• A federation is a formal partnership where two or more maintained schools share a single governing body while retaining their individual identities, budgets, and admissions.
• Federations enable schools to collaborate strategically to improve educational outcomes, share resources, and strengthen leadership.

• Stronger Leadership & Governance: Unified strategic direction helps improve standards and accountability across all schools.
• Enhanced Opportunities for Pupils: Broader curricular and extracurricular offerings through shared resources and expertise.
• Staff Development & Wellbeing: Career development, professional learning communities, and shared staffing reduce workload and isolation.
• Financial Efficiency: Economies of scale through shared procurement, centralised financial management, and budget pooling options.
• Sustainability: Supports small or rural schools to stay viable within their communities while preserving their identity.

• Each school retains its own character, name, and admissions policy.
• The federation operates under a single governing board responsible for the strategic management of all schools involved.
• Individual schools continue to be inspected and operated separately, but benefit from collective leadership and shared resources.

We believe that through joining a federation, our schools can combine strengths, support each other, and provide even greater opportunities for our pupils and communities, while preserving the unique character of each school.

• Schools come together to agree on the vision, governance structure, and leadership arrangements.
• A joint consultation involving staff, parents, and stakeholders follows national guidelines to ensure transparency and collaboration.
• A new federated governing body is formed to oversee all schools.
• Clear plans for staffing, finance, and operations are developed to support a smooth transition.

• Will my child’s school identity be lost? (No, each school keeps its own name and ethos.)
• How will this affect staff? (Conditions remain; new opportunities may arise for collaboration and development.)
• Who manages the schools? (A single governing body oversees strategy while school leadership focuses on day-to-day teaching and learning.)
• What about finances? (Budgets remain individual but may be pooled for efficiency if agreed.)
• Can a school leave if needed? (Yes, though federation is intended as a long-term commitment.)

• Encourage parents, staff, and community members to participate in upcoming consultations and meetings.
• Provide contact details for questions or to join committees or working groups.