Today we have published the first phase of our investigation into Area Based Education Partnerships, in collaboration with the Association of Education Committees.
This report examines the place of Area-Based Education Partnerships (ABEPs) in the English school system. Christine Gilbert, co-chair of the Area-based Education Partnerships Association (AEPA), describes ABEPs as “school-led, local organisations that include all types of schools but with the central purpose of raising standards” (Gilbert, 2021a, p26). In taking collective responsibility for improving quality, they also attempt to bridge divides and broker connections between different school types, sharing existing and developing new practices.
Put simply, ABEPs are local alliances that support school improvement (and often wider goals) across a locality, but do not have any direct control of, or power over, schools or multi-academy trusts (MATs), or direct accountability for school outcomes.
Research on ABEPs is limited and primarily based on the views of those actors involved in founding and leading such partnerships. This report adds a broader perspective, drawing on a number of interviews with both ABEP leaders but also stakeholders who offer insights into the demand for collaborative structures (MAT and school leaders) as well as national and local policymakers and other experts.
