Annual report of
cross-sector partnership
work between
independent
and state schools
Celebrating
Partnerships
2021
Celebrating Partnerships is published annually by the Independent Schools Council (ISC).
The Independent Schools Council brings together seven associations and four affiliate associations to represent over 1,350 independent schools. These
schools are amongst the best in the world and educate more than half-a-million children. Around half of UK independent schools are ISC schools and
these educate around 80% of all independent school children.
Independent schools save the taxpayer £3.5 billion a year from students not being in state education and contribute £13.7 billion to the economy.
Contents
Introduction
1
Partnerships and the Department for Education
2
Partnerships and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Independent Education
4
Summer school catch-up courses
5
Helping exam pupils achieve their goals
6
Early years support
7
Academic partnerships
8
Helping children facing disadvantage to thrive
10
Careers advice and higher education support
12
Tackling inactivity and sharing sports facilities
14
Bringing pupils together through music and the arts
16
Mental health and wellbeing support
17
Improving education through governance
18
Supporting teacher development
19
Regional partnership groups
20
Supporting communities throughout the pandemic
22
Widening access through life-transforming bursaries
24
Editors - Emily Roberts
Editorial team - Ian Mason and Alicja Shannon
Issue 6
November 2021
1
Independent schools work in partnership with state
schools to spread educational opportunity, widen
access and promote civic duty. This activity has been
established over many years and is central to our
schools’ work. Partnerships benefit all involved,
broadening our horizons and enabling new
relationships to develop. This is especially important
now as we collectively move forward from the worst
of the COVID pandemic.
You will find in these pages examples of a wide range of
partnership working for the common good. Most
independent schools are small, with just a few hundred
pupils, yet the sector has ambitious aims to support the
wider educational landscape and communities through
partnership work. This can be through direct links between
schools or by supporting existing schemes, charities, and
clubs. All kinds of partnership projects can improve and
spread opportunities for children and enhance training and
development for teachers.
It is important to note that proposals to further tax
independent schools would damage the sector, making
schools less accessible and undermining their ability to
participate in these important initiatives. Partnerships
support levelling up, enhance academic opportunity at all
ages, improve teacher training, narrow the disadvantage
gap, and strengthen careers advice and university
applications. Schools working together also enhances
sporting activities, unites pupils through the creative and
performing arts, supports wellbeing, and improves
governance. A flourishing independent sector can build on
these valuable projects - whereas punitive taxes would
undermine this work.
The ISC publishes this annual report on cross-sector
partnerships in accordance with our Joint Understanding
with the Department for Education. The Joint
Understanding commits the Department and the ISC to
encouraging partnership working commensurate with the
capacity and capabilities of schools. We are pleased to
continue to support this Joint Understanding, which has
become more important as COVID has exacerbated the
disadvantage gap.
We have seen schools play a key role in supporting their
communities during the pandemic and this report shows
the range and value of collaborative work independent
schools undertake, providing additional capacity and
specialisms that support the broader education system and
community. We look forward to another year of strong
partnership working in 2022, for the benefit of all children.
Introduction
Julie Robinson
Chief executive,
Independent Schools Council
2
Partnerships and the Department for Education
In the past two years, schools and students have
faced their greatest challenge of recent years:
education through a pandemic. Regardless of how
difficult circumstances became, schools have risen to
the challenge and navigated through the most
testing of times. It is wonderful to learn that many
cross-sector partnerships between independent and
state-funded schools have actually developed during
the pandemic. With so many other priorities
competing for your urgent attention, thank you for
your continued commitment to this work and for
the benefits it brings to students, teachers and
communities.
As a relatively new education minister, I have already had
the privilege of visiting some exceptional schools. My first
official visit was to the South West and Bristol, where I
visited schools involved in one of the country’s most
prolific partnerships. I know that they are not alone, with
many more such collaborations happening across the
country.
What I have heard so far on partnerships underlines their
importance. The pandemic may have paused elements of
this work temporarily, but many schools have, for the first
time, discovered the benefits of working with others. In
fact, we have seen a new wave of partnerships that have
embraced the opportunities of virtual collaborations and
on working together to solve common problems. Perhaps
most importantly, what I have heard is a continued
commitment from schools and sector leaders to do more
of this work – not less.
It is clear to me that there are a growing number of
ambitious and aspirational partnerships leading the way
across the country. Many of those are led and supported
by people encouraged by the experiences of others. That is
why publications such as this, and Partnerships Week more
broadly, are so important.
It is also worth noting that this work has developed
immensely over the past few years. Where once we spoke
about sharing playing fields, today we talk about
partnerships with real depth of purpose; partnerships that
deliver lasting impact to the lives of pupils across our
schools. We are seeing more and more partnerships that
break down barriers between independent, state, faith,
selective and all other types of schools. A few years ago,
school leaders also used to ask why their schools needed
partnerships. Today, we ask the contrary: why wouldn’t
schools partner with others to deliver benefits for their staff
and pupils? We are seeing a strong appetite – even
3
through the pandemic – for partnerships and for deeper,
more impactful collaborations. Long may this continue.
