Draft proposal in respect of the DLP Schools Company. August 2011

1. Dawlish Learning Partnership
(DLP) School Company Proposal
DRAFT 3
Aug 2011
Dawlish Learning Partnership (DLP)
Westcliff Primary School, First Avenue, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 9RA
T 01626 863631 E info@mydlp.org.uk W www.mydlp.org.uk

2. Table of Contents
Our Vision for Learning
1
Business Plan
3
Executive Summary
3
Description of School Company
4
Key business activities
4
Standards
4
Outputs
4
Staffing
4
Data Sharing and Protection
5
Financial Plan and Projections
5
Control Matters
6
Partnership Agreement
6
Steering Group
7
Role
7
Representation
7
The DLP Steering Group will be drawn from all of the Stakeholders in our Learning Community.
7
Restrictions
7
Members
7
Role
7
Representation
7
Voting rights
7
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3. Authority
7
Restrictions
7
Executive Directors
7
Role
7
Representation
7
Voting rights
8
Each Director will have one vote. Decisions will be made on a simple majority voting in favour.
8
Authority
8
Restrictions
8
DLP Management
8
Role
8
Authority
8
Restrictions
8
Action Groups
8
Role
8
Representation
9
Authority
9
Reporting Arrangements
9
Annual
9
Operational
9
Financial
9
Half Termly
9
Operational
9
Financial
9
Period of Notice to Leave
9
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4. Members Protocol ‘Moral code’
10
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5. Our Vision for Learning
To provide a framework for collaboration and for sharing responsibility for the learning and well being
of children and young people in our community.
To actively promote a culture of life long learning and an atmosphere of trust and challenge based
on a shared commitment to learning.
To share responsibility for learning and raising achievement in our community through focussing on;
• Providing rich learning opportunities
• Ensuring high quality transition between key stages and phases
• Strategies for raising achievement
• Enabling peer support and networking
To provide the starting point for other community collaboration including:
• Early implementation and preventative action
• Implementation of locally based services
• Successful delivery of Every Child Matters outcomes
To generate our own professional sustainability, by;
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6. • Speaking with one voice
• Acting as an advocate for children and young people
• Planning strategically
To offer a broad range of learning opportunities for students and professional development for staff.
While schools are at the heart of the School Company it is important to see this in the context of the
wider community and those stakeholders who have a shared interest in the education and well being
of our learners.
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7. Business Plan
The creation of a School Company will help schools to become more effective at working
together to meet the needs of our Learning Community. It will provide a formal collaborative
infrastructure that supports staff in raising standards of learning and achievement for all of
our pupils as they progress through each phase. It will also enable us to consider financial
planning as a community, making the most of finances available to us through better
procurement while seeking new funding that may be more accessible to a Learning
Community than an individual school.
Executive Summary
The Dawlish Learning Partnership (DLP) is committed to the advancement of inclusive, high quality
and sustainable education and lifelong learning for everyone in our community. Member Schools are
Cockwood Primary School, Dawlish Community College, Exminster Primary School, Gatehouse
Primary School, Kenn Primary School, Kenton Primary School, Oaklands Park School, Ratcliffe
School, Starcross Primary School and Westcliff Primary School.
A School Company will enable the DLP to develop in those areas where collaboration between
schools and other agencies can benefit the learning experience of our community. For example:
• providing a firm legal basis for building on the existing partnership activities to give all member
schools increased confidence in the robustness of the Learning Partnership in challenging economic
circumstances
• improved co-operation as well as healthy competition between schools.
• better capacity to meet the needs of every student, for example gifted and talented, those at risk of
becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).
• public recognition of the concept of a Learning Community.
• wider access to special needs support and vice versa for mainstream.
• access for staff to a wider range of school based CPD (Continual Professional Development) and
peer based knowledge transfer, that actually changes the way that teaching and school
management happens in practice.
• better support for new heads.
• better succession planning as staff development is considered across the family of schools.
• better ‘distributed leadership’ encouraging input from people at levels.
• mutual support in times of need.
• better able to manage other organisational changes such as Federation.
• better integration with childrens services.
• more shared resources.
• more cost effective procurement of goods and services.
