What does membership of The Spire Church of England Learning Trust mean for schools in the Trust?

1. Improved outcomes for pupils, for example:

• Improvement in pupil progress and attainment
• Improvement in the quality and consistency of teaching and learning
• Links with pupils in other schools, which will lead to a greater sense of social responsibility, improved attendance and behaviour and a more outward looking perspective amongst pupils

2. Access to a wider range of professional practice, for example:

• Working alongside a wider group of professional colleagues enables teachers to share and develop practice together
• Cross phase access provides insight into other phases of education
• Reciprocal visits provide opportunities for teachers to benchmark their practice against other schools and opportunities for longer secondments are possible
• University accredited programmes bespoke to context

3. Cost effectiveness, for example:

• Shared area provision enables some courses to be offered which might otherwise have proved unviable
• Sharing of external providers or joint purchasing of equipment and resources save on costs
• Sharing of specialist facilities, for example in music or sport

4. Recruitment and retention, for example:

• By raising the status of the school in the local community, schools often became popular and oversubscribed – schools ‘of choice’ for parents
• Additional challenge and motivation for outstanding school leaders means that they are more likely to remain in post for longer
• Developing and aspiring leaders can be promoted – often to other schools within the partnership

5. Raised capacity and morale, for example:

• The process of supporting others typically enables practitioners to develop their own professional learning, challenging and extending their own practice
• By building capacity, supported schools soon find themselves in a position to support others
• Pupils often enter secondary education enthused and ready to continue their study of specialist subjects, such as science or modern foreign languages.

We work with a range of strategic partners:

Educational Partners

• Teaching school alliance with South Bromsgrove High School, Chadsgrove and Haybridge High School
• Worcester University
• The University of Birmingham
• Newman University
• Worcester Diocesan Board of Education

School Improvement Team

We have a core School Improvement Team, led by Stephen Cox , Executive Headteacher (School Improvement and Teaching and Learning). The Team is dedicated to working with our schools in order to support them in their journey seeking to raise standards for the children in their care.  Stephen has many years experience as a highly successful Headteacher, Ofsted Inspector and National Leader of Education, including leading his own School from Ofsted ‘inadequate’ to ‘outstanding’ over a five year period and running a National Support School for eight years. 

Barry Newton – is a consultant and former Local Authority School Improvement advisor with over 30 years of experience. He has a proven track record of supporting school improvement

Neil MIlls - is a consultant and former Headteacher with considerable experience of leading schools through change to secure improvement and successful outcomes for the children.

Stephen is also able to use our range of Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) from across the Trust to provide a bespoke improvement package of support,