Head teachers from Highbridge, Bridgwater, Yeovil and Cannington are linking up to in a unique new way to boost childrens’ education.
Denise Hurr, Head Teacher of King Alfred School in Highbridge, is among the head teachers who are meeting up in clusters of ‘families’ to build relationships between schools, share ideas, swap teachers and inspire each other in a unique new arrangement.
The results of the ‘Somerset Challenge’ project include 8,600 more students in the county now being taught in schools judged by Ofsted to be “good” or “outstanding” than three years ago – a sharp rise to 95.2% from 65%.
In contrast, in 2013 nearly half of secondary schools in Somerset were “inadequate” or “require improvement”.
Denise Hurr is now in the same ‘family’ group as Gregg Morrison, Principal of Preston School in Yeovil, Deborah Loveridge, Head Teacher of Robert Blake Science College in Bridgwater, Mark Thomas, Head Teacher of Brymore School in Cannington and Peter Hoare, Head Teacher of Heathfield in Taunton. Other schools in the county are in their own families.
Denise said: “These new Somerset Challenge ‘families’ are a fantastic idea to improve the education of every single child in schools across a big area. It enables long-term relationship building between Heads and teachers, new innovative ideas and support for each other. Students are the big winner.”
‘Somerset Challenge’ is a collaboration of 39 secondary schools working together for the past three years. The schools are now working in clusters of ‘families’ where they share successful ideas to boost education in subjects, school processes, or even attendance, connecting with parents, and behaviour. In other parts of the country, very often competition would be the norm – but ‘Somerset Challenge’ says it is bucking the trend.
Pictured: (right) Denise Hurr, Head Teacher of King Alfred School in Highbridge, with left to right Deborah Loveridge, Head Teacher of Robert Blake Science College in Bridgwater, Gregg Morrison, Principal of Preston School in Yeovil, and Mark Thomas, Head Teacher of Brymore School in Cannington