• wider access to bidding and fundraising opportunities.
• income generation on a ‘not for profit’ basis, through commissioning and selling of expertise.
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8. Description of School Company
Key business activities
• As a School Company Limited by Guarantee our main business is one of servicing the needs of our
Learning Community Schools, Learners and Families. This includes;
• Identifying shared goals and ways of working that have a direct and clear impact on individual
schools performance and concerns.
• developing more cost effective procurement of goods and services.
• identifying services that our Learning Community can provide to generate new income
• identify external bidding opportunities.
• supporting schools in collaborative working, for example joint CPD, Learning Initiatives,
shared policies and extended services.
• developing an online meeting place for all members of the Learning Community through the
DLP website and additional social networking development.
• The School Company is the development of an established informal partnership of ten schools that
make up the Dawlish Learning Partnership. This includes two special schools, one Community
College and seven Primary Schools.
• The School Company will operate closely with its member schools, but responsibility for
management and governance of those schools remains at individual school level unless they
choose to Federate.
• Our main customer is Devon County Council, with our income determined by the number of
children aged up to 16, their families and other members of the community who we can engage in
education and training.
Standards
• It is essential that the shared goals and ways of working that are developed by the School Company
have a direct and clear impact on individual schools performance and concerns.
• This must be matched by a commitment to measure that impact and respond to address concerns
or reinforce success
• Communication with everyone at a Learning Community level, including parents and children, must
be honest, constructive, timely and transparent. This will include an interactive use of the DLP
website, noticeboards and a DLP Newsletter.
Outputs
• these will be described in the DLP Development Plan. The 2011 - 12 Development Plan is part of a
three stage process.
• Area Review due in May - June 2011.
• Development Plan. To be produced from June 2011 based on the Area Review findings.
• Implementation of the Development Plan through Action Groups.
Staffing
• P/T Business Development Manager
• P/T Business Administrator
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9. • Parent Support Advisor
• Other staff as required
Data Sharing and Protection
• Schools will be required to share data in respect of finances and performance. This information will
be used to identify financial efficiencies and areas for improvement. The information will be treated
as commercial in confidence within the membership of the Steering Group.
Financial Plan and Projections
• Financial matters will be managed in accordance with the DLP Finance Policy. (Under development
based on Dawlish Community College Financial Policy)
• A Chart to illustrate the roles and limits of DLP Governing Body, Directors and staff is shown at
Appendix A. (Under development based on Dawlish Community College Definition of Roles of
College Workers concerned with Financial Transactions)
• A chart to illustrate the responsibility and frequency for budget monitoring is shown in Appendix B
of the DLP Finance Policy. (Under development based on Dawlish Community College Financial
Policy)
• A Chart to show DLP Authorised Signatories is shown at Appendix C. (Under development based
on Dawlish Community College Record of Authority to sign)
• Appendix D. 2010-1012 Budget (to follow - main budget lines and purpose)
• Information in respect of 2012 - 2013 funding is not yet available
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10. Control Matters
Partnership Agreement
There will be a Partnership Agreement which is a contract between each school and the School
Company. This agreement will;
• set out the nature of the partnership and how the partnership will work (i.e, how it is
funded and what activities it will do).
• include restrictions on what the School Company can do without the schools consent to
ensure that school retain ultimate control.
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11. Steering Group
Role
The DLP Steering Group will provide guidance in terms of overall strategic direction of the School
Company and holds the School Company to account for delivery.
Representation
The DLP Steering Group will be drawn from all of the Stakeholders in our Learning Community.
Restrictions
The DLP Steering Group cannot make operational or financial decisions on behalf of the School
Company.
School Members
Role
Members will be responsible for producing the DLP Development Plan. They will also select Executive
Directors and support the Executive Group in forming Action Groups that will be charged with
delivering specific objectives.
Representation
Head Teacher or Principal from each member school as the schools representative.
Voting rights
Each school will have one vote. Under company law some decisions require a simple majority (e.g,
removing a Director) and some require 75% to vote in favour (e.g, to change the constitution).
Authority
Each schools liability as a member of the School Company will be limited to £10.
