Synergy School Partnership Announces New Collaboration with Education Mutual

The Synergy School Partnership is pleased to announce a new collaboration with Education Mutual, providing all schools within the Partnership with enhanced health and wellbeing support alongside staff absence protection.

This collaboration reflects the Partnership’s continued commitment to supporting staff wellbeing, strengthening workforce resilience and ensuring stability and continuity across our schools for the benefit of children and families.

Education Mutual specialises in supporting schools with proactive wellbeing services and absence protection, helping school leaders manage staff absence effectively while prioritising the health and wellbeing of their teams.

Supporting Staff Wellbeing

Through this collaboration, schools within the Synergy School Partnership will have access to a range of health and wellbeing support designed specifically for the education sector. These services aim to support staff both preventatively and reactively, recognising the vital role that staff wellbeing plays in maintaining high‑quality teaching and learning.

By investing in wellbeing support, the Partnership is reinforcing its commitment to creating positive, supportive working environments where staff feel valued, supported and able to thrive professionally.

Staff Absence Protection and Stability

The collaboration with Education Mutual also provides staff absence protection across all Partnership schools. This supports schools in managing the financial and operational impact of staff absence, ensuring that pupils continue to receive high‑quality provision and that schools remain well-resourced during periods of staff ill health.

This approach supports sustainable leadership and long‑term planning, reducing uncertainty for schools and enabling leaders to focus on strategic improvement rather than short‑term operational pressures.

A Partnership Approach

As with all Synergy initiatives, this collaboration is rooted in the belief that working together strengthens schools. By securing shared services across the Partnership, schools benefit from consistency, efficiency and access to specialist expertise that would be more challenging to secure individually.

Executive Strategic Business Leader, Stefanie Ough, commented:

“Staff wellbeing is fundamental to the success of our schools. This collaboration with Education Mutual enables us to provide meaningful wellbeing support while also protecting our schools from the challenges associated with staff absence. It reflects our commitment to sustainable leadership, staff care and ensuring the best possible outcomes for our children.”

Looking Ahead

The Synergy School Partnership looks forward to developing a strong and productive relationship with Education Mutual, supporting staff wellbeing and ensuring that our schools remain stable, resilient and well supported.

This collaboration is another example of how the Partnership works collectively to support staff, children, parents and governors, strengthening provision across our five schools in the Basingstoke and Deane area of Hampshire.

 

Bramley C of E Primary School retains Good Ofsted report

The Synergy School Partnership are exceptionally proud of the children and the Bramley C of E Staff team and feel that our latest Ofsted report captures our school's strengths and ethos very well.

This inspection was a Section 8 ungraded inspection and therefore the grade did not change at the end of the inspection. Only Good or Outstanding Schools receive a Section 8 Inspection.

Although the grade did not change, the criteria by which schools are evaluated stays the same as a full Section 5 inspection. Mr Glen Golding, Executive Headteacher, remarked: “Throughout the process and during the feedback, the Inspector shared that the school was deemed to be performing in line with many of the outstanding performance indicators across a range of areas. Not only does this hold us in very good stead for the future but it demonstrates the continued improvement that has been made between now and our last inspection”.

The Synergy School Partnership recognises not only the pride we have in our Bramley pupils, but the impact of the effort consistently shown by the entire Bramley staff team.

 

Synergy School Partnership Announces New Collaboration with Drift IT

The Synergy School Partnership is pleased to announce a new collaboration with Drift IT, a specialist provider of education‑focused IT support, to deliver comprehensive and consistent IT services across all schools within the Partnership.

This partnership represents an important step forward in strengthening our digital infrastructure, ensuring that staff and pupils across our five schools benefit from reliable, secure and responsive IT support.

Drift IT (www.clickdrift.com) brings a strong understanding of the educational sector and the unique challenges faced by schools. Through this collaboration, all Synergy schools will have access to professional IT support that enhances day‑to‑day operations, supports teaching and learning, and enables schools to make effective use of technology.

