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School structures

Creating connections

Research study that aims to explore, understand and elevate alternative models of school collaboration.

Research
26/06/2025
connecting the dots vision

In recent years, England’s education landscape has changed significantly. Amid evolving policies, shifting structures, and financial pressures, schools have adapted, often by working together. This report explores how schools across the country are collaborating to improve outcomes, strengthen leadership, and support the wider system. It offers timely insights into how these partnerships work and what more can be done to realise their potential.

Research overview

While MATs have become the dominant framework for structured, formal collaboration over the past decade, many schools continue to operate outside this model, leveraging alternative methods to communicate and work together.

This study draws on a bespoke NGA survey and case study data to explore these alternative approaches, examining their advantages and challenges, and the cultural, logistical, and financial dynamics that influence their adoption.

Creating connections report

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Key findings

This report identifies common features of collaboration as well as benefits and opportunities for improvement, including:

  1. Informal partnerships dominate school collaboration models
  2. Local authorities play a key role in enabling and supporting collaboration
  3. Perceived divisions between school types create barriers to partnership
  4. Staff expertise, development and resource management are key collaboration areas
  5. Sharing expertise and professional development drives improvement
  6. Collaboration delivers significant financial benefits and resource optimisation
  7. Partnerships enhanced pupil experience while preserving school identity
  8. Practical and financial barriers continue to limit collaboration
  9. Diverse contexts and inconsistent engagement can hinder sustained collaboration
  10. Collaboration outside MATs requires practical support and funding
  11. Legitimising diverse collaboration models requires policy alignment and support

  • “Schools and trusts have been creative with their connections, and the collaborative activity described is diverse in form and function ... Time, capacity, and funding emerged as the most frequently cited barriers, with schools often unable to free up staff capacity or the resources required."

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