Information & Advice

Lewisham Education Commission and Lewisham Learning

Lewisham Council commissioned a report in 2015 to develop a vision for education in Lewisham. One of the recommendations was the creation a partnership to establish a school-led system of school improvement, Lewisham Learning.

Posted: 08/03/2022

Category:Education Policy and Structures


In December 2015, the Mayor agreed to the establishment of
the Lewisham Education Commission to
support the development of a vision for education in Lewisham (the full report
can be found here). The Commission recommended that
there should be an agreement between the local authority, headteachers and
governors to set up a partnership to establish a school-led system of school
improvement. In September 2016, a Partnership Steering Group, with an
independent chair, was established to produce and consult on a detailed set of
proposals.

To date, (Sept 2017) officers have been supporting the
School Improvement Partnership Steering Group. The end of the last school year
saw the recruitment of an interim director for the Lewisham Learning
Partnership. The secondment is being funded from the School Improvement Budget
and a headteacher from an ‘Outstanding’ Lewisham primary school is performing
this role as a secondee to the School Improvement Team.

Following the consultation process, the proposed way forward
is that a ‘soft partnership’ is established with a strategic board appointed
including representation from headteachers, governors and the local authority.
The Lewisham Learning partnership will bring together existing strategic school
improvement groups.

When the headteachers and governors on the School
Improvement Partnership Steering Group were discussing the development of a
formalised partnership, it was agreed that partnership’s main raison d’etre was
the development of school to school improvement. Other activities such as joint
procurement or trading with schools to provide services currently run by the LA
were very much second order considerations. Once more established, Lewisham
Learning may decide to establish a formalised legal entity. This will be up to
the board of the organization.

Source: Children and Young People Select Committee,
Lewisham School Improvement Partnership, 13th September 2017.


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