Recommendations
Federated schools should:
- R1 Work with stakeholders from the outset to establish a clear vision for the federation that focuses on improving outcomes for pupils
- R2 Develop leadership structures for the federation, including some non-teaching time for a senior leader on each site, to support effective day-to-day operation and good communication within and between schools
- R3 Use self-evaluation processes to identify how the skills and expertise of staff may be deployed to improve learning experiences for pupils across the federation
- R4 Develop the use of ICT to support collaboration by staff and pupils
Schools considering federation should also:
- R5 Evaluate the potential impact of federation on pupil standards and wellbeing
- R6 Identify the extent and effectiveness of any pre-existing collaboration
- R7 Identify and evaluate the potential impact of any barriers to effective federation, such as geographical remoteness
Local authorities and regional consortia should:
- R8 Provide relevant professional learning opportunities for senior leaders of federated schools
- R9 Review their funding arrangements so as to allow federated schools the flexibility to pool their resources more easily
- R10 Share good practice of effective federation with schools as they consider embarking on the federation process
- R11 Ensure consistency of support for all schools within a federation by, for example deploying the same challenge adviser to each school
The Welsh Government should:
- R12 Explore arrangements to help federated schools pool their resources