Primary school selected to share ‘inside knowledge’

Headteacher Lynne Coxell with pupils from St Edward’s Primary School in Castleton

St Edward’s Primary School in Castleton has been selected to take part in a new programme to spread educational knowledge and best practice across the country.

The 'Inside Knowledge' scheme will allow heads and other school staff to take part in professionally managed visits to local schools, like St Edward’s, that have excellent, cutting-edge practice in five important areas. St Edward’s has been nominated in the category of ‘Sustainable Schools’, a high priority within the new Department for Education.

The four other areas are:

• narrowing the gap for disadvantaged pupils
• effective use of assessment data for pupil progress
• best practice in pupils' writing at Key Stage 2
• managing school budgets effectively to deliver best value

The school was nominated by a government department and the DCSF Teaching Awards and will deliver visits from September. These will provide an opportunity for St Edward’s to share their expertise, knowledge and best practice. Visitors - but also hosts - will gain from sharing the "Inside Knowledge" that the best schools have already acquired.

Headteacher at St Edward’s Lynne Coxell said the school is delighted to be nominated and chosen to be a host school for the Inside Knowledge programme: “We look forward to sharing with other schools our experience in becoming a successful sustainable school. But being a host is not a one-way process, we also hope to visit other Inside Knowledge schools throughout the country.”