Annual Conference 2025

The Power of Partnership: Working together for every child

Hosted by Magdalen College School, Oxford

Conference Aims:

  • To promote meaningful and sustainable cross-sector school partnerships
  • To share case studies that demonstrate the impact of cross-sector partnership and collaboration
  • To explore how partnerships can contribute to addressing national education challenges
  • To highlight the role of school partnerships in supporting pupil wellbeing and mental health
  • To create a space for dialogue and exchange between partnership leaders in both sectors
  • To inspire action through keynote contributions, sharing successful practice, and expert panels

Conference Report

News Conference Report 3I hope you will agree with me that this report provides evidence that our conference fulfilled its main aims of affording our members a great opportunity for networking and for finding out about great partnership practice. We don’t take for granted that delegates devoted a precious day of school time to be with us, and we are grateful to those who gave further of their time to provide us with feedback on the day.

Our annual conference gives S.P.A. a chance to reflect on where we are in relation to our mission. And my initial reflections are:

  1. That since January 2025 we have made progress in transforming the S.P.A. from an independent school body, with some state school friends, into a true cross-sector, school partnership organisation. I am predicting that we will have equal numbers of members and supporters from both sectors by the end of this year;
  2. That we are making progress in the central aim of creating a national framework for collating and measuring the impact of partnership work nationally, not least as we look to take on responsibility for the Schools Together website, re-launching it as a School Partnerships Index with an in-built impact measuring tool. We’re grateful to the ISC and the HMC public benefit and partnerships committee for their support of this work;
  3. And that with your help, we will make progress in encouraging collaborative working between schools in all educational settings and thereby establish a vision of one single national system of education dedicated to looking after the needs of all children, and most particularly those in danger of being left behind in any particular school setting.

Finally, my sincere thanks to our conference sponsors – the English Speaking Union and Commando Joe’s – and to Helen Pike, Master of Magdalen College School, to Rohan Edwards, Carmel Engin and all at MCS for their support in the organisation and administration of our conference.

Dr Joseph Spence. CEO, School Partnerships Alliance

News Conference Report 5Our third annual conference, generously hosted by Magdalen College School, was our biggest event to date, with 140 attendees. While the majority of these were from independent schools, we were pleased to see increasing interest from schools in the maintained sector.

The conference was opened by Master of MCS, Helen Pike, and S.P.A. CEO, Joe Spence. Helen emphasised the importance of conferences such as this for spreading the word and sharing best practice. She also emphasised how important MCS’s partnership and community work is to the school.

Joe welcomed attendees and thanked them for all they are doing to put cross-sector partnerships on the national agenda.

“Good to hear from Joe about the strategy” (Independent school teacher)

“I was encouraged to hear about vision, strategy and national initiatives” (Partnership Trustee)

Following Joe’s welcome, conference heard about how partnerships are helping to address national challenges.

News Conference Report 7Lou Bennett, joint-CEO of The Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE), spoke about raising funds for partnership work. Lou emphasised the importance of demonstrating the impact of partnership working for fund-raising.

News Conference Report 9Ian Davenport talked about how the Hg Foundation is working to remove barriers to education and skills in technology. He outlined the STEM Horizons Project that several S.P.A. members are involved with.

Joe then returned to the stage to talk about the work S.P.A. is doing in partnership with the National Society for Education (NSE), led by Andy Wolfe. S.P.A. and NSE will be running a Flourishing System Leader course in 2026, specifically for partnership leads.

Maths teacher, author & TV broadcaster Bobby Seagull enthralled delegates with his address ‘The Power of Passion’. Bobby spoke about his experiences as a boy in both sectors, and the value of grit.

“Bobby Seagull was fantastic!” (Independent school teacher)   

“Bobby was energetic, inspiring and entertaining” (Other)

Dr Carl Ward, Chair of the Foundation for Education Development, talked to delegates about the National Education Assembly. Carl emphasised how important it is for every stakeholder in education to have their say.

