About Us

The Kirkby Collaborative of Schools is located in Kirkby, Merseyside.

The Kirkby Collaborative of Schools has been in existence in various forms for over twenty years and school improvement has always been at its heart. The Collaborative was in an excellent position to fully grasp the opportunities for its further development that were made available through the 2010 White Paper and the school led self improving schools system. Also at this time Knowsley repositioned itself as a commissioning authority, and reduced its role as a direct provider of school improvement services.

The result is that the Collaborative has been the key provider of school improvement opportunities in Kirkby for nine years. The Kirkby Collaborative of Schools offers a complex and continually developing model for school improvement, including an extensive range of commissioned services and training, coordinated and managed centrally, with decision making by all stakeholder schools.

All Kirkby schools are fully engaged in the Collaborative at primary and secondary level with full attendance at all ten monthly Headteacher Collaborative meetings and the annual Headteacher conference. This also includes Meadow Park School, based in Stockbridge Village. This enables a holistic approach to meeting the needs of all children in Kirkby.

Collaborative Aims:

To work together as a family of schools for the community of Kirkby.
To further develop our 21st century learning community by working together to secure high quality teaching, effective use of resources and the highest standards of learning and achievement for all children in Kirkby.
To improve opportunities for our learners and their right to have a world class curriculum.
To contribute to the outcome of the most up to date Knowsley Education Improvement Strategy.
To develop effective programmes and partnerships that will enhance the learning opportunities within the Collaborative.
To conduct evaluation and challenge based on trust and reciprocity.
To contribute to the professional development of all staff and disseminate good practice across the Kirkby family of schools.
To develop effective communication and consultation between member schools.
To develop effective working relationships with all stakeholders within and beyond the Collaborative.
To work collaboratively in addressing local and national priorities.
To support the well being of all staff, pupils, parents and Governors in the Collaborative.

The Kirkby Collaborative of Schools works with a range of partners to provide school improvement support and development opportunities. In 2018-19 this includes:

Leadership and management

Leadership Partner Support to Headteacher including Headteacher Induction (signposted via Knowsley First TS)
Primary and Secondary Leadership Programmes (signposted via Ambition School Leadership and Institute for Teaching)
Deputy Headteacher Network (School Improvement Liverpool)
Primary Subject Leadership Programme and additional Collaborative Networking Events – English, Maths, Science, Whole school curriculum leads, Art, DT, History, Geography – also includes attendance by secondary subject leads to support transition and curriculum development (School Improvement Liverpool)
Business Managers network
Monthly Headteacher Network meeting
Leadership Residential Conference for Headteachers – Development of a Kirkby Curriculum with Rob Carpenter (Inspire Partnership)
Comprehensive Governor support programme – Data 2018, introduction to Governor Mark, Governor responsibilities for SEND, Governor visits to school, Guide to Pupil Premium (RMA Governance)
SENCO conference – Communication in Mind (all three Collaboratives)
SENCO coordinator network events (via Knowsley Central )
New Ofsted framework support
Leadership accountability (via Pathways to Success Advisers; Archdiocese SIP programme; external partners)
Pathways to Success – Sharing learning and successful approaches to school improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Development of a Kirkby Collaborative Charter for Learning ( following work with Rob Carpenter – Inspire Partnership)
Development of a Kirkby Curriculum ( following work with Rob Carpenter- Inspire Partnership)
How designed is your curriculum conference (Chris Quigley)
Four Collaborative cluster groups – our Collaborative tripods – with focus areas including moderation and curriculum development and innovation
Knowsley Maths Strategy – bespoke for Kirkby schools including: conferences for Early Years, Years 1 and 2, Year 3, Year 4, Years 5; Early Years maths project; response to EEF maths document; termly meetings with Heads / Maths Leads ( with Sarah Coldbeck)
Maths Conference with Mike Askew (via OUP)
Kirkby Power of Reading project – three cohorts of over 120 teachers including staff from 3 Knowsley schools and 3 Rowan Trust schools (CLPE)
Development of Kirkby Reading and Writing Champions
Developing skills of Teaching Assistants – Engaging your SEN children (with Knowsley Central Primary School Training team) Teaching assistants Maths Conference (via Sarah Coldbeck)
Inclusive PE training (Sainsbury Active Kids / YST)
Further development of Kirkby Assessment project – in house – including NFER testing 2019

Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Development of The Kirkby Child across the whole family of schools
Kirkby Schools Council – focus areas include Kirkby Child, Curriculum pupil voice, Fairtrade Fortnight
Development of aspirational work for pupils at Edge Hill University – project with 2 secondary and 4 primary schools
Annual Celebration of Achievement event
100 Years Kirkby Remembers – commemorating 100 years of the Armistice
Annual Attendance conference for Learning mentors – with Roger Thompson (Knowsley LA)
Kirkby Attendance Strategy – including Collaborative targets, shared data, weekly focus
Learning Mentor and Attendance Officer network
Team Teach training programme (Randstad)
Whole School Approach to Wellbeing – (via Patrick Goodison)
Proposed project with Listening Ear
LAC project with Comics Youth (via Patrick Goodison)

Safeguarding

Annual safeguarding conference – annual briefing for Heads and Governors; safeguarding lead refresher training (School Improvement Liverpool)
Annual programme of first aid, food safety and administration of medicines training ( Eduk8 Partnership)
Safeguarding procedures for Business Managers (with School Improvement Liverpool)
Bespoke Health and Safety Training

Outcomes for pupils

Development of mastery and greater depth across the curriculum
Art In Education and art in the community programme – partnership with Kirkby Gallery
Speech and language development – A Chance to Talk in Kirkby programme (Fulltime Speech and Language therapist, ICan Talk Boost intervention, whole school approaches to developing communication rich communities )

Effectiveness of Early Years

Early Years Conference – Lego Therapy (NHS)
Maths development – see above

Bespoke support for individual schools

If the need arises we will broker school to school support or a bespoke programme for key elements for improvement.

Other areas

Bespoke support programme for Kirkby NQTs
Collaborative hub for ITT students and other programmes from Edge Hill University
Community programmes with Knowsley Foodbank and Kirkby Festival
Annual CPD conference for all 12 primary schools and wider Knowsley offer

Collaborative communication

Website and App (ParentApps) and Twitter, with access to School Improvement training, calendar and Resources
New evaluation form built in to App – for CPD and project evaluation