EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS

Great school are not islands, they see themselves having a role that extends beyond the walls of their own institutions. This not only includes the support they provide for their immediate local community, it also encompasses wider support for other schools in the system. For schools that operate within a wider group of schools, this ought to be one of the advantages of such arrangements, and these schools acknowledge the benefits that this outreach work brings for themselves. Linked to this, as a school leader, you are very clear about the fact that you don’t have the answers to all questions and are constantly seeking to improve and innovate by learning from others outside your own immediate contact.

Setting up relationships with leaders in other schools isn’t easy and takes time. There are sometimes local tensions that arise from competition pupils, or even staff that make it even more difficult. But where mutual benefit can be derived, there is a growing body of evidence which shows it is worth school leaders spending time to build relationships with other schools both informally and as a part of formal collaborations such as teaching school alliances, trusts or other networks. In any inter-school collaboration, it is important to not just drift into these relationships.

When it comes to reviewing how well your partnership is working, whether that be as part of a formal group of schools or as a looser alliance or network, there are some key questions to consider:
* What is the shared purpose of the partnership? What is the driver?

* What is the partnership aiming to do?

* What does the leadership of the partnership look like and where does it come from?

* What are the boundaries of the partnership and what is the governance?

* How does the partnership fit within the wider context and other partnerships?

“Let’s drop the competition mentality and start collaborating while connecting to impart our world.” ― Wisdom Kwashie Mensah

Love and Light

DAO