The new academic year got off to a flying start for Challenge Partners, with returning and new partner schools and trusts joining us for a first half term jam-packed with programme launches, training sessions and networking events.
Catching our breath during the school break, we took the opportunity to round-up what’s been happening, and give you a preview of what’s coming up in the next couple of months, including our National Network Conference on 6 December.
INDUCTIONS
Kicking things off this term was the National Induction for new schools on 21 September, held in the historic surroundings of The Royal Society in London.
Attendees reflected: “It felt really good to be in a room of people passionate about ensuring the best possible outcomes for the young people in our care.”
Seven schools in our network hosted Sharing Leading Practice carousels, each showcasing an area of excellence, and keynote speaker Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at The Institute for Government, gave an honest talk about education policy in the UK and the key challenges our sector is currently facing.
The Trust Leaders’ Network induction followed on 27 September, welcoming new members and introducing our new practitioner facilitators, Carolyn Robson MBE and Kieran Osborne OBE.
TRAINING
Ensuring practitioners and reviewers get the training and support they need is crucial to maintaining the high quality of challenge and collaboration our partners expect from Challenge Partners.
Earlier this term, our facilitator training was held at NCVO in London, and brought together practitioners from across Challenge Partners’ programmes and networks to explore the key principles of facilitating knowledge exchange.
Our Quality Assurance Review team welcomed both new and returning lead reviewers to the 2023/24 training day in central London. Colleagues were able to connect with peers, learn about QAR programme updates and exchange good practice ready for the start of the busy QAR delivery year in schools up and down the country. Reviewer training also took place across the term, preparing school senior leaders to visit and review schools across the country.
The annual Trust Peer Reviewer training day on 12 October was excellently facilitated by our TPR lead reviewers. A considerable number of trust leaders in the partnership are now fully trained and looking forward to applying what they have learned to trust-level reviews across the rest of the academic year. This training combined the key principles of our Trust Peer Review, aligned to CST’s recently published MAT Assurance Framework which we helped inform.
PROGRAMME LAUNCHES
This year’s Growing the Top and Extending Leading Practice programmes were launched on 10 October at the Museum of London, giving attendees the chance to hear about the schools they’re due to be visiting, build social capital and reflect on any challenges they may face in 2023/24. Inspiration came from guest speakers Anne-Marie Canning, CEO of The Brilliant Club, and Jonny Hannah, Head of Business Consultancy at Schroders.
Our Quality Assurance Reviews start from the beginning of Autumn 2 term, and our first Trust Leaders’ Network visit is on 10 November at Olympus Academy Trust.
COMING UP NEXT
Make sure you save the date for our first National Network Conference of the 2023/24 partnership year on Wednesday 6 December. This virtual NNC will explore our theme of Human Flourishing For All.
Aimed at special school leaders, Portland Academy’s virtual visit on 14 December will explore the content and outcomes around their accredited area of excellence, An Outstanding Preparation For Adulthood.
And, inspired by a hub discussion on the importance of creating a collaborative space for primary and secondary educators, the Aylesbury Vale Challenge Partners Secondary School Ready conference takes place on 22 November.