Exploring Cross-Sector Partnerships - Thursday 5 February 2026 (HMC, 12 The Point, Market Harborough)
This course is for: Independent schools who are looking to initiate or expand collaborations with state schools. Those with responsibility for partnerships: Heads of Partnerships/Outreach/ Community Engagement, Heads, Deputies, Development Directors and External Relations Directors.
Description
What will you gain by attending?
Across the sector, independent schools are being encouraged to maintain partnerships with state schools, but they are viewed by some as a budgetary drain rather than educational gain. Delegates on this professional development course will be guided through practical steps to building partnership projects which cost little but brings wonderful character development to their pupils and strategic advantage to their school, even if they are new to cross-sector engagement.
Course Programme
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Time |
Session |
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10.10 |
Arrival, registration, and coffee
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10.30 |
Welcome and introduction
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10.35 |
Session 1: Effective School Partnerships: Why, How, and Who?
Why? Explore the key benefits of school partnerships, including shared resources, enhanced learning opportunities, and improved outcomes for students and staff.
How? Learn about practical models and structures for collaboration, as well as the different types of partnerships that schools can establish to suit their unique needs.
Who and What? Identify potential partner schools by assessing mutual strengths, addressing shared needs, and understanding the critical factors for a successful partnership.
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11.45 |
Refreshment break
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12.00 |
Session 2: Case studies in School Partnerships
What Works Well? Gain insights from successful school partnerships, learning from real-world examples of collaboration that have achieved meaningful outcomes.
Learning from Others: Explore practical tips and best practices from other schools to inform and inspire your own approach.
Resourcing for Partnerships: Explore how to allocate resources, design effective staffing models, and establish clear structures to support partnerships, while navigating time and budget constraints to ensure sustainability and meaningful impact.
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13.00 |
Lunch
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13.45 |
Session 3: Actionable Steps: Starting Partnerships and Measuring Their Impact
How to Begin: Learn practical strategies for initiating new collaborations, making the first move, and building strong, trust-based relationships with partner schools.
Evaluating Impact: Understand how to assess the benefits of your partnerships by focusing on measurable outcomes rather than outputs and effectively communicate the value of collaboration.
Key Takeaways and Support: Recap essential insights, tools, and resources to sustain and strengthen partnerships, with guidance for ongoing success.
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15.30 |
Closing remarks and depart
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Speaker Biography
Christina Astin is a prominent thought-leader on partnerships, especially cross-sector, and is author of Partnerships WorkBook, a DIY course in Building a Cross-Sector Partnerships Strategy. She is Founder-Chair of the Schools Together Group (now the School Partnerships Alliance), established whilst she was Head of Partnerships at King’s Canterbury. She offers bespoke consultancy and mentoring for schools, directs training programmes and speaks and writes on school partnerships. In January 2022 she launched #PartnerChat, a series of free monthly breakfast briefings.
She is also a school science consultant (having taught physics for over 20 years) and advises corporate clients on their educational outreach. www.astinconsulting.com/partnerships @ChristinaAstin
Delegate Feedback
Participants highlighted learning about the importance of mutual benefit, trust, and sustainability in partnerships, as well as ways to measure and demonstrate impact effectively. They also came away with actionable ideas for engaging parents, local businesses, and other schools, auditing existing provisions, and aligning activities with school values.
Delegates left inspired to apply these strategies immediately—from formalising partnership processes and evaluating outcomes, to creating learning communities and involving students in partnership initiatives.