ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Published February 2020 Our goal is to reduce educational inequality and improve the life chances of all children. Through collaboration, challenge and professional development, we are working to ensure every school community can benefit from the combined wisdom of the education system. Contents

Foreword 2

1. LEADERS IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT 3 Inclusive excellence — pushing the boundaries for all 4 Stand-out schools and pathways to success 6 The Network of Excellence 8 The Quality Assurance Review 13 Advanced Reviewer programme 15 Excellence for Everyone: a whole-school approach 16 Trust Peer Review 18 Growing the Top: stand-out schools 20

2. THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE FOR CHILDREN 21 Our aims 22 Impact and performance against our aims 23 Challenge Partners 27 Changing lives: the Challenge Partners year 28 Looking ahead 30

3. KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE 31 & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Getting Ahead London 33 Leadership Development Days 34 School Support Directory 35 Leadership Residency Programme 35 Courageous leadership 37 National events 38 Hubs and the Gold Standard 39 Regional spotlight: Doncaster Hub 40

4. OUR PARTNERSHIP 41 Our partnership hubs and schools 2019–20 42 Jubilee Networks schools 50 Schools and trusts participating 51 in our programmes 2019–20 Meet the Board, Education Advisory Group 52 and Central Team Foreword

Sir Jon ColesChair of Trustees

Welcome to this year’s Annual Report. Alongside this, we have developed further our support We reflect on another very good year for multi-academy trusts, including through the for Challenge Partners, with partner development of a trust peer review model. This takes schools continuing to succeed and our the principles of our signature school peer review network continuing to grow. At a time of model, which has always been integral to our network, significant financial and other pressure and applies them to whole trusts. In a world where on schools, it is testament to the value of Challenge multi-academy trusts are increasingly the organising Partners’ structured approach to collaboration that unit of the education system, tools which support more and more school leaders are choosing to invest learning and collaboration between trusts will be hugely time and money in the partnership. important. Without them, the difficulty of sharing knowledge and the problems of isolation could be Alongside the ‘core business’ of our network and eased within the trust, but reinforced between trusts. continuing programmes, we have continued to innovate. Unsurprisingly, we are finding that the value and power In developing and piloting new ways of creating and of peer review as great professional development for sharing knowledge and expertise, we have maintained reviewers and excellent collaborative learning for those our approach of sharing the best of our partner schools’ reviewed seems as great at trust level as at school level. knowledge and practice to improve all schools and develop leaders. Alongside the ‘core business’ The new Growing the Top programme returns to a of our network and continuing founding goal of Challenge Partners: we aim to find programmes, we have continued and then extend the very best practice by supporting cutting-edge practitioners to develop new knowledge to innovate. which can be widely used. Through the pilot of this programme, we brought some of the country’s leading Alongside ‘organic’ growth of the network and the schools together in a structured programme of new programmes, we were also pleased to welcome learning and collaboration to develop their strengths Jubilee Networks into Challenge Partners for the and learn — from each other, from business and from 2019–20 year. We look forward to learning from their other sectors. The very strong feedback and evaluation successful approach to building school and trust evidence from the pilot have led us to offer this leader networks. programme to a second cohort in 2019–20. As we grow and develop, we continue to place our founding values front and centre. We have reaffirmed our commitment to our ‘upwards convergence’ model, which places our determination to narrow gaps alongside our determination to raise standards for all — the revised Quality Assurance Review and Excellence for Everyone programme strengthen further the place of equity and gap-narrowing in the partnership.

We were delighted to see Kate Chhatwal receive very well deserved recognition in the New Year Honours list for her service to education — a great tribute to her and a strong endorsement of Challenge Partners. With Kate firmly established as our Chief Executive, the trustees feel that we are well set for the future. I hope you enjoy this Annual Report.

2 CHALLENGE PARTNERS 1 LEADERS IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT Inclusive excellence Pushing the boundaries for all

Dr Kate Chhatwal OBECEO

Our last annual report and January 2019 Pushing the boundaries of excellence remains a focus National Conference heralded a year in for Challenge Partners because our system will not which Challenge Partners schools would flourish unless we nurture high-performing schools continue to push the boundaries — of alongside those at an earlier stage of development. possibility, practice and achievement. The impact of this drive for ever-greater Excellence in our education system is not a zero- excellence is seen in the way Challenge Partners sum game, even if examination and accountability schools continued to outperform national averages arrangements can make it feel that way. The excellence for progress and attainment. we are striving for in Challenge Partners is inclusive,

Our pilot Growing the Top: stand-out schools programme saw 21 secondary schools work together secondary schools worked to share what made them systemically excellent and together in our pilot to define address the systemic challenges they need to conquer to 21 and share systemic excellence move on to even greater success. Our second Growing the Top cohort encompasses primary, secondary and special schools all working for further improvement. not exclusive or elitist. That is why Challenge Partners schools can only receive the top peer evaluation The excellence we are striving for estimate of ‘Leading’ in their annual Quality Assurance (QA) Review if they demonstrate they can and in Challenge Partners is inclusive, are supporting other schools based on their own not exclusive or elitist. exceptional practice. It is also why we are committed to sharing widely the findings from our Growing the Top pilot about the ingredients of replicable, ethical brilliance. We will do this through publication of an independent evaluation report, and Leadership Development Days hosted by the cohort, allowing leaders from other schools to delve deeper into the systems and practices that make ‘stand-out’ schools.

Our commitment to unleashing knowledge and evidence of what works so every child can benefit from the combined wisdom of the system has particular significance for disadvantaged children. Our value of equity reminds us that those who have the least need and deserve our collective commitment and skills the most. Rarely has their need been more acute. The Education Policy Institute’s 2019 report highlighted how — after years of narrowing — the gap between

4 CHALLENGE PARTNERS poorer pupils and their peers has stopped closing. shouldn’t come down to the accident of birth. Although Breaking the link between poverty and poor outcomes there is still a long way to go, we are proud that schools is a challenge we have a moral and urgent duty in Challenge Partners have, on average, a narrower to address. educational disadvantage gap than other schools, while also serving a higher proportion of poorer The annual peer audit of every Challenge Partners children. This is what we mean by inclusive excellence. school provides an important opportunity to evaluate what they are doing to improve the life chances … if we are to close the of disadvantaged learners — whatever form that disadvantage takes — and to assess the impact their disadvantage gap, equity and actions are having. Our revised QA Review framework, excellence must go hand-in-hand. launched in September 2019, includes for the first time a discrete section exploring how vulnerable learners On the following pages, you can read more about our are identified and supported to achieve excellence work and the impact it is having in our schools. 2019 was — because if we are to close the disadvantage gap, another busy year for our growing network, which now equity and excellence must go hand-in-hand. encompasses more than 480 primary, secondary and special schools and alternative provisions, educating The same commitment to excellence and equity more than 250,000 children and young people from the underpins Excellence for Everyone, our new evidence- Isles of Scilly in the South West to Sunderland in the based programme — also launched in September 2019 North East. The pull-out centre pages summarise how — which empowers teams of leaders, teachers and our schools work together on school improvement, support staff to develop whole-school, sustainable leadership development and knowledge exchange, and approaches to closing the disadvantage gap. The our collective achievements. This report also showcases programme was written by expert practitioners from our work with school trusts, including through our Challenge Partners schools with a track-record in independently-evaluated Trust Peer Review. securing strong outcomes for disadvantaged children. It draws on evidence from the EEF, as well as learning The final highlight I’d like to share doesn’t get a from our impactful Challenge the Gap programme. mention anywhere else in this report — our Chair of Trustees being honoured in April with a Knighthood. Together, these two initiatives have sharpened our Jon has a distinguished career in education and was focus on tackling disadvantage, ensuring that through a founder of Challenge Partners, which benefits greatly collaboration, challenge and professional development, from his generosity, insight and enormous intellect. more children get the excellent education and better It was wonderful to see his huge contribution to the life chances they deserve — because we believe it sector over many years being recognised.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 5 Stand-out schools and pathways to success

Dame Sue JohnExecutive Director

It is more than 20 years since the Last year Challenge Partners was commissioned concept of the upwards convergence to work on the Department for Education-funded model of school improvement was Knowsley Strategic School Improvement Fund (SSIF) framed and it remains the cornerstone project. The Pathways to Success initiative, which was of our school improvement theory coordinated by the Knowsley Education Commission, of action. Our mission is to address aimed to raise standards in literacy across 29 primary inequality in our education system while at the and secondary schools. Inevitably, the focus centred same time unleashing excellence. around curriculum development, the quality of pedagogy and developing leadership capacity. Last year I was privileged to co-lead our Growing the Top: stand-out schools programme, which aims to help leading schools continue to improve, and it has primary and secondary schools been very favourably evaluated by Dr Peter Matthews. were targeted by the Pathways As Kate has indicated in her introduction, we have 29 to Success initiative a renewed focus, too, on supporting schools to break the link between poverty and poor outcomes. In the words of Gabriela Mistral: Participant schools are all located in an area with exceptionally high levels of disadvantage and this was Mankind owes to children the best it has to give. an important driver for our involvement. The project Their life is fragile. was led by Christine Gilbert, former HMCI and visiting If they are to have a tomorrow, professor at UCL Institute of Education, in partnership their needs must be met today. with the local authority, Challenge Partners and Many things can wait, but not the children. Professor Mel Ainscow. Now is the time their bones are being formed, their blood composed and their senses developed. The programme ran between February 2018 and July We cannot answer them ‘tomorrow’. 2019 and was based on a collaborative learning model Their name is ‘today’. which provided an effective level of challenge and support through the deployment of 12 Pathways to Success Advisers, working alongside the participating schools. The Advisers were credible practitioners, a mixture of serving headteachers/CEOs, Ofsted inspectors and former HMIs, a number of whom were drawn from the CP network.

The model which was developed is a fine example of adult learning with coaching at its heart, but also demonstrated a disciplined approach towards school improvement through the use of audit, joint planning and mapping alongside current provision, followed by review, reflection and evaluation of impact. In each school, an Accelerated Improvement Group, including governor representation, was set up to monitor the impact of improvement plans. Advisers benefited from the strong central support and majority of schools. Baseline data is used more communication provided by the project management effectively and schools are setting higher expectations. board and the sharing of practical strategies to effect This trend is evidenced by their improved SATs scores change. The most effective advisers were able to and English GCSE results in 2019. flex between adopting a consultant role, providing resources, brokering external support and offering There is now a strong local focus on the power of guidance and advice, alongside mentoring and acting hard-edged collaboration which is being supported by as a coach to ensure ownership. the local authority, and plans are already in place for an extension of the project. There has been a cultural It is important to note that this was not a blanket shift towards becoming more outward-looking and, strategy, but an example of bespoke support provided in keeping with the Challenge Partners philosophy, by a dedicated adviser regarded as being independent a recognition that we need to create an environment of the local authority, and success was also dependent where practitioners feel empowered to lead. on the trust and relationships built over time. A range of curriculum, assessment and literacy schemes were introduced across the schools and the Manchester … evaluation of the project is Metropolitan University evaluation of the project is extremely positive in terms of extremely positive about impact on classroom practice, outcomes and teacher development. impact on classroom practice, outcomes and teacher Is this way of working sustainable in the future? It may be perceived to be an expensive model in the short- development. term but the long-term benefits could be significant. We are delighted that a number of schools from Senior and middle leadership capacity has been Knowsley have joined with colleagues from Widnes strengthened through the project and a momentum and Bolton to establish the Aspire Challenge Partners has been created because progress is strong in the Hub for our 2019–20 partnership year.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 7 The Network of Excellence

The Network of Excellence (NoE) is a national network of schools committed to sharing best practice and knowledge, to improve performance through effective challenge and support. It is made up of more than 480 schools across the country and pivots around an annual peer Quality Assurance Review (or QA Review). This is where school leaders review each other’s schools, travelling beyond their 10 43 own area to maximise opportunities for learning and reflection. The model was independently evaluated new hubs hubs in total and found to deliver ‘multiple gains’ for reviewed schools, peer reviewers and their host schools. National support and expertise 480+ In addition to the annual QA Review and reviewer training, schools can also identify and link up with schools best practice nationally through:

• An online School Support Directory of expertise in schools across the country 250,000+ • Free and subsidised places at national events to engage with other colleagues, research and children covered high-profile speakers

• A fortnightly newsletter including need-to-know updates and content from across the network Growth and impact within the Network of Excellence and wider sector In order to deliver excellence and equity for our • Discounts from partner organisations. partner schools and the wider system, and bring new expertise into the network to share, it is important Local collaboration and change that our Network of Excellence is dynamic and All schools within the NoE collaborate in a hub with growing. We were delighted to be able to welcome other schools who are (in most cases) within their ten new hubs to the network as we moved into the local area. Local area hubs collectively agree on their 2019–20 partnership year, and ensure more children priorities for school improvement, and write an action than ever before can benefit from the collective plan which outlines the activities and programmes wisdom of the education system. that will address these priorities. This means we now have partner schools based Subscription covers the following: across almost 100 local authorities across England, with new hubs established and serving the communities • Regular hub meetings to share practice and of Aylesbury, Bolton, Bristol, Crawley, Doncaster, collaborate on common priorities Knowsley, Salisbury and Widnes. • Funding from Challenge Partners for local area hubs to allocate to agreed priorities in the Hub Another key focus over the past year has been Action Plan. developing a distinct offer for groups of schools, and we are pleased to have welcomed a number of high- performing trusts, Teaching School Associations and other groups into the network, to enrich our work.

