Memorandum of Understanding 2015/16

The aim of this agreement is to provide all members and partners of this Alliance with an understanding of how the work of the Teaching School will be led and managed. It is anticipated that this agreement will develop over time as the Teaching School Alliance evolves.

Accountability and Governance

The Teaching School will be led by a management board to ensure:

• compliance with National College and Department for Education requirements
• progress towards meeting all the Key Performance Indicators
• appropriate confidentiality is secured

The strategic board will be constituted as follows:

• Cassie Buchanan and Marian Kennedy, the headteachers from Charles Dickens Primary School and Crampton Primary School.
• Liz Robinson/ Nicola Noble, Filiz Scott/ Alice Rees, Nick Tildesley and Evelyn Holdsworth alliance members who are strategic leads for one of the key performance areas
• Zoe Sumner Teaching School Director (TSD)
• Kate Leech Schools Direct Lead from Crampton Primary School
• a governor from both Charles Dickens Primary School and Crampton Primary School.
• Bernadette Oates from London Borough of Southwark
• Vivienne Porritt, Director of Schools Partnerships, Institute of Education, University of London.

This group will have formal accountability for the work, impact and finances of the Teaching School Alliance and will provide summary reports annually for the governing bodies of all alliance schools.

The management board will meet termly. All members are expected to attend. If a member of the board does not attend two consecutive meetings, the board will consider the circumstances and take a decision regarding their continued involvement.

Teaching School Headteachers

Crampton Primary School and Charles Dickens Primary School are the designated teaching schools and leads for the alliance. Therefore, the headteachers of both the schools will:

• be operational leads for the alliance and take overall responsibility.
• take line management responsibility for any teaching school employees, including the TSDs.
• commit to meeting regularly to drive forward the work of the alliance and to evaluate its impact.

Strategic Partners

Strategic Partners of the Southwark Teaching School Alliance are the following schools and organisations who have a senior school leader sitting on the Executive Group of the Alliance. These leaders have responsibility for the strategic direction of the Alliance as well as acting as the decision making forum. In April 2016, there will be an opportunity for additional partners to join the alliance at a strategic level.

• The Cathedral School of St Saviour and St Mary Overy
• Cherry Gardens
• Dulwich College Senior School
• Dulwich College Senior School
• Institute of Education, University of London
• John Donne Primary School
• John Ruskin Primary School
• London Borough of Southwark
• Surrey Square Primary School
• Unicorn Theatre
• Evelina Hospital School

Strategic Leads (SLs)

Strategic Leads (SLs) are headteachers who are leading an area of the alliance’s work and whose schools are strategic partners.

In 2015/16, the strategic leads are:

• Cassie Buchanan ( Charles Dickens Primary School)
• Marian Kennedy ( Crampton Primary)
• Evelyn Holdsworth and Nick Tildesley ( John Donne Primary School)
• Liz Robinson/ Nicola Noble (Surrey Square Primary)
• Filiz Scott/ Alice Rees (The Cathedral School of St Saviour and St Mary Overy)

SLs will:

• work pro-actively with other board members to facilitate and support the work of the alliance.
• take responsibility for a specific area of the alliance’s work and will be the chair person for any working parties/subcommittee in their area of responsibility. They will develop policies relating to their field of work.
• be responsible for liaising with strategic partners relevant to their area. They will maintain regular communication with the TSDs and the Headteachers of Charles Dickens Primary School and Crampton Primary School.
• manage any budget delegated by the management board and ensure that consistent financial standards are maintained.
• present a report on progress within their area to the management board termly.

Partners

Our Teaching School Partners are based primarily in Southwark and have responsibility for delivering some aspects of the Teaching School role.

Strategic Partners

All strategic partners will:

• Work collaboratively and inclusively to achieve the aims and objectives of the alliance.
• Adopt, where appropriate, any policies developed.
• Consider the involvement of the alliance in school improvement planning.
• Support the alliance by implementing any agreed actions.
• Subject to capacity, supply system leaders to support the alliance.
• Explain and promote the work of the alliance to non alliance schools and providers
• Respect the sensitive nature of some of the alliance’s work and maintain confidentiality.
• Understand the need to work with strategic partners to quality assure the work of the alliance.

All strategic partners will be invited to attend a termly meeting. Strategic partners are encouraged to attend the meeting, send a representative in their place, or send apologies. If a strategic partner does not attend two consecutive meetings, the executive group (made up of all strategic partners) will consider the circumstances and take a decision regarding their continued involvement.