Schools collaborating more but benefits are uncertain

8 Jul 09
By David Williams

09 July 2009

Auditors have endorsed the government’s policy on collaboration between schools, but cautioned that more needs to be done to ensure that the costs of partnerships do not outweigh the benefits.

A National Audit Office report, published on July 9, came the week after Education Secretary Ed Balls’ white paper, which set out plans for schools to share resources and expertise.

The NAO report found that the Department for Children, Schools and Families had been successful in promoting partnerships – only 13% of schools were not collaborating with others.
In 2007/08, the department spent £400m – around 2.5% of its total budget – on partnership initiatives.

The study said: ‘It is difficult to demonstrate a direct, quantifiable impact of partnering,’ but added that such schemes were still backed by head teachers, who said they enabled schools to improve and led to a broader curriculum. ‘But partnering has yet to realise its full potential,’ said an NAO spokesman.

He pointed out that schools with higher standards of behaviour and attainment and fewer pupils receiving free school meals were less likely to be involved.

‘These schools could do more to share their expertise with and to support other schools in their locality,’ he said.

The NAO concluded that costs and benefits should be evaluated at a local level to ensure value for money.

NAO auditor general Amyas Morse said partnering was helping to motivate teachers, but added: ‘These valuable relationships could deliver significantly more demonstrable benefits than they do now.’

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