Support for Multi-School Trusts

"I would like you to know how much I have enjoyed working with The Innovation Unit on this project. We have learnt an enormous amount for the process and it would not have progressed as it has without the input, direction, support and energy that you have infused into it. Thank you for your hard work and invaluable commitment." - Marie Denny, Milton Keynes   

The Innovation Challenge

The Innovation Unit works with a number of Multi-School Trusts and federations (currently Bedfordshire, Harlington, Leicester and Yewlands) to support new leadership and governance models. Our role is to help the most ambitious school groups to utilise Trust status to enact real changes to how partnerships work and how services are delivered locally to significantly improve outcomes for children.

There is powerful evidence that schools working together - and working together with other services - can significantly enhanace life chances for children. However, we know far less about what it looks like when they are well led and governed, what effective ways there might in which they might utilise external partners, and how they can ensure sustainability over time.

Our Approach

We work with key leaders in the Multi-School Trust (MST) to design a customised programme of support. It includes expert consultancy and tried and tested tools and materials that can help build shared approoaches and unlock barriers to success.

We help create a widely owned local vision and to generate widespread engagement and energy. We help to design governance and leadership models that can enact the vision, and we connect leaders with practice elsewhere that can inform their thinking.

Specifically, we seek to help to:

• Generate appropriate and dynamic new models of governance
• Develop system leadership capacity and capability.
• Shape a compelling vision and strategy - why the Trust exists and what it will do
• Build widespread ownership and commitment
• Design innovative models for shared decision-making
• Problem-solve local implementation challenges
• Ensure sustainability and leadership succession

Timelines

Programmes generally last one year and are co-designed with each potential Trust. They can be shorter or longer, as appropriate.

Tools & processes

• Delta 6
• Models of Leadership Collage
• Theory of Action tool
• Why Collaborate? tool

Project contacts

Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  for more information, or if you would like us to help you with your Trust vision.