Lewisham has a number of teaching schools alliances. Find out more about teaching schools and what the alliances in Lewisham do on this page.
Posted: 08/03/2022
Category: Working in Schools
What are teaching school alliances?
Teaching schools are outstanding schools that work with others
to provide high-quality training and development to new and experienced school
staff. They are part of the governments plan to give schools a central role in
raising standards by developing a self-improving and sustainable school-led
system.
More information from central government can be found here.
Teaching schools will be expected to play a fundamental role in developing a
self-sustaining system where:
- trainee teachers learn from the best teachers, supported by a culture of
coaching and mentoring - professional development is school-based and classroom focused
teachers, support staff and leaders improve through exposure to excellent
practice within and beyond their immediate school, through observation,
mentoring, coaching, practice, reflection and sharing with peers - talent development and distributed leadership are the norm staff demonstrating
potential are encouraged to lead and are given structured and stretching
opportunities to grow and develop - leaders have local knowledge and can identify where key resources and
expertise lie
As well as offering training and support, teaching schools will identify
and co-ordinate expertise in partner schools, using the best leaders and
teachers to:
- play a greater role in recruiting and training new entrants to the
profession (initial teacher training) - lead peer-to-peer professional and leadership development (continuing
professional development) - identify and develop leadership potential (succession planning and
talent management) - provide support for other schools
- designate and broker specialist leaders of education (SLEs)
- engage in research and development activity
Lewisham has four teaching school alliances.
- Education
Teaching Alliance Lewisham (ETAL- Haseltine and Fairlawn plus partners) - South
Thames Early Education Partnership (STEEP – Chelwood and Clyde Nursery
Schools plus partners) - Atlas
(Haberdashers’ Aske’s Leathersellers Federation plus partners) - Endeavour
(Tidemill Academy plus partners)
South Thames Early Education Partnership
South Thames Early Education Partnership and Teaching School
Alliance (STEEP). A partnership of six South London, Nursery Schools and
Childrens Centres, who have a long history of high quality Early Years provision,
and initial teacher education with Goldsmiths, University of London.
We believe every child deserves the best possible start in
life and support to fulfill their potential. A childs experience in the early
years has a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy
childhood is important in its own right, and provides the foundation for
children to make the most of their own abilities and talents as they grow.
STEEP’s mission is to support those working with young
children and their families through the provision of a range of high quality
professional development opportunities including:
- Support and Training for Childminders,
- Initial Teacher Education,
- CPD for Early Years professionals in schools and settings.
Education Teaching Alliance Lewisham
ETAL is committed to offering an outstanding range of
professional learning opportunities, leadership development, school led initial
teacher training, school-to-school support and research opportunities.
Teaching Schools and their alliances are at the forefront of
the change towards a school-led system. Teaching schools are outstanding
schools that work with others to provide high-quality training and development
to new and experienced school staff. They are part of the governments plan to
give schools a central role in raising standards by developing a self-improving
and sustainable school-led system. ETAL was one of the first 100 schools in the
UK to be designated in 2011.
Endeavour Teaching School Alliance
We are an alliance of four primary schools located across
London, REAch2 and the Institute of Education. Our alliance strives to
continually develop its staff as well as offering support to other teachers
both within England and internationally (Europe, Africa and Asia….so far). We
understand the value of continued professional development and are fortunate to
be able to draw upon our own talented staff to continually challenge and
improve our practice as an alliance.
Schools in our alliance have been and continue to be at the
forefront of initial teacher education. Over the years we have experienced
great success in supporting and developing trainees on several programmes
including Teach First, the Graduate Teacher Programme and the PGCE. We work
closely with the Institute of Education, with whom we share a bespoke
partnership in relation to initial teacher training.
In developing qualified teachers we place great importance
on the practicality and relevance of our programmes. Schools in our alliance
lead a number of high quality programmes including a Newly Qualified Teacher
Induction programme , Outstanding Teacher programme and Speech and Language in
the Primary classroom programme. We have Specialist Leaders of Education and
senior teachers who design and implement bespoke support packages for schools
in a wide variety of areas.
ATLAS Education Teaching Alliance
Atlas is a partnership of Federations that comprise fourteen
South East London and North Kent schools encompassing all phases of primary and
secondary education from early years to post 16.
At Atlas core is its shared moral determination to improve
the learning and achievement of all young people within our schools. This will
be achieved through our unapologetic focus upon improving the quality of
teaching and learning across the alliance.
This is a school led systems leadership approach providing
high quality professional learning, teacher training, school-to-school support,
phase/subject audits and reviews to allow the partnership to realise its key
ambition i.e. better outcomes for all our children. Atlas believes that through
this partnership, collaboration between practicing teachers and professionals
can be strengthened and developed to improve teaching and learning.
They have also partnered to provide a one stop shop for CPD via a new website.
