The Aylsham Cluster of schools Trust development process.
The Schools within the Aylsham Cluster are continuing to explore le="color: #ff6600;"> the possibility of formalising the current partnership arrangements to form the Aylsham Cluster Trust.
The Aylsham Cluster of Schools has successfully worked together for many years and has always put the education and well being of ALL children at the heart of everything that they do. Schools are working together to ensure that every child within the cluster is valued and encouraged to reach their full potential.
Here are some of the very successful joint projects carried out over the years which are quite unique to the Aylsham Cluster of Schools:
v Our regular and very popular Family Learning Days which are organised by our cluster family learning administrators
v Parent Support Adviser shared across all schools
v Teachers working across different schools e.g. Maths and French
v PE events e.g. multi skills, tri golf tournaments, dance festivals
v Organising cost effective training for all staff within the cluster
v Regular meetings between staff, Governors, pupils to share good ideas and help each other with new initiatives
The schools within the Aylsham Cluster are: Aylsham High School, Aldborough Primary, Bure Valley,Erpingham Primary, John of Gaunt Infant & Nursery and St Michaels Nursery & Infant.
Norfolk Local Authority has recognised the collaborative work of the Aylsham Cluster and has praised the innovative approach to working together and putting children first. The Aylsham Cluster has also received national recognition particularly for their work with families.
It would be very easy to continue as we are, but the current arrangements are very informal and rely on the goodwill of all the schools and the individuals within them. Therefore all the schools have started to explore sustainable and structured forms of partnership to strengthen and formalise the relationship of all the schools.
Some of the potential benefits of formalising the Trust include the ability:
v To create sustainable partnerships with other organisations.
v To increase the breadth of opportunities for pupils e.g. bringing in outside expertise, joint activities and events.
v To continue to develop opportunities for locally delivered training for all staff in schools which is tailored to meet the needs of the children and local needs.
v To become more cost effective by sharing resources and by use of collaborative purchasing power.
Whilst the current Aylsham Cluster of schools has proved to work well, we live in times of ever changing political agenda and renewed financial constraints for education. It is paramount that we safeguard this excellent collaborative ethos for future generations by moving beyond the dynamic input of key individual people.
For Erpingham, as we are a Voluntary Controlled school, we already have Trust status. Nevertheless, we are still able to play an active role within the proposed trust and maximises all of its advantages. This is something which your Governing body not only supports, but dovetails with our own work in seeking collaboration with other schools.
For most other schools in the cluster, they have an important decision to make in deciding whether or not to be part of the proposed trust. This would entail changing their status to be Foundation Schools. Those schools considering changing status have already begun a rigorous consultation process. Copies of the consultation and responses to all questions are available from the school office or on the VLE.
There is also further information available regarding the Trust and the Aylsham Cluster in general at:
http://www.aylshamcluster.co.uk/
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this process and the impact on our School, please contact Mr John Longhurst [Chair of Governors], Ross Tuffin [Vice Chair of Governors] or Mr East [Head teacher] via the school office.
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