“Carl was excellent and knowledgeable” (Independent school teacher)

Building on his presentation to the 2025 Spring Forum, Daniel Lilley, Senior Researcher at The Centre for Social Justice, updated conference about challenges identified in the Civitas Report. He challenged delegates to move partnerships ‘from kaleidoscope to impactful’.

“The Civitas update was thought provoking and reminded me to go back re read my notes and thoughts from our spring meeting in London” (Independent school

Our first panel considered ‘The impact of partnership working on students’. Our panellists represented schools in both sectors, and they spoke with passion about their experiences.

“I enjoyed the student panel and their feedback was very interesting – a reminder of the impact that partnerships have on pupil experience is particularly powerful” (Independent school teacher)

“I very much enjoyed the student panel. Student voices should be at the heart of everything we do in partnerships.” (Maintained school senior leader)

Our afternoon panel considered ‘Mental Health & Wellbeing in schools’. Our panellists drew on their considerable experience to reflect on the challenges young people face, and how partnership working can make a contribution to addressing these.

“The Panel discussion in particular gave many suggestions for how schools, state or independent, can help those students who need help” (Maintained school senior leader)

“MHWB panel addressed such an important area, with brilliant input from all four panellists, in such diverse ways!” (Other)

Our conference offers the opportunity to showcase some of the great partnership projects that our members are working on. The morning session included an in-depth look at partnerships led by our hosts, MCS, including visits to primary partner schools and a visit to OxCOP live in Oxford Town Hall. It also allowed other S.P.A. members to talk about their complementary projects.

“OxCOP live! was a genuine example of students interacting and benefiting from working collaboratively – Partnership of equals” (Independent school partnerships lead)

“It was wonderful to visit a local partner primary school and to hear directly from partner staff directly involved in projects and articulating the positive outcomes as well as the challenges from their perspective” (Independent school partnerships lead)

These sessions also allowed other S.P.A. members to talk about their complementary projects.

“So inspiring and one of the sessions moved me to tears – hearing about Lumina Tutoring’s work with young people in care.” (Other)

The afternoon session focused on case studies from running STEM or Performing Arts projects, to teacher development through partnership

 

“These sessions were, by far, the most applicable to my school. While not headline grabbing, the most useful bits of information were the practicalities of running certain projects, how this impacted those involved and what steps they may be taking in the future.” (Independent school senior leader)

“The sessions were all such high quality with a real sense of sharing information for mutual benefit.” (Independent school partnerships lead)

The morning sessions included time for roundtable discussions.

Feedback from groups suggests that existing school partnerships can maximise their impact on young people by extending their collaboration to include professional bodies, cultural organisations and national stakeholders. External partners such as professional associations, orchestras, charities and employers can bring expertise, aspiration and real-world relevance that schools alone may struggle to provide, particularly where staffing and funding are limited. Personal relationships and staff networks are valuable starting points, as existing contacts open doors to organisations with established education or outreach agendas.

To strengthen and sustain these links, partnerships should be embedded within school strategy, ensuring leadership support, clarity of purpose, and continuity. Opening school spaces for conferences or shared events can further raise the partnership’s profile and create opportunities to connect with new organisations and schools. Schools may face their own constraints, though, so flexibility and alignment with their objectives are essential.

Wider impact could also be achieved through national support, including endorsement or facilitation by the DFE, as well as systems to support matched funding. Finally, sharing impact reports and case studies using social media can raise visibility, demonstrate value, and attract further partners, helping successful initiatives to scale and reach more young people.

Delegate feedback suggests that effective collaborative working between schools should be long-term, inclusive, and aspirational, beginning as early as primary education. Early partnerships help raise awareness of future pathways and build confidence before choices potentially become limiting. Schools working together can create shared experiences that expose students to a wide range of academic, vocational, and workplace options, helping them understand alternatives to traditional university routes, such as apprenticeships and technical careers.

