Collaboration is key to survival
As the cost of living crisis worsens, more and more schools are discovering that collaboration with other schools is crucial to their survival. The principal of economies of scale combined with strong central teams who can advise on and deliver practical solutions for their members, means that multi academy trusts are becoming more popular amongst the school community.
One Trust which is seeing the benefits of this is the Collaborative Learning Trust, a local trust based in Yorkshire, with members from across Leeds and Bradford in very different settings. With five schools already on board and more approaching the Trust every week, they are really seeing the benefits of working together.
“I cannot underestimate the benefit of coming into the Trust from a financial perspective. Kate Owen and her team have done an amazing job at giving clarity of information. Having joined the Trust, the financial reporting has changed - it’s much, much clearer.” Said Fiona Wrightson, Chair of Local Governing body, Bramhope Primary School.
“A Trust is an amazing thing to be part of, because you have those economies of scale and because you have professional colleagues in a wide variety of positions that you can call on.” Said Sally Bishop, Headteacher at Prince Henry’s Grammar School.
CEO of the Collaborative Learning Trust, Janet Sheriff OBE commented “We established the Trust because we really recognised the positive benefits of collaboration across all schools. Our strong central team means that our Headteachers are better resourced and freed up to concentrate on the things which really matter – the education of their children and links with their communities. One of our schools, for example, All Saints C of E Primary School in Bradford, is opening up warm spaces for their community, while the headteacher of Bramhope Primary School has been able to have support with managing a huge redevelopment project at her school. This really means that we can put our children at the heart of our Trust.”
The Central Team at the Collaborative Learning Trust includes experts in education, finance, HR, estates management and more, offering daily advice to its members.