their own schools) and also to benefit from it from others when needed.