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Dover Federation: achieving rapid transformation through hard federation

Summary

The Dover Federation for the Arts has raised standards in two failing primary schools and improved the teaching and learning experience across all four schools in the federation.

Key learning/outcomes

  • The schools have achieved a rapid transformation in numeracy, literacy and the arts.
  • The educational environment has changed dramatically and there have been significant improvements in pupil behaviour, achievement, aspiration and engagement.
  • In late 2007, Ofsted graded White Cliffs Primary School for the Arts as ‘good with many outstanding features’.
  • Barton Junior School was taken out of special measures within a year.
  • In 2009 Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery School achieved an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspection in every category.
  • Staff move freely between the schools and participate in joint CPD activity, including international experience.

Background

The Dover Federation for the Arts is a hard federation of four schools: Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery School, Barton Junior School, White Cliffs Primary College for the Arts and Astor College for the Arts. The federation also includes Kent Educational Television.

White Cliffs Primary was formerly St Radigunds Primary School - the worst performing primary school in the country - and was due for closure. Barton Junior School was in special measures.

Key challenges and issues

Transforming standards

The main aim of the federation was to achieve rapid transformation in teaching and learning standards in the failing schools.

Avoiding hierarchy

Although the federation was established to raise standards in the failing primary schools, the partners did not want the federation to have a hierarchy based on educational phases.

Solution or approach

Equal partnership

The four schools are equal partners in the federation. The schools have separate headteachers but share a governing body and chief executive.

All-through education

The federation works as an all-through school operating on separate sites serving different communities.

Further information

For further information contact The Dover Federation for the Arts.