CACoT
Introduction
The schools in Whitstable and Herne Bay have worked closely together for many years. The nature of these informal arrangements has varied during that time. In 2011 the Coastal Alliance was formed so named because:-
- It was formed out of strong relationships between schools in Herne Bay and Whitstable;
- It was formed to advance common interests:
- It works for the mutual benefit of the schools and their young people.
One of the main advantages of the co-operative trust model is that it enables our schools to continue to work in the same way as they currently work and retain their individual characters. We value the diversity and range of school types and are not trying to make our schools the same, but rather to ensure what is special now, is preserved in the future.
At the heart of what we do is a focus on school improvement, staff development, and enabling our young people to excel. We support schools in meeting the challenges of rising expectations through mutually supportive intervention and training.
The ethos of the Trust is collaborative and participative. Every individual school has a voice, through the Trust’s open and transparent governance, in the key decisions which affect each school. Moreover, the Trust aims to value the healthy diversity which exists across our schools, and we actively encourage each school which decides to join the Trust to maintain and further develop its own distinctive culture and identity.
Coastal Alliance (CACoT)
Joy Lane Primary Foundation School is a member of the Coastal Alliance Cooperative Trust.
The Coastal Alliance is a collaborative group made up of Headteachers of the 13 member schools within the locality of Herne Bay and Whitstable; Archbishops, Herne Bay High and The Whitstable School represent our local Secondary Schools. This large group of schools regularly work together to meet the educational needs of all children within the communities they serve.
Our collaboration includes schools working with other schools to develop good practice, value for money activities sourcing resources at best prices, moderating work together, developing shared policies and practice and the development of a number of groups and activities including a Sports Partnership.
All teaching staff are members of curriculum networks who work together to develop policies and share good practice.
It is a very positive collaboration whereby Infant, Junior, Primary and Secondary Schools all work together and share our sites and resources. Sharing our expertise and experiences benefits everyone who is involved.
The Coastal Alliance has enabled us to give the children some rich learning experiences such as using the climbing wall and trampolines at Herne Bay High School, attend the School Council Parliament, enter many inter-school competitions in a variety of sports competitions, art gallery exhibitions, the Times Tables Bee, musical sing-songs and dance festivals.
On 5th October 2016, the inaugural meeting of the Board of the Coastal Alliance Co-operative Trust took place. Along with the vast majority of local schools, our school has become a member of the Trust.
Our rationale for doing so was as follows:
We want to continue to raise expectations and standards in the school and improve the future prospects for all of our learners.
To do this - with the many changes taking place in education - we need to build strong partnerships and make our school improvement planning more sustainable.
We believe that to meet the needs of our community, we can achieve more through formal education partnerships, than we will be able to by working alone.
The Coastal Alliance Co-operative Trust establishes a formal partnership with local schools and allows us to work with other co-operative schools across the country.
The Trust builds on the existing relationship between local schools and supports the schools in seeking to:
- Improve the quality of learning and teaching
- Improve the well-being and behaviour of our young people
- Enhance capacity by sharing resources and expertise
- Improve value for money in a time of real-terms reduction in funding
- Support and develop current and future leaders
Please note: The Governing Board continues to run the school, handle the school budget and be responsible for the performance of the school. The Trust provides additional resources and expertise.
Shared Values
The Co-operative values are: Self-help; self-responsibility; democracy; equality; equity; and solidarity.
As members of the Coastal Alliance Co-operative Trust, we work to embody these values at trust and school level.
Members of the Trust will therefore:
- Give equal value to all our members and all our young people. (Equality)
- Have a responsibility to help other schools. (Self-help)
- Be accountable for our own actions. (Self-responsibility)
- Abide by democratic principles and give a voice to the Whitstable and Herne Bay community and young people. (Democracy)
- Have to make a positive contribution to the trust and local community. (Equity)
- Have to support and improve all our schools by working together. (Solidarity)
Members of the Trust are as follows:-
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