If you would like to give your views or have any specific aspects of the proposal you would like clarified, please complete the consultation response form: HERE

We have started off with the questions that we as governors, board members and school leaders asked when we began considering federating our two schools.

Responses to frequently asked questions are updated here once a week.

This page was last updated on 12th January 2026.

FAQs

w/b 06/01/26

Who will be the Executive Headteacher?

Jenny Lewis, currently Interim Executive Headteacher across both schools, will be the Executive Headteacher for the Federation.

Will staff be asked/expected to work across either school?

Staff will maintain their school specific job description and would not be expected to work in the other school unless they apply for a role that is across both schools. There will be opportunities for joint staff development/training.

What about jobs?

Federating creates additional opportunities through shared roles and career pathways. There are no current plans for changes to the staffing structure.

Will my child's education change?

Day-to-day classroom experience remains the same. What improves is access to broader expertise, additional enrichment opportunities, and enhanced specialist support when needed.

Will my child have to travel to the other school?

No. Children will continue to attend their own school building. Some enhanced activities or specialist provision might offer occasional opportunities for cross-site experiences, but this federation is not about merging the two schools, the main shared function is governance and leadership oversight.

Will you close one school?

Whether schools close or not is a decision made by the Local Authority and is dependent on numerous factors. The Local Authority has confirmed that there are no planned closures for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years. The reason we are federating is to provide stable strong foundations for both schools to enable them to thrive. 

What about the deaf provision?

Laycock's regional deaf provision is a strength we're championing and protecting. The partnership has already strengthened provision through improved targeted training, development of the deaf resource hub within the provision and joint partnership working with external professionals/organisations. Federating provides additional strategic oversight and financial stability. Qualified Teachers of the Deaf (QTOD) support remains in place and specialist expertise will be enhanced. 

Will deaf children still receive the same level of support?

Yes. Qualified Teachers of the Deaf support specialist assessment, and support and interventions continue unchanged. Federating enhances the sustainability and resources available to the provision. Each deaf child will continue to receive support from highly qualified specialist teachers with mandatory qualifications in deafness.

Why not join a multi-academy trust?

We are committed to community-focused education within the local authority framework. Federating allows us to gain benefits of collaboration while remaining accountable to Islington families and maintaining our community school ethos.

What if the schools don't work well together?

We have two years of successful collaboration demonstrating our compatibility. The Federation structure includes governance oversight and clear protocols for resolving any issues that arise.

Are there plans to develop the Federation further with other schools?

All our current efforts are focused on setting up the Federation for Laycock and Thornhill. Of course, we can’t predict the future, but any expansion would be subject to consultation, and would need to align with the Vision and Values of our Federation.  

Isn't this just about saving money? What's really in it for our children?

Yes, federating can support financial sustainability - but that's not the purpose. The real opportunity is about what that stability enables for children:

• Access to broader expertise and specialist support across both schools.
• Enhanced curriculum and enrichment opportunities neither school could provide alone.
• Deaf children benefit from inclusive teaching practices informed by Qualified Teachers of the Deaf expertise.
• Protection and enhancement of the regional deaf specialist  provision.
• Career-ready staff who want to stay, grow and innovate with us.
• Meaningful connections with children from neighbouring schools, developing social bonds and a sense of belonging to their local community.
• The experience of being part of something bigger - a network of schools working together, modeling collaboration and community.

In a city as large and diverse as London, it's easy for families to feel isolated even when living close together. By working together through federation we can create intentional opportunities for connection, helping children develop social capital, empathy, and a strong sense of place in our corner of Islington.

This isn't about institutional survival - it's about creating the conditions for children to thrive, both academically and socially.

Why Thornhill and Laycock, why not other schools?

This partnership began when Laycock Primary School needed leadership support and Thornhill Primary School was seeking opportunities to develop partnerships and extend their leadership capacity. After two successful years this is the natural next step.

FAQs

w/b 12/01/26

Q. How will staff movements between schools be managed? Will one school lose teachers to the other?

A. One of the key benefits of federation is creating career development opportunities that help us retain excellent, ambitious staff within our schools rather than losing them to other schools or boroughs entirely. This was identified as a priority when we began working together two years ago and is increasingly important for London schools where there is competition for excellent staff.

Multi-Academy Trusts have long benefited from offering career pathways across multiple schools. Federation brings this same advantage to maintained community schools - excellent staff can progress and develop without leaving, which benefits both the staff members and our pupils.

How this works in practice:

Both schools are already benefiting from collaboration, with staff working together to develop curriculum content, undertake joint training, and share expertise in areas like inclusive practice and SEND support. Federation formalises these reciprocal professional relationships while ensuring each school maintains its staffing complement.

As there are no changes to terms and conditions of employment, staff remain contracted to their individual schools. The proposed federation aims to provide greater opportunities for personnel to work collaboratively across both sites, sharing best practice and engaging in professional peer-to-peer learning. Over time, opportunities may arise for staff to be employed across both schools or to access TLR (Teaching and Learning Responsibility) payments for leadership roles that span the federation and staff may choose to apply for promotional vacancies advertised within the partner school.

Structural protections:

• Each school maintains its own staffing budget and structure
• Staff continue to be employed by their current school
• Career opportunities enhance retention across both schools

Staff development and career progression are indicators of a thriving organisation. Federation creates the conditions for our excellent teachers to stay and grow with us, bringing their developing expertise to benefit children across both schools.

Q. How will you measure whether the federation is successful? How will we know it's working?

A. This is an important question, and we're clear about what success looks like.

Each school remains distinct

First, it's essential to understand that while we'll share one governing body, and the two schools have come together to form this proposal because we have identified a shared vision and values, Thornhill and Laycock will remain separate schools with their own identities:

• Each school continues to be inspected individually by Ofsted with separate ratings
• Each school maintains its own budget based on its pupil numbers and needs
• Each school keeps its name, character, and ethos

Success means each school thrives as itself, not that we become identical.

What success looks like for pupils

The fundamental test is whether children continue to receive the high standards of education we expect, or better, through federation than either school could provide alone:

• Maintaining and raising standards: High attainment and progress for all pupils, with each child reaching their full potential
• A broader, better offer: Access to specialist teaching, enhanced enrichment activities, and curriculum experiences that extend beyond what a single small primary can provide independently
• Smoother transitions and stronger wellbeing: Pupils develop confidence from being part of a school with enhanced capacity and resources, benefiting