An alternative model for Education in the West of Northumberland

Education in the West of Northumberland
​Hadrian Learning Trust Consultation
An alternative model - Collaboration Hubs
An alternative model - Collaboration Hubs
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The vast majority of our schools are currently providing an excellent education in a financially sustainable way. Do so many schools need to close? Shouldn’t our schools be given the opportunity to work together first to try and solve any educational or financial challenges in our localities by collaborating? Can we create more all-through collaborations from age 3 to 13, 3 to 16 or even 3 to 18? 

Before any major change is made to our current successful education offer we propose that by “hub”, the following is explored and developed:
Challenges for us:
  • large area, sparsely populated makes collaboration more challenging
  • poor transport system
  • few very large local employers
  • static population with a lack of clarity for housing and population growth projections
  • poor school building stock along with surplus capacity
  • making National Funding Formula work for us
  • education provision for 16 – 18 year olds; too many have to leave area to study
  • results at Key stage 2, 4 and 5 are variable across the two partnerships
  • mixture of academy and local schools makes change and collaboration increasingly difficult
Opportunities:
  • even stronger collaboration amongst the few schools we have to develop excellent teaching in all our schools
  • new stronger leadership and governance model across our schools to further support educational improvements and financial sustainability
  • fully inclusive provision in our area
  • bespoke Special Educational Needs expertise and provision for our needs
  • make National Funding Formula work for our unique situation
  • understand how to make our education provision work with the transport networks we have
  • look to the skills required for employment and training in rural Northumberland and Newcastle to drive our curriculum offer
Each hub to identify issues pertaining to:
  1. educational outcomes and achievements
  2. retention and recruitment of staff 
  3. condition of school buildings
  4. pupil projections and surplus places
  5. catchment areas and impact of transport, local geography
  6. financial sustainability
Each hub to consider opportunities for:
  1. expanding current innovative practice 
  2. further streamlining of curriculum 
  3. formally sharing staff 
  4. identifying support required from or offered to other hubs
  5. a bespoke Hub Special Educational Need provision
  6. amending catchment areas
  7. forming hard federations to enable even stronger leadership, governance, staff development and financial gain 
  8. forming an “all-through” or same phase multi academy trust
  9. joining existing MATs in the area
  10. making the most of the National Funding Formula

Collaborative Model

​Further collaboration can be explored and take place:
  • horizontally across the same phase
  • vertically across multiple phases
  • incorporate Church of England partnership working
Following discussions with various stakeholders a second version of the Collaboration Hubs model has been developed.
Collaboration Hubs v2
Education in the West of Northumberland
​Hadrian Learning Trust Consultation
Corbridge Middle School