The Canvey School Partnership

The Canvey Schools Partnership, consisting of the 14 schools on Canvey Island, has been developing its Extended School programme since January 2004. 

Four years on, we are very proud of the fact that we have successfully been deemed as delivering a full and sustainable Extended School core offer.  The core offer covers the following five areas:

• parenting and family learning
• out-of-school hours learning and holiday activities
• swift and easy access to services
• community use of school sites
• childcare.

The developments are managed, coordinated and delivered by the Extended Schools team, Sharan Allsopp, Pat Taylor and Sharon Hickey.  However, the overwhelming success of the project can be attributed much wider.  The Canvey Schools Partnership headteachers have embraced the developments and are keen to ensure that all Canvey Island families benefit from the wealth of new opportunities. 

Partnership working is flourishing and has been absolutely key to the success of the developments. As most organisations have targets to meet on limited or non-existent budgets, it was essential that we worked with others in partnership to maximise benefits. Since the implementation of Children’s Centres and the Team Around School, Child and Community (TASCC), partnership working has reached another level. We are now in the process of developing joint localised action plans to ensure that maximum benefits are derived from our limited capacity and funding.  We share publicity, promote and signpost to each others services via our websites and newsletters and run many joint projects such as our parents forum, ‘Parents as Partners’. We work with our strengths, drawing on experience and expertise, to determine which organisation is best placed to deliver a particular service and to minimise duplication and eliminate ‘competition’.

The vast amount of projects and activities that we have developed are too numerous to mention.  However, our most significant successes have been the provision of holiday and out of school hours activities as well as parenting and family learning.  All Canvey Island schools offer parenting support in a variety of ways which is delivered in partnership with the Canvey Community Children’s Centre.

We have developed ‘Family Matters’ which offers an extensive and varied range of opportunities for families to take part in together including: Family Cycling, coach trips, arts, sports, languages, cookery and Yoga. This publication is delivered to every school aged child on Canvey Island via schools.  It is also accessible on our website www.canveyschoolspartnership.co.uk and placed in many community outlets.  We are now working on our fourth edition. 

Our holiday activity programme grows year on year in its size, content and demand for places.  This programme is produced in partnership with schools in Benfleet, Hadleigh and Thundersley as well as Castle Point Borough Council and other providers.  This programme is delivered to every child in Castle Point. 

We also offer a wide variety of out of school hours opportunities.  Currently we are working in Partnership with the Youth Service to expand provision at Images Youth Centre. Traditionally young people are not able to access youth services until the age of 13. However, the Canvey Schools Partnership has funded a year pilot for one evening per week (Mondays from 4.30pm to 6.30pm) to cater for 9 to 12 year olds. We are also in discussion with Castle Point Golf Course to ascertain ways in which young people and families can make better use of the facilities available. 

We also run numerous partnership events throughout the year. Our Canvey Awards Evening celebrates successes of our young people in a prestigious annual event. Every Canvey Island school nominates a young person from each year group to receive an award. We also hold an annual Canvey Island School Council Conference at which newly appointed school councilors from every Canvey school have the opportunity to share good practice and learn appropriate skills. The celebration of Christmas brings together the school choirs from every Canvey Island school to share the seasonal songs they have been learning for their Christmas productions. 

The headteachers on Canvey Island meet half-termly to discuss current issues and share good practice. We also have Canvey Island Local Delivery Group meetings three times per year, which include health, police, TASCC and other relevant partners as necessary.

The partnership has also held whole-island INSET days at which every member of staff (500 people) from the 14 schools come together for INSET.

The power of networking has resulted in Canvey Island’s reputation for having strong and successful partnerships between headteachers, governors, staff, parents, families and the wider community. As evidenced above, the benefit of networking and partnerships has had a positive impact on the opportunities offered to pupils, families and the wider community.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ms Sharan Allsopp is the Coordinator of the Canvey Schools Partnership, in Essex, England, United Kingdom.

 

Go to top of page     Go to online discussion