Side by Side Model for School Improvement

The DFE / national expectation for school improvement can be found in the following documents:

• KCSIE Keeping children safe in education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Schools causing concern Schools causing concern - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• LA role  Schools: statutory guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Side by Side is the Buckinghamshire model for a local, school to school improvement system. It aligns with the Buckinghamshire Education Strategy http://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/educationstrategy

Side by Side builds on the established, strong relationships across Buckinghamshire and enables all schools across the county to work collaboratively to support county wide school improvement. 

It recognises that it is this wider system that will deliver improvements and as such harnesses and utilises the experience, strengths, and knowledge within our schools, with school leaders and practitioners deployed to support local schools. 

The Local Authority’s role is one of a facilitator; identifying areas of strength and those which require development, building expertise capacity, empowering system leaders, and enabling support.

The process for Side by Side is:

• Working collaboratively, the School Improvement team risk assess all Buckinghamshire schools and assign each school to a category of support– Enhancement, Prevention or Intervention;
• For Prevention and Intervention schools where particular vulnerabilities exist, the local authority, in collaboration with the school leadership, brokers support by deploying ‘champions’ from within the Buckinghamshire family of schools to deliver significant improvements;
• Schools work collaboratively to share experience and learning, through both formalised and bespoke relationships;
• The School Improvement team quality assure the work delivered and identify areas for further improvement.

Further information can be found here: Side by Side which includes the Side by Side Strategy document.