Vision for Southwark Teaching School Alliance

Our aim is to work with all schools to recruit, train, and develop teachers, leaders and system leaders to meet the needs of all Southwark pupils. We will work with all partners to go beyond competition, actively building trust to enable genuine partnership work.

Protocols for our work

• Commitment – all partners commit to contributing to at least two strands of work
• Trust and Respect - all partners commit to being open, honest and constructive with each other. No one school should succeed at the expense of another.
• Collaboration – We commit to working collaboratively with each other, showing a willingness to work together to achieve our aims
• Listening – We will listen to each other, showing a willingness to contribute and appreciate a variety of opinions.
• Compromise – We will respect the fact that all schools have different opinions based on different experiences and agree that a ‘one size fits all’ approach is not appropriate
• Patience – We acknowledge that change takes time to embed and grow in sustainable ways.
• Constructive approach – We will demonstrate a constructive approach to problem solving
• Honesty and transparency – We will model a willingness to be open and share good practice
• Equality – We will promote the approach that all schools have something of value to offer
• Support – We will work towards establishing confidence and trust in each other in order to provide support when and where it is needed
• Communication – We place a high priority on clear communication using agreed formats, maintaining timescales and adhering to clearly defined roles for each aspect of the alliance.
• Sensitivity – We acknowledge the need for sensitivity in all our professional dealings as an Alliance.

Alliance Structure

Leadership of the Alliance

• The strategy of the alliance work will be created and reviewed by the Strategic Board composed of strategic partners – selected annually and including a representative of the local authority and the IOE.
• The meetings of the Strategic Board and the Whole Alliance will be called and chaired by the Alliance Chairs – headteachers of designated Teaching Schools - no additional funding in 2015/16
• The alliance work will be undertaken by the strategic leads – leading the work of one of the six areas of the alliance. – funded up to ½ day per week

Management of the Alliance

• The alliance work will be coordinated and managed by the teaching school director (s) (not a headteacher and funded 2 days a week ) - the director is the point of contact for co-ordination purposes and will signpost requests appropriately.
• The Strategic Board and Whole Alliance meetings will be minuted by a school administrator, who will also provide all administrative support to the alliance ( funded ½ day / week)
• The finances of the alliance will be held and managed by Charles Dickens Primary School on behalf of the alliance ( funded 1 day per half term)