From March 2019, following a successful deployment as an NLE, St George's entered into a formal collaboration with Mossy Lea Primary School, Wrightington, a small rural school that we had been previously supporting. The school had a very turbulent two years, with numbers plummeting from being full (which is 50 kids) to having 20 on roll currently, up from 10! Clearly, this number of kids has led to financial difficulties for the school, and with the school already in its second year of “Requires Improvement” by OFSTED, it was very vulnerable to being graded inadequate, academised, or indeed closed – three very unpalatable outcomes. The future of the school was discussed at length between the LA, Diocese, and both sets of Governors, with many options brought up. The option decided upon by the governors of both schools, myself, the LA, and the Diocese, is for the school to enter into a formal collaboration with St George’s, which began on the 1st of March 2019. Arguably, there are some negative implications for this place, and I will try to address these through Q/A. I will be at ML for two days a week. Nic Gregson, our DHT, runs the school with me and without me, supported by our assistant head teachers, Rob and Naz.

Aside from the moral duty to support other schools, there are also genuine benefits for both places – I honestly believe that. There are two big benefits for St George’s. Firstly, opportunities for the teaching staff. They have a genuine choice. For some teachers who, in time, wish to progress in their career, this is an opportunity to gain experience working with a school in a different setting. They will be able to share their skills and expertise with other teachers, and will utilize their skills to the benefit of Mossy Lea. The opportunity to join me in supporting and leading Mossy Lea is an attractive offer for teachers, and one that will help us recruit the best and retain the best, both of which are crucial for school improvement.

A second benefit is financial. While there will be a need for strengthening the leadership of the school, there will be substantial financial savings for this school. At a time of reduction in expendable funds and with many other local schools reducing staffing, St George’s will be able to invest the savings into teaching staff and support staff, ensuring that we can maintain class-based staff aplomb.

Q&A Section

Q: Who is in charge of St George’s? A: Andy is. I will have the rather unworthy title of Executive Headteacher of both schools.

Q: Does a school not need a full-time headteacher? A: No! A school needs full-time leadership, and it will get that—both schools will. The leadership team remains the same at St George’s: Myself, Michelle, Nic, and Rob. Indeed, the preferred model from the government now is for the best headteachers (no comment….) to lead a cluster of schools, with heads of schools or school managers in each school.

Q: Has St George’s become an academy? A: No! And nor will we unless the financial differential becomes too great—then I suppose reluctantly we’ll have to.

Q: Have the two schools merged? A: No! Not at all. They are two independent schools under the luxurious leadership of one executive headteacher. They have two budgets, two governing body boards, two OFSTED numbers, etc.