'Negative preconceptions' being broken in schools

Barriers between the independent and state school sectors are being "broken down", according to a report by the Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted).

The Ofsted report, which evaluated the impact of partnerships set up between independent and state schools in 2003-04, found that they had succeeded in "building bridges" between the sectors and helped to "break down" negative preconceptions.

Inspectors visited 29 of the 46 partnerships launched last year and reported that most of them were "effectively fulfilling their objectives". Although the report said that it was too early to say how effective the partnerships were in helping to raise education standards, inspectors described the early signs as "encouraging".

David Bell, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, said: "By working together, instead of in isolation, independent and state schools are sharing ideas, resources and the expertise of their teachers, and pupils are benefiting from these new structured relationships. Barriers and negative preconceptions between the sectors and individual schools are being broken down, and the partnerships provide opportunities for pupils from widely different backgrounds to enjoy meeting each other in positive and often innovative learning environments."

Among the activities that are included in the partnerships are a dance project, training for laboratory technicians between science departments and an independent school's successful sixth form, helping a maintained school to establish a new sixth form.

Inspectors said that the partnerships helped encourage schools to develop their strengths and realise the potential of both staff and pupils. The report also said that teaching and support staff also benefited from high quality professional development and the sharing of expertise.

The report found that the partnerships fostered "creative and exciting classroom and extra-curricular provision" and that pupil attendance at partnership activities was "generally very good".

However, the report also found that there were not necessarily more partnerships in areas with a large number of independent schools and that in some areas, pupils did not have any opportunity to take part in the partnerships.

The report also highlighted a number of issues that needed to be considered, such as governors playing a larger part in the partnerships; more rigorous assessment of pupils' progress and enhancement of the role of parents in promoting awareness of the partnerships.

(KMcA/SP)