The Government should invest in partnerships between schools, academy trusts and local authorities to drive school improvements in local communities, a new study says.

A report from the School Improvement Commission has set out a number of ways in which schools can be improved. It includes recommendations to designate a senior leader to focus on staff development and a Government-funded support package for new head teachers.

Published by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), the trade union for school leaders, the study also calls on the Government to invest in place-based collaborative partnerships to bring together multi-academy trusts, local authorities and maintained schools. The aim is to develop more coherent place-based improvement approaches.

The report, entitled Improving Schools, also called on the Government to produce an enhanced package of support and incentives for leaders working in the most deprived communities. This should include fully-funded professional development and high-quality coaching and mentoring. It should also explore further options to provide confidence and security to staff accepting ‘higher-risk’ posts.

Responding to the report, Cllr Judith Blake, chair of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Children and Young People Board, emphasised the importance of school funding when it comes to driving improvements.

‘The importance of schools and their hardworking staff, who are their most valuable asset in securing improved outcomes for children, has been heightened during the pandemic,’ she said.

‘We need to do all we can to support the retention of good school leaders and teachers, which requires every school to have the necessary funds to invest and prioritise high quality staff development.’