Forming a partnership

The School Partnerships programme provides funding for schools over a period of five years. It supports local clusters of schools and established collaborations, as well as providing regional support through place-based partnerships. Partnerships can include include primary schools, secondary schools, or ideally a mix of both.

An Ogden school partnership involves time, energy and commitment from all members of staff involved. Please consider whether you will have the time available to organise a programme of activities outside your normal teaching timetable before applying. The programme will need the support of your senior leadership team and headteacher, including time out of school to attend partnership meetings.

Applications for new partnerships open annually between September and February. Before making an application, please read the information below to ensure you understand the application process and complete the correct application for your school. 

Criteria for applying

Applications are welcome from (but not limited to) partnerships which include schools in the following categories:

• rural and coastal areas
• schools based in areas of social deprivation
• above national average free school meals (FSM) (data available at https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/ under ‘pupil absence and population’)

Please note:

• funding will only be paid directly to a school (it cannot be paid to an individual or organisation)
• schools who have previously received funding will not be eligible to apply for a new partnership
• partnerships must complete and submit all paperwork by the given deadlines to be eligible for funding in the following year, including a report and review in the fifth and final year.

Making an application

A contact at the lead school in the proposed partnership should complete the expression of interest which is the first stage in joining the School Partnerships programme. Expressions of interest need to be submitted by the end of January. Following the expression of interest deadline, there will be an assessment period (up to five weeks) to review all submissions.

If your expression of interest is successful, you will be invited to stage two where you will collaborate with the named schools in your partnership application and submit a grant application for funding. New partnerships officially start in September.

Ogden regional representatives are available to support the application process. Email our partnership team to be connected with your local regional rep who will be able to advise you.

Further details about the application process are available here.

Which partnership is for me?

• A local cluster partnership is a group of four or more schools within a local area who want to collaborate on projects that enhance the teaching and learning of physics.

• An established collaboration partnership is a group of four or more schools associated through a multi-academy trust (MAT), MAC, federation, educational trust or similarly related organisation, who want to collaborate on projects that enhance the teaching and learning of physics

If you have a regional responsibility for physics education, and would like your area to be considered for regional support, please contact our programme officer.

If you are interested in joining an existing partnership search our directory for partnerships near you. You should then contact our partnership team who will be able to advise you, but please note – schools are only able to formally join a partnership in the new bid round in the summer term.