8 CHALLENGE PARTNERS ANNUAL REPORT 2019 9 CASE STUDY

all year groups in six different schools within our trust. We value being I then supported Cheam Common Junior Academy, which joined LEO Academy Trust at a time when outward-looking the school was rated ‘Inadequate’, staff turnover was high and results in the bottom 10% of the country. to continue to I worked with staff, parents and governors to improve standards, which was the beginning of an exciting refine our practice few years from 2016, which led me to becoming the Principal at the school two years later ahead of our first Ofsted where we were graded as a ‘Good’ school SOPHIE GUNNER with ‘Outstanding’ Leadership and Management, and Principal of Cheam Common Junior Academy with progress scores that were in the top 3% nationally. For Cheam Common Junior Academy, Challenge I am proud to have been part of Partners allowed us access to the Network of Challenge Partners since 2011. My first Excellence which enabled us to build on our experience with Challenge Partners improvement strategies and celebrate the great was being part of QA Reviews as a class practice in place while continuing to drive forwards teacher and in later years as a subject and aim for more. We value being outward-looking leader and senior leader. The process to continue to refine our practice and always want of peer observation allowed me to reflect and refine to share our strengths with others. my own classroom practice and then share this with I am very much looking forward to the future with my own team. It was always a vital experience to have Challenge Partners as I take part in the first Trust ‘outside’ eyes looking at teaching and learning and Peer Review with the LEO Academy Trust, and look as a practitioner I hugely valued feedback to continue forward to embracing this challenge and seeing how to improve and be the best I could. Peer reviews were we can continue to grow as a community. challenging but in a non-threatening way; purely focused on development and refinements. I found being a QA reviewer invaluable. I have now been on five reviews, each one offering a very different experience. The two-way process allows

… the Network of Excellence enabled us to build on our improvement strategies and celebrate the great practice in place while continuing to drive forwards and aim for more. me to share pedagogical ideas with colleagues while respectfully challenging the impact of teaching and learning. Observations or conversations in other schools empowered me with fresh ideas and strategies to lead on the priorities in my own school. I have also attended Leadership Development Days across the country to learn from leaders who have key strengths in their schools. I could develop these ideas first in my class, year group and later across the whole school, and ultimately led a Leadership Development Day for reading and writing. The working relationships you build with colleagues continue after these days, resulting in further sharing of work and ideas. The leadership skills I developed over this time helped me secure first the job of English Director, where I could support teaching and learning across

10 CHALLENGE PARTNERS CASE STUDY ‘We feel we have moved forward far further and quicker’

HOW HAS CHALLENGE PARTNERS SUPPORTED YOU? It has provided us with expert challenge that we would not have found elsewhere. It matches schools so the QA Reviews are relevant and we can learn from each other. The best element for us has been the Growing the Top programme. The schools in the trio all had similar issues and it felt like we were able to share our strengths with other outstanding schools, while learning from them about areas we felt we could do better in. It was truly inspirational and has led to a lot of great ideas about how to move forward!

Ash Field Academy is a day and weekly WHAT CHANGES DID YOU MAKE TO YOUR residential school for 160 pupils aged PRACTICE AND WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT? 4–19 who have a wide range of ability It has really got us thinking about some key changes and a main presenting physical disability that could allow us to really support and develop or medical need, and has been a member our staff team in all that they do for our pupils. We of the Network of Excellence since 2012. think this will be key to taking us forward and it was Principal Jenny Bone says the school is proud of the key ‘ingredient’ in the success of other schools. the ‘excellent spirit’ of the pupils and of all their In previous years, our QA Reviews have led to achievements, and values the opportunity Challenge improvements in our curriculum and teaching Partners gives for the school to keep improving. pedagogies. The network has really given us that time to reflect and consider our approaches so that we WHAT WERE/ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES continue to move forward. Overall, we feel we have FACING YOUR SCHOOL AHEAD OF JOINING moved forward far further and far quicker than if THE NETWORK? we were not part of Challenge Partners. Initially, the challenge was the increasing complexity of need: we were getting children with very complex medical needs and also saw an increase in behavioural needs and difficulties, which is something we found difficult to cater for alongside vulnerable children. Now, we have become experts in the complex medical needs but we still have some children working at almost age-related expectations and have a wide range of cognitive ability within class groups. So our main challenge is maintaining high expectations and ensuring all our pupils make as much progress as they can.

WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS ON JOINING? WHAT WERE YOU HOPING TO GET OUT OF IT? Collaboration was key. We really wanted to be able to share good practice but also be part of a dialogue of professional challenge in order that we could learn and grow and continue to improve.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 11 The Quality Assurance Review IN THE PARTNERSHIP YEAR 2018–19 The Challenge Partners Quality Assurance (QA) Review is an independently-led peer review focused on teaching and learning. The review identifies both what is going well and areas for development. Where excellent practice is identified, this can 433 be accredited by the review team as an ‘Area of reviews took place Excellence’ with the expectation that it is shared with other schools in the network. The QA Review is a joint exercise between the review 90% team and school. All reviews are led by an independent Lead Reviewer with formal Ofsted training to ensure of schools that are members rigour and that we avoid cosiness by drawing peer of the Network of Excellence reviewers from beyond the school’s locality. Reviewers had a Quality Assurance Review and members of the school’s own senior leadership team work together to evaluate school effectiveness; this ‘one team, two parts’ approach enables honest and open professional dialogue about where the 1,060 school is and what it needs to do to improve. The QA Review provides a high-quality professional reviewers attended a review development experience for senior leaders. Our schools tell us they value the professional development leaders gain and they often leave reviews ‘buzzing 4.6 5 with ideas’.

Each school in the Network of Excellence receives average feedback score for overall an annual review, and reciprocates by sending their Quality Assurance Review experience headteacher and senior leaders to review other from headteachers and reviewers schools in the network. All reviewers are trained by Challenge Partners and have the opportunity to receive additional training to become Advanced Reviewers once they have successfully completed “I thoroughly enjoyed the several reviews. review process. It was the Over the last year we have made changes to the best CPD I have ever had. The QA Review to ensure it meets the evolving needs of our schools. These changes were introduced at the experience from start to finish start of the 2019–20 academic year and include: was rigorous and challenging • providing a sharper focus on the quality of provision and it developed my leadership and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, and pupils with additional needs, to align more closely with skills in many ways.” our central mission Jasmine FrenchReviewer at Edenthorpe Hall Primary

12 CHALLENGE PARTNERS How the Quality Assurance Review works

REVIEW TEAM REVIEW REVIEW REPORT

Lead Reviewer Ofsted-experienced What Went Well What are my strengths?

Even Better If Where can I improve? Reviewers Senior leaders from across the partnership Area of Excellence What can I share?

Size of review team depends Review team and host school’s Review report is shared with on size of host school SLT review school collaboratively Central Team and Hub Manager — ‘one team, two parts’ to enable follow-on support

REVIEW REPORT SUPPORT FROM YOUR HUB

What Went Well Hub Manager Hub meetings What are my strengths? Connect with other Share challenges, schools in your hub identify solutions

Even Better If SUPPORT FROM THE PARTNERSHIP Where can I improve?

Area of Excellence School Support Leadership Contact us What can I share? Directory Development Days

• a continued focus on the quality of learning, but In order to ensure that we have an accurate picture of under three new headings which are leadership at the needs and strengths of our schools, the information all levels; the quality of provision and outcomes; the in review reports is categorised using a taxonomy. This quality of provision and outcomes for disadvantaged allows us to identify and meet the needs of our schools. pupils and pupils with additional needs It also means that Areas of Excellence can be recorded by category in our School Support Directory, making • ‘learning observations’ have been replaced with it easy for great practice to be accessed and shared. ‘learning explorations’ to move away from individual We continue to refine this process so that we and lesson observations towards exploring learning in our schools are able to maximise the opportunities more holistic and innovative ways. for knowledge exchange.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 13 IN THE PARTNERSHIP YEAR 2019–20 1,108 reviewers are booked onto reviews 5 5

feedback from review teams which include an Advanced Reviewer

Advanced Reviewer programme

The Advanced Reviewer training programme is a senior leadership development programme, focusing on three key areas: coaching, role-modelling and knowledge exchange, providing additional CPD to our more experienced QA reviewers.

Advanced Reviewers are able to bring extra rigour and support to review teams and aid knowledge exchange within the network, sharing learning by feeding back to their own school and hub. They are to be strategically deployed to QA Review teams across the network.

Additions to the programme in 2019–20 include but also feedback to the Central Team about how we introducing ‘trio groups’ to allow Advanced Reviewers can support our new reviewers and inform the training to not only share their experience with one another that is provided. An Advanced Reviewer toolkit is being developed which will provide top tips and case “Involvement of curriculum and studies to support the role. pastoral leads within ‘learning The Advanced Reviewers have also benefitted from explorations’ gave them a real coaching training led by Richard Lockyer from Olevi where they took part in an interactive small-group insight into other areas of the session focusing on coaching skills, which can be used school and a chance to contribute on a QA Review and back at their school. to final discussions; this was a first We be working closely with Lead Reviewers to create for some of our newer leaders.” a process for accreditation where they will endorse the skills of an Advanced Reviewer following Sally GarrettThe Ashley School Academy Trust completion of their first QA Review after the training.

14 CHALLENGE PARTNERS CASE STUDY ‘I learnt so much’

Lancot Challenger WHAT HAVE YOUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM Academy has been a (SLT) GAINED FROM HAVING A QA REVIEW? member of the Network Having a QA Review has really helped our senior of Excellence since 2016. leaders think more strategically about the school. Here, headteacher Claire Although it’s not meant to be an inspection, having Probert (left) reflects on that experience to talk about the school improvement the experience of having a QA Review at their school journey to external visitors was a great CPD whilst deputy headteacher Jenny Fraser (right) opportunity, and this has filtered down to middle reports on her experience of being a reviewer. leaders who get involved with the review as well.

WHAT HAVE YOU GAINED AS A WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THE REVIEW? SCHOOL FROM HAVING A QA REVIEW? It’s great to have the time to reflect on your progress When we had our QA Review in spring 2019, we put as a school which can often be hard to find throughout forward an Area of Excellence of ‘Curriculum design the year; so knowing you have an annual three-day for improvement’ which was accredited during the period to do this is one of the main benefits we get review. After the review, one of the visiting review team from having a review. The networking opportunities got in contact with us to say they were so impressed which stemmed from the review were also hugely with our work on curriculum that they wanted to come beneficial not just to showcase our curriculum, but back for a second visit to learn more about this. Since also to learn from others, as we’ve found that every then, we have presented our Area of Excellence at school has something they want to share. a Senior Partner and Hub Manager meeting and as a result we have made more connections with further HOW DID BEING OUT ON A REVIEW HELP schools who want to collaborate with us. YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF PRACTICE WITHIN YOUR OWN SCHOOL? As a reviewer, when going through the process of analysing the information provided and generating the list of questions, I would naturally reflect on how I could answer them about my own school setting and internally make comparisons between the school and Lancot. I always come back to Lancot with a list to take to SLT because it does make you see things from different angles.

WHAT DID YOU GAIN OUT OF BEING A REVIEWER ON A QA REVIEW? As a Deputy, the opportunity to work with some fantastic heads, both in and out of primary, has been such a privilege; I learnt so much from just being able to observe the dialogue. Reviewing outcomes was an area where I lacked confidence, so being given the luxury of time to sit and do some in-depth data analysis alongside highly skilled professionals has been invaluable. I’ve also seen some wonderful classroom practice that I’ve been able to take back and share within our teaching team.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 15 Excellence for Everyone: a whole-school approach

Excellence for Everyone is a practitioner-led, whole-school improvement programme, designed to break the link between poverty and poor outcomes. It replaces Challenge the Gap and has been comprehensively updated by partners from The Compton School and Charles Dickens Primary School, drawing on evidence from the EEF toolkit and their own expert practice.

