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School sector leaders have been appointed as regional co-chairs to help drive a programme aimed at raising standards in key stage 3.

They will help lead the work of the Key Stage 3 RISE Alliance in each of the nine regions in England.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson launched the alliance earlier this year, with the aim of building an evidence base for what works in Years 7-9.

Now, a timetable for the alliance’s work and plans for regional networks have been revealed.

The alliance will operate over “a three-year trajectory”:

• Year 1: establish shared purpose, confirm priorities and launch regional networks
• Year 2: test and evaluate effective practice
• Year 3: scale and embed what works across the system

Pupil attendance and literacy to be tracked

Progress will be tracked through a set of indicators, including attendance, literacy and numeracy, pupil engagement, and readiness for key stage 4.

It was announced earlier this year that Becks Boomer-Clark, chief executive of Lift Schools (a multi-academy trust with 23 secondaries and 31 primaries), and Dame Lesley Powell, chief executive of the North East Learning Trust (which has eight secondaries and five primaries), will co-chair the new alliance.

And now 17 leaders from academy trusts, schools and a local authority have been chosen to lead work in the regions.

A network of regional alliances will bring together schools and trusts, identify and share effective practice, lead peer review and improvement cycles, and feed insights into the national programme.

The move comes after the recent Francis review of curriculum and assessment warned that there is slow progress in the earlier years of secondary and a need to “maintain momentum”.

Co-chairs Ms Boomer-Clark and Dame Lesley said: “Key stage 3 has become the forgotten middle of our school system, yet it is where too many young people lose their sense of belonging and engagement begins to dip.

“If we are serious about improving outcomes and narrowing gaps, we need a much sharper focus on these years. This alliance brings together leaders to do exactly that - working collectively to back what works and give these years the focus they deserve.”
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