EPI report on independent-state school partnerships

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) have published a new report, funded by The Head’s Conference (HMC), which looks at the workings, challenges and perceived benefits of partnerships between independent and state schools in England. In particular, the report looks at the working of two partnerships: The Bristol Education Partnership (BEP) and York Independent State School Partnership (ISSP).

The report founded that both partnerships offer pupil opportunities beyond the core curriculum, which encourage personal and professional growth. Teachers across both partnerships additionally report benefitting form Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities, and teachers from both groups said that these experiences enhanced their teaching practice and strengthened professional networks.

The report also found that the two partnerships had very different funding models: the BEP is primarily funded by contributions from independent schools, university partners, and Bristol City Council, whereas the York ISSP relies on equal financial contributions form all schools. A shared funding model such as this can create problems for state schools, as even smaller contributions for cover teachers and TLR payments can be a challenge to maintain due to tight budgets.

Furthermore, the EPI found that staffing and resource constraints hinder equitable participation in both partnerships, as activities mainly held outside of schools in York create challenges for pupils who rely on transport, while in BEP, activities scheduled during school hours place strain on state schools with limited staff and resources. 

Consequently, the report sets out several recommendations, including greater accessibility and engagement within partnership, focusing on exploring alternative funding sources, and that partnerships should recognise and address perceptions that can hinder integration among pupils from different school backgrounds.