Excellence for Everyone is designed to deliver lasting and transformational impact for disadvantaged pupils and provides outstanding professional development to school leaders, teachers and support staff. Through the programme, school teams learn how to develop, trial and scale up effective, tailored strategies to benefit disadvantaged pupils in their context, using the latest research, best practice and emerging innovation.

Current Lead Schools and hubs delivering the programme The Compton Chancellor’s School Aspire Hub Portsmouth TSA

Excellence for Everyone is delivered by Lead School partners across the UK. These Lead Schools bring together clusters of schools for training, knowledge exchange and joint practice development. It builds on the success of Challenge the Gap and many schools who benefitted from that programme are now leading Excellence for Everyone to share the benefits more widely across our network.

16 CHALLENGE PARTNERS CASE STUDY

‘Significant impact on the effectiveness of interventions’ moral purpose as well as empower them to make a difference to the students within our school. The programme has had a significant impact Deputy headteacher of Chancellor’s on the way we analyse and monitor data and the School Elizabeth Grant explains how effectiveness of interventions. It has also changed our benefitting from Challenge the Gap curriculum offer, pedagogical approaches, pastoral spurred them on to become a Lead care and enrichment opportunities so that we are School for Excellence for Everyone: fully inclusive for all our students. Chancellor’s School is a relatively large 11–18 mixed secondary school, which is considerably YOUR GOALS FOR EXCELLENCE FOR EVERYONE oversubscribed. We draw students from the towns This year we have continued to target a Year 8 cohort of Hatfield and Potters Bar, and the surrounding and established a committed team of professionals villages. The proportion of disadvantaged students to trial new strategies and measure their impact on and students who have special educational needs is students. The strategies that make the most impact below the national average, as are the proportions of will eventually develop into our whole school minority ethnic students and those for whom English approaches. We have decided the key areas for is an additional language. The largest ethnic group improvement this year are attendance and ensuring come from white British backgrounds. The school that expectations are centred on achieving high- is now part of the Danes Educational Trust and quality bookwork for all. expanding in response to local need. After joining the Danes Educational Trust in 2019, we had the opportunity to work as a trust, as well YOUR EXPERIENCE OF CHALLENGE THE GAP as with other schools who are part of the Herts and Even though we have a smaller than average Bucks Challenge Partners Hub. The trust puts a proportion of students eligible for the Pupil Premium, strong emphasis on equality and inclusion, and we we had significant progress and attainment gaps strongly believe that we have a duty to deliver the which were not diminishing over Key Stages 3 and 4, highest quality training across the trust and beyond, and we were keen to address this. We wanted to raise providing support and dedicated staff to secure the aspirations and the achievement of some of the most best outcomes for disadvantaged students. disadvantaged students at the school. The Challenge the Gap programme enabled WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN OF a small team of passionate and dedicated leaders, EXCELLENCE FOR EVERYONE SO FAR? teachers and support staff to work together to The first session provided an in-depth exploration of support a target group of disadvantaged students what ‘disadvantaged’ looks like in each school context. in Year 8. Working with other schools collaboratively, Schools were given the opportunity to engage with exploring the issues and sharing good practice substantial educational development research enabled us to fully understand that these students and decide which proven strategies would work didn’t have homogeneous needs. We concluded for them. Teams of staff and leaders came together that to make a difference to each child we needed to identify the main issues through data analysis a bespoke, personalised approach, which, to be and created an action plan which will now be trialled successful, would need to be underpinned by greater with the individual school’s chosen target group. parental engagement. The programme has been streamlined and the The session materials were thought-provoking very best aspects of Challenge the Gap have been and many of the key areas for the workshops were kept. It now includes current up-to-date thinking and disseminated across meetings and whole-staff training evidence from prominent educationalists on what within our school hub. We felt that it was paramount makes effective provision and how to best use to make all staff recognise our professional funding to support disadvantaged students.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 17 Trust Peer Review

This programme has adapted our highly successful The level of collaboration intrinsic to the Trust Peer Quality Assurance peer Review process. It examines Review is a unique feature of the model. While trusts what trusts are doing to ensure that the children that have been reviewed talked about the impetus they serve achieve better than they might otherwise, added by the observations and insights of and evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies. appreciatively inquiring external eyes, the reviewers returned to their own trusts full of energy and ideas, The programme focuses on multi-school improvement, noting the benefits of undertaking reviews for their and is underpinned by the values of collaboration, own CPD and the development of policies and partnership and challenge. Led by an independent practice back at base. expert over three days, an external peer review team works with host trust leaders to build a picture of how “It was a fascinating insight into how other trusts school improvement operates across the trust and its are organised, changing and improving academies. impact. They discuss strengths, areas for development The review gave me perspectives across all aspects — and next steps, and have an opportunity to harness staff, leadership, governance etc — and this was really the expertise of their peers to explore a particular helpful in understanding how the trust operated as challenge they are facing and identify ways forward. well as providing real insights into my own situation. Reflection after the review with leaders has led The successful pilot of our Trust Peer Review in 2018–19 to some substantial change here.” was independently reviewed by the NFER, who report Carolyn MorganCEO, The Ascent Academies Trust that participants valued the peer review model and had confidence it could help identify strengths and areas of development. All host trusts told the NFER they had taken action as a result of their review, including:

• developing a clearer longer-term strategy for the future of the trust

• focusing in on the trust’s values and principles and how they expected them to be demonstrated in their academies

• disseminating their school improvement strategies more deeply with academies to facilitate a more transparent and powerful dialogue.

“The team provided challenge to the key principles that underpin the trust ethos, culture and climate, distilling the best of what we have to offer our schools through our governance and systems, whilst assisting us to objectively review the impact of our delivery models.”

Dr Tesca Bennett Principal, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy, part of the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation

18 CHALLENGE PARTNERS EXTERNAL REVIEW

‘All trusts took away key areas for development’

he National Foundation for Educational TResearch (NFER) undertook a review of the Trust Peer Review (TPR) pilot which was developed and trialled by Challenge Partners across four trusts during 2018–19.

The aims of the research were to: • support Challenge Partners in developing a peer review model that is demonstratively improving the performance of trusts • identify how effective the model is in providing Trusts agreed that the report given to them at the continuous professional development (CPD) end of the review could be used as a tool within opportunities for peer reviewers that, in turn, the organisation to change things. The reports gave supports improvements in their own trusts valuable points for consideration and an added • ensure the peer review model contributes to impetus to make some changes. an understanding of what makes for an effective trust school improvement model. FEEDBACK TO CHALLENGE PARTNERS Their report provided findings from a study that was conducted through 24 qualitative interviews including “It was a fantastic opportunity to explore the trust CEOs, chairs of trustees, Lead Reviewers and systems and structures within another trust. headteachers whose schools were reviewed. Findings To work alongside such an experienced team described stakeholders’ own perceptions of the from a range of settings led to many deep potential value of the TPR and their experiences discussions exploring pedagogy and practice. of the pilot. The review provided the opportunity to learn All four trusts in the pilot valued Challenge from another trust and also provided a point Partners’ aspirations as an organisation and were keen of reference to review our own trust.” to support the trialling and development of a TPR. Michelle BarnardExecutive Head Teacher, Trust Lead for Equality, SEND and Social Justice, The Compass There was a confidence among trust CEOs and Partnership of Schools senior leaders at the outset of the potential value of “Working on the Trust Peer Review provided the TPR and in the quality of the peer reviewers. Much an opportunity for a deep exploration into of this confidence was based on previous experience the relationship between the core systems, of their schools’ engagement with Challenge Partners operations and structures from which a trust through the school Quality Assurance Reviews. operates. Having the time and space to meet All four trusts stated they had taken away key people from the trust’s central team as well areas for development after their trust was reviewed as the people at the ‘chalk face’ in the schools, for the Trust Peer Review. These included: helped to better understand how the trust • developing a longer term strategy on the vision enables school improvements at all levels. of their trust Working with a team of reviewers helped to • working to ensure that schools demonstrate challenge my own thinking throughout and the values and principles of the trust beyond the process.” • improving communication across their schools Gary HandforthExecutive Principal and Director of Primary Education for Bright Futures Educational Trust • updating strategic documents.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 19 Growing the Top:

Read our impact case stand-out schools study on page 26

The Growing the Top programme provides opportunities for top performing schools in the External evaluation Challenge Partners Network of Excellence to work together, push the boundaries and drive their Dr Peter Matthews conducted an external schools — and the education system — to become evaluation of the Growing the Top programme world-class. in 2018–19 to ascertain whether the programme aims and expectations were met by participating Underpinned by our core philosophy, that it is schools. An overview of findings is outlined here: important to stimulate those at the top to rise higher so that the whole system moves up (the Upwards Facilitating knowledge transfer Convergence model, pictured below), this programme of successful strategies supports schools to establish partnerships and share By creating and facilitating knowledge exchange knowledge on what has worked for them on their processes among outstanding schools, the journeys towards excellence. programme supports them to innovate and improve, and is already impacting on school Growing the Top: stand-out schools was a new improvement strategies and plans in participating programme launched in 2018–19 and during the pilot schools. Through trio visits to schools, participants year 21 secondary schools from across the country were exposed to ideas and strategies they were were matched into trios. Schools in trios each took able to question and learn about in more depth, turns hosting the other schools on visit days, during before selecting the most appropriate to bring which systemic excellence and systemic challenges back and adapt for their own schools. were explored. The host school provided an insider’s view of its journey to excellence, as well as an Creating an effective learning network opportunity to observe this in action and talk to Through the support of experienced facilitators, leaders, teachers and students. Hosts also described and the open and collaborative environment their challenges while visiting peers offered their created during visits, participating senior leaders own insights and suggestions to help address them. developed effective learning relationships. These have already trickled down through different Participants also met as a whole cohort three times to levels of leadership in participating schools. listen to speakers from other parts of the public sector, corporations, research institutes and the independent Tackling difficult issues and systemic challenges education sector, who offered fresh ideas with the The collaborative nature of the programme, and purpose of challenging prevailing thinking and the trust that this built between participating stretching school leaders’ imagination. schools, meant that difficult and challenging issues were openly and honestly discussed. Increase the top through These discussions proved effective in surfacing effective learning partnerships (mainly external) and sharing common issues, and in reaching creative approaches to tackling them.

“What came through really strongly was the level of research, evaluation and analysis that went on

PERFORMANCE Reduce disparity in each of these three schools. We felt this was key through effective internal learning to what made all the schools outstanding as well partnerships as being crucial to sustaining excellence.” Participant reflection on the programme

20 CHALLENGE PARTNERS THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE FOR CHILDREN Our aims AIMS

Improve pupils’ examination 1 results at a rate above the national average and accelerate Our goal is to reduce educational progress of the disadvantaged inequality and improve the life chances of all children. Through collaboration, Enable all our schools challenge and professional development, 2 to improve at a rate above we are working to ensure every school the national average community can benefit from the combined wisdom of the whole system. Develop leadership and 3 improvement capacity and To work towards our mission, we have knowledge at school and collectively adopted these four core system level aims that guide what we do. We will be revisiting our aims to ensure they remain Develop a world-class, aligned with our re-articulated mission 4 self-improving and sustainable and values, so next year’s report is likely system that contributes to look different. to national research and policy-making

22 Impact and performance against our aims

Our role is to enable challenge and collaboration between schools and trusts. The results we report in this section belong to the schools in our partnership, rather than to us as an organisation. We are nonetheless proud to champion all they achieve for their learners. Given our focus on equity, we are particularly pleased that disadvantaged pupils in Challenge Partners’ schools in 2018–19 generally progressed faster and achieved better than their peers nationally. Across the partnership, the gap between disadvantaged and other learners is also smaller than it is nationally at Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4.

AIM 1

Improve pupils’ examination results at a rate above the national average and accelerate progress of the disadvantaged

On average… Key Stage 2 Key Stage 4

Disadvantaged pupils Progress for disadvantaged pupils Progress 8 scores for disadvantaged compared with national average students compared with national average in our schools progress faster than similar MATHS +0.4 pupils nationally WRITING +0.2 +0.2pts READING 0.0

Disadvantaged pupils Disadvantaged pupils meeting expected Attainment 8 scores for standard in reading, writing and maths disadvantaged students in our schools attain better results than PARTNERSHIP AVERAGE 55.4% PARTNERSHIP AVERAGE 40.1pts similar pupils nationally +3.7% +3.4pts NATIONAL AVERAGE 51.7% NATIONAL AVERAGE 36.7pts

All pupils in our schools Progress measures compared Progress 8 compared with national average with national average progress faster than the national average MATHS +0.5 WRITING +0.3 +0.1pts READING +0.1

All pupils attain Expected standard in reading, Attainment 8 writing and maths better than the national average PARTNERSHIP AVERAGE 66% PARTNERSHIP AVERAGE 48.1pts +1% +1.4pts NATIONAL AVERAGE 65% NATIONAL AVERAGE 46.7pts

ANNUAL REPORTREPORT 20192019 23 AIM 2 AIM 3

Enable all our schools to improve Develop leadership at a rate above the national average and improvement capacity and knowledge at school We are proud of the diverse mix of schools and system level within Challenge Partners, which includes some of the highest-performing in the country We seek to increase the capacity of the and others at an earlier stage on their journey system by building improvement capacity and to excellence. What unites them is their supporting leadership development for senior commitment to working together to improve, and middle leaders. This enables more leaders regardless of their starting point. to participate in school improvement, share wisdom and great practice.

