LSSW Connect Study Visit to London

Since its foundation in 2012, LSSW (Leading Schools South West) has established itself as the go-to provider of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) throughout the South West. 

As well as providing NPQs, LSSW seeks to encourage networks between leaders throughout the region, and aims to develop leaders wherever it can. 

As part of this mission, LSSW Connect runs leadership study visits.
This year sees its fifth annual programme, this time expanded to three separate visits:
 
1. Charles Dickens Primary School and The Charter School North Dulwich in London (The Charter Schools Educational Trust) 
2. The Castle School and Court Fields Schools in Somerset (Blackdown Education Partnership)
3. Ernesettle Community School and Tor Bridge Primary School in Plymouth (The Inspire Multi Academy Trust (South West))

Last week, 32 leaders visited The Charter School North Dulwich .
What did we learn?
The Charter Schools Educational Trust has a clear sense of vision built around three pillars:

• schools that excel
• people who inspire 
• partnerships that make a difference 

This clear vision is apparent in the relationship between the Trust and its schools.
​There is a clear belief that schools will excel by having the autonomy to design every aspect of what they do to best suit the needs of the pupils and their catchments.

The investment in staff development and the feeling that staff need creativity and autonomy is essential if they are to inspire pupils and so fulfil the second pillar of that vision.

The Trust’s partnerships with schools and parents in the area are strategically planned through organisations such as their Teaching School Hub. 
 
The Trust has a clear Theory of Change to help achieve its mission:
 

• Our family is more resilient through economies of scale and collaboration.
• Economies of scale and collaboration frees up capacity in schools and provides structures to spread excellence across schools.
• Greater capacity and collaboration mean we can improve performance at all levels. 
• Improved performance at all levels means children and young people can experience an excellent education.

We felt this mission in action throughout the schools.

In the secondary school there was an atmosphere of purposeful work throughout all lessons.
In the primary school, that was also true, and we saw attention to detail in every aspect of the curriculum and fabric of the buildings that came from that vision.

This is a Trust that shows there is more than one way to achieve excellence.
Leaders returned to Devon and Cornwall with much food for thought. 

Report by Roger Pope, SWIFT Strategic Lead

find out about study visits with LSSW here