The mission of Barnsley Schools’ Alliance is to promote a joined-up approach to improving education.
Our goal is to ensure the very best educational outcomes for children and young people in Barnsley and we'll achieve this by working together through collaborative and partnership arrangements.
We're very fortunate in Barnsley that all members of the alliance are truly committed and meet regularly which shows the power of our partnership working approach.
Education Improvement Strategy
Whatever a child's background or circumstances, our children and young people deserve the most positive educational experience possible and to achieve their full potential. That's why we've worked to create our co-produced Education Improvement Strategy 2022-2025 that shows how we'll work together to make this possible.
About us
Our structure
Barnsley Schools Alliance Board: Executive group
- Andrew Lancashire - BSA Chair
Quality of Education Group
- Matthew Harris - NLE (LA Maintained) / Quality of Education Group Chair
CPD Working Group
- Dee Marsh - Director, Tykes Education Alliance / CPD Working Group Chair
Networking Group
- Alison Wilks - Darfield / Wombwell Cluster Lead / Networking Group Chair
Secondary Heads Group
- Paul Crook - Secondary Heads Group Chair
Primary Heads Group
- Andrew Lancashire - BSA Chair
Leadership Capacity Group
- Theresa Smith - Leadership Capacity Group Chair
Clusters
- Rebecca Paddock - Worsbrough / Stairfoot Cluster Lead
- Rachel Ward - CARM Cluster Lead
- Jayne Winnard - Dearne Cluster Lead
- Alison Wilks - Darfield / Wombwell Cluster Lead / Networking Group Chair
- Karen Dobson - Town Centre Custer Lead
- Gillian Clark - Hoyland Cluster Lead
- Jane MacKay - Darton Cluster Lead
- Karen Brown - Cudworth Cluster Lead
- Simon Tabbner - Penistone Cluster Lead
- Karen Trickett – Worsbrough/Stairfoot Cluster Lead
- Vicky Harrison – Hoyland Cluster Lead
Download our structure (PDF 237Kb)
Barnsley Schools’ Alliance Chair Andrew Lancashire
I'm really pleased to have been appointed to the role of Independent Chair and am looking forward to joining the executive of the Alliance. I'm excited to join the Alliance as it represents a sector-led model that works in partnership with the Local Authority; this sector-led improvement approach means that all schools take a collective responsibility for the outcomes of Barnsley children and all partners have a mandate to mutually support and challenge each other.
Barnsley has a clear education improvement strategy which lays out key priorities up to 2025. I'm keen to be able to assist and support the Barnsley School’s Alliance in making good progress towards making these priorities a reality across the Borough.
Our priorities
Principle 1: Educational opportunities
To champion world class education opportunities for all children, young people and families. Ensuring we meet the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of children and young people.
- To ensure that all educational settings deliver a quality of education that enhances the life chances of all Barnsley children and young people.
- To improve outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of children and young people, including a focus on those pupils who have special educational needs, looked after children and young people and pupils in receipt of free school meals as well as those for whom their school receives pupil premium funding.
Principle 2: Inclusive provision
To secure high quality inclusive provision, widen local opportunities and promote equality.
- To promote a culture of excellence through aspirational social expectations, including good attendance, punctuality, personal behaviour and learning standards.
- To promote equality and inclusion to equip our young people to become productive citizens ready to make a positive contribution locally and in the wider world. and learning standards.
Principle 3: School-led improvement
To continue to strengthen Barnsley’s system-wide school- led improvement, working closely with key partners.
- To build leadership capacity which empowers leaders at all levels to develop a sustainable model of continuous improvement across all Barnsley schools.
- To ensure that all settings offer a curriculum that is dynamic, engaging and aspirational so that it caters for the breadth of interests and talents across the locality.
- To deliver the highest quality of teaching and learning to drive curriculum delivery and embed the necessary skills and knowledge in all subjects.
- To achieve the highest possible attainment outcomes; through rapid rates of progress from all starting points.
- To provide teachers with regular, relevant and high-quality access to Continuous Professional Development opportunities at all levels.
Principle 4: Improve health and wellbeing
To promote, safeguard and improve our children and young people’s mental and physical health and wellbeing. Recognising that this ultimately underpins the ability for us to achieve all other priorities.
- To enable all services to be collaborative and effective in supporting children and young people to feel safe and secure in our Borough whilst promoting physically and mentally healthy lifestyles to all.
Our CPD offer
We work in partnership with Tykes Teaching Alliance to provide Continual Professional Development (CPD). You can access the full schools and academies offer on the Tykes Teaching Alliance website.
