Summary - this section describes how an Education Improvement Partnership (EIP) could have workforce reform and professional development as one of several potential functions, which also include raising attaiment; improving behaviour and attendance; and workforce reform and professional development.   

Education Improvement Partnerships would facilitate workforce reform, giving teachers more time through more effective working. Specialist staff, teaching resources and good practice can be shared amongst schools and other providers, providing greater opportunities for professional and leadership development, and increasing job satisfaction.

We know from the work of Leadership Incentive grant collaboratives that partnerships provide opportunities for headteachers and other leaders to develop their leadership skills. Joint heads of departments can be appointed across the group; experienced headteachers can work with new or developing heads; and subject specialist staff can be shared. In an existing partnership in North East Manchester for example, an assistant headteacher was appointed to work with heads of departments across all schools on leadership and professional development. 

Schools in Education Improvement Partnerships, including Training Schools and HEI/Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers, could work together to build capacity to deliver high quality ITT and training for the whole school workforce within the partnership and beyond. Such partnerships enable schools to develop and deliver CPD, with the possibility of becoming accredited providers in their own right.

We already have groups of specialist schools working together to deliver co-ordinated subject specialist advice, guidance and CPD – at primary and/or secondary level, including cross-cutting aspects such as use of ICT or assessment for learning models. This expertise can be shared more widely through Education Improvement Partnerships, for example through inset sessions led by subject specialist teachers for fellow subject teachers. 

Some existing partnerships of schools, such as the Chesil Partnership in Dorset share Advanced Skills Teachers across all schools. This allows both the subject expertise of ASTs and their leadership in relation to overall improvement and innovation in teaching to be available to all schools in the group. In Hammersmith and Fulham for example, the City Learning Centre coordinates the deployment of ASTs and ensures that they are targeted where they can have greatest impact on raising standards. Education Improvement Partnerships would also allow ASTs and other specialist teachers to have greater contact with colleagues in Further and Higher Education Institutions in the partnership, and to take advantage of specialist facilities to carry out research in their subject area.

Publication Date: May 2005

Last Updated: July 2006