Headship & being a Chair of Governors can be lonely. At DMAT you are never alone. Whether it be teacher development, staffing matters, practical help with an IT issue, we are a team and there is always someone available to listen and speak to. Within DMAT there are great opportunities to develop evidence informed practice with our research school, growing our own future teachers through our SCITT, career progression, shared posts and governor training. We work together, but understand the importance of schools retaining autonomy and their own individual identity. This is very important to us. As a trust we are committed to supporting school leaders and governors to achieve their vision for their school.
- DMAT leaders work together to share the load
- DMAT leaders are all school based
There are a number of real benefits in being part of DMAT. From my perspective I’ve picked out the 3 most important: 1. Enhanced capacity – we can draw from the shared experience of DMAT Board Members, staff and governors from both schools thus giving access to the advice, help and support of a wider range of people and a wider range of experiences and skills. This enables the roles and responsibilities of governors to be undertaken more effectively 2. Increased flexibility for support and response – an important benefit of being in DMAT is the ability to respond quickly with support and actions to local and national events. During the COVID-19 crisis, for example, it was through the close working relationship between the DMAT Board and School Governors Board that not only the monitoring responsibilities were undertaken but appropriate decisions were made in a timely manner and support for the wellbeing of both staff and students was provided 3. Greater opportunities for supporting teaching and learning – the school has a strong history of partnership working with local universities and other schools. However, the presence of the Durrington Research School, shared cultures of evidence informed practice and the South Downs SCITT amplifies the opportunities for developing the expertise of staff thus supporting the education of students in the school. Good governance supports the education of the students in our school. I believe that being part of DMAT strengthens us in fulfilling our role.
As Chair of the local governing board at The Laurels Primary School, I believe that the collaborative relationship with Trustees, governors and staff within DMAT brings new and valuable perspectives to the work of the governing board. Working across the key stages from EYFS to KS4 gives a much greater insight into our community and the needs of the families that live here. This in turn allows us to take the long view and to plan strategically and effectively, always in the best interests of the children that attend DMAT schools. This continuity gives a shared vision of ambition and success that can be nurtured and fostered throughout a pupil’s whole school experience. Access to the knowledge and expertise of the leadership team, Trustees and governors across the Trust provides a much greater insight into some of the more complex issues we face. The Durrington Research School is integral to DMAT and we are fortunate to benefit first hand from their exemplary work and insight into some of the most difficult and challenging issues currently faced by schools. As part of DMAT, governors are able to work within a supportive and collaborative environment which provides a framework for effective and successful governance