THE CHERWELL PARTNERSHIP OF SCHOOLS!

I spent the morning with the Cherwell Partnership of Schools in Oxford, at their 'Innovation for Learning' conference. These schools have worked together to create a learning community whose focus has been on 'Making Learning Irresistible'.

The Cherwell Partnership's 'Teaching and Learning Project' is now in its third year and the work they have been doing has been brilliant; focused on learning to learn, assessment for learning and Carol Dweck's work on mindset! This conference provided a great opportunity for all teachers and teaching assistants, working in partnership schools, to hear about what has been achieved so far, the plans for this year’s project and also the chance to listen to me talking about the keys to success. Lorraine Kingsman, the consultant who has led their teaching and learning project, also spoke and there were opportunities for networking with colleagues in partnership schools.

As local authorities struggle to provide the support schools need it is deeply encouraging that groups of schools like the Cherwell Partnership are forming such powerful learning communities where brilliant colleagues are working together to share their magic and to make the extraordinary commonplace.