As part of an exciting but ever changing educational climate, it is vital to be outward-looking and collaborative to ensure the very best outcomes both for our own children but also for those of the schools around us. To ensure that the systems and structures exist to challenge and support the leadership of every school, the South Gloucestershire Learning Alliance (SGLA) was created in 2018 by Heads with a shared vision of ensuring that South Gloucestershire is a  ‘place where we all share responsibility for improving the life chances of all our children and young people’.

The SGLA aims to ensure learning excellence in all participating schools with all schools helped by the support of colleagues working together for the benefit of all. The Alliance is structured with a series of hubs working in close partnership under the umbrella of the Alliance Board. The hub we are part of is Endeavour hub, which consists of eight diverse, forward thinking and successful schools.

The ways that the learning alliance works together include –

• Creating inter-school networks of shared excellence
• Promoting effective working practices within participating schools
• Providing data analysis and school improvement planning support
• Quality assuring the work of Alliance Challenge Support Partners (CSPs), including recruitment, training and monitoring of learning outcomes
• Liaising with strategic partners from across the country to maximise educational and financial potential
• Liaising with other learning networks across the country to share highly effective learning strategies
• Reporting learning outcomes to the Local School Standards Board, the School Improvement Partnership Board and other stakeholders

Our Endeavour Hub partners are

• Barley Close Primary School
• Beacon Rise Primary School
• Bromley Heath Infant School
• Bromley Heath Junior School
• Frampton Cotterell C of E Primary School
• Frenchay C of E Primary School
• St Michaels C of E Primary School, Stoke Gifford
• Warmley Park School (2-19 specialist school)

We are very proud to be part of this innovative, creative and aspirational hub: each of the eight schools brings strength and expertise from which the other schools benefit. The schools are different in size, demographic, context and ethos; however, these differences and a willingness to learn from each other, supports each school to improve – as by working in collaboration on identified areas, we can work with greater efficacy as a collective for the benefit of all. With a shared CSP, as well as a wealth of shared learning opportunities, including a focus on professional development, we are able to facilitate growth for staff at all levels within our schools, while reflecting on our practice and evolving our schools’ individual offers to the children within our care – whether this be by further improving reading outcomes or a shared day of musical celebration!

Our main shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration during 2025-26 include the following:

• Empowering subject leadership at all levels  

• Further developing meta-cognition for all learners 

• Developing/ embedding spelling and transcription skills (writing fluency using the new writing frameworks) 

• Further developing reading fluency, including sharing successful structures