Challenge Partners schools IN 2018–19

Quality Assurance Reviews 23% 390 Outstanding (National average: 19%) new reviewers 67% trained Good 660 (National average: 66%) 8% Requires Improvement (National average: 11%) 1,080 2% reviewers went out on review Inadequate (National average: 4%)

Percentages do not total 100% 156 21 exactly due to rounding. attendees at schools in 11 Leadership Growing the Top Development Days In 2018–19, Ofsted inspected 62 schools which had been part of Challenge Partners’ Network of Excellence for more than a year. 14 73 reviewers in the of schools who were rated Good new accredited Trust Peer Review 10%in a previous inspection, jumped to Areas of Excellence Outstanding. This is compared to 4% nationally. across Challenge Partners schools of schools rated Required 59 senior leaders Improvement or Inadequate, 66% trained for future moved to Good, compared to 59% nationally. 35 headship in London No Outstanding schools moved below Good, Network of compared to 21% of schools nationally. Excellence Hubs

24 CHALLENGE PARTNERS AIM 4

Read more about our contributions to national debates Develop a world-class, self-improving and sustainable system on page 37 that contributes to national research and policy-making

Contributions to research: Last year we collaborated across the sector, including academy trusteeships, with the National Association of Headteachers on membership of the Royal Society curriculum group, the publication of The Principles of Effective School- Chair of Trustees of the Teacher Development Trust, to-School Peer Review. The National Foundation Education Advisory Group membership at the for Educational Research (NFER) sourced additional Sutton Trust, Chair of Trustees at the Brilliant Club, evidence of key principles. co-founder of the Leading Women’s Alliance and piloting a women-only NPQH, member of the Ofqual Innovative pilots testing new ideas: In the last year Board, and member of the British Council Education we launched two new programmes to ensure we Advisory Group, to name just a few. remain at the forefront of educational innovation and expand our support for schools, with Growing Lending our expertise to the public sector: This the Top and the Trust Peer Review. By also year our leadership met with the Secretary of State commissioning rigorous evaluations, we better for Education, Gavin Williamson, and the Shadow understand what made an impact and used that Schools Minister, Mike Kane, to advise on issues information to sharpen these programmes, while including the value of peer review and school-to- also improving the knowledge available in the sector. school collaboration. These kinds of conversations allow us to make sure our national leaders have Leadership roles: Our Central Team, Senior Partners the knowledge they need to create effective policy. and school leaders are involved in many groups, We also spoke at many national events, including networks and boards, and hold positions of influence the EdFest and Inspiring Leadership conferences.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 25 Unleashing excellence and ensuring all children benefit

We are committed to equity and helping those most in need, and our Network of Excellence includes more children from deprived families. Department for Education data shows that collectively the schools in Challenge Partners serve a higher proportion of children eligible for free school meals than the national average (22% v 15%). More than that, our commitment to equity runs through our programmes helping the children who need us most, as this case study shows.

CASE STUDY

WHAT CHANGES DID YOU MAKE TO YOUR ‘Overall it was PRACTICE AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRAMME? From the day after our first visit there have been a lot of changes, mainly focused on sixth form and an incredible our disadvantaged provision: • One of the other schools in our trio interviews their disadvantaged students every year. We have experience’ now started to do this and have a huge amount of data to help us drive improvement • We brought back a sixth form alert system Claremont High School is a large looking at behaviour secondary situated in North West • We have looked at and made changes to the sixth London, where 54% of students speak from space and facilities a language other than English, and the • We adopted an Admissions Plus programme disadvantage figure is slightly higher which we saw in another school than average at 0.29. The school was • We magpied and have started using the Rising graded Outstanding by Ofsted in 2015, and is above Futures programme average for P8 and other attainment measures. Here, headteacher Nicki Hyde-Boughey reports • We also picked up things on the periphery on the impact of Growing the Top. from other schools, including great student leadership displays. WHAT WERE/ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FACING YOUR SCHOOL? WHAT WAS THE IMPACT? Firstly, narrowing gaps, specifically for black Caribbean Our Progress 8 gap for disadvantaged students has boys and disadvantaged students. Additionally, we narrowed. In 2018, the gap between disadvantaged wanted to look at why the sixth form were not getting and non-disadvantaged students was 0.5; in 2019 top grades for the most able students. it was 0.1. A lot of the work we have done through the Growing the Top programme has helped this. The WHAT ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAMME DT department who went out to visit other schools DID YOU FIND MOST USEFUL? separately from the visit days also had phenomenal Overall it was an incredible experience. The programme KS4 results in the summer. Additionally there is more has supported us to develop a relationship and a rigour in our sixth form, which in the long term will shared network. As headteacher I now have two fellow help improve outcomes. headteachers that I know I can just drop an email to if I need to. It’s also developed a network for the WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR KEY LEARNING? senior team and middle leaders who have subsequently For us, it was the confirmation that we are still on been out to visit other schools. By immersing ourselves track and focusing on the right things. Quite a lot in for the whole day we were able to get under the the school is now different, especially the approach skin of another school and look at their systems to disadvantaged and KS5. Both the deputy head and processes, and appreciate that many of our and I felt so inspired going to other schools and we challenges are shared. came back buzzing to drive further change. It was a fantastic opportunity and I know the other heads appreciated it like I do.

26 CHALLENGE PARTNERS Challenge Partners

Led by practitioners, our charity enables partner schools to collaborate to improve each other and the education system as a whole, so all children benefit. Our programmes are grounded in evidence of what works, regular quality assurance, and sharing the collective wisdom in our schools. The schools in our network get great results: boosting exam and progress scores, improving Ofsted grades — and, most importantly, transforming children’s life chances.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Network of Excellence

Quality Assurance Review

Trust Peer Review

Tackling the disadvantage gap (Excellence for Everyone)

Helping stand-out schools become even better (Growing the Top)

KNOWLEDGE LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE DEVELOPMENT

Online members area with Leadership Development Days presentations, webinars and resources Leadership Residency Programme Areas of Excellence Support for heads and senior leaders Case studies of the future (Getting Ahead)

Partnership newsletter Quality Assurance Review training

National Conference and other events Advanced Reviewer training

Hub Gold Standard Toolkit We are proud to contribute to our partner schools’ life chances. This snapshot gives an overview of ou

SHARING KNOWLEDGE STAND-OUT SCHOOLS:

Growing the Top supported strong learning culture ‘stand-out’ schools to become focus on development of staff even better and identified student-centred leadership what they have in common X good curriculum planning

new accredited 73 Areas of Excellence making a total of 337 shared by schools

Leadership 11 Development Days run by partner schools on Maths, English, EYFS, SEND and more

We piloted Trust Peer Review to share evidence of what works in multi-school improvement CHANGIN The Challenge

HELPING SCHOOLS DEVELOPING IMPROVE LEADERS

We celebrated our promoted to TH 29% headship within 2,000 six months of Getting Ahead school peer Quality London programme Assurance Review Advanced Reviewers trained for our 67 Quality Assurance Reviews 3,187 peer reviewers in total new peer have benefitted from reviewers attending reviews 355 trained on Quality Assurance Review framework

Congratulations to all our partner schools for anoth work to transform children’s r work together and its impact.

GROWING AND ADDING WISDOM

IMPROVING LIFE CHANCES 480+ schools joined our network for 2019–20 Challenge Partners schools moved from Good to Outstanding at almost 252,000+ twice the national rate children included in primary, OUTSTANDING secondary, special and alternative provision schools GOOD

Challenge Partners schools were twice as likely to maintain Outstanding rating

NG LIVES 36% e Partners year 66% National

COURAGEOUS TACKLING THE More disadvantaged pupils in our partner LEADERSHIP DISADVANTAGE GAP schools meet expected standards at KS2 (Standard Assessment Tests) Amplified voice of schools schools benefitted in reform of Education 11 from support for Pupil Partnership schools 55.4% Inspection Framework Premium pupils, now extended National average 51.7% +3.7% to 31 schools in 2019–20 Worked with National through Excellence for Schools Commissioner and Everyone programme And disadvantaged pupils in our partner other partners to support schools get higher results on average school trusts We supported Accelerated at KS4 (Attainment 8) Improvement in schools Partnership schools 40.1pts PTS Worked with NAHT and with Knowsley Education National average 36.7pts +3.4 other national partners to Commission define and promote effective peer review her inspiring year, and thank you to our supporters. Looking ahead…

Our focus is on curriculum, equity and innovation to support partner schools to improve and share their expertise with colleagues across the sector.

• Over the past year, Rob Carpenter, Senior Partner of Inspire Hub and CEO of Inspire Partnership, has been working to publish some research on interesting and varied approaches to curriculum design in primaries. We also know that there are many interesting and varied approaches to curriculum across the Network of Excellence and, as part of our • Our CEO, Dr Kate Chhatwal, has joined NAHT knowledge exchange work, this academic year we School Improvement Commission, which is reviewing will publish Rob’s work and launch a new curriculum evidence to explore what we really mean by school case study project to enable partners to share their improvement. It will develop proposals for how we approaches and learn from each other. can enable every school to be an improving school. • This academic year, we are also delighted to welcome It is expected to report this year. Jubilee Networks into our growing partnership of • We are also delighted to share news of two positive schools. Like us, they are committed to mutual reports which evaluate our programmes. A report collaboration, challenge and learning in the service by Professor Peter Matthews of the Institute of of better outcomes for children and young people. Education on our Growing the Top captures the By joining together, we strengthen our offer and look programme successes and enthusiasm of participants, forward to mutual benefits as we each learn from as well as helping to shed light on what ‘stand-out’ new approaches to refine our school and trust schools have in common. The NFER evaluated improvement support. our pilot Trust Peer Review programme, and they too report participants’ positive feedback, as well as outlining how the peer review process helps shed light on what trusts do to add value to their schools. Both will be published in 2020.

• Last, but by no means least, this year we are building on our work to define the Hub Gold Standard by creating a Hub Gold Standard Toolkit to support best practice. And after refining our Quality Assurance (QA) Review framework last year we are now concentrating our efforts on how progress and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils can be further explored under the framework; ensuring all schools receive systematic, high-quality follow-up after their QA Review; and considering how we can offer more bespoke reviews for schools that have been part of Challenge Partners for a number of years. It is all part of our mission to help schools and trusts become even better by ensuring we embody our commitment to continuous improvement.

