‘Belonging and Excellence’ Report Affirms Collaborative Approach to Educational Improvement
Schools Alliance for Excellence (SAfE) has been prominently featured in the newly released AEPA report, Belonging and Excellence: The Importance of Local Education Partnerships. The report underscores the critical role that place-based, school-led collaborations play in tackling disadvantage, fostering inclusion, and driving system-wide coherence across England.
SAfE’s CEO, Patrick Alexander expressed pride in the recognition, stating: “SAfE is incredibly proud to be highlighted in this vital AEPA Belonging and Excellence report. It clearly demonstrates the importance of collaborative partnership in driving lasting local educational improvement.”
Key Findings on Local Partnerships
The AEPA report outlines how local education partnerships (LEPs) are successfully reconnecting schools, academies, families, and communities. The findings validate the model championed by SAfE and other featured organisations:
- Place Matters: LEPs are shown to strengthen identity, belonging, and crucial collaboration between educational institutions, families, and wider community services.
- Partnerships Work: Evidence indicates that these collaborations effectively improve student outcomes, reduce system fragmentation, support inclusion and wellbeing, and build essential leadership capacity within the education sector.
- Filling a Policy Vacuum: The report asserts that local partnerships act as the “local glue,” filling a critical policy gap by reconnecting schools, communities, and services for the public good where it is needed most.
A National Network of Collaboration
SAfE is featured alongside other respected organisations demonstrating successful partnership models, including Camden Learning, Haringey Education Partnership, BEP, Leicester Primary Partnership, Learn Sheffield, Tower Hamlets Education Partnership, and HFL Education.
The report serves as a powerful call to action, showcasing that the most effective and sustainable educational improvements are delivered locally through a cohesive and collaborative partnership approach.
The full report is available for reading here
