Collaboration

The Westbrook Trust is made up of a community of schools that aim to ‘achieve together’. We embrace the chance to collaborate within and beyond our Trust because we strongly believe that we all benefit and learn from the opportunities this brings.

The Westbrook Trust has a proven track record of supporting improvement through collaboration in other primary schools. The Trust is mindful that this is a two-way process and that engaging in meaningful collaboration supports reflection and improvement in our Trust.   We are committed to developing a supportive learning community that leads to everyone 'achieving together'.

We recognise that Trusts, schools and individuals are likely to want to collaborate in different ways to maximise the impact in their setting.  With this in mind, we offer a range of forms of collaboration to suit your particular needs that can also be personalised to schools and MATs.

For further information regarding collaborative work, please contact Steph England at 01634 844152 / sengland@thewestbrooktrust.org

Professional Development Opportunities

We engage in regular professional development activities internally and externally and welcome other schools and Trusts to participate with us and add to the richness of the learning opportunities and activities. They are free for schools to engage in and each activity has a shared agreement for those that are taking part.

‘This was a great opportunity to collaborate with staff from other schools to share good practice and ideas.’ CPD Delegate

School-to-School Support

The Trust is committed to supporting schools in areas where both parties agree that it will lead to real impact. When engaging in school-to-school support The Trust will always act in accordance with its values and its aim to ‘achieve together’ so that the support is collaborative and leads to sustainable impact.  We have strong recent examples of providing impactful school-to-school support.

'The Westbrook Trust offers highly effective support to the school. The trust has worked with firm purpose to stabilise the school.'  Ofsted 2018

The Trust has a National Support School that can offer school improvement support. There are National, Local and School Leaders of Education within the Trust who are available to help with school improvement.

Jane Heyes - National Leader of Education

Sue Mason - Local Leader of Education

Oliver Allen - School Leader of Education (specialism in CPD, ITT, NQT and 'Closing the Gap')

Rebecca Ford - School Leader of Education (specialism in Early Years)

Claire Lewis - School Leader of Education (specialism in Assessment, Phonics, ITT and NQT)

Richard Lock - School Leader of Education (specialism in Music)

Paula Marie - School Leader of Education (specialism in PSHE)

Amy Prentice - School Leader of Education (specialism in SEND)

Kevin Presneill - School Leader of Education (specialism in Maths, ITT and NQT Development)

The Trust works in collaboration with the Medway Teaching Schools Alliance and has access through the TSA to other system leaders.

Types of school to school support

Service Level Agreement

The Westbrook Trust believes that there may be times when it would be beneficial for schools and Trusts to work collaboratively over a longer period of time to secure impact. In these cases the school-to-school support may be formalised as a service level agreement.

Associate Membership

Associate membership is not an official designation but a description of the kinds of relationships that have grown up organically between MATS and schools outside of trusts. We reserve the term Associate Membership to those schools wanting to try-before-you-join. Those wishing to engage in associate membership do not have to become associate members.

For Associate Membership, the Trust offers schools a time-limited, written Service Level Agreement. The SLA is tailored to meet the needs of the school and may or may not involve a charge. It will be for the CEO and the head teacher of the potential associate school to prepare the SLA for governors and trustees to agree. The SLA will allow flexibility and include a break clause in order to take into account any potential changes in the school’s circumstances.