Collaboration should focus on transferable skills: leadership, communication and resilience, developed through creative spaces, coaching opportunities, co-curricular programmes, and social opportunities. Joint activities, such as school visits, careers fairs, language events and mentoring, allow students to learn from diverse peers and role models. Engaging parents as volunteers and career ambassadors further strengthens aspirations and real-world relevance.

Strong collaboration also requires networking between staff, external professionals, and employers to provide authentic workplace experiences. Clear pathways should be articulated so students can see how skills and interests link to future destinations. Finally, programmes must be planned, monitored, and reviewed for impact, with emerging tools such as AI used to support connections between settings and enhance sustained collaboration.

Impactful partnership working depends on intentional design, responsiveness, and long-term thinking. Partnerships should be shaped around the specific needs of individual schools, with headteachers directly involved to ensure relevance and buy-in. Clear objectives for each activity are essential so that all partners understand what success looks like.

Impact should be considered from the outset, with appropriate methods chosen early rather than added retrospectively. This includes gathering student voice during activities to capture changes in confidence, attitudes, or engagement, as well as using group evaluation and low-stakes assessment where appropriate. Asking the right questions is critical to ensuring feedback is meaningful rather than superficial.

Delegate feedback also stressed the importance of sustainability and access. Costs, both direct and indirect, can limit participation, so partnership models should consider how schools can engage where funding or staffing capacity is constrained. Strong relationships between schools and stable staffing increase the likelihood of lasting impact.

Finally, impact may also be demonstrated over time. Tracking student outcomes beyond the programme, and drawing on alumni stories, can provide powerful evidence of sustained benefit and strengthen the case for long-term partnerships.

Feedback from discussion groups suggests that existing school partnerships can maximise their impact on young people by extending their collaboration to include professional bodies, cultural organisations, and national stakeholders.

Feedback suggests that to secure greater public and policymaker understanding and support for partnership work, there needs to be clearer coherence, stronger evidence, and more visible leadership engagement.

Partnership activity is currently perceived as disparate, with varying levels of time, funding, and staffing across contexts, making it harder to communicate a consistent narrative of impact. Developing a more cohesive framework and shared language would help policymakers better understand what partnership work is and why it matters.

Capturing impact is critical. Policymakers are more likely to engage when provided with robust quantitative data, such as attendance figures, pupil progress, and clearly articulated causal links between partnership activity and outcomes. This evidence needs to be systematically gathered and presented in ways that align with government priorities.

The feedback also highlights the importance of investment and buy-in from state schools, including dedicated coordinators to sustain engagement. Finally, strengthening relationships at headteacher level is essential to ensure strategic alignment, visibility, and long-term commitment, rather than partnerships relying solely on operational or informal connections.

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Post-conference feedback

Feedback on the conference overall was very positive. Participants found it informative, engaging, enjoyable and worthwhile.

Feedback about the venue and refreshments was also very positive.  Our sincere thanks to Magdalen College School for hosting us so generously and effectively.

 

We were ambitious with our conference objectives and feedback suggests we were right to be so. While we did well against these, there is clearly room for improvement, especially with regards to creating more time for networking and dialogue between delegates. We will carefully consider this when planning Conference 2026.

Feedback showed that every session was deemed beneficial to some delegates. The following questions probed what people found more beneficial, and less beneficial, about sessions.

Participants found the day highly strategic, practical, and inspiring, praising the balance between national context, real-life case studies, and student voice. Many valued gaining a clearer understanding of the national landscape, including policy direction, the NEA, FED insights, and broader political drivers. This helped them think more strategically about shaping partnership work in their own settings.

The most appreciated elements were practical, tried-and-tested examples from schools and organisations. Case studies and local primary visits were mentioned as offering honest accounts of implementation, challenge and impact. Participants felt such examples were directly transferable, sparking ideas for collaboration, engagement and project design.

