Carromore Community College: a cross-phase collaboration

Case study

Summary

This rural college streamlined their leadership structure to become a responsive, forward-thinking driving force in their federation. Their successful cross-phase collaboration has inspired plans to centralise even more services.

Key learning/outcomes

Cross-phase collaboration through the federation has improved pupil transition, noticeable in the confidence of pupils and their independent learning skills.
The streamlined approach to leadership, management and governance has resulted in shorter meetings, clearly defined areas of individual responsibility and a more flexible, informed and proactive team.
Federation formalised rather than inspired leadership and management changes; the schools already had very good working relations. The head and chair of governors are credited with the vision and enthusiasm for the collaborative work and the move towards federation.
Staff felt empowered by the flatter leadership structure and the opportunities for career development meant staff turnover was relatively low.
Carromere collaborates with all 11 feeder primary schools through the sharing of resources; catering services, personnel, modern foreign languages, music, ICT, teacher training.
Formerly undersubscribed, Carromere is now heavily oversubscribed. The federation work has impacted on the wider community too, with the availability of extra-curricular provision such as sports, homework clubs and adult education.

Background

This is a ‘soft’ federation involving three schools – Carromere Community College (a large 11-18 comprehensive school) and two feeder primary schools. The college has a diverse intake from 11 feeder primary schools in a large rural area. It has a successful performance record and practices accelerated learning; all pupils do GCSEs a year early.

Collaborative work with the feeder schools grew from firm belief in all-through education. Prior to federation the college had already dropped out of many county schemes and had become more self-sufficient. Foundation status has further softened links with the local authority but trust status was rejected so the governing body did not lose control. The main structural change has been the formation of a governing body across the federation to make decisions about policy.

Key challenges and issues

There was significant variance in the standard of pupils entering Carromere in Year 7. The intake included pupils from areas of rural deprivation alongside an affluent commuter population.
Some feeder primary schools that were reluctant to federate feared losing their identity and autonomy and saw the federation as a ‘takeover’. Others were simply holding back to see the results.
Collaborative work had to be restarted when feeder school headteachers moved on and there is a significant workload issue in keeping all 11 feeder schools informed.
Some feeder primary schools felt that the two primary schools in the soft federation were getting preferential treatment.
Although the local authority was supportive of the move towards federation their support did not extend to financial resourcing.
The infrequent meetings between schools make it difficult to maintain continuity within the federation; often time is spent revisiting previous issues rather than forward planning.

Solution or approach

The college has various strategies for the lower school to bring the new intake up to the same level, and this work has been extended to the primary schools. Teachers are now working across schools to develop curriculum materials and improve the Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 transition.
The benefits of the transition work are becoming apparent to the other primary feeder schools. It is hoped that other examples of collaborative practice will spread in the same way, leading to more interest in federating.
The headteacher has developed a ‘flatter’ leadership structure which is more responsive to change. Led by the headteacher and one deputy head, 11 assistant headteachers each have dedicated tasks to manage and they operate a series of small subgroups.
The flexible management structure is designed to easily accommodate more schools joining the federation.
Shared resourcing has already benefitted the primary partners in educational facilities, professional development, personnel and school meal provision and the college is well placed structurally and geographically to be a ‘central hub’ for more services.

Next steps

The headteacher and chair of governors aspire to become a ‘hard’ federation to ultimately include as many of the 11 feeder primary schools as possible and improve continuity and communication. If the move takes place, the head expects that the leadership structure might operate with an executive head located at Carromere and a deputy on the Carromere SMT who would oversee all the primary partner schools. Carromere is investigating the benefits of the academy model too.

In this isolated, rural community the recruitment of the remaining nine feeder schools is seen as a solution to the problem of headteacher recruitment and retention. Through shared resources the federation may offer protection against closure of the smallest schools.