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System leadership
are stronger”
Following the success of the work we undertook on behalf
of the local authority, my conviction with regard to the
positive impact of sponsorship and working with other schools
has definitely grown. As well as the schools we worked with
becoming more successful, I maintain that Wade Deacon also
became more successful through enabling the staff to grow in
capacity, skills and knowledge.
When the current directors were considering academy
status, following our successful collaboration, and the
positive impact that Wade Deacon had on our other
linked schools, they were keen to seek multiacademy
trust status. Their view of school
communities being ‘better together’ is one
which I support as collaboration and
co-operation definitely bring about
positive and sustained change.
I believe that sponsorship
offers a wide range of
opportunities for both
staff and students.
Through close
and planned
collaboration,
along with the
involvement of
all members of staff,
a collaborative team
identity can be established to
enable training and professional
development opportunities to be
enhanced and, instead of the impact being
considered solely for one institution it can
then be applied to other members of the chain in
order to ensure the maximum benefit. Sponsorship
provides opportunities for colleagues to plan and work
together by developing learning communities in order to
share ideas, produce quality schemes of work and consider
approaches to learning. This would also have a positive impact
on work-life balance as resources would not be replicated within
individual institutions.
Career progression would be enhanced through working
with other schools. There was definite evidence of this through
the work we undertook for the local authority. Members of staff
were able to take on wider responsibilities within a supportive
overall network so that their skills and knowledge could be
developed. I believe that, through collaboration and sharing,
these opportunities both stretched and challenged all members
of staff positively and gave them confidence as they realised
that their skills and knowledge could make a difference in other
institutions and settings, as well as their own.
Succession planning is also easier through the vehicle of
sponsorship as personalised programmes can be planned and
implemented thus providing a wider range of opportunities to
enable all members of staff to gain further experience. This would
ensure that career progression and transition is smooth and
seamless in order to provide continued personal and professional
development. On an administrative level, sponsorship offers
a range of opportunities to centralise support systems and,
again, develop staff expertise and knowledge. Admissions, HR
and finance are all areas that would benefit from sponsorship
opportunities in order to provide best value through considering
economies of scale as well as developing staff expertise and
knowledge by providing a wider range of opportunities. The
savings that would be brought about through bulk-buying would
thus free resources for the direct benefit of the students.
The old maxim that ‘together we are stronger’ is definitely
applicable to the purpose and process of sponsorship. It is
a given that all academies want the best for their students; I
would take the argument further by stating that sponsorship
and collaboration provides an effective and efficient vehicle for
people to work together not only to support each other but also
to ensure that every institution within the trust delivers clear,
consistent and cohesive systems and strategies in order to enable
all members of the school communities to fulfil, or surpass, their
potential.
I am a firm believer in the moral, as well as the academic,
purpose of education. Sponsorship reflects that moral purpose
in that it allows not only a sharing of a vision, ethos and values
but also their practical embodiment and delivery on a daily basis.
Sponsorship, collaboration and sharing can only bring about
positive change and sustained progress. As such, I believe that it
is worthy of serious consideration by all academy leaders.
Summer 2014 | 17