Extend Learning Academies Network Partnership

Sidcot has, since 2014, been a trust partner with a local co-operative trust. In October 2017, this group became a multi-academy trust formed of eight schools serving around 3,500 pupils in the local area that represent some of the highest areas of social and economic deprivation in the UK. The Deputy Head is a member of the Board of Trustees of the MAT and devotes around an hour a week to this post. Sidcot works with schools within the MAT providing, inter alia, access to facilities, enabling school art, drama and sporting projects, sharing of teaching resources, business management support, free professional development training and use of buildings. 

Aims

The prime objective of the MAT is to raise ambition and aspiration in the pupils attending its schools and Sidcot's ethos and practical support is having demonstrable impact in meeting this goal.

Projects are held several times a year, and are selected in partnership with the participating schools to ensure that they provide practical support to enhance the curriculum studied. They generally include a mix of time spent using Sidcot’s specialised facilities, but also providing the individual schools with materials or expertise to continue the projects within their own classrooms.

Resources

Projects undertaken with ELAN partner schools include: tennis, cricket and swimming galas, drama masterclasses (following a bespoke matinee performance of the Whole School Production) and an annual Art Project, which most recently has involved the creation of some beautiful neolithic ceramic pot artwork and a cyanotype photography project (see separate case studies).  

Representatives from each of the ELAN schools came to Sidcot for a pottery masterclass from our Head of Art, who also provided the materials for creating pots in their lessons in school. Their creations were collected and fired in our kiln and the participating students then came together for the grand unveiling of an exhibition showcasing their work, complete with photos of the art-making process, at Sidcot’s Art Gallery.

Impact

When asked, students and staff have provided glowing feedback about the projects undertaken. Speaking about the 'Ancient Vessels' pottery project, students stated how particularly they enjoyed the practical element of learning about the past through creating new work, and seeing the pots exhibited in the Arts Centre.

 

To read more, see Working with our MAT partner schools | Sidcot School