Haverstock School

THREE schools are joining forces under one governing body in a move headteachers say will make them stronger.

Haverstock School is forming an official partnership along with the Camden Centre for Learning (CCfL) which supports teenagers with mental health difficulties and those struggling to stay in mainstreams school. T

he CCfL is being rebranded as two separate schools, with its Agincourt Road base being renamed Heath School and its centre in Harmood Street becoming Harmood School.

The new “H3 federation” has already proved a success after it was tested year, according to Haverstock headteacher James Hadley.

He said: “Our schools are made much stronger by working together as a collaborative family, retaining all the best elements of their independence while benefiting from each others’ strengths.

“The single CCfL label which applied to both schools caused unnecessary confusion for the public, for parents and students, with some reporting that they didn’t understand the difference between the two schools.

“Students, in particular, feel strongly about wanting to attend a ‘school’ rather than a ‘centre’ or ‘unit’. “Now with their clear new names and identities, it’s much simpler to explain what’s excellent about each of the schools within our H3 family.”

Each secondary school will keep its own headteacher but will be run be overseen by a single governing body. In the education sector, a federation is a legally binding partnership between two or more maintained schools operating under a single governing body.

The H3 chair of governors Alison Lowton said the schools would pool specialisms to provide a more expansive service to pupils.

Vice-chair of governors Janet Grauberg said: “The federation will make it easier to find a school place that fits the needs of students who, for whatever reason, are not getting on in a mainstream Camden school.

“By having Harmood special school, Heath School pupil referral unit, and specialist provision within Haverstock School under one governance and leadership team, we make it more likely to find the right place for every student to re-engage in education and learn the skills they need for work and life.”

The council’s schools chief Marcus Boyland said he welcomed the announcement that was in line with Camden’s education strategy.