Headteachers committed to building on federation success

Headteachers from schools which successfully federated this month after working with Shropshire Council have spoken of their commitment to building on the achievement. 

At a meeting today (Wednesday 11 January 2012) the council’s Cabinet was asked to note that, as from 1 January this year, the following schools had achieved federation status:

• Lydbury North CE Primary School and Onny CE Primary School
• Stiperstones CE Primary School and Chirbury CE Primary School 

Federation involves two or more schools coming together with a single governing body. 

Cabinet agreed in 2011 not to proceed with proposals to close Lydbury North, Onny and Stiperstones primary schools, to allow them to progress alternative federation plans they brought forward.  The council had previously proposed to close the schools following consultation which took place on an unprecedented scale for more than a year to look at the future of education in the county.  Chirbury Primary School was not part of the proposals.

Throughout the process the council encouraged and supported schools, parents, governors, pupils, the diocese, town and parish councils and wider communities to come up with viable, sustainable alternatives to the proposals.

Cabinet today agreed not to proceed to close Stiperstones, Lydbury North and Onny primary schools within the set of proposals that went to Cabinet in 2011, and to ask the Corporate Director of People to continue to monitor the development of the federations.

Penny Knight, headteacher of Lydbury North Primary School and Rosanne Pugh, headteacher of Onny Primary School, said:

“We acknowledge and appreciate the role of the council in listening and responding to our work in achieving federation status for our schools. Our core purpose continues to be to provide the best education possible for pupils.  We are able to achieve and secure this more effectively through federation, in being ‘stronger together’.  This has already practically impacted on the daily education of our pupils, their progress and our capacity to continue to improve teaching and learning for our children.

“The overwhelming commitment and support that underpins the success of this federation sits within the local community and its representatives, the diocese, staff, parents and carers and pupils.  Over the next few years we aim to build on this commitment, to innovate, embed and extend an exciting learning community.”

Tim Roberts, headteacher of Chirbury Primary School, said:

“This is excellent news to start the new year, we are absolutely delighted, as this should ensure a better future for our pupils.”

Susan Cooke, headteacher of Stiperstones Primary School, said:

“We are very pleased that after all of our hard work we have been allowed to move forward with this great opportunity that will benefit all of the pupils and staff at Stiperstones and Chirbury schools. 

“I am sure the community of Stiperstones will be very happy that we have been allowed to stay open to pursue this new venture.”

Councillor Cecilia Motley, Cabinet member responsible for schools, said:

“These schools have demonstrated commitment to federating and are establishing strong links to make the best use of resources, strengthen their sustainability and improve the quality of education for all learners.

“From the outset, we have urged people to come forward with their own ideas, which still ensure we can provide excellent education for all our children, for years to come.  Where this has happened we have listened and supported the schools, as has been shown in giving Lydbury North, Onny and Stiperstones the opportunity to proceed with federation arrangements.

“As stand-alone institutions they had become unsustainable in the current network of schools – and while we will need to continue to monitor progress, these federations offer a much stronger model to secure the future of the schools.

“At Cabinet today the efforts of these schools which have worked hard on their business plans for federation was acknowledged and we look forward to working with more schools to develop federation plans in the future.”

The Cabinet report outlines that the main focuses of federation are:

•  Shared leadership
•  Shared self-evaluation and school improvement aims
•  Increased efficiencies, including through effective use of time and resources

It adds how the benefits of the two federations include:

• Making overall savings while increasing spending on teaching and learning
• Staff in each federation working at both schools, allowing greater staff development opportunities and improving pupil achievements
• Shared improvement focuses based on joint evaluation
• Joint curriculum plans to make best use of shared resources, visits and staff expertise 

For further information on wider school organisation proposals, decisions and Cabinet reports go to shropshire.gov.uk/educationforshropshire