30 CHALLENGE PARTNERS 3 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

Getting Ahead London

Getting Ahead London is a one-year coaching programme which aims to develop the next IN 2018–19 generation of educational leaders in London. The programme is funded by the Greater London Authority and was developed by Challenge Partners in conjunction with PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers). We worked with Participants are linked with two fellow participants in a trio and matched with a coach who they spend one day shadowing and attend two group coaching 20 52 59 sessions with each term. coaches schools participants The fourth year of the programme began last September and runs until July 2020. This year, for the first time, we have expanded the programme to work Achievements with both middle and senior leaders, with a significant number of past participants of the programme applying to become coaches for the middle leader cohort. For 2019–20 we are working with 24 coaches and 29% 72 participants. of participants secured a headship or promotion within six months of finishing “Being part of Getting Ahead London enabled me the programme to gain the confidence to start applying for headships, something I would not have considered prior to joining this programme. The programme gave me As part of our ongoing evaluation, participants the opportunity to network with other senior leaders, rated their experience on the programme from share experiences and to have in-depth conversations 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree). about the impact of leadership on schools, in Some particularly impressive feedback that particular the impact on the lives of young people came out of this process was: in London. The programme taught me the power of sharing with other colleagues from different schools, The programme has enhanced the regardless of the phase, and about the effectiveness knowledge and skills I need to be 8.4 of coaching and how it can challenge your thoughts, a headteacher in a London school ideas and actions. I was very fortunate to have a coach who had a wealth of experience and who My coach helped me feel took a great interest in me and my professional more positive about headship 8.9 development. I absolutely loved the programme, so much so that I applied to be a coach on the middle I would recommend Getting leader programme this year as I believe that effective Ahead London to a colleague 9.1 coaching can help to shape the educational leaders of today and tomorrow.” My coach was good at identifying 8.8 Jolande Botha-SmithRutlish School my greatest needs and helping 2018–19 participant me progress

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 33 CASE STUDY ‘An opportunity to share our passion and experience’

THERAPY TEAMBromley Trust Academy

romley Trust Academy is a multi-site Balternative provision academy for Leadership children and young people aged 5–16 who have been permanently excluded, or are in danger of being permanently excluded, from Development mainstream school. The trust strives to improve the life chances of our young people by providing a high-quality academic curriculum Days alongside support for their social, emotional and mental health needs within a nurturing environment. Therapy provision is embedded and plays a central role in the school culture, and the wider London South East Academies Our partner schools with accredited Areas of Trust therapy team was awarded the national Excellence host structured school visits lasting Carnegie Silver Kitemark Award for Mental a day, enabling pairs of leaders from other schools Health Excellence in Schools. to immerse themselves in the context and practice Bromley Trust Academy was accredited of a school with expertise in a particular area. an Area of Excellence for its therapy provision and SEMH support and hosted a Leadership This year, schools have hosted Leadership Development Day to share our passion and Development Days covering subject areas and experience with visiting school leaders. topics such as Maths, English, disadvantaged pupils, It began with a learning walk of the school, the more able, EYFS, mastery and SEND. Three to six pairs from different schools attend each day, … using a child-centred approach, providing the opportunity for schools to collaborate inviting in-depth thinking … with colleagues across the partnership. Attendees are invited to observe lessons, learn about the school’s a chance to see the SEMH provision and journey, address challenges and reflect with school ethos in action before the therapy colleagues. School leaders leave with knowledge of team presented experiential and interactive exceptional practice to take back to their schools and workshops and presentations. The day focused a developmental understanding of how to lead and on organisational structures and systems using implement change and/or successful practice. a child-centred approach, inviting in-depth thinking on the rationale and theory of an “I had a brilliant day, particularly holistic model for SEMH. It was a privilege to meet and connect with when I spoke with students. leaders of participating schools, to share ideas, On the day I was able to reflect strategies and in-depth exploration of common goals and difficulties, leaving us inspired and a lot on our own practice and motivated. While it gave us an opportunity discuss this with colleagues from to deepen and enrich our own practice, it also widened our network, building new relationships other schools. It was powerful which continue to grow. The day offered an and gave me some good next opportunity to connect with others, sharing a collective passion for the wellbeing of the steps to make.” children we work with.

Leadership Development Day participant

34 CHALLENGE PARTNERS School Support Directory

The School Support Directory is our online tool to allow members to view and connect with other schools across the Network of Excellence. Our partners are able to use this platform to access hundreds of Areas of Excellence which have been accredited through our Quality Assurance Review process. Schools are able to search for specific areas of school improvement and seek out support from other schools who are leading in that field, providing an interactive search engine for excellent practice from across the country. 337 25% Areas of Excellence accredited in 2018–19 hosted on our School partnership year Support Directory

Leadership Residency Programme

The Leadership Residency Programme is for senior or middle leaders across the Network of Excellence to develop their leadership skills. The programme combines theory and practice with a focus on feedback, reflection and coaching. School leaders gain experience of another school environment, through spending two to three days immersed in and learning about the practices of another school.

The programme is a hub-led offer, with local Challenge Partners hubs using the comprehensive toolkit of training and other resources developed based on effective practice to lead a programme locally. The resources for the LRP are available to download from the members area of the Challenge Partners website.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 35

Courageous leadership

Feedback from our Senior Partners has indicated they are keen for Challenge Partners to have a stronger voice in national debates about education and disadvantage. Our value of courageous leadership commits us to ‘speaking up and taking responsibility for all children’.

Some of the ways we have demonstrated this value include: a school should only become a Leading school if it • Our partner headteacher Dr Vanessa Ogden and can show it shares expertise meaningfully with others. our Executive Director Dame Sue John put forward strong evidence to the inquiry of the All Party • We worked with school leaders’ union NAHT and Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Social Mobility other national partners to identify and promote to stress the importance of school collaboration to quality peer review in 2019, publishing a report titled help close the disadvantage gap across the country. Principles of Effective School-to-School Peer Review, They helped ensure the APPG recognised facilitating which argues that peer review between schools collaboration between schools is key to help close should be the norm, not an exception, and should be the attainment gap in some areas of the country. at the core of school improvement. It was launched at a roundtable with Secretary of State Gavin • The APPG report, Closing the Regional Attainment Williamson, which Rita Hindocha, Executive Principal Gap, concludes variation in school exam results and Director of Secondary for The Mead Educational is one of the factors leading to areas where social Trust, and Dr Kate Chhatwal, attended. The Secretary mobility is low and advocates greater collaboration. of State later asked his officials to visit The Mead The need for sharing best practice to help narrow Education Trust to find out more about Challenge the attainment gap was presented in evidence to the Partners and the difference it had made to the trust. APPG by Dr Ogden, Headteacher of Mulberry School for Girls, East London, and by Dame Sue John. • We worked with the National Schools Commissioner and other national partners to support and build We have amplified the voice of our schools in the the capacity of school trusts. education debates that matter to them including • We participated in a range of discussions with reform of the Education Inspection Framework and Department for Education officials about on school improvement: school improvement. • We met with Sean Harford, National Director for • Dame Sue John worked with the Royal Society Education for Ofsted, and submitted a response to on their plans to promote a broad and Ofsted’s consultation on a new inspection framework, balanced curriculum. recommending they should only judge a school Outstanding if it is able to support other schools • Dr Kate Chhatwal, Dame Sue John and partners to improve and is actively doing so. We urged Ofsted including Carolyn Robson, Chief Executive of Mead to look more widely at evidence of what does work Educational Trust, spoke at several major sector — including collaboration and the widespread use events including Inspiring Leadership, The Festival of of peer review in schools across the country — and Education at Wellington College and Hallam Education stressed that if the inspection system is to drive Festival. Dr Chhatwal and our partner Dr Josephine school improvement, it must more clearly incentivise Valentine, CEO of Danes Education Trust, promoted the top-performing schools to share their expertise the value of collaboration for school improvement, with others. We argued the top grade should be which featured in key sector publications Schools renamed ‘Leading’, rather than Outstanding, and Week and the Times Educational Supplement.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 37 National events

National Conference 2019

Our National Conference was a great day of sharing and learning as we explored the themes of Courageous Leadership, Sustaining Excellence and Inspiring Commitment. Mulberry School for Girls provided a strong opening as pupils considered what it means to be British, in an extract from a play they took to the Edinburgh Festival. International conductor Charles Hazlewood pushed the boundaries with an inspirational speech which touched on leadership, celebrating excellence among people with disabilities, and the teacher who set him on the path to success. And our CEO Kate Chhatwal shared news of the great progress made by partner schools.

The heart of the conference was the 17 workshops run by our partner schools and others, which explored innovations to tackle recruitment and retention, new technology, curriculum development and much more. There were also stimulating masterclasses from Sir Kevan Collins of the Education Endowment Foundation, Nick Brook of the National Association of Head Teachers and Natalie Perera of the Education Policy Institute, plus a panel discussion on the curriculum. This was our biggest conference to date with more than 300 delegates and provided a great springboard for a year of collaboration and challenge across the country.

Trust leaders’ events

We held two events in the 2018–19 partnership year bringing together school trust leaders with some of the leading thinkers, research and expertise on MAT development. Last May, Toby Greany, Professor of Education at the University of Nottingham, was a guest speaker and shared research on what works in trust school improvement. While at our first trust leaders’ event, we were delighted to have the National Schools Commissioner, Dominic Herrington, as guest speaker. Each day provided an excellent opportunity to network and share great practice in carousels and discussions. The events also looked at early evaluation of our pilot Trust Peer Review and welcomed evidence of its effectiveness for evincing and sharing knowledge of effective practice.

38 CHALLENGE PARTNERS Hubs and the Gold Standard

All schools which are members of the Network “The audit tool has been useful for me to make of Excellence participate in a local hub with other sure I am providing schools within the Chrysalis schools in their area. For the 2019–20 partnership Hub with the best possible experience of being part year there are 43 hubs across the country, including of Challenge Partners and everything it has to offer. all phases and stages. Hubs collectively agree their It has been very helpful as a reference point for our priorities for school improvement, and write an meetings and especially in looking to how I could action plan outlining the activities and programmes support schools beyond the meetings. Our drive they will collaborate on to address these priorities. within Chrysalis Hub is to try to ensure that every Funding is provided by Challenge Partners to school within the hub gets personalised provision support the achievement of these priorities. and support and I find that the audit tool helps me to do this, for example by visiting each school In 2018–19, we developed a set of criteria for what and getting a clearer sense of their setting and makes an effective hub, after consultation with Senior communities they serve, and producing individual Partners and Hub Managers. This was to help support support plans for each school.” hubs to improve their collaboration and practice in Alice ToftChrysalis Hub Manager order to mobilise knowledge within the network and ensure all schools are part of a highly effective hub. By pooling knowledge and resources, schools will get more out of the network than they put in.

We also developed a hub audit tool, designed to provide a professional pathway for the development of a hub, with questions to consider and pointers for how to progress to the next stage. An example of how the tool could be used is by the Senior Partner and Hub Manager, or by all hub members at a hub meeting, to assess current practice and plan next steps for development.

“Our hub has successfully ‘stolen’ the best of what each other has to offer as often and regularly as possible. We’ve tried to get underneath what strengths members of our hub have and ensure that those strengths are shared for others to gain.”

Paul FosterImpact Alliance Hub Manager

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 39 REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT Doncaster Hub

Established in 2019, the Doncaster Hub grew out of collaboration between three primary school trusts with the united aim of driving school improvement in the borough, led by Beryce Nixon NLE (Exceed Learning Partnership), Sarah Cairns (Empowering Minds Trust) and Janis James (Inspiring Futures Trust). at Key Stage 2. The hub strategy concentrated on improvement in reading subject knowledge, e recognised that Challenge Partners could understanding of cognitive development in reading in offer Doncaster an approach to moving W all year groups and the progression in reading fluency forward to a sustainable future with high and comprehension. The aim for the Doncaster Hub academic outcomes, not only for our primary learners is for teachers to become secure and confident in but inclusive of all pupils in secondary and special the teaching of reading through hub training sessions, schools, especially the most disadvantaged. a local network of best practice and the external The hub’s goal was to create a school improvement Challenge Partners peer review process, all of which model which can be adopted as an approach for all have been implemented with great success. We are Doncaster schools. In order for leaders to understand striving for a 10% improvement in our 2020 results the benefits of this collaborative approach, a pilot in age-related and greater-depth reading in all year project was developed in early 2019 with investment groups across our hub schools. from Doncaster’s Opportunity Area funding from the Government, to trial the approach for the first year. We are seeing tremendous impact from the pilot: School Leaders were invited to an initial meeting in March to find out about the initiative from Challenge • Leaders understand the strategies for teaching Partners leaders Dame Sue John and Laura Lewis- phonology, reading fluency and reading Williams. A total of 14 primary schools immediately comprehension across the primary phase expressed their interest in joining the hub in April, • A Cognitive Progression in Reading document has with a 15th special school joining us from September. been produced by all the English Subject Leaders The initiative has been fully embraced by our schools’ from the 15 hub schools leaders and teachers, with some excellent professional • English Leaders are reporting that they feel more networking and feedback taking place at our hub secure in their subject in all phases of primary and meetings and training sessions. this is impacting not only on their own teaching but Senior Partners stated that: ‘Within the hub, we how they are leading and supporting staff in their have taken a layered approach to school improvement, professional learning within the hub schools ensuring that the priorities are cascaded on each level • Reading training has been delivered for all teachers of leadership to secure maximum impact. We have in the hub schools, in each year group from nursery reviewed and evaluated each stage of the action to Year 6. This has been an integration of subject plan to integrate the Challenge Partners approach of knowledge and strategies to secure cognitive ‘What Went Well’ and ‘Even Better If’ to ensure that all development within year groups partners feel that they are contributing to the agreed end goals. The feedback from the partners is that • Peer reviews have been undertaken by leaders middle leaders are gaining excellent professional and the feedback has been that this is the best development and that the hub is supporting them professional development they have undertaken to cascade the training in all year groups.’ • Peer reviews have been completed in five of the Our key priorities link directly to the Opportunity hub schools, with all schools reporting the benefits Area Plan, focused on the creation of a hub reading to undertaking the process as being reflective strategy to support and improve attainment in Reading and developmental.

