West Dorset Schools Collaboration

In September 2016, the West Dorset Schools Collaboration was launched. This was a partnership of 8 primary schools and 1 secondary school:

Broadwindsor Primary, Salway Ash Primary, Sticklands Primary (Evershot), Greenford Primary (Maiden Newton), Parrett & Axe Primary (Mosterton), Thorner’s Primary (Litton Cheney), Powerstock Primary, Symondsbury Primary and Beaminster Secondary School.

All the primary schools have made a financial commitment to the group and Beaminster School provides on-site facilities, administrative support and valuable advice.

The schools meet regularly for Headteacher, Chairs of Governors meetings, staff training, teaching staff lesson studies and Finance Officer meetings. The Collaboration creates closer ties in order to share knowledge, experience, ideas and resources for the benefit of all its pupils and families.

Recent successful projects have included:

• SEND INSET training for all staff (teachers and teaching assistants) including: SEND and neurodiversity; Communication/Attention Autism; Wellbeing: strategies to support in the classroom; Emotional Based School Avoidance; Therapy through nature; supporting children with spelling; Ofsted and SEND; Family Systems and Supporting Autistic pupils in school.
• Writing Moderation sessions led by Schools Literacy Network (Home – School Literacy Network) for all primary year groups.
• Maths Leads working with Dr Ruth Trundley (Dr Ruth Trundley) on current developments in Mathematics and improving classroom practice
• Successfully securing funding for Relate Counselling (Young people’s counselling | Relate) for pupils needing support beyond in-school ELSA provision
• Group purchasing of FACE (Face Family Advice | online parenting classes) membership to provide support and advice for families