Gillingham MP Paul Clark has called for greater collaboration between Medway’s schools to prevent pupils from falling behind.

He said Medway Council should actively encourage greater collaboration between primary and secondary schools across Medway as well as forging relationships with local universities and businesses.

Mr Clark praised the approach taken by New Brompton College, in Gillingham which is working towards Trust status and said other local schools should follow their example.

New Brompton College works in collaboration with the ideas, energy, and talent that exists in voluntary groups, charities, universities and business foundations to help more young people fulfil their potential.

Mid Kent College, Canterbury Christchurch University, the Sunlight Development Trust and Medway Maritime Hospital all participate in the programme which can help improve outcomes for children and the wider community across a variety of areas.

In 2004 just 9 per cent of students at New Brompton College obtained 5 or more A*-C at GCSEs. This year, the level has risen to 42 per cent.

Mr Clark said that whilst parent would look at the headline statistics, schools like New Brompton College were outperforming many of Medway’s schools in terms of children’s progress year-on-year.

He said that in areas where there is a selective education system, looking at the GCSE pass rate is like comparing apples and pears, but the value added measure which compares student progress each year shows that the approach adopted by NBC is working.

Mr Clark also welcomed a government commitment to tackling low standards across the country through a partnership approach and an announcement by Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls, to make new powers available to teacher to improve discipline.

Mr Balls said the next steps to promote leadership and eliminate poor performance in schools involved:

• Up to £300,000 funding for a high performing school when it merges with a less successful school to help deliver improvements – this could apply to both primary and secondary schools;

• Trust Schools – the first 30 new Trust Schools start from this month, with another 180 in the pipeline. Of the 30, 23 are collaborations between schools;

• Actions to increase the number of universities, businesses and high performing schools and colleges working with Academies and Trusts to raise standards.

The Government has already remove a requirement for schools, universities and colleges to provide £2 million sponsorship when setting up Academies, to break down barriers to improving educational standards.

Mr Clark believes the latest proposals will go even further to encourage schools like New Brompton College and local organisations to form partnerships that benefit young people.

Mr Balls said: “Strong leadership is essential if we are to get good discipline, drive up standards and end failure in our schools. But rather than schools set against schools, we need to increase collaboration because the evidence is that spreading brilliant leadership to more schools gets results.

“Heads have seen that they can do better by working with other schools with more expertise in certain areas. By acting early and working together, good partners can avoid failure and the final resort of school closure. Academies, Trust Schools and new mergers between schools are spearheading this collaboration for success.”

Mr Clark added: “I want every school in Medway to ask itself what more it can do, not only to help its pupils achieve success in the future, but also what it can contribute to the local community. Now, more than ever, our local educational institutions have an opportunity to create lasting, constructive, meaningful partnerships that can help improve attainment for all our young people. I would urge them to grasp that opportunity and hope our council will do the same.”

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