40 CHALLENGE PARTNERS OUR PARTNERSHIP Our partnership hubs and schools 2019–20

1. Ark Hub 21. Impact Alliance Hub 30. London West Hub 2. Ash Field Hub 22. Insight Hub 31. Northants Hub 3. Aspire Hub 23. Inspire Partnership Hub 32. North East Special Hub 4. Astrea Hub 24. Leigh Hub 33. North West Hub 5. Aylesbury Vale Hub 25. Lighthouse Hub 34. Pickhurst Juniors Hub 6. Bengeworth Hub 26. Lincolnshire Hub 35. Portsmouth Hub 7. Camden Hub 27. Link 2 Learn Hub 36. Somerset Hub 8. Challenger Hub 28. London South Hub 37. South East London Hub 9. Chiltern Hub 29. London Special 38. South West London Hub 32 10. Chrysalis Hub and AP Hub 39. South Wiltshire Hub 11. Cognitus Hub 40. Three Shires Hub 12. Compass Hub 41. Torbay Hub (North Primary) 42. Transform Hub 13. Compton Hub 43. Wootton Bassett Hub 14. Cornwall Hub 15. Doncaster Hub 16. East Coast Hub 17. East London Hub 18. East Midlands South Hub 19. Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hub 20. Herts and Bucks Hub

3 15 4 33 26

42 13 18 10 7 29 2 17 16 12 28 30 23 19 31 37 27 8 34 21 6 40 38 9 5 20 1

43 2224 25

11

36 39

35

41

14

42 CHALLENGE PARTNERS ARK HUB Prescot Primary School Primary Roby Park Primary School Primary 14 schools St Albert’s Catholic Primary School Primary London St Aloysius Catholic Primary School Primary St Catherine’s Church of England Primary School Primary St John Fisher Catholic Primary School Primary St Paul’s Church of England Primary School, Primary Astley Bridge St Peter’s Smithill’s Dean Church of England Primary Senior Partner Primary School Jerry Collins Wade Deacon High School Secondary

Ark Academy All-through Ark Atwood Primary Academy Primary ASTREA HUB Ark Bolingbroke Academy Secondary Ark Conway Primary Academy Primary 26 schools Ark Globe Academy All-through Yorkshire and the Humber, East of England Ark Greenwich Free School Secondary Ark Isaac Newton Academy All-through Hub Manager Ark John Keats Academy All-through Mat Wright Ark King Solomon Academy All-through Ark Oval Primary Academy Primary Ark Pioneer Academy Secondary Senior Partner Ark Putney Academy Secondary Benedick Ark Swift Primary Academy Primary Ashmore-Short Kensington Aldridge Academy Secondary Astrea Academy Dearne Secondary Astrea Academy Sheffield All-through ASH FIELD HUB Astrea Academy Woodfields Secondary Atlas Academy Primary 11 schools Byron Wood Primary Academy Primary Leicester, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire Carrfield Primary Academy Primary Castle Academy Primary Hub Manager Cottenham Village College Secondary Ellen Croft Denaby Main Primary Academy Primary Edenthorpe Hall Primary Academy Primary Ernulf Academy Secondary Senior Partner Gooseacre Primary Academy Primary Jenny Bone Greengate Lane Academy Primary Hartley Brook Primary School Primary Alderwasley Hall School Special Hatfield Academy Primary Ash Field Academy Special Hexthorpe Primary Academy Primary Children’s Hospital School, The Special Highgate Primary Academy Primary Ellesmere College Special Hill Primary Academy, The Primary Fullhurst Community College Secondary Hillside Academy Primary Greenfields Specialist School for Communication Special Intake Primary Academy Primary Keyham Lodge School Special Kingfisher Primary Academy Primary Millgate School Special Longsands Academy Secondary Nether Hall School Special Lower Meadow Primary School Primary Oaklands School (Leicester) Special Netherwood Academy Secondary West Gate School Special St Ivo School Secondary Waverley Academy Primary

ASPIRE HUB AYLESBURY VALE HUB

9 schools Buckinghamshire

Hub Manager Vanessa Beckley

Senior Partner Senior Partner Senior Partner Karen Bramwell Simon Corner Penny France Senior Partner Mark Sturgeon 17 schools Hub Manager Knowsley, Bolton, Bury, Halton and Sefton Elliot Costas-Walker Aylesbury Grammar School Secondary Bedgrove Junior School Primary Gorsefield Primary School Primary Beechview Academy Primary Grange School, The All-through Cottesloe School, The Secondary Halewood Academy Secondary Great Missenden Church of England Combined School Primary Hillside High School Secondary Haydon Abbey School and Pre-School Primary Hope Primary School Primary Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School Secondary Knowsley Lane Primary School Primary Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School Secondary Malvern Primary School Primary St Michael’s Church of England Combined School Primary Millbrook Community Primary School Primary Continued

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 43 BENGEWORTH HUB CHILTERN HUB

5 schools 8 schools Gloucestershire and Worcestershire Central Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Luton and Bedford Hub Manager Kirsty Shaw Hub Manager Sarah Chick

Senior Partner Senior Partner David Coaché Adrian Rogers

Bengeworth Church of England Academy Primary Cedars Upper School Secondary Bretforton Village School Primary Chestnut Lane School Primary Chaddesley Corbett Endowed Primary School Primary Chiltern Academy Secondary Harvington Church of England First School Primary Lark Rise Academy Primary Leckhampton Church of England Primary School Primary Leighton Middle School Middle Linslade School Middle Marston Vale Middle School Middle CAMDEN HUB St Christophers Academy (Dunstable) Primary

12 schools Camden and Islington CHRYSALIS HUB

Hub Manager 11 schools Rob Earrey Brent and Harrow

Hub Manager Senior Partner Alice Toft Kate Frood OBE

Argyle Primary School Primary Senior Partner Beckford School Primary Nicki Hyde-Boughey Brecknock Primary School Primary Christopher Hatton Primary School Primary Alperton Community School Secondary Edith Neville Primary School Primary Cedars Manor School Primary Eleanor Palmer Primary School Primary Claremont High School Secondary Fitzjohn’s Primary School Primary Hatch End High School Secondary Holy Trinity and St Silas Primary Kingsbury Green Primary School Primary Hungerford Primary School Primary Mount Stewart Infant School Primary Kentish Town Church of England Primary School Primary Mount Stewart Junior School Primary Primrose Hill School Primary Preston Manor School All-through Rhyl Primary School Primary Salusbury Primary School Primary Sudbury Primary School Primary Uxendon Manor Primary School Primary CHALLENGER HUB

11 schools COGNITUS HUB Essex, Central Bedfordshire, 8 schools Southend-on-Sea West Sussex and Bedford Hub Manager Hub Manager Anthony White Senior Partner Senior Partner Claire Probert Karen Bateman James Saunders Senior Partner Daubeney Academy Secondary Rebecca Deanes, The Secondary Vaughan-Barrett Great Clacton Church of England (Voluntary Aided) Primary Junior School Hilltop Primary School Primary Hadleigh Junior School Primary Langley Green Primary Primary Honywood Community Science School Secondary Maidenbower Infant School Primary Kempston Challenger Academy Secondary Maidenbower Junior School Primary Lancot School Primary Manor Green Primary School Special Springfield Primary School Primary Milton Mount Primary School Primary St Osyth Church of England Primary School Primary Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley Primary Westborough Academy Primary Three Bridges Primary School (Crawley) Primary Westlands Community Primary School Primary

44 CHALLENGE PARTNERS COMPASS HUB (NORTH PRIMARY) DONCASTER HUB

4 schools Harrow, Ealing and Hillingdon

Hub Manager Sarah Mackenzie

Senior Partner Senior Partner Senior Partner Senior Partner Nicola Forster Beryce Nixon Janis James Sarah Cairns

Colham Manor Primary School Primary 15 schools Gifford Primary School Primary Yorkshire and the Humber North Primary School Primary Weald Rise Primary School Primary Bentley High Street Primary School Primary Bessacarr Primary Primary Carr Lodge Academy Primary COMPTON HUB Coppice School Special Edlington Victoria Academy Primary 18 schools Hawthorn Primary School (Doncaster) Primary Enfield, Brent, Hillingdon, Highwoods Academy Primary Haringey, Barnet and Hackney Hill Top Academy Primary Sandringham Primary School Primary Hub Manager Southfield Primary Primary Emma Hazlegreaves Sunnyfields Primary School Primary Thorne King Edward Primary School Primary Senior Partner Tickhill St Mary’s Primary and Nursery School Primary Ann Marie Mulkerins Tranmoor Primary Primary Warmsworth Primary School Primary Archer Academy, The Secondary Barham Primary School Primary Blessed Dominic Catholic Primary School Primary EAST COAST HUB Brettenham Primary School Primary Capel Manor Primary School Primary 8 schools Chalkhill Primary School Primary Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk Compton School, The Secondary Dollis Primary School Primary Hub Manager Elsley Primary School Primary Chloe Richardson Heartlands High School Secondary Heron Hall Academy Secondary Lea Valley Primary School Primary Senior Partner Northside Primary School Primary Sally Garrett Northwood School Secondary Park Lane Primary School Primary Albany PRU AP Southgate School Secondary Ashley School Academy Trust, The Special Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form Secondary Centre School, The Special Wren Academy All-through Fred Nicholson School Special Hillside Special School Special John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea Special CORNWALL HUB Riverwalk School Special Warren Special School Special 5 schools Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly EAST LONDON HUB Hub Manager Darren Payne 6 schools Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham, Newham, Camden and Lambeth Senior Partner Sara Davey Hub Manager Joanne Skelhorne Five Islands Academy, Isles of Scilly, The All-through Ludgvan School Primary Senior Partner Mounts Bay Academy Secondary Ruth Smith St Hilary School Primary Trevithick Learning Academy Primary Greatfields School Secondary Kingsford Community School Secondary Mulberry Academy Shoreditch Secondary Mulberry School for Girls Secondary Saint Gabriel’s College Secondary William Ellis School Secondary

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 45 EAST MIDLANDS SOUTH HUB St Albans Girls’ School Secondary St Clement Danes School Secondary 21 schools City of Leicester, Leicestershire IMPACT ALLIANCE HUB and Warwickshire 11 schools Hub Manager Bromley, Lambeth, Kent and Croydon Dave Roper Senior Partner Senior Partner Hub Manager Rita Hindocha Sarah Ridley Paul Foster

Abbey Mead Primary Academy Primary Ashlawn School Secondary Senior Partner Babington Academy Secondary Stephen Whittle Beaumont Leys School Secondary Bosworth Academy Secondary Bromley Beacon Academy Special Braunstone Frith Primary School Primary Chestnut Park Primary School Primary Henry Hinde Infant School Primary Chislehurst School for Girls Secondary Henry Hinde Junior School Primary Glebe School Special Kestrel Mead Primary Academy Primary Hayes School (Bromley) Secondary Kingsway Primary School Primary Julian’s Primary School Primary Knighton Mead Primary Academy Primary Langley Park School for Boys Secondary Moat Community College Secondary Lilian Baylis Technology School Secondary North Mead Primary Academy Primary Marsh Academy, The Secondary Orchard Mead Academy Secondary Pickhurst Infant Academy Primary Parks Primary School Primary Streatham Wells Primary School Primary Rowlatts Mead Primary Academy Primary Rushey Mead Academy Secondary Soar Valley College Secondary INSIGHT HUB Thurnby Mead Primary Academy Primary Willowbrook Mead Primary Academy Primary 4 schools Winstanley School, The Secondary Kent Hub Managers HABERDASHERS’ ASKE’S HUB Sarah Prest Claire Foster 8 schools Lewisham and Bexley Senior Partner Adam Lowing Hub Manager David Welsh Ellington Infant School Primary Gravesend Grammar School Secondary Kings Farm Primary School Primary Senior Partner Whitehill Primary School Primary Kafilat Agboola

Haberdashers’ Aske’s Crayford Academy Secondary INSPIRE PARTNERSHIP HUB Haberdashers’ Aske’s Crayford Temple Grove Primary Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College Secondary 14 schools Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham Temple Grove (Primary) Primary Tower Hamlets, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy Secondary Greenwich Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Temple Grove Primary and Medway Haberdashers’ Aske’s Slade Green Temple Grove Primary Hub Manager Haberdashers’ Aske’s Temple Grove Free School Primary Abigail Oldfield Senior Partner Senior Partner HERTS AND BUCKS HUB John Camp Rob Carpenter

9 schools Alderwood Primary School Primary Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire Deansfield Primary School Primary Elaine Primary School Primary Hub Managers Foxfield Primary School Primary Mike Garvey Halstow Primary School Primary Andrew Jones Horn Park Primary School Primary Invicta Primary School Primary Senior Partner Maundene Primary School Primary Toby Sutherland Mulgrave Primary School Primary Old Palace Primary School Primary Beaconsfield High School Secondary Rockliffe Manor Primary School Primary Chancellor’s School Secondary South Rise Primary School Primary Chesham Grammar School Secondary Wingfield Primary School Primary Croxley Danes School Secondary Woodhill Primary School Primary Francis Combe Academy Secondary Onslow St Audrey’s School Secondary Reach Free School, The Secondary Continued

