Earlier this month, Chelmsford Learning Partnership (CLP), a multi-academy trust of 11 schools based in Essex, hosted a delegation from Stichting LeerKRACHT, the Dutch not-for-profit organisation, as part of a project to embed the trust’s Schools Partnership Programme (SPP) peer review model within the Dutch education system.
The visit incorporated external training, discussions with CLP’s central team on how peer review is embedded across the trust, and a live observation of the process one of the trust’s schools: The Boswells School, Chelmsford.
Karla Martin, CLP’s Director of Standards and School Improvement, said: “It was a pleasure and a privilege to host the team from the Netherlands and showcase the impact of collaborative practice on our trust. The visit builds on several years of work that has strengthened our school improvement strategy, supported the professional development of teachers and leaders across the trust, and opened doors to international learning opportunities for us. We look forward to a growing partnership as we learn from our peers in the Netherlands too.”
Since 2021, CLP has been collaborating with the Education Development Trust (EDT) to deliver the SPP peer review model. The visit by Stichting LeerKRACHT builds on previous successful international learning opportunities for CLP, such as the Knowledge Exchange Project, commissioned and led by University College London in conjunction with researchers from the UK, Spain (la Caixa Foundation), and the Netherlands (VU University) to explore how peer-to-peer collaboration and research engagement can drive school improvement.
Paul Banks, CEO, CLP, said: “Whilst all our schools benefit from our collaborative approach to professional development, this collaboration is evidence of Chelmsford Learning Partnership’s growing international influence in shaping effective school improvement worldwide. We are excited to continue our partnership to benefit more students and teachers.”