Restrictions
See DLP Financial Appendix A
Personal Liability
To be added
Executive Directors
Role
Executive Directors will be responsible for implementing the DLP Development Plan.
Representation
• Four Executive Directors representing Small Primary, Large Primary, Secondary, Special
• One Independent Executive Director who will be a School Governor. The School Governor will be
selected on their ability to support the effective working of the School Company an facilitate
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12. communication with individual School Governing bodies.
Period of office
• Executive Directors will be appointed for a period of 12 months. They may be re-elected at the
end of this period but we would normally expect a rolling programme of change to enable
development opportunities to take place.
Voting rights
Each Director will have one vote. Decisions will be made on a simple majority voting in favour.
Authority
• Executive Directors will have delegated responsibility for actions relating to the delivery of the DLP
Development Plan. The delegations and the scope of what activities the School Company can
undertake will be set out in the Partnership Agreement.
Restrictions
See DLP Financial Appendix A
Personal Liability
In the ordinary course the School Company will be liable for its activities. However, where Executive
Directors breach their duties as a Director they may be personally liable (e.g, make a secret profit.)
The School Company will also have insurance in place to protect Directors.
DLP Management
Role
The Business Development Manager, supported by the Business Administrator will be responsible
for the day to day management of the School Company and will ensure that progress of the DLP
Development Plan is maintained.
Authority
The Business Development Manager will have delegated responsibility for actions relating to the
delivery of the DLP Development Plan.
Restrictions
See DLP Financial Appendix A
Action Groups
Role
The DLP Action Groups will be responsible for driving forward individual issues identified in the DLP
Development Plan. The issues are grouped under the three broad headings of Leadership and
Management, Learning and Community. Action Groups may be short term or long term as
appropriate.
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13. The remit for each Action Group will be ‘consider how can collaborative working improve standards in
my school’
Representation
Each Action Group will be able to draw on support from across the DLP in delivering their objectives.
Authority
See DLP Financial Appendix A
Reporting Arrangements
Annual
Operational
This will be based on the DLP Development Plan, which is described under three broad headings;
‘Leadership and Management’, ‘Learning’ and ‘Community.’
Co-ordinated by the DLP Business Development Manager, the Executive Directors and each Action
Group will report on objectives set and progress achieved against Impact Measures.
Financial
This will include end of year budget and budget for next 12 months.
Half Termly
Operational
Co-ordinated by the DLP Business Development Manager, the Executive Directors will report on
objectives set and progress achieved against Impact Measures.
Financial
This will include current spend against budget profile.
Minutes will be taken at each meeting recording attendance, key agreements and actions points.
Most operational reports and minutes will be published on the DLP website and available to the wider
Learning Community. The exception will be reports or minutes that relate to confidential matters
referred to as ‘Part 2’ discussions or minutes.
Period of Notice to Leave
To be added
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14. Members Protocol ‘Moral code’
• The DLP has a clear vision based on shared values which puts the holistic needs of all its pupils and
adult learners at its centre.
• Staff and Governors from all partnership schools are aware of, and are committed to, working with
other schools.
• Head Teachers as decision makers will attend each meeting.
• Personal and professional support for Head Teachers in terms of CPD and work life balance is
essential.
• All the partners take collective responsibility for all pupils and adult learners in the partnership and
engender in both staff , pupils and adult learners a sense of belonging to a Learning Partnership as
well as to a particular school.
• Head Teachers will be expected to share data in respect of finances, performance and other issues.
‘Problems’ faced by individual schools will be regarded as a matter for the Learning Community as
a whole and addressed with sensitivity, respect and a genuine desire to help.
• Heads will be also be encouraged to seek support from colleagues as a standard professional
approach.
• All partnership activity will have clearly defined outcomes that meet with the partnership’s vision and
objectives.
• All stakeholders will receive regular information about developments within the partnership.
• The DLP will agree targets and performance management arrangements to monitor outcomes for
individual children and young people.
• There will be no expectation that each individual school will join in with every partnership activity and
no judgements will be made.
• All schools will have equal opportunity to engage in each project and it will always be open for
individual schools to join at a later date.
• Partners drawn from a range of stakeholders will also be free to engage at a level that is appropriate
to them.
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