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.

The Collaborative structures this support within a core and universal subscription offer.

The two secondary schools work closely together and have a comprehensive transition programme with the twelve primary 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 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 2019-20 this includes:

Leadership and management

Headteacher briefings and 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)
Maths subject Leader meetings with Knowsley Central Collaborative colleagues (Northwest Maths Hub 3)
Business Managers network
Monthly Headteacher Network meeting
Leadership Residential Conference for Headteachers
Comprehensive Governor support programme – focus on Curriculum development, being a critical friend, understanding Ofsted inspections, understanding data
Ofsted briefings and support ( including School Improvement Liverpool, Dave Smith – Headteacher Halewood CE Primary, Julie Peach – Central Collaborative Strategic Operations Manager )
Leadership accountability (via Pathways to Success Advisers; Challenge Partners; Archdiocese SIP programme; School Improvement Liverpool and other external partners)
Pathways to Success – Knowsley LA – Sharing learning and successful approaches to school improvement
All schools participate in the Knowsley school self evaluation framework

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, and consultancy work with School Improvement Liverpool and ECM Education)
Four Collaborative cluster groups – our Collaborative tripods – with focus areas including moderation and curriculum development and innovation
Year 5 to 8 Maths Continuity Programme ( Northwest Maths Hub 3)
Kirkby Power of Reading project – building on the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education training programme that has taken place with three cohorts of over 150 teachers from across the Collaborative and also 3 Knowsley schools and 3 Rowan Trust schools
Phonics support programme – with Literacy Counts and Central Area Collaborative

Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Development of The Kirkby Child across the whole family of schools
Kirkby Schools Council – focus areas include Kirkby Child, knife crime (LFC Foundation)
Phase Two of Young Edge Hill Scholars programme – involving our two secondary schools and eight primary schools (Edge Hill University )
Annual Celebration of Achievement event
Annual Attendance conference for Learning mentors – with support from Knowsley LA
Kirkby Attendance Strategy – including Collaborative targets, shared data, weekly focus
Learning Mentor and Attendance Officer network
Team Teach training programme (Randstad)
Emotional Wellbeing Award – Collaborative workshops ( award financed by Knowsley LA and Optimus Education )

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 annual programme – partnership with Kirkby Gallery
Speech and language development – A Chance to Talk in Kirkby programme (Fulltime Speech and Language therapist from Chatty Therapy Ltd, ICan Talk Boost intervention, whole school approaches to developing communication rich communities )
Voice21 project (supported by Knowsley LA )

Teaching Assistants

Teaching assistant training – Quality First Teaching of Phonics – Literacy Counts
Schools are participating in the Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants (MITA) programme (supported by KnowsleyFirst Teaching school )

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
Five schools are participating in the Knowsley Supported Employment programme – Eastcroft Park, St Laurence’s All Saints, St Marie’s, St Joseph the Worker
Schools support Kirkby SciBar – monthly opportunities to develop the knowledge of science
Community programmes with Knowsley Foodbank and Kirkby Festival
Common date for INSET day in October providing opportunity for shared professional development and training

Collaborative communication

Website (ParentApps) and Twitter, with access to school improvement training, calendar and resources