Highgate’s partnership with London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham was highlighted in a House of Lords event this week, celebrating thousands of successful collaborative projects taking place between state and independent schools across the UK.
The ‘Celebrating Partnerships’ event, hosted by Lord Lucas on Tuesday 5 November, recognised the many ways in which schools from different sectors collaborate to create educational opportunities for all pupils and staff involved.
Guests were presented with copies of the ISC’s 2024 Celebrating Partnerships report, which includes a spotlight on the impactful relationship between Highgate and London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham. Headteachers Adam Pettitt and Jan Balon (pictured left) embrace the cross-fertilisation of ideas to enhance their respective communities and work collaboratively to explore issues together.
The partnership values are embedded across the layers of both schools to make a real mutual impact. Pupils partner on academic events, UK and US university admissions workshops, career mentoring, performances and joint fundraiser walks. Most recently, Music and Theatre Studies were added to the LAET curriculum, to accommodate pupil interest and address the shortage of provision in the Borough.
LAET ranks in the top 2% of schools in the country for admissions to top universities. Data published last year showed that, thanks to LAET, 24% of students from the wider Tottenham area won places at Russell Group universities, compared with 5% prior to LAET’s opening.
After the event, the Head of Highgate School Adam Pettitt said: “It was great to be focusing on the future and potential of partnerships as we celebrated what has been achieved. We all understand that the funding will be hard and has become harder, but the encouragement to find solutions, with evidence of so many successful obstacle-busting partnerships from around the country, was inspiring.”
Speakers at the event included Lord Lucas; Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC); Oliver Blond, chief executive of the School Partnerships Alliance (S.P.A.), and Dr Joe Spence, incoming CEO of the S.P.A.
Julie Robinson, ISC chief executive, said: “Working in collaboration with state schools and local organisations is part of the very essence of our schools. Cross-sector partnerships play a central role in widening access to educational opportunities, filling gaps in provision, and supporting the overall development of students and staff. We hope these mutually beneficial partnerships continue to thrive, reaching even greater numbers of children and young people.”
To read a copy of the ISC’s Celebrating Partnerships report, visit isc.co.uk/media-enquiries/publications/.
