The Power of Local Collaboration to Boost Outcomes

Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust is proud to be a founding member of The Education Exchange West Midlands.  In the below article, originally published in the TES, Chair of The Education Exchange West Midlands, Vince Green, explains how the collaboration was formed, how it works and, crucially, its impact so far.

Just over a year ago, we launched The Education Exchange West Midlands (TEEWM) as part of a widespread desire to improve educational provision and outcomes across the region.

For example, the West Midlands pass rate for GCSE at grade 4 and above is 62.9 per cent, compared with a national average of 67.1 per cent. Meanwhile, almost half of households fall within the 20 per cent most deprived areas in England.

None of us were happy about this situation and were keen to find a way to use our collective power to drive improvements and tackle social challenges.

Inspiration from across the country

The idea for TEEWM came when a steering group of local trust leaders visited The Education Exchange in Yorkshire and the Humber, founded by Sir Paul Tarn, former CEO of Delta Academies Trust.

The approach there was similar to what we wanted to achieve - different trusts and educational organisations working together to drive significant school improvement in many schools across the North.

We saw huge potential for a similar model to transform outcomes in the West Midlands, and so, at the end of 2024, TEEWM was born.

How TEEWM works

At its core is professional friendship and generosity, where educators share proven strategies, resources and expertise to accelerate improvement for all, without any cost.

Our philosophies are simple yet powerful;

• If you take something from The Education Exchange, you commit to giving something back when you can.
• Anything we work towards or produce has been paid for by the taxpayer, so if it would benefit children at another school, they are welcome to it.
• Every school has something brilliant to offer.

The desire for such an initiative was clear, with trust CEOs, school leaders, local authorities and the Department for Education’s regions group all joining from day one.

Building on this momentum, we used talks from Sir Paul and leaders from Yorkshire who discussed how The Education Exchange in Yorkshire and the Humber had benefited their schools to show the impact it could have.

Alongside this, academic Katriona O’Sullivan shared her personal story of growing up in poverty in the West Midlands, to galvanise members and inspire everyone to commit to collective action.

Supporting schools directly

Over the past year, TEEWM has delivered tangible impact with over a hundred schools directly supported and, crucially, trusts and local authorities working in partnership to direct free support to.

For example, Hazel Oak School in Solihull, a local authority-maintained special school, received school improvement support in a variety of areas, such as curriculum development, behaviour systems, leadership structures, learning environments and financial planning.

This support culminated in collaborative work with the local authority to improve learning environments, with more than 70 volunteers joining forces to transform interior and exterior areas of the school during the summer holiday.

The project not only improved the physical space but also demonstrated the strength of community engagement in supporting education. It was a clear example of how collective effort can create meaningful change for children.

Beyond the significant support being freely provided, TEEWM has facilitated school groups to share their expertise through many school and trust open invitation events, and for specific areas of focus for wider sharing.

For example, over 50 educators came together for a dynamic “Oracy Day” hosted by Washwood Heath MAT, providing rich professional learning around best practice in oracy, something which the new Ofsted framework is keen to evaluate.

Additionally, over 70 educators from across the West Midlands gathered for two dedicated “Deep Thinking Days” hosted by Dudley Academies Trust and led by Robin Hood MAT, providing space for reflection and strategic planning.

Clear outcomes

The outcomes were impressive; one trust identified a collective budget saving of £500,000, while others refined their school improvement strategies to drive better outcomes.

These initiatives exemplify TEEWM’s ethos of practical collaboration that drives real change.

Beyond targeted school and college support and events, TEEWM has built sustainable professional networks, enabling leaders to share expertise and mobilise resources for the benefit of all children, especially those facing disadvantage.

A group of founding trust and school leaders meet fortnightly to coordinate support and free sharing to ensure no request for help is unanswered.

This oversight also allows for effective facilitation of half-termly network meetings, free sharing and free training events for groups of professionals in specific educational leadership roles.

New partnerships

One year on, TEEWM is just getting started. With projects already underway and new partnerships forming, the next year promises even greater impact.

As we move into 2026, we look forward to making a tangible difference for children, families and communities across the West Midlands and beyond, building further on the great work already embedded in the North of England.