Working together to improve education: Spencer Academies Trust joins new RISE partnership

As part of this work, Tammy Elward, Director of the Derby Research School and Executive Leader within Spencer Academies Trust, has been invited to join the regional RISE Delivery Partnership. Aoife Galletly, Director of Quality and Standards and Executive Leader, has also been appointed to the regional Key Stage 3 RISE Board. Together, they will work alongside experienced education leaders to help drive school improvement across the region.

Their appointments recognise both their expertise in evidence-informed school improvement and Spencer Academies Trust's wider contribution to improving education beyond our own schools.

The programme aims to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background. It does this by bringing together schools, trusts and education organisations to share effective practice, use evidence to inform improvement and provide targeted support where it is needed most.

Every school can benefit from RISE. Alongside targeted support for schools facing the greatest challenges, the programme also provides opportunities for all schools to access proven approaches, collaborate with peers and contribute to improving education across their region.

A Shared Mission for Improvement

The RISE programme focuses on four national priorities:

• Raising attainment
• Improving attendance
• Strengthening reception year quality
• Embedding effective mainstream inclusion

These priorities provide an evidence-informed framework for collaboration between schools, trusts, local authorities and wider partners, helping to strengthen practice and improve outcomes for children and young people.

Rather than creating another initiative for schools to manage, RISE builds on existing partnerships by connecting schools with networks such as Research Schools, Teaching School Hubs and Curriculum Hubs to share evidence-informed practice and what works.

Turning Strategy into Action

RISE Regional Delivery Partnerships will bring together experienced system leaders to:

• Focus on key regional priorities
• Share and scale effective practice
• Drive practical, measurable improvements across the education system

Designed to move beyond discussion and into action, the partnerships will identify local priorities, remove barriers to improvement and help successful approaches reach more schools.

Our Role as a Trust

Spencer Academies Trust has a long-standing commitment to improving education beyond our own schools through:

• Evidence-informed practice via the Derby Research School
• Workforce development through Spencer Teaching School Hub
• Collaboration with schools, trusts, local authorities and national education networks

Our involvement in RISE reflects this commitment to working beyond organisational boundaries to improve outcomes for all children and young people, particularly those who are most disadvantaged.

Tammy Elward, Director of the Derby Research School, shared: "I am pleased to contribute to the regional RISE Delivery Partnership at a time when there is a clear and shared focus on the things that make the biggest difference to pupils.

This partnership provides an important opportunity to connect strong practice across the system, use evidence well and work collaboratively on the priorities that matter most in our region.

Through our role as Derby Research School and our wider Trust work, we are well placed to support the translation of evidence into practice and help ensure that improvements are both sustainable and meaningful for schools."

Kate Green, Interim CEO at Spencer Academies Trust also shared: "We welcome the publication of the RISE Regional Plans and the strong emphasis on partnership and delivery.

At Spencer Academies Trust, we believe that system-wide improvement depends on meaningful collaboration between schools, trusts and partners. We are delighted that two of our Executive Leaders, Tammy Elward and Aoife Galletly, have been appointed to support this important work. Their appointments reflect both their expertise and our Trust's commitment to contributing to the wider education sector.

We look forward to playing our part in strengthening practice across the region and supporting better outcomes for children and young people."

 

How Schools Can Get Involved

Although the Regional Delivery Partnerships include a small number of appointed members, the wider RISE programme is open to all schools.

Schools and trusts can get involved by:

• Connecting with Teaching School Hubs, Research Schools and Curriculum Hubs
• Sharing effective practice and learning from others
• Engaging with regional RISE teams and networks

An Expression of Interest process is also opening for additional partnership members, enabling a wider range of school leaders to contribute their expertise.

 

Looking Ahead

The success of RISE will be measured by tangible improvements, including:

• Faster progress for pupils
• Stronger collaboration across the education system
• More consistent, high-quality practice in schools

By helping schools learn from one another and share successful approaches, RISE aims to create a more connected education system where every child has access to a high-quality education, regardless of their background.

Spencer Academies Trust is proud to support this important work and looks forward to helping deliver meaningful, sustainable improvement for children and young people across the region.