Nearly all School Improvement Partners are serving Headteachers from within or outside the region.

Why are SIPs predominantly serving Headteachers?

• • The model has credibility, drawing on relevant and recent expertise and skills.

  • It enables headteachers to provide peer-to-peer support and challenge.

  • Being a SIP is a professional learning opportunity for system leadership, developing the self-improving system. It is a flexible and agile model with funding provided to schools, growing, and developing future leaders.

  • A headteacher will only have a few schools as a SIP, enabling and providing focused bespoke support, aligned to a school’s improvement priorities. 

  • Where schools access intensive support, the model enables the SIP as headteacher to use their own school to provide holistic support, focusing on improving the quality of leadership and teaching, aligned to need. 

How are SIPs selected and retained?

• The headteacher must have proven leadership credibility.

• School visits are undertaken by Principal School Improvement Partners to quality assure provision and standards.

• There will be ongoing discussion about capacity to undertake the role.

• There must be agreement from the governing body to undertake the role and the SIP Partnership Agreement will need to be in place.

• The region will seek agreement from LAs prior to engaging Headteachers in the SIP role.

How are SIPs supported to undertake their role?

• A range of professional learning opportunities are provided for SIPS including termly update sessions and workshops.

• There is a focus on operational aspects of the role and practical opportunities for SIPs to undertake shared self-evaluation activities including book looks through a modelling approach. 

• There will be a range of quality assurance activities including joint visits and written reports.

If you are interested in undertaking the role of SIP, please contact Kirsty Bevan: Kirsty.bevan@sewaleseas.org.uk