West Village Partnership

In September 2022, a partnership was formed between three academies within The Cam Academy Trust: Everton Heath Primary School, Gamlingay Village Primary and Offord Primary School

Vision

Working together to influence and inspire outstanding education through an agreed educational philosophy, enabling progression for all.

The Cam Academy Trust wanted to have closer leadership alignment between a group of schools that are near to each other and serve rural, village communities.

Two of the schools Everton Heath Primary and Offord Primary serve smaller village communities than Gamlingay Village Primary resulting in significantly smaller PANs for both schools.

Each of the schools are distinctly different, varying in size (number on roll) and the facilities they have within the school. However, by working more closely together we aim to ensure that all pupils are receiving the best available education and that small schools are viable to ensure their continued historical existence.

Through executive leadership across the three schools, there will be resulting increased strategic leadership, governance, back-office support, curriculum leadership and estate management.

To ensure the continued educational growth of all three schools it is important to take account of each school’s community, whilst benefiting from a strong partnership approach, providing parents within these communities an opportunity to choose an educational setting that reflects their educational philosophy. At the same time we aim to enable each of these schools to draw on the strength of each other in relation to leadership, staffing, resources, facilities and environment.

Shelley Desborough is the Executive Headteacher of the West Village Partnership. Shelley was the Headteacher of Gamlingay Village Primary School for seven years and led them through a transition period as the school changed from a small first school to a large primary school with an enhanced resource base provision and a new site, before taking up this role within The Cam Academy Trust.