Darlington Education Partnerships
Schools and colleges in Darlington work together to support all children and young people in the community.
The local authority, education providers, and leaders meet and plan jointly through groups such as:
- the Education Strategy Group
- the Primary Heads Forum
- the 11–19 Partnership
These groups are supported by several smaller sub‑groups
The Education Strategy Group (ESG) sets the overall direction for how education partners work together across Darlington.
It works closely with the:
- Early Years ESG
- Primary Heads Forum
- 11–19 Partnership
- Vulnerable Pupil Panel
- and other partnership groups
The ESG leads and supports agreed partnership projects and programmes, including those that receive funding.
The Early Years Education Strategy Group (EYESG) has members from:
- the local authority
- schools
- private, voluntary and independent (PVI) early years settings
- childminders
The purpose of the group is to develop a shared understanding of early years services in Darlington. They share information and work together to make sure early years services are good quality. They also make sure there are enough spaces for everyone.
The Primary Heads Forum meets several times each year.
It includes:
- nursery school headteachers
- primary school headteachers
- local authority officers
At each meeting, the group usually:
- hears presentations from guest speakers
- covers regular items
- takes part in planned discussions where headteachers can share ideas and experiences or raise matters of concern
The 11–19 Partnership is a group of senior leaders who work together to support young people aged 11-19.
The group includes people from:
- schools
- colleges
- work‑based learning providers
- Darlington Borough Council
The Partnership also has several smaller sub‑groups. These groups include people from different partner organisations and help the Partnership carry out its work.
The sub‑groups include the:
- Leadership Group
- Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) Forum
- Exams Officers Network
These groups work together to make sure young people get the support they need.
- Membership list [pdf document]
- Structure [pdf document]
- All members of the 11-19 Partnership have agreed and signed the Partnership Agreement [pdf document]
The VPP meets every three weeks during school term time.
People on the panel come from:
- all Darlington schools
- different support and multi‑agency teams
- the local authority
The VPP works together to:
- make sure vulnerable pupils get the right support
- help pupils access the most suitable education for their needs