The Exmoor Federation - Strategic Partnership with the Moorland Federation

Dear Parent or Carer

We wrote to you in December, setting out the achievements of the past year and the Governing Body’s plans for the one to come. Last month, we also shared the conclusions of the graded OFSTED inspection that took place at the Dulverton Junior School last November. The school was graded ‘Requires Improvement’ but the report highlighted positive developments taking place at the school and that we are heading in the right direction. To address the wider challenges facing the schools and issues flagged by all three OFSTED inspections, the Governing Body, supported by Somerset Education and the Diocese of Bath & Wells, has been looking to explore partnerships with other educational organisations to enable our schools to deliver a better quality of education for your children and better value, given the budgetary constraints all maintained schools are operating within.

We are writing to confirm that, after careful deliberation, we have decided to partner with the Moorland Federation, which includes five schools on Exmoor (Cutcombe, Dunster, Exford, St. Dubricius and Timberscombe) and also supports one at Langford Budville. This partnership will operate to ensure our schools in Dulverton retain their individual character, but benefit from access to more resources, knowledge and skills available within the team that manages the Moorland Federation, led by the Executive Headteacher Ms Naomi Philp. Ms Philp will work alongside Mr Keith Mansell for the next two terms. A key point we want to address is the recruitment of a permanent appointee to lead the schools when Keith Mansell’s contract of five terms comes to an end this Summer. Consequently, we will recruit a Head of School to lead our schools and the Nursery, working to Ms Philp as Executive Head Teacher when they commence their appointment in September. An initial Service Level Agreement was approved by the Governing Body and signed by us as Co-Chairs and Frances Nicholson, Co-Chair for the Moorland Federation, last Thursday February 2nd 2023. Our shared goal is to see the impact of this new collaboration evident in our schools in the weeks ahead. Looking further ahead, we want to see pupils at our partner’s schools benefit from access to the facilities we are so fortunate to have here in Dulverton, and the opportunities we can provide them here, as they continue their education. This new agreement and the strategic partnership itself, with a new leadership structure, is designed to improve the quality of education provided, secure a long term, viable future for our schools in Dulverton and ensure these play a full role in the education of young people on Exmoor. In the next Half Term, we will be arranging an opportunity for you to meet with your schools’ leaders, the governing body and representatives for our partner, the Moorland Federation and we look forward to seeing you then.

Thank you

Kate Northen & Bill Gash – Co-Chairs, Governing Body, The Exmoor Federation.