Finally, I want to acknowledge that the success of this
work is in large part due to the commitment of the ISC
and the associations. This is evidence of the hard work
you put in to making our Joint Understanding a reality.
I also want to acknowledge the important work of the
newly-formed School Partnerships Alliance, a charity
that will play a vital role in bringing practitioners
together to share their skills and knowledge.
I leave you with this call to action to schools: give us your
ideas and your proposals. We are ambitious about the
types of partnerships that are possible. We are on the
lookout for new ideas and opportunities. Publications
such as this should play a vital role in bringing new ideas
forward; I will be delighted to hear more from you as
your partnerships develop across the country.
Baroness Barran MBE
Parliamentary under secretary of state
for the school system
Partnerships and the All-Party Parliamentary Group
on Independent Education
4
Independent-state school
partnerships are such an important part
of education. All schools want what is best
for children, and partnerships let colleagues
share expertise, resources, and capacity to the
benefit of all. Partnerships like those aimed at
supporting university entry and careers advice are
so important for tackling disadvantage and
spreading opportunity. Partnerships can play their
role in tackling the educational effects of the
pandemic, and I encourage all schools to get
involved if they are not already. Well done to all
those celebrated in this report!
Baroness
Garden of Frognal
“
“
“The sheer range of the partnerships
between independent and state schools is
awe-inspiring, as those highlighted in this report
demonstrate. The schools engaged in partnerships have
adapted their arrangements during the pandemic, with new
and exciting ways of working together emerging all the time in
order to cope with - and grow together into - a time of continuing
uncertainty in the UK and worldwide. To my fellow MPs I say:
Do go and visit schools who are forming and strengthening these
mutually beneficial partnerships, you are certain of a warm
welcome. To all the schools working together I say: Thank you
for what you do, working together to care for and nurture our
most precious national resource, our children and
young people.”
Andrew Lewer MBE, chairman of the APPG
on Independent Education and
MP for Northampton South
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Independent Education exists to discuss issues facing the sector
and explore the wider contributions of independent schools. It brings together politicians from across the
political spectrum to highlight positive working, debate current problems, and raise the profile of the work
schools do. The ISC would like to thank all the officers of the Group for their hard work and kind support.
“I have seen the great benefit of
independent-state school partnerships.
Independent and state schools both have
much to gain from joint working, and I am
pleased that schools have worked to adapt this
during the pandemic. Be it sharing facilities,
expertise, or in-class support partnership is often
an invaluable contribution to schools educating
the most disadvantaged children – this is more
important than ever. I encourage all schools to
do more in partnership, and to carry on tackling
the disadvantage gap.”
Lord Knight of Weymouth
Summer school catch-up courses
To help support the education recovery effort, a number of schools
organised bespoke summer courses this year, designed to help local
pupils catch up on their learning and develop key skills.
Alleyn’s School developed its first summer school programme, with the
help of funds raised by the whole school community. The school reached
out to eight partner primary schools, which helped to identify 44 families
who would benefit most from the support. For five days, pupils in years 3
to 6 engaged in lessons covering subjects ranging from science and art to
PSCHE and first aid. The pupils also enjoyed a breakfast and hot meal for
lunch, and participated in sports activities each afternoon. Throughout
the week, staff members at Alleyn’s Junior School helped to teach the
lessons, while a number of Year 12 students volunteered their support.
The week concluded with pupils performing a dance and several songs in
front of their parents. Each child also received a rucksack full of school
resources, as well as a family game and a WHSmith voucher to buy a
book.
In July, 200 Year 5 pupils attended the Whitgift Community Summer
School, each enjoying a week of academic lessons and co-curricular
activities, with food provided. Academic lessons covered the core subjects
of English, maths and science, as well as art, history, economics,
geography and philosophy. Pupils also participated in sport, coding,
drama and fencing lessons, and each week concluded with a team-
building afternoon. Sixth form students from Whitgift School and Old
Palace of John Whitgift School volunteered as mentors, supporting
pupils in their lessons and activities.
This year, nearly 60 Year 10 students from 18 different schools were
selected to attend the Eton Connect Summer School, a five-day
residential programme hosted at Eton College. The pupils embarked on
the EtonX Skills for Success course, which aims to help students
understand themselves better, discover their strengths and values, and
develop the resilience to keep going during challenging times. They also
learned more about how to pitch themselves, the importance of
employability, and how to pursue their dream futures.
5
“My child really enjoyed his week at
Whitgift. He was happy to come every
day, made new friends and especially
liked the fencing activity. I really liked the
structure of the day and the variety of subjects
taught. For example, he has never learnt debating
at primary school, but this was something taught in
philosophy which is such a great skill for the future.
Many thanks to all the staff involved!”
A parent of a pupil
who attended the Whitgift
Community Summer School
6
Helping exam pupils
achieve their goals
“
Independent schools ensured the pandemic did not halt
efforts to support exam year pupils beyond their own
gates. Partnerships designed to support students with
exam preparation and revision are well-established and
many have moved online as a result of the pandemic
limiting schools’ ability to host in-person workshops.
