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A study of hard federations of small primary schools

Author: National College
Subject: Primary schools
Audience: Headteachers, Stakeholders and partners, Early years leaders, Children's services leaders
Date of publication: December 2008   |   File format and size: PDF, 174 Kb

This study explores the leadership of hard federations of small primary schools in the UK and identifies key implications and conclusions for practitioners, policy makers and other stakeholders.

Headteacher recruitment and retention, along with demographic changes, declining pupil rolls and overall viability are important issues facing the future of small primary schools in particular. It is likely that increasing numbers of schools will need to look for alternative ways to address these problems. One option is to federate, forming a larger unit across several locations, under the leadership of one headteacher and with one governing body.

This study explores in detail:

  • how and why federations are established
  • the key roles in successful establishment
  • the key features of a federation's leadership structure
  • the ways in which federations have been both successful and unsuccessful

A selection of case studies and key messages for headteachers and governors who are thinking of federating are also included.