At Sicklinghall, we work with a number of organisations in different ways to provide a wealth of opportunities, not only to enrich pupils' learning experiences but also to continually develop our staff's skills and broaden their experience. A skilled and experienced colleague is well equipped to provide an excellent standard of education for our pupils. Please see a brief description of some of the organisations that we collaborate with:
Goldsborough CE Primary School, nr Knaresborough
Sicklinghall School entered into a formal collaboration with Goldsborough CE Primary School in January 2015. As part of this arrangement, Mrs Ellis is Headteacher of both schools and splits the time that she spends in both schools equally. This exciting arrangement enables staff and pupils from both schools to work together, learn from one another and learn from the strengths evident in both schools. Pupils have already enjoyed shared residential visits, choir events and sporting tournaments and staff enjoy the opportunities provided through regular joint training and development meetings.
Harrogate and Rural Teaching School Alliance (HART)
The HART Alliance is a group of schools who share a close working partnership. We are committed to achieving the very best outcomes for the children and young people in many local schools. We want to support all staff in every school so that they can be the very best they can at their job. This will then mean that all children and young people get the highest quality of teaching available so that they get every opportunity to learn as best they can.
The HART Alliance is determined to create a relationship between schools that have the same target – to make ours the best schools to attend in the country.
We will do this by sharing. We will share with others all the very best things that our children and staff do in our school. We will offer to others the expertise we have in some areas to help them improve. We will also be able to use the best practise from other schools so that we can become even better. Sharing will help us to be part of something bigger and better than we would be on our own.
Our staff and children will learn from those in other schools as they learn from us. Our staff will be able to join, and in some cases lead, a range of learning programmes that are aimed at supporting student teachers in training as well as existing teachers, looking at how children best learn and teachers best teach. School leaders will support each other so that our schools successfully plan for the future giving talented staff opportunities to take even more responsibility.
Sharing in this way and working closely with the Local Authority will make sure no school will feel it stands alone. Education and schools continually change presenting challenges and opportunities and no one school has all the answers. The HART Alliance of schools working together will give each school a much better chance of finding those answers.
Sicklinghall is a full strategic member of the HART Alliance and currently leads on Research and Development. Our school is also actively involved in the training of new teachers through the alliance's School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programme.
St Peter's Church, Sicklinghall
Sicklinghall School enjoys good links with St Peter's Church, a close neighbour of the school in Sicklinghall village. Pupils attend church services and use the church as a base for their school Harvest and Christmas services.
Sicklinghall Parish Council
The Parish Council is very supportive of the school's work, having recently awarded the school a sum of money to refurbish our library. A member of the Parish Council also serves on the school's governing board.
Sicklinghall Village Hall
The newly refurbished hall, complete with brand new kitchen set up, currently runs a very successful and busy pre-school each morning. In addition, the village hall is available for hire to host a wide range of events and celebrations.