HMC schools in the UK are at the heart of partnerships – with state schools, social organisations or neighbourhood groups – and are involved in voluntary work and fundraising activities to support bursary funds as well as local causes.
Partnership activity takes a variety of forms and provides positive impacts for all involved. Examples include:
- shared governance initiatives
- academy or free school sponsorship
- joint teacher training and professional development ventures
- summer schools
- collaborative work in STEM and other subjects
- help with university applications
- student led teaching projects
- regular and highly valued meetings between leaders in the state and independent sectors.
The sharing of facilities such as playing fields, sports centres and theatres with community groups and state schools give children who are not pupils at independent schools opportunities to benefit from schools’ educational resources; and HMC schools – and their pupils – agree that these partnerships have positive impacts for them too.
Listen below to Tom Lawson (Headmaster at Eastbourne College) talk to pupils from across the Coastal Schools Partnership about how the partnership is allowing pupils from all of the schools involved to build confidence, gain a greater sense of social responsibility, and become a part of a closer knit community.
This page contains but a small selection of some of the outstanding examples of partnerships HMC schools are involved in.
Individual HMC schools can be contacted for more details about their partnerships programmes; as well as for details of their bursary and scholarship programmes.
Lumina Tutoring
Lumina Tutoring is an online programme dedicated to providing no-cost, remote tutoring to children in local authority care – removing barriers to boost the self-esteem and educational progress of disadvantaged young individuals.
Lumina mentors volunteer their time once a week (during term time) to provide one-on-one, 45-minute tutorial sessions, covering a wide range of subjects.
Founded through Harrow School’s Shaftesbury Enterprise – an initiative to improve educational outcomes and life opportunities for local young people – Lumina Tutoring is run by a small team who implement robust safeguarding measures, offer training and ongoing guidance to their Lumina Mentors, and who provide comprehensive administrative support to the 19+ schools and 9+ local authorities who they already work with.
Feltham College
Feltham College is a pioneering model of Sixth Form education – a centre for academic and vocational excellence, playing a key role in ensuring young people in and around Feltham receive the very best in teaching and learning provision.
Based at, and part of, Reach Academy Feltham, it was founded as a partnership between Reach Academy, Hampton School, Lady Eleanor Holles School and several other industry and further education partners.
Courses range from traditional A Levels to professional qualifications in music, catering, health and social care – and the college is renowned as a ground-breaking local education provider.
ISC Celebrating Partnerships
Every year the Independent Schools Council (ISC) publish the Celebrating Partnerships booklet to demonstrate the breadth and depth of collaborative programmes taking place.
We’re always proud to see so many HMC schools featured. Each year’s booklets can be found on the ISC website and further information about school partnerships can be found of the Schools Together website.