46 CHALLENGE PARTNERS LEIGH HUB LONDON SOUTH HUB

6 schools Kent, Greenwich and Medway

Senior Partner Senior Partner Senior Partner Senior Partner Sharon Waterman Cassie Buchanan Christian Hicks Alex Crossman

Leigh Academy Blackheath Secondary 7 schools Hub Manager Mascalls Academy Secondary Lambeth and Southwark Sarah Seleznyov Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School Secondary Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy Secondary Charles Dickens School Primary Strood Academy Secondary Charter School East Dulwich, The Secondary Wilmington Academy Secondary Charter School North Dulwich, The Secondary Clapham Manor Primary School Primary Crawford Primary School Primary LIGHTHOUSE HUB Elm Wood School Primary John Donne Primary School Primary 3 schools Bristol LONDON SPECIAL AND AP HUB Hub Manager Jon Nunes 42 schools London, South East and East

Senior Partner Hub Manager Tom Inman Gary Morrissey

Backwell School Secondary Chew Valley School Secondary Senior Partner Gordano School Secondary Penny Barratt

Aspire Schools AP LINCOLNSHIRE HUB Beacon Folkestone, The Special Bridge London ILS, The Special 7 schools Bridge Satellite Provision, The Special Lincolnshire Bridge School, The Special Cambridge School Special Hub Manager Castlebar School Special Andy Ayre Chiltern Wood School Special Drumbeat School and ASD Service Special Five Acre Wood School Special Senior Partner Furze Down School Special James Greenwood Gloucester House the Tavistock Children’s Day Unit Special Greenside School Special Harrowby Infant School, Grantham, The Primary Grove, The Special Hawthorn Tree School Primary Highshore School Special Lincoln Manor Leas Junior School, The Primary Ickburgh School Special North Kesteven Academy Secondary Joseph Clarke School Special Pilgrim School, The Special Larwood School Special St George’s Church of England Primary School, Primary Little Heath School Special Gainsborough Manor School Special Yarborough Academy Primary Marjorie McClure School Special Michael Tippett School, The Special Milestone Academy Special LINK 2 LEARN HUB Nexus Foundation Special School Special Oakley School Special 4 schools Oak Lodge School Special Bexley, Croydon and Bromley Pears Family School, The AP Hub Manager Pield Heath House RC School Special Richard Cloudesley School Special Tracey Dinnage Riverside School Special Samuel Rhodes MLD School Special Senior Partner St Mary Magdalene Academy: the Courtyard Special St Nicholas’ School Special Leah Crawley St Piers College 16 plus Burnt Ash Primary School Primary St Piers School (Young Epilepsy) Special Days Lane Primary School Primary Swiss Cottage School, Development and Research Centre Special Oaklands Primary Academy Primary Treloar School Special St Chad’s Catholic Primary School Primary Village School, The Special Waverley School Special Whitefield Schools Special Continued overleaf

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 47 Willow Dene School Special Mowbray School Special Woodfield School Special Portland Academy Special Priory Woods School Special

LONDON WEST HUB NORTH WEST HUB 18 schools London and South East 9 schools Cheshire East, Sefton, Bury, Manchester, Hub Manager Salford and Blackpool Marie-Anne Leregle Hub Manager Ruth Coupe Senior Partner Stephen Davis Senior Partner Gary Handforth Barnhill Community High School Secondary Brentside High School Secondary Abbey Hey Academy Primary Cranford Primary School Primary Chantlers Primary School Primary Ditton Park Academy Secondary Christ Church Church of England Primary School Primary Holmer Green Senior School Secondary Handforth Grange Primary School Primary Hounslow Town Primary School Primary Lewis Street Primary School Primary Isleworth and Syon School for Boys Secondary Marton Primary Academy & Nursery Primary Lampton Academy Secondary Moorfield Community Primary School Primary Marylebone Boys’ School Secondary Peterhouse School Special Parliament Hill School Secondary Stanley Grove Primary Academy Primary Perivale Primary School Primary Ravenor Primary School Primary Strand-on-the-Green Junior School Primary PICKHURST JUNIORS HUB Tolworth Girls’ School Secondary Town Farm Primary School & Nursery Primary 3 schools UCL Academy, The Secondary Bromley Westbrook Primary School Primary Willow Tree Primary School (Ealing) Primary Hub Manager David Church

NORTHANTS HUB Senior Partner 8 schools Matt Rampton Northamptonshire and Peterborough Darrick Wood Infant School Primary Hub Manager Davidson Primary Academy Primary Nick Salisbury Pickhurst Academy Primary

Senior Partner PORTSMOUTH HUB Robert Hardcastle 20 schools City of Peterborough Academy Secondary Portsmouth, West Sussex, Ecton Village Primary School Primary Brighton and Hove and Hampshire Northampton School for Girls Secondary Oakway Academy Primary Hub Manager Sir Christopher Hatton Academy Secondary Sophie Venables Skylark Partnership AP Southfield School for Girls Secondary Senior Partner Victoria Primary Academy Primary Alison Beane OBE

Cliffdale Primary Academy Special NORTH EAST SPECIAL HUB College Park Infant School Primary Corpus Christi Primary School Primary 9 schools Flying Bull Academy, The Primary North Yorkshire, Durham, Sunderland, Harbour School, The Special Redcar and Cleveland, Darlington, Highbury Primary School Primary Middlesbrough and Hartlepool Littlegreen Academy Special Manor Infant School Primary Hub Manager Mary Rose Academy Special Rachel Hargreaves Milton Park Primary School Primary Senior Partner Redwood Park Academy Special Carolyn Morgan Ringwood School Academy Secondary Solent Infant School Primary Ash Trees Academy Special Solent Junior School Primary Barbara Priestman Academy Special Springfield School Secondary Beaumont Hill Academy Special St George’s Beneficial Church of England Primary School Primary Catcote Academy Special St John’s Cathedral Catholic Primary School Primary Hope Wood Academy Special St Paul’s Catholic Primary School and Nursery Primary Kilton Thorpe Specialist Academy Special St Swithun’s Catholic Primary School Primary Continued Varndean School Secondary

48 CHALLENGE PARTNERS SOMERSET HUB SOUTH WILTSHIRE HUB

7 schools 4 schools Somerset Wiltshire

Hub Manager Hub Manager Mike Wood Gareth Flemington

Senior Partner Senior Partner Peter Hoare Matt Sambrook

Blackbrook Community Primary School Primary Exeter House Special School Special Creech St Michael Church of England Primary School Primary St Marks Church of England Junior School Primary Heathfield Community School Secondary St Osmund’s Catholic Primary School, Salisbury Primary Ruishton Church of England Primary School Primary Wyndham Park Infants’ School Primary Selworthy Special School Special Taunton Deane Partnership College AP West Monkton Primary School Primary THREE SHIRES HUB

7 schools SOUTH EAST LONDON HUB Milton Keynes and Central Bedfordshire

17 schools Hub Manager Lewisham, Bexley, Greenwich and Southwark Angela Garner

Hub Manager Paul Hooper Senior Partner Maxine Low

Senior Partner Brooklands Farm Primary School Primary Mary Collins Brooklands Middle School Middle Broughton Fields Primary School Primary Brent Knoll School Special Gilbert Inglefield Academy Middle Brindishe Green Primary School Primary Long Meadow School Primary Brindishe Lee Primary School Primary Loughton Manor First School Primary Brindishe Manor School Primary Willows and EYC, The Primary Cooper’s Lane Primary School Primary Grange Primary School Primary Greenvale School Special TORBAY HUB Holy Cross Catholic Primary Primary John Ball Primary School Primary 7 schools New Woodlands School Special Torbay Parkway Primary School Primary St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School Primary Hub Manager St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School (Lewisham) Primary Jeremy Kingston St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Primary St Saviour’s RC Primary School Primary St Stephen’s Church of England Primary School Primary Senior Partner Watergate School Special Jayne Keller

Cranbrook Education Campus All-through SOUTH WEST LONDON HUB Oldway Primary School Primary Roselands Primary School Primary 6 schools Sherwell Valley Primary School Primary Sutton Shiphay Learning Academy Primary St James School Secondary Hub Manager Torre Church of England Academy Primary Malinda Young

TRANSFORM HUB Senior Partner Phillip Hedger 22 schools Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Derby Brookfield Primary School Primary Cheam Common Infants’ School Primary Hub Manager Cheam Common Junior Academy Primary Jill Wilkinson Cheam Fields Primary Primary Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy Primary Manor Park Primary Academy Primary Senior Partner Rebecca Meredith OBE

Allenton Community Primary School Primary Breadsall Hill Top Primary School Primary Brocklewood Primary Academy Primary Bulwell St Mary’s Church of England Primary School Primary Burford Primary and Nursery School Primary Continued overleaf

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 49 Edale Rise Primary & Nursery School Primary Henry Whipple Primary School Primary Highbank Primary School Primary Jubilee Lanes Primary School, The Primary Parkdale Primary School Primary Pear Tree Community Junior School Primary Rise Park Primary and Nursery School Primary Robert Shaw Primary and Nursery School Primary Networks Rosslyn Park Primary and Nursery School Primary Rufford Primary and Nursery School Primary Snape Wood Primary School Primary Sneinton St Stephen’s Church of England Primary School Primary South Wilford Endowed Church of England Primary School Primary schools Whitegate Primary and Nursery School Primary William Booth Primary School Primary Woodlands Academy (Nottingham) Special Zaytouna Primary School Primary

Aston Manor Academy WOOTTON BASSETT HUB Blackwood Primary School Bosworth Academy 22 schools Bradley Stoke Community School Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset, Castlefield School Gloucestershire and Swindon Castle Phoenix Trust Charters School Hub Manager Chipping Campden School Steven Paddock Clevedon Learning Trust Community Schools Alliance Trust Senior Partner Cotham School George Croxford Culcheth High School Downend School Abbeyfield School Secondary Even Swindon Primary School Ashton Keynes Church of England Primary School Primary Farmor’s School Bruton Primary School Primary Frederick Bird Primary School Charter Primary School Primary Gosport and Fareham Multi-Academy Trust Crowdys Hill School Special Greville Primary School Downland School Special Grove Vale Primary School Goddard Park Community Primary School Primary Guilsborough Academy Kingsbury Green Academy Secondary Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre Lainesmead Primary School Primary Highfields School Lawn Manor Academy Secondary King Alfred’s Academy Longleaze Primary School Primary Kingsbury School Noremarsh Junior School Primary Lymm High School Rodborough Community Primary School Primary Maiden Erlegh School Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Secondary Maiden Erlegh Trust Severnbanks Primary School Primary Manor Park Primary School St Keyna Primary School Primary Montsaye Academy St Mary’s Church of England VC Primary School, Purton Primary Palladian Academy Trust St Sampson’s Church of England Primary School Primary Pineham Barns Primary School St John’s Marlborough Secondary Preston Hedges Primary School Wellington Academy, The Secondary Red Oaks Primary School Westbury Leigh Church of England Primary School Primary Richard Lee Primary School Wyedean School and Sixth Form Centre Secondary Ridgeway School & Sixth Form College Severn Academies Educational Trust Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School St Lukes Church of England Primary School Stratford Upon Avon School Tudor Grange Academy, Solihull Twickenham Primary School Wallingford School Wellsway School Whitley Academy Woking High School

