A Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) has strengthened its standards team to support the Trust's strategic priorities and provide a 'holistic oversight' whilst maintaining its philosophy of Cohesion and not Uniformity across its thirty schools.
Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust (BCCET) has 25 primary schools and five secondary schools across the North-east in Sunderland, South Tyneside, and East Durham with 11,000 pupils and 1,500 staff members.
The MAT’s standards team comprises four former headteachers – Leanne Barker, Fran Craik, Kathryn Fenwick, and Glenn Sanderson – whose remit as chief standards officers is to support the senior leadership team of each of the Trust’s schools to drive consistency, achievement, transformational change, sustainable improvement, and collaborative leadership.
Their particular areas of focus will be success of all pupils, curriculum development, professional development, and datainformed decision-making. The Trust’s innovative strategy is centred on a collaborative, partnership-driven process.
The standards team roles are wider in scope than school improvement, as while quality of education is integral, the CSOs play a pivotal role in “walking alongside” school leaders and staff, identifying evidence-based practices that support improvement. They support headteachers in particular, with all aspects of their roles.
“When leaders feel well supported, they are more likely to engage in honest reflection,” explains Kathryn Fenwick.
“Together, we can then identify any areas of focus and implement lasting solutions.”
Glenn Sanderson, former executive headteacher at St Aidan’s Catholic Academy in Sunderland, says: “Collaboration is key. The purpose of the new standards team is to collaborate with school leaders to continuously improve the quality of education and standards of the schools spanning both primary and secondary.”
Leanne Barker, a former executive headteacher whose previous role was BCCET’s senior school improvement lead, adds: “We all have specialities in different areas and will work together to support both primary and secondary schools across the Trust to ensure there is continuity from Early Years to Key Stage 5. If we have continuity in how we teach and assess children, then students will rise and be able to achieve even better outcomes.”
Fran Craik, former executive headteacher of St Wilfrid’s RC College, South Shields, adds: “We firmly believe that sharing best practice, collective goals and collaboration will foster positive change and continuous improvement.”
The standards team regularly visits the 30 schools to speak to senior leadership teams and their input has been welcomed by senior leaders.
Lisa Ashton, executive headteacher of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary, Shotton, and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, Blackhall, says: “Our CSOs have been a tremendous support across both schools and have collaborated closely with us to ensure that there has been continuous improvement across our federation. Leaders and all staff value our CSO, who is a great listening ear to offer advice.”
Eve Alderson, headteacher of St Matthew’s Catholic Primary, Jarrow, adds: “The support we have received from our CSOs is instrumental in helping us to continuously improve so that all our pupils receive the best education possible. The visits are always incredibly supportive, providing challenge, whilst also celebrating successes.”
Each school will retain its uniqueness but benefit from the “wealth of knowledge” across the different schools.
Glenn says: “One huge positive – and the power of being in a Trust – is we are working together on the data and data insights, financial and HR support so headteachers can focus on their jobs of running their own schools.”
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is one of the focuses of the team. “The whole country is in a recruitment crisis,” says Glenn.
“We want BCCET to be an employer of choice. With the right staff development, we can achieve that. We also want to be families’ first choice for their child’s education. Our schools span areas of high deprivation and more affluent areas, and we want families to know that whichever school they go to within the Trust, pupils will have the best possible high-quality educational experience and be supported to be the best version of themselves.
“We spend a lot of time talking to children and young people, as they are at the centre of all that we do so it is important that pupils’ voices are heard.”
For more information about BCCET, visit www.bccet.org.uk
