School to School Learning
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School to School learning 		Several aspects of School to School learning are already in operation within the EAZ although not all are established or sustainable as yet. The concept of working together rather than in isolation is becoming established, particularly in those schools doing SFA. The secondary schools have recognised that much can be learned from primary colleagues and initiatives are underway to develop improved links across the phases. The various management (i.e. Forum and Executive), head teacher, subject co-ordinator and CSA groups within the EAZ have already begun to help develop a collegiate approach to many issues.

The idea of shared accountability is developing, as schools contribute their SATs scores, attendance statistics, Ofsted findings etc. to a collective EAZ average, by which the EAZ is accountable. This concept can easily be adapted to suite all of the schools within the EAZ or any group of schools involved in specific programmes, SFA or Co-operative Learning.

Understanding that larger data sources, collected from more than one school are better for seeing trends over time and for giving greater accuracy for evaluation purposes is beginning to develop and will be further reinforced during the implementation of the programme. This will add value to the way individual schools will look internally at their own data and help to create a context in which a school can analyse its own progress.

A number of mechanisms, head teacher, facilitator and joint head – facilitator meetings, as well as training days and conferences will ensure the sharing and dissemination of information from school to school but will also help to ensure discussion within each school. This joint collaboration will enable each school to more accurately understand its own progress in developing any initiatives as well as its capacity to develop learning within the school.

Over the initial period of the project a large amount of the work and co-ordination of the programme will be done by the EAZ facilitators but as time moves on leadership opportunities (eg school facilitators) will be developed. Research and evaluation projects (ie effects on SEN, boys learning, behaviour etc), will be carried out by specific staff within the schools. These roles would ideally be given to non-senior or non-management staff that wish to apply for them as an opportunity for their own profession development. Various ways of selection and appointment can be used depending on the schools own internal appointment policies. This method will also help to develop the concept and practice of ‘distributed leadership’. Initially people appointed to these posts will be given training and support by the EAZ facilitators and from the University of Hull but will eventually be able to take on the role and work with other staff.

The co-leaders and EAZ facilitators will have an overview of the project and will therefore set up the accountability systems in agreement with the individual head teachers.

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