50 CHALLENGE PARTNERS Schools and trusts participating in our programmes 2019–20

Trust Peer Review Perivale Primary School Wade Deacon subcluster Pilgrims’ Way Primary Halewood Academy Astrea Academy Trust Ravenor Primary School Hillside High School Bellevue Place Education Trust Rhyl Primary School The Grange Academy Bengeworth MAT Ruislip High School Wade Deacon High School Bright Futures Educational Trust Ryefield Primary School Chrysalis Multi-Academy Trust Knowsley subcluster Salusbury Primary School Dunraven Educational Trust Due to start in spring 2020 Scotts Park Primary School Greetland Academy Trust St James Hatcham Church of England Chancellors cluster Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation Trust Primary School Chancellors School Leading Edge Academies Partnership St Josephs Primary School Croxley Danes School Leo Academies St Mary Cray Primary Academy St Albans Girls School Lighthouse Schools Partnership Stamford Hill Primary school St Clement Danes School Mead Educational Trust The St Marylebone Church Sharnbrook Academy Federation Compton cluster of England School Solent Academies Trust Kingsmead School University Academy of Engineering Longsands Academy South Bank Getting Ahead London Weald Rise Primary School Portsmouth cluster West Acton Primary School Ark Dickens Primary Alexandra School West London College Court Lane Junior School Alfred Salter Primary West London Free School Gatcombe Park Primary School Athelney Primary School Whitefield School Mayfield School Balgowan Primary School Woodhill Primary School Meon Junior School Barham Primary School Yeading Infant & Nursery School Northern Parade Federated Schools Barlby Primary School Springfield School Getting Ahead London coaches Bentley Wood High School Varndean School Bishop Challoner Federation Brentside High School Bower Park Academy Burnt Ash Primary School Brindishe Manor School Byron Court Primary School Growing the Top Burnt Ash Primary Dunraven School Participating schools BWI Primary School Elsley Primary School Foxfield Primary School Camelot Primary School Frederick Bremer School Parliament Hill School Cheam Fields Primary Academy Granton Primary School Southfield School for Girls Chestnut Park Primary Haydon School Lilian Baylis Technology School City of London School for Girls Highlands Primary School Soar Valley College Claremont High School Academy Kingsbury Green Primary School The Charter School — North Dulwich Drayton Manor High School Kingsford Community School Barnhill Community High School Dunraven Primary School Lilian Baylis Technology School Mulberry Academy Shoreditch Eastlea Community School Manorfield Primary School Sir Christopher Hatton Academy Elfrida Primary Maritime Academy Trust Manor School Elsley Primary School North Primary Mary Rose Academy Foxfield Primary School Oaklands School Richard Cloudesley School Frederick Bremer School Primrose Hill Primary School Ash Field Academy George Mitchell All Through School Rockliffe Manor / Inspire Partnership Cliffdale Primary Academy Granton Primary School Rutlish School Swiss Cottage School, Development Haslemere Primary School Shared Learning Trust and Research Centre Haydon School Stanley Park Infants School Deansfield Primary Henry Fawcett Primary Waldegrave School Holy Cross Catholic Primary Hounslow Town Primary School Sneinton St Stephen’s Church of England Isleworth & Syon school Excellence for Everyone Primary School Kilmorie Primary School Bengeworth CE Academy Kingsbury Green Primary School Aspire cluster Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy Kingsford Community School Forward As One CE Academy Darrick Wood Infant School Lady Margaret Primary School Trust subcluster Mulberry School for Girls Beacon Primary School Facilitator schools Mulberry UTC Gorsefield Primary School Inspire Partnership Norbury Manor Business & Enterprise College Knowsley Lane Primary School Mead Educational Trust North Primary School St Paul’s Church of England Primary School Mulberry Schools Trust Oaklands School St Peter’s Church of England Primary School Northwood School Parliament Hill School St Simon & St Judes Primary School St Clement Danes School

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 51 Meet the Board, Education Advisory Group and Central Team

Board of Trustees

As a charity, our Leadership Team and Senior Partners are accountable to our Board of Trustees. Our Trustees ensure that Challenge Partners continues to work towards our aims and that the partnership remains financially and legally compliant. The Board meets regularly and is chaired by Sir Jon Coles.

SIR JON COLES ARWEL JONES Chair of Trustees Trustee

Jon Coles is CEO of United Learning Academy Arwel has been headteacher of Brentside High School Trust. He spent much of his career in the Department in Ealing since 2003 and has overseen a significant for Education, including four years on the Board increase in examination outcomes at the school. He as Director General for Schools and then Director is a former Teaching Awards Secondary Headteacher General for Education Standards. He led work to raise of the Year for London and South East. participation post-16 and attainment at 19, and reduce NEET numbers. As Director of the London Challenge, Jon was responsible for developing and implementing MAXINE LOW the strategy to improve secondary education, which Trustee led to similar approaches around the country. Maxine has been a headteacher for 20 years, mainly in areas of high socio-economic deprivation. She is DAME YASMIN BEVAN currently the executive headteacher of Brooklands Trustee Farm Primary School in Milton Keynes.

Dame Yasmin Bevan is former Executive Principal and headteacher of Denbigh High School and Challney NICK PASRICHA High School for Boys, both in Luton. She helped found Trustee Challenge Partners and was made a DBE for services to education. Nick is an executive mentor, and advisor to company boards, as well as a Chartered Accountant with 27 years experience as a partner in Ernst & Young. He CHRIS DAVISON has held leadership roles in the UK, USA and globally. Trustee

Chris became a Partner at Permira in 2015. He leads DAME VICKI PATERSON the Investor Relations team and has responsibility Trustee for fundraising as well as investor communications and reporting. He has also worked as a business, Dame Vicki worked in primary schools for 35 years finance and economics writer. as a headteacher and executive head, leading on bringing schools to Ofsted-Outstanding levels. As a Trustee she offers her skills and abilities to help serve GARY HANDFORTH our school communities well and with transparency Trustee and openness.

Gary is currently a Primary Executive Principal within Bright Futures Educational Trust. Having started his own life with a poor education, he is compelled to ensure that all children have equal opportunities and an entitlement to the very best.

52 CHALLENGE PARTNERS Education Advisory Group

The Education Advisory Group (EAG) is a group of school and trust leaders who support and challenge us to inform our development. The group meets regularly and is chaired by Jayne Keller. Dame Paterson attends as an observer providing a link between the EAG and our Board of Trustees.

ROB CARPENTER JAYNE JARDINE CEO Principal/CEO

Rob is the CEO of the Inspire Partnership in Greenwich Jayne Jardine is headteacher of Manor School, and and Medway and author of A Manifesto for Excellence CEO at Brent Specialist Academy Trust. She is an in Schools. In 2016, Rob worked with the DfE and experienced headteacher, for more than 23 years Teaching School Council to review primary teaching. in four schools; all Outstanding.

GEORGE CROXFORD JAYNE KELLER Headteacher and CEO Headteacher

George is headteacher and CEO at Royal Jayne Keller is headteacher of Sherwell Valley Wootton Bassett Academy Trust and is a former Primary School in Torbay and chairs our Education Teaching Awards Headteacher of the Year in Advisory Group. a secondary school.

STEPHEN DEADMAN LIZ LAWS Headteacher Headteacher

Stephen Deadman is headteacher at The Children’s Liz Laws has been headteacher for four years Hospital School in Leicester providing education to at Pickhurst Infant Academy, which is a four form all pupils missing school due to physical and/or mental Infant school in West Wickham, Kent. The school health across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. is designated as a National Teaching School. He is chair of the National Association for Hospital Education and a member of the National SEND Forum. ANN-MARIE MULKERINS Headteacher KATE FROOD OBE Headteacher Ann-Marie Mulkerins is headteacher of The Compton School in North London. Kate Frood is headteacher of Eleanor Palmer Primary School in Camden, North London.

ADRIAN PERCIVAL CEO JAMES GREENWOOD Headteacher Adrian Percival is the Chief Executive of the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation. Previously, as James Greenwood has been a headteacher for 16 National Director of School Improvement, he led the years in three different schools and currently leads successful roll out of school improvement partners a three-form entry junior school, Manor Lees to all primary, secondary and special schools. Primary, in Lincoln. CAROLYN ROBSON CBE NICK HEARN CEO Headteacher Carolyn Robson is CEO of The Mead Educational Nick Hearn has been teaching for over 25 years and Trust in Leicestershire and former Executive Principal is headteacher of a primary school in Milton Keynes. at Rushey Mead Academy. He is proud to create a school built upon Values- Based Education, and prides himself on maintaining a weekly teaching commitment and being a very ‘visible’ head, knowing the names of the children JOSIE VALENTINE OBE and being on the school gate every morning. CEO

Dr Josephine Valentine is CEO of the Danes Educational Trust in Hertfordshire and former headteacher of St Clement Danes School secondary school. She is a member of the DfE Secondary Heads Reference Group and lead for Teaching Schools in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 53 Central Team

Our Central Team come from a wide variety of backgrounds but are all committed to our goal of reducing educational inequality and improving the life chances of children.

BELAL AHMED ALIYA HASNAIN Finance & Operations Assistant Programme Coordinator (QAR)

My colleagues are friendly and dynamic which It is so gratifying to be able to work for an makes for a fantastic working environment. organisation that truly cares about disadvantaged pupils and orients its focus around improving outcomes for them. My day-to-day work involves bringing this objective to fruition, which I take so much pride in. CATHERINE BAILHACHE Head of Network Development JADE HORTON I support our need to innovate in all we do and to Partnership Manager grow in new regions so that all children, regardless of origin, can benefit from the wisdom of joined-up My passion for working with children led me to my organisations and integrated systems. role at Challenge Partners where I am able to help make a difference to the lives of all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. DR KATE CHHATWAL OBE CEO DAME SUE JOHN I love working with such a diverse range of leaders Executive Director across England, all committed to the same cause of improvement through challenge and collaboration. As a founding member of Challenge Partners I Getting out to visit their schools and MATs is a remain passionate about my strongly held belief that real privilege. hard-edged collaboration will drive up educational performance and that the power of networking is vital in our global world. Challenge Partners is able to HANNAH CORNELL bring together like-minded professionals committed Programmes Manager to improving the life chances of all pupils.

What’s so exciting about being at Challenge Partners is seeing the power of the network in action. ROISIN KILLICK Practitioners leading change, being innovative and Programmes Manager shaping the system to best support their pupils. I was attracted by the moral purpose of the organisation and specifically the programmes I work MARK DAVENPORT on, directly tackling disadvantage. I thoroughly Programme Coordinator (QAR) enjoy the opportunities I get to visit schools across the country and see the amazing teaching that is For me, the greatest privilege is to be instrumental happening in a variety of challenging contexts. in creating positive outcomes for students. I’m proud to be so actively involved in Challenge Partners’ dedication to school improvement. GEORGINA LAMBTON Associate Partnership Manager

SARA GAINES I have always been passionate about reducing Head of Communication & Engagement educational disadvantage, and am enjoying having the opportunity to continue this mission on a larger scale. I strongly support our mission and am committed to sharing the message that collaboration is key to ensuring all children benefit from the collective wisdom in our schools. LAURA LEWIS-WILLIAMS Director of Partnership & Programmes

JONNY GOGGS It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with Network Development Manager our network of schools who are unequivocal in their belief that effective collaboration between schools will I love the opportunity to work with passionate and lead to an excellent education system for all children. dedicated practitioners across the country, all of whom are working to significantly improve the life chances of young people. LIANA MAN Executive & Office Assistant

Being part of a small but courageous team gives me the daily motivation to provide excellent customer service.

54 CHALLENGE PARTNERS TAMSIN MOWAT Partnership Manager

Working for Challenge Partners gives me a sense of purpose and the ability to support others to make a difference to the lives of many children across the country.

DR YVONNE NDIFOR Head of Finance & Operations

My interest in transformative social change is embodied in our mission, values and objectives.

ANDREW O’ROURKE Programme Coordinator (QAR)

With my experience in the education sector, I believe knowledge exchange is vital for schools which is why I stand behind Challenge Partners’ mission.

REBECCA PELL Associate Partnership Manager

I have always been passionate about working in education and helping to improve pupil outcomes. IAN SMITH Communications & LOREN RICHARDSON-STEVENS Engagement Coordinator QAR Lead I truly believe in the importance of collaboration and teamwork. As the African proverb says: If you want I find it incredibly motivating to know that the work to go fast — go alone, but if you want to go far — we do at Challenge Partners has such a positive go together. impact on pupil outcomes within our schools.

ZOE STEVENS TOMILYN RUPERT Programmes Coordinator Data, Impact & Evaluation Manager I am passionate about equity in education and improving life chances for all pupils, so enjoy being I am passionate about making evidence-based part of the Challenge Partners team. decisions, and utilising information to make the biggest impact with the least resources.

NICOLA THOMAS LIZ SMISSEN Partnership Lead Pilot Programme Manager As a former primary school teacher, I’m passionate about equality in education I am both qualified in and passionate about Education and young people’s futures. and knowledge management, and Challenge Partners provides the unique opportunity to bring these skills to bear in a meaningful way. AZIZ ZIRIAT Associate Partnership Manager

I am fascinated with the innovation that happens in schools and inspired by the passion of our partners to improve outcomes for all pupils.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 55 We thank our partners for their support over the last year.

ImpactEd is a not-for-profit organisation working in collaboration with Challenge Partners to support schools in understanding and evaluating the impact of the programmes they run.

Social Business Trust is a charity whose mission is to support high-potential social enterprises and charities to accelerate and sustainably grow their impact, using the high-calibre business expertise and grant funding of their corporate partners.

56 CHALLENGE PARTNERS

John Keats Primary School “Sharing best practise is the single best way to drive 391 Rotherhithe New Road school improvement and Challenge Partners has been LondonSE163FN the best CPD, particularly for senior leaders and middle leaders.” [email protected] Toby SutherlandHeadteacher, St Clement Danes School 020 7803 4970 www.challengepartners.org

Registered charity number: 1149266 Registered company number: 08048330 (England and Wales)