Improving education through governance

Governors and trustees play a valuable role in helping shape children ’ s education, opportunities and futures by determining the overall direction and development of a school. When staff from independent and state schools come together, best practice can be shared for the benefit of all children and young people. This April saw the launch of the Hurst Education Trust (HET), set up as a partnership between Hurstpierpoint College and the Diocese of Chichester with the aim of offering a home for local schools that share the same vision and values. The college provides the HET with a wide range of specialist, targeted education support focused on the “Good to Outstanding ” journey, along with high-quality back office functions. Schools joining the Trust can expect to benefit from financial savings, enabling them to devote a larger proportion of their budgets to pupil-focused activities. Children within these schools also enjoy access to the college ’ s site and specialist teaching and co-curricular facilities, while staff benefit from an extensive CPD programme. Three schools are currently part of the Trust, with a combined total of 800 pupils, and this figure is expected to grow over the course of the next few years. September marked the opening of Feltham College, a pioneering sixth form model arising from a close partnership between Hampton

School, Lady Eleanor Holles School

(LEH) and Reach Academy, Feltham. The college, which is located in an area of high deprivation, aims to ensure local young people have access to the best in further education. Equal emphasis is placed on academic and vocational courses, providing a range of pathways for students to pursue.

“Being part of the HET enables us to learn together as a community of schools.This collaboration facilitates fantastic opportunities for professional development for our staff and with this support and guidance enables all our pupils, staff and wider community to flourish.

Amy Clarke, headteacher of Ditchling Primary