Student contributions were repeatedly highlighted as powerful and motivating. Meeting students involved in partnership projects reinforced the value of this work and its tangible impact on confidence, wellbeing, and aspiration.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing panel stood out for addressing a critical area with depth and clarity. Speakers provided concise, practical suggestions for supporting vulnerable students, and several attendees noted the compelling link between partnership activity and improved wellbeing.

Keynote speakers were described as engaging, knowledgeable, and energising, with sessions offering both inspiration and actionable ideas.

Finally, participants appreciated the opportunities for networking, discussion and shared learning. Overall, the day was viewed as high-quality, relevant and impactful, providing clear takeaways, renewed motivation and a stronger sense of how partnerships can bring change.

Participants expressed a strong desire for greater state school representation throughout the programme. Several felt that independent schools were overly prominent in the morning sessions, leading to an imbalance and limited opportunities to hear from state leaders and practitioners. Many noted that the most valuable and authentic contributions came from state school voices.

There was some concern that the keynotes were insufficiently contextualised, felt promotional, or did not clearly connect to partnership practice. A few attendees were unsure how these sessions related to the conference’s aims.

While the range of content was appreciated, some felt the event leaned too heavily towards a global or aspirational narrative, at the expense of practical guidance on implementing partnerships or delivering collaborative projects. Attendees expressed interest in more depth on national challenges and how schools can meaningfully engage with large-scale initiatives.

A small number felt that a few sessions lacked balance or did not add new insight.

There was widespread regret that attendees could not access more breakout sessions, which were viewed as highly relevant and solution-focused.

Overall, the feedback highlights the need for:

  • increased state school visibility and leadership,
  • more balanced, mutually reciprocal partnership perspectives,
  • clearer connectivity between keynotes and practice, and
  • deeper, more practical exploration of national themes.

Attendees would like the next conference to place greater emphasis on practical, collaborative partnership work, with a stronger and more visible state school voice. There is clear demand for a keynote from a state school leader and more opportunities to hear directly from state school colleagues about what they want from partnerships, particularly in engaging secondary schools and supporting SLT to prioritise partnership work amid financial pressures.

Mental health and wellbeing emerged as a major priority, including support for pupils, school leaders and staff, alongside deeper exploration of pastoral initiatives and partnerships focused on health, fitness, wellbeing and outdoor learning. Participants also want more focus on teaching and learning, especially how partnerships can support the sharing of best practice across sectors, including languages and classroom pedagogy.

Respondents called for a shift away from ‘show and tell’ towards more hands-on, workshop-style sessions. Suggestions included collaborative project development, partnership toolkits, honest discussions about why projects sometimes fail, and drop-in clinics or 1:1 support for schools setting up initiatives. More time for networking and connection was also requested, particularly for those working in area-based, cross-sector partnerships.

There is strong interest in improving impact measurement, data capture and reporting, including tracking systems, using evidence for funding bids, and communicating impact effectively to governors, stakeholders, the public and political audiences. Linked to this is interest in quality assurance, accreditation and kite-marking of partnership work.

Finally, attendees want more case studies of successful partnerships, including examples of prep school and state primary collaborations, as well as guidance on funding, engaging the private sector, and navigating challenges such as VAT and sustainability.

Overall feedback was extremely positive, with many attendees describing the conference as excellent, enjoyable, motivating and well organised, and expressing strong appreciation for the work of S.P.A. and partners. The quality of speakers, the openness of attendees, and the willingness to work across sectors were particularly valued.

However, several clear areas for development emerged. Many felt the event still felt like an independent schools’ conference, creating discomfort about inviting state school leaders. There was a strong call to accelerate the shift towards genuine mutuality, with language, examples and content better reflecting two-way learning, particularly around pedagogy, teacher training and CPD. Related to this was a desire for greater representation from the state sector and improved gender balance among keynote speakers.

