It’s a perfect ten for Hill West and Mere Green primaries

Celebrations were in the air when pupils from two schools got together to mark ten years in the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP).

Children at Hill West Primary welcomed guests from nearby Mere Green Primary to their site to enjoy party games, music, tasty treats and cake. Respective Headteachers Dr Beth Clarke and Kristal Brookes oversaw the celebrations and Director of Education (Primary) and former Mere Green Headteacher Anna Balson also called by to take part in the fun and games.

Both schools joined the ATLP in 2013 and have had much to celebrate during that time as they have grown to provide the best facilities and learning environments possible for children.

Dr Clarke, who joined Hill West in 2004 as Deputy Headteacher and became Headteacher in 2006, said: “Being part of the ATLP family as a headteacher and a senior leader means that you’re not alone. You have amazing colleagues supporting you to make the very best decisions for the children in your school.

“There’s a sense that in some small way you’re shaping the life chances of children in our other schools too and with that comes a real sense of pride and satisfaction; to know that you are contributing to an education system beyond your own school.

“Being part of the ATLP has improved our leaders and teachers exponentially because it’s meant we have opportunities to network far more closely and share best practice. This has of course paid dividends for our pupils not only in terms of their teachers excelling in the field but also in terms of collaborative ventures – our annual student awards being just one example of this.

“In addition, when you may have a difficult situation, there is a team of people on hand immediately to support, whether that’s with manpower or sometimes financial backing with the approval of the Trust Board. Children benefit tremendously from that team effort to maintain provision.”

Mrs Brookes, who joined the ATLP as Deputy Headteacher at Mere Green in 2015 before becoming Headteacher in 2017, said: “Working as one family for the greater good is what makes the ATLP special. Working collaboratively as one and providing an offer for all is a great thing.

“Across the Partnership, schools are able to share expertise and staff and this brings with it huge benefits, particularly in helping to build careers and retaining skilled staff.

“The ATLP is going from strength to strength. A great example of this is the recent residential in France. Taking around 160 children from multiple schools shows that our young people are not defined by postcode and that doors and possibilities are opened for all.

“At Mere Green, we played a key role during the launch period of Learning Futures which will see every child in an ATLP school having their own device (Apple iPad) and it’s been fantastic to see how the project has grown at such an impressive pace across our schools.”

Dr Clarke added: “Hill West and Mere Green have worked collaboratively for a long time pre-dating the formal arrangement within the ATLP and, because we serve different but similar communities in Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks and Mere Green, we are absolutely committed to working cohesively together.

“Whether that’s been competitions in the summer term for Year 6 children or coming together for musical events, we are committed to bringing our children together and making them aware they belong to something bigger than their own school.

“I think Mere Green and Hill West have both contributed significantly to schools beyond their own by developing our teachers and leaders and providing opportunities for them to go out into the wider organisation and thrive and find success in other schools.

“The individual teacher or leader benefits because they’re aspirational and have often successfully gained a promotion and the schools they go into also benefit. With a continuous focus on succession planning, we are then able to identify the next group of aspirant leaders in our schools. There’s always a continual cycle of improvement and opportunity.

“I am immensely proud to be headteacher at Hill West and immensely proud to be part of the ATLP family. It truly feels like a family and there are great things on the horizon here with the new build, so it’s a very exciting time.”

Main picture: Hill West and Mere Green pupils alongside Headteachers Dr Beth Clarke and Kristal Brookes at the tenth anniversary party. Picture by Richard Harris.

Inset picture: Dr Beth Clarke, Kristal Brookes and Anna Balson show off the tenth anniversary cake. Picture by Richard Harris.