How schools in Fareham and Gosport are working together to improve the quality of education

Nine schools and colleges in Fareham and Gosport have come together to work collaboratively on improving the quality of opportunities that pupils receive.
(L-r) Carlene Reed, learning and development manager at St Vincent College, guest speaker Sir John Jones, Ian Hudson, assistant head teacher at Cams Hill School, and Libby Moore, St Vincent College progression and event organiser(L-r) Carlene Reed, learning and development manager at St Vincent College, guest speaker Sir John Jones, Ian Hudson, assistant head teacher at Cams Hill School, and Libby Moore, St Vincent College progression and event organiser
(L-r) Carlene Reed, learning and development manager at St Vincent College, guest speaker Sir John Jones, Ian Hudson, assistant head teacher at Cams Hill School, and Libby Moore, St Vincent College progression and event organiser

Now in its second year, the  Gosport & Fareham Collaboration actively promotes the concept of collaboration and schools/colleges working closely together to share best practice and help teachers to continue to develop professionally. 

Since its conception, the collaboration has not only expanded with more schools coming on board, but has developed the range and depth of professional development activities and opportunities available to staff across all its member educational establishments. 

This has enabled significant impact to be made across a wide variety of aspects of everyday school life, from subject-specific collaborative groups to business managers, collaborative moderation activities, joint planning, collaborative monitoring and reciprocal school visits.

The initiative has culminated in two centralised activities; firstly a ‘common closure day’ where all schools close to pupils for collaborative training, and secondly a ‘Teach Meet’ for all teachers across all involved schools and colleges to meet together, listen to keynote speakers and share best and next practice with each other.

This year's Teach Meet was held this week at St Vincent College, Gosport and featured Sir John Jones as its keynote speaker.  Whilst he led the introduction to the Teach Meet, presentations were also made by teachers from within the collaboration of schools and colleges around specific themes, concepts and ideas.

The collaboration includes St Vincent College and Fareham College, Portchester Community School, Cams Hill, Henry Cort, Fareham Academy, The Key, Crofton and Brookfield.

Ian Hudson, assistant head teacher at Cams Hill School, has spearheaded the continued success of the collaboration. He said:  ‘I'm so pleased that all the schools in this area see the benefits of working closely together. After all, we're all in the same job if we work in schools; to improve the quality of experience and the outcomes that our young people have during their time with us.  'I couldn’t have continued to evolve the  Gosport & Fareham Collaboration without the significant input from a number of key individuals throughout all the schools and the head teachers and principals continuing to give their support. ’

Carlene Reed, learning and development manager at St Vincent College, who organised the Teach Meet, said: 'We were thrilled to have organised this year’s Teach Meet and that Sir John Jones was available to be our keynote. He's an inspirational man who is just as passionate about teaching as we are at St Vincent.'