Summary - This is a useful case study of a soft federation in Shrewsbury comprised of a special school; 7 secondary schools; and 2 colleges. As with all our case studies it includes a look at their focus, successes, challenges and solutions.

Introduction: The Shrewsbury Partnership for Education and Training consists of 7 secondary schools; 1 special school; and 2 colleges. It is a “soft” federation where the joint Governing Committee have delegated powers (formed under School Governance (Collaboration) (England) Regulations 2003).  

Focal areas: professional development for teachers; creating subject expertise; broadening and enriching experiences for pupils; improving the achievement of specific pupil groups; effective use of ICT / learning technologies; and community / social cohesion.

Impact on standards of teaching and learning: Our vision has been to reduce the workload for teachers by making the most of our strengths.  We have held regular subject co-ordinators meetings which have focused on making the most of our strengths, examples include:

• PE - putting together all schemes of work to develop a Shrewsbury Physical Education On-line curriculum. 
• RE -  in the process of producing a detailed lesson plan to meet the needs for the new KS3 syllabus

Pupil groups who have seen most impact:

• L6 in English and Maths has gone up reflecting work on gifted and talented students.
• Performance at GCSE improved in three of the seven secondary schools.

Impact on teachers’ professional development and support:

• The purchase of interactive whiteboards throughout the federation.
• Training twilight for all federation teaching staff planned for March 2006  on Raising Levels of Achievement for Boys.
• The Subject Co-ordinators Meetings have resulted in continuing professional development on a range of skills and techniques.

Enhancement of links between schools and the local community: Before the forming of the federation SPET was an informal group which met regularly to discuss ideas and initiatives.  Since the forming of the federation there is now a governing body forum with delegated powers under the Act.  Greater collaboration between schools within an urban setting has meant a change in culture from competition to collaboration.  Members of the wider school community are also aware of how schools are working together.

Major challenges and barriers: The major challenge has been the establishing of the governing forum, working with 186 Governors in order to establish the structure and delegated powers was a challenge. 

There have always been tensions between the varying initiatives being implemented in individual schools and the federation priorities.

Finding time to move our Action Plan forward has also proved challenging.

How the challenges / barriers were overcome:

These were addressed by:
• Reviewing the existing structure.
• Revisiting the regulations.
• Consulting with DFES.
• Presenting aims and yearly action plan to all governors.
• Ratifying the Action Plan, governing body structure, delegated powers with all governing bodies.
• Employing a clerk to governing body.
• Honest communication between headteachers, including inspection of the minutes of governing body meetings for evidence of committee/priorities.
• Agreeing /prioritising committee methods.
• Employing media consultant.
• Employing various staff to carry initiatives forward, including:-
o a project manager for subject co-ordinators meetings;
o a CPD co-ordinator;
o lead subject teachers/leaders within school; and
o external advisers, some from LEA

Emerging innovative practice:

• The use of behaviour support assistants supported by SLEUTH behaviour tracking system.
• Agreement for all federation schools to operate the same reporting, assessment and tracking system building on good practice.
• Joint History study visit.

For more information, please contact Candy Garbett, Chair, either by emailing info@priory.shropshire.sch.uk or by calling 01743 284008.