Schools Partnership Programme celebrates ten years of school improvement with further expansion in North Wales

Launched in 2014, SPP is a cluster-based school improvement model that provides a framework for schools to work together in cycles of self-review, peer review, school-to-school support, and ongoing improvement. The programme has so far supported nearly 8,900 senior and middle leaders across the UK with continuous professional development training – increasing their confidence and capacity to improve educational outcomes for children and young people. 

Nicola Gillard, Senior Programme Manager at SPP, said: 

“It has been a real pleasure to work with colleagues from GwE and the schools in North Wales that took part in the programme. Key to the success of the programme is creating professional networks which will outlive the programme, helping to embed the right culture and to develop the key skills and practices that are required to sustain the approach over time.

“With around half of all the schools in the GwE region having completed the programme, I have no doubt that they will continue their own school improvement journey with great success.” 

Since the beginning of SPP’s five-year collaboration with GwE, 244 schools from 46 partnership clusters – over half the schools in North Wales – have begun their review and continuous improvement journey. This has put the foundations in place for SPP to expand further and have a greater impact on learners across the region. SPP has trained experts to deliver the programme in Welsh, if a school prefers this, and learning materials are available in both English and Welsh. 

One school that has benefitted from the collaboration between SPP and GwE is Ysgol yr Hendre in Gwynedd. It undertook its initial training in 2022, and the first-year peer reviews took place in 2023. The 400-pupil school found that many learning challenges had arisen since the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of its existing processes were shown to be ineffective, and assessment for learning (AFL) needed improvement. 

Using the SPP framework, the school developed a set of enquiry questions, a plan of what to evaluate, and the type of evidence needed to demonstrate change. Teachers were asked to conduct self-assessments, and the school leadership conducted learning walks to talk with teachers and pupils to reflect on changes in practice. Within six weeks, improvements had been made, and there was more consistency across the school by the end of term. Teachers reportedly felt they were celebrating how well everyone had done and felt part of the process, as opposed to receiving criticism. 

Ysgol yr Hendre’s headteacher, Kyle Jones, said: 

“The self-evaluation process has been the most useful for us. It has been really beneficial for teachers who were not as comfortable when self-evaluation activity was happening previously. This was something new we were trying, it was really positive and they didn’t mind the process at all as it did help them.” 

Llŷr Gilmour Jones, Data and Quality Unit Lead and Supporting Improvement Advisor for GwE, said: 

“The experience of taking part in SPP has enriched leadership across the GwE region. Headteachers are thriving in their roles as peer reviewers and middle leaders are contributing as improvement champions, to facilitate and develop the continuous improvement process in their own and partner schools.

“91% of the headteachers we surveyed said their relationships with partner schools are either strong or very strong as a result of their SPP experience. Their testimonials demonstrate the true value they place on the SPP. It is easy to see the impact the programme has had on all aspects of peer collaboration, and on deepening relationships with their partner schools.” 

EDT is proud of SPP’s achievements and all the school leaders and members of staff who have worked with us over the last ten years. We look forward to expanding our support further across Wales in the months and years to come. We will be exhibiting at the National Education Show in Wales on Friday 4th October 2024, at the Cardiff Utilita Arena – tickets are available here. 

To find out more about how we support school partnerships to build a culture of trust, accountability and a commitment to continuous improvement, visit the SPP website.