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What should the nature of the relationship be between independent and state schools?

Should independent schools be obliged to support failing schools or are partnerships between Independent and State Schools a more appropriate way for the two sectors to co-operate to mutual benefit?

I am strongly in favour of collaboration between the independent and state sectors which benefits all pupils, irrespective of the sector in which they are educated. However, I am in full agreement with Helen Wright who in her GSA presidential address said that: “it is right for independent schools to be involved in partnership, but it is not right for us to be told how to do it”.

Independent schools should have the autonomy to decide what is right and appropriate for them within their local communities. This might be sponsorship of an academy, if this is seen as mutually beneficial to both sectors within that community (as was the case with Belvedere and Birkenhead which are academies sponsored by the Girls’ Day School Trust), or it might be supporting a failing school or setting up a new free school as Manchester Grammar School plans to do. For most independent schools it is likely that the most appropriate form of collaboration will be in the form of ISSP projects and there is a wealth of excellent practice in this area which has been going on for decades. It is my impression from reading interviews given by Michael Gove and other government ministers that they have very little understanding or appreciation of the excellent partnership work taking place between independent and state schools across almost every community throughout Britain.

At Sheffield High School we have been working with state and independent schools throughout the city for the past 6 years on an ‘Aim Higher’ project to encourage and support students applying to Oxbridge. We work in partnership with several sixth forms offering Russian A-level and A-level masterclasses in a range of subjects to their students. This year we are working with 10 state primary schools on a project supported by SHINE (Support and Help In Education), offering Saturday morning school to 40 children to try to improve their Key Stage 2 SATs results. We have also hosted a ‘Raising Aspirations’ conference this year (sponsored by Inspiring Futures) for Year 9 students from 10 local state schools whose families have had no experience of higher education. All our projects have been funded through sponsorship from external providers and all have been of mutual benefit to the teachers and students involved from both sectors. Benefits identified by our own staff and students have been:

Mrs Valerie Dunsford

• Opening the school up to the local community has meant that barriers have been broken down and any negative preconceptions about the school have been removed

• The partnerships have given our teachers the opportunities to learn from their colleagues in state schools – to see best practice, share expertise and ideas which leads to standards being raised across both sectors

• Our students now have the opportunity to work and learn with other students (of both sexes) across a wide range of schools. For our Sixth Form students in particular, it has opened up opportunities to develop their leadership skills

• From relatively small projects, much wider partnerships have developed. Winning the Independent School Award for “Best Collaboration between Independent and Maintained Schools” in 2010 and again in 2011 has created a real buzz across the whole school community

I don’t think we are unusual in the number and range of partnerships in which we are involved at Sheffield High; indeed, I am confident that other equally exciting projects are being offered up and down the country.

In conclusion, I think independent schools could and should be doing more to make government ministers aware of the excellent partnership work which is already going on. We might then avoid policies being imposed on the sector and Lord Adonis making misinformed comments such as the one made in January 2011 when he accused independent schools heads of “carping” on the sidelines rather than involving themselves with state schools.

Independent schools already make valuable contributions to their local community and it is important that they are trusted to do this in the way they see best. At Sheffield High, our partnerships have worked because both sectors are working as equal partners and see the collaboration as mutually beneficial.

Finally, we must not lose sight of the fact that the ones who benefit most from collaboration are all our students, irrespective of whether they are in an independent or a state school.

Valerie Dunsford (Headmistress, Sheffield High School – January 2011)