City of London School (CLS) supports IntoUniversity,
an education charity that inspires students from
disadvantaged communities to broaden their horizons and
achieve their full potential. Due to COVID restrictions,
students at the school who act as mentors for GCSE-age
pupils on the IntoUniversity programme organised a
committee and working groups to create digital video
tutorials on a range of topics, including subject specific
mentoring and revision advice. CLS plans to offer a hybrid
model in 2021-22 in which students have a choice to
support in one or both of online content creation or face-
to-face mentoring. CLS will also be expanding the support
it can provide to IntoUniversity by collaborating with Year
12 students at City of London School for Girls.
Arguably, one of the lesser-told stories resulting from exam
disruption and the subsequent changes to assessment
over the past two years is the impact on external
candidates. Wotton House
International School, in
Gloucester, helped external
candidates across the
country as an accredited
centre, enabling them to
achieve their qualifications
and move on to the next
stage of their education or
career. The school supported a
range of home-schooled young
people, including some with serious
anxiety issues or long-term health
problems. Teaching assistants at Wotton House acted as
invigilators during supervised assessments over Zoom and
the school asked for supporting information from tutors
and other teachers in order to make a holistic grading
judgement once it had collected all the evidence.
It was an extremely time-consuming
process but some of the stories we heard
were really heart-warming - of refugees
needing GCSEs to obtain employment,
children in care who had been victims of
abuse, mature students, and Ghurkhas.
Dr Daniel Sturdy, principal at
Wotton House
International School
“
“The videos have allowed us
to support our students across
a broader range of subjects
and have become an
important tool for their
independent learning. “
IntoUniversity’s secondary
FOCUS coordinator,
Liam Johnston
Early years support
Recognising the importance of early years
education to a child’s overall development,
schools have collaborated to provide valuable
learning opportunities for young pupils during
their formative years.
During the nationwide closure of schools from
January of this year, Norwich School reached
out to some of its closest primary schools to
identify ways they might be able to offer their
support. Working with the assistant head of
Magdalen Gates Primary, the school
selected specific topics which Norwich School
pupils and staff could produce resources for.
Whilst learning remotely, sixth form pupils at
Norwich School created several learning
materials, covering aspects of history, physics,
French and PSHE. These resources were then
shared with Magdalen Gates Primary, along
with approximately 50 other primary schools
in Norfolk.
St Helen’s School, in Northwood, has focused
on initiating, establishing and building
relationships with local schools this year,
working to expand educational opportunities
in the context of COVID. As part of its outreach
programme, members of the school
community – including Year 12 students, who
have received training from an EYFS specialist –
have been going into selected local primary
schools, providing support with phonics
recognition and early language development.
Bradford Grammar School welcomed more
than 340 local primary schoolchildren for two
weeks of science and space masterclasses
during the month of July. The project was
developed in partnership with Tim Rogers of
Future Transformation, a STEM ambassador
who sits on various technology boards across
the Leeds City Region. Working in teams with
the technology expert, the children had the
opportunity to design their own satellites
and learn about high-tech space industries
located in Yorkshire. At the end of each session,
the children built and launched their own
water rockets.
“It’s inspiring to think that we
might have lit a spark in the
engineers and scientists of the
future. The young people of our
region have so much potential
and we want to show them
what they can achieve.”
Tim Rogers
of Future Transformation
8
Academic partnerships are wide-ranging in nature and
effectively demonstrate how collaboration between state and
independent schools benefits all involved. Where possible,
such partnerships moved online during the pandemic as
schools took steps to continue these important educational
opportunities and minimise learning loss.
Abingdon School, in Oxfordshire, along with Radley
College, John Mason School, Larkmead School and
Fitzharrys School, developed an online coaching
programme between lower sixth students and younger
pupils, which saw Year 12 students taking part in four weeks
of leadership training with the Oxfordshire Youth charity,
followed by three weeks of coaching training by colleagues at
Desborough College. Year 9 and 10 students were
subsequently paired up with their lower sixth coaches –
mainly from another school – and they embarked on a six-
week programme of weekly meetings via Zoom where
academic targets were discussed. The success of the
partnership – at the end of the programme, more than 85%
of participants said they would recommend the project to a
peer – has led to its continuation this year.
‘Thinking About’ is a joint project between Dulwich College
and the Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership.
Through a series of ‘beyond the curriculum’ live talks and
discussions, young people from across the community
engage with topics and themes that inspire, complement,
and provide real life context to in-class learning. The
partnership project’s webinar format has been particularly
beneficial, as it has provided an alternative pathway for the
more introverted pupils to get involved. Having heard from a
diverse range of speakers - for example, Afrikan Boy talking
about music, David Lammy MP discussing identity and Dr
Adele Nasti speaking about engineering - schools and pupils
have already been coming forward with ideas for future talks.
Academic partnerships