The structure of the day was frequently raised. Attendees felt there were too many keynote speakers, resulting in sessions feeling rushed, limited time for questions, and insufficient space for reflection. Panel discussions were seen by some as poorly aligned to partnership work and in need of clearer relevance and more audience Q&A. Cognitive overload by the afternoon was noted, alongside a preference for more optional breakout sessions rather than whole-group formats.

Networking was consistently highlighted as vital but constrained. Many wanted more informal time to connect, including longer breaks, better-designed lunch spaces, structured networking sessions, and optional social time. Some suggested more delegate-led discussion spaces or curated networking opportunities.

There was also appetite for bolder, more ambitious thinking: collective funding models, regional collaboration, scaling successful projects, and stronger national-local connections, with S.P.A. acting as a key broker.

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Moving Forward

Finally, we asked delegates to contribute their responses to two important questions:

Cross-sector partnerships matter because they expand opportunity, strengthen communities and improve outcomes for all young people, regardless of background or school sector. By bringing together state and independent schools with businesses, cultural, social and civic organisations, these partnerships enable pupils to access experiences, facilities and expertise they may not otherwise have, while helping staff share good practice, ideas and resources.

At their heart is a shared belief that education is for everyone. Teachers and school leaders across all sectors are united by the same goal: helping young people thrive. Partnerships recognise that no single school or sector has all the answers. By pooling diverse strengths, perspectives and resources, schools can work more efficiently and creatively than they could alone, leading to more equitable and sustainable impact.

These collaborations play a vital role in building community and social cohesion. They help break down stereotypes, challenge assumptions and reduce divisions, enabling pupils to see beyond their own ‘bubble’ and understand that young people are simply young people, regardless of sector. The sense of belonging, confidence and aspiration developed through partnership experiences can shape individuals well into adulthood.

Cross-sector work also supports the development of future-ready skills such as teamwork, communication, creativity, resilience and civic responsibility by connecting learning with real-world contexts and community needs. Staff benefit through shared professional development, innovative teaching approaches and renewed purpose.

Beyond individual schools, partnerships offer untapped potential to drive place-based and systemic change, especially where national or local leadership is limited. They strengthen collective responsibility for children’s wellbeing, social mobility and long-term success. Ultimately, cross-sector partnerships remind us that education is not a competition but a shared journey, and that together we are better placed to help every child flourish.

There is a strong call to significantly raise the profile and influence of cross-sector school partnerships, with a particular emphasis on amplifying the state school voice. State schools should be encouraged and supported to lead the narrative, share impact confidently and advocate for partnerships as a core part of effective education, rather than a peripheral activity. Ensuring that maintained sector voices are among the most visible champions is seen as critical to credibility and balance.

Breaking into the national education debate is a key priority. This includes more strategic engagement with government, the DfE, MPs and Ministers, inviting policymakers to see partnership work first-hand. Respondents also highlighted the importance of increasing regional representation, particularly in the North of England, so partnerships are seen as a truly national movement.

Communication needs to be more deliberate, coordinated and impactful. Partnerships should be framed as essential to social equity and opportunity, combining human-centred stories with robust impact data. Pupil voice is especially powerful and should be central to how partnerships are explained and promoted. More case studies, ideally led by state schools, can help inspire others and normalise collaboration across the system.

There is also a need to improve media engagement and public relations, using ethical and effective platforms such as LinkedIn, local and national press, and community channels. Schools need support to better market the excellent work already taking place. S.P.A. is seen as well placed to act as a central platform, coordinating messaging, showcasing partnerships, publishing impact reports and connecting schools, trusts and partners.

Overall, respondents emphasise the importance of authentic, mutual storytelling, sustained networking, and collective promotion, ensuring partnerships are widely understood, valued and embedded as standard practice across education.

 

 

“A brilliant conference, I came away so motivated and hopeful for what can be achieved through good partnerships” (Independent school teacher)

“The topics were engaging, the speakers were excellent, and the presentations and discussions were incredibly insightful” (Independent school teacher)