Next Practice in System Leadership - Stevenage

Town-wide governance and leadership of 14–19 educational and vocational provision

Stevenage 14-19 Partnership, Stevenage

Stevenage is developing and implementing a new governance structure and shared leadership, linked to possible Trust status, for town-wide 14-19 provision.

All the 11-19 community schools, the two special schools, the Pupil Referral Unit and the FE College have established a 14-19 partnership, with a full-time director funded by the partnership, to deliver all 14-19 provision in Stevenage. They plan to create a hard-edged and dynamic governance group to be directly accountable for the configuration of provision, which will include town-wide curriculum planning and joint blocked timetables. The intention is to make the 14-19 entitlement a reality for all Stevenage's young people, and so significantly increase participation and achievement levels.

The Local Authority is also engaging with the partnership to address proposed changes to school reorganisation within the town and, in doing so, creating a relationship that could provide a basis for devolved or decentralised working in the future.