Supporting Teaching, Learning and Leadership

• The collaboration with Drift IT will ensure:
• Improved reliability and performance of IT systems across all schools
• Timely technical support for staff and pupils
• Enhanced cybersecurity and safeguarding of digital systems
• Strategic advice to support the ongoing development of digital learning

By working with a single, trusted IT partner, the Synergy School Partnership can ensure consistency of service, improved communication and a proactive approach to managing IT needs.

Strengthening Collaboration and Efficiency

As with all Synergy initiatives and service agreements, this collaboration reflects the Partnership’s commitment to shared services, efficiency and sustainability. By working collectively, schools benefit from economies of scale, improved value for money and access to specialist expertise that may be difficult to secure independently.

The move also supports school leaders by reducing the operational burden associated with IT management, allowing them to focus more fully on educational outcomes, staff development and pupil wellbeing.

A Shared Commitment to Excellence

Executive Strategic Business Leader, Stefanie Ough, commented:

“We are delighted to be working with Drift IT to support all schools within the Synergy School Partnership. Reliable and effective IT provision is essential in modern education, not only to support learning but also to ensure schools operate smoothly and securely. This collaboration reflects our commitment to working with high‑quality partners who understand education and share our values of collaboration: Compassion, Respect, Ambition and Trust”.

Looking Ahead

The Synergy School Partnership looks forward to developing a strong and productive relationship with Drift IT, ensuring that technology continues to support innovation, collaboration and high standards across all our schools.

This collaboration is another example of how the Partnership works collectively to strengthen provision for children, staff, parents and governors, ensuring our schools are well supported now and in the future.

For more information about Drift IT, please visit www.clickdrift.com

 

Silchester C of E Primary School – Extremely proud as Ofsted rating improves to Good

The Synergy School Partnership is delighted to share the report from our most recent Ofsted inspection at Silchester C of E Primary School.

At the end of February 2025, the school hosted two of His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) to carry out a scheduled inspection. These inspections generally occur every 5 years and judge how effectively the school is operating in key areas.

You will see in the report, published by Ofsted, that we achieved Good in all areas. This is a huge achievement for all stakeholders as we know that in recent years the school has faced a variety of challenges, hence why it had been deemed a high priority school for the Local Authority. This report is testimony to the hard work, determination and love that has been demonstrated by our whole school community.

Ofsted reports by nature have to follow strict protocols and restrictions on using technical vocabulary and emotive/opinion-based language. Therefore, Glen Golding, Executive Headteacher, captures both the extent of the achievement and the extremely positive outcomes for the staff and children:

“In addition to the content of the report I am thrilled to share these additional points which were conveyed to the Senior Leadership Team, Governors and Representatives from the Local Authority and Diocese.

• In 3 of the 5 areas the school was considered for an outstanding judgement and only missed out by a few minor issues.
• The Senior Leadership Team were complimented on how quickly they had evaluated and impacted on the quality of Teaching and Learning, pupil outcomes, behaviour, Curriculum and SEN provision.
• The children’s behaviour was exemplary; no low-level disruptive behaviour was witnessed and the children talked with confidence and personality with the Inspectors when they were spoken too.
• The school’s inclusive nature was complimented and demonstrated throughout the school, evidenced through adaptations to tasks and physical environments
• Governance was regarded as very strong, with a clear understanding of their statutory duties and clarity around the schools

Two of the most positive memories from the inspection for me were:

• The amazing support we felt from our parental body. The good luck emails, ‘wish you well’ cards, kind words on the gate and plates of food that got us through day one. Then on day two, the Inspection team read out anonymously some of the written responses that you had taken the time to share, this gave us both a tear in the eye and pride in our hearts, so a massive sincere thank you.
• The second memory I will always hold dear is the sheer number of staff from our other partner schools who arrived on site, after teaching all day, to support. Regardless of whether they made tea, reassured friends or helped with displays and resources, we knew we were not alone.

This inspection of course was never our end goal or final destination. The next step of our journey starts here. A step towards being the best school we can be for every child in Silchester, who are privileged to have Mrs Moir and her amazing team”.

The Synergy School Partnership would like to our parents, carers and families at Silchester C of E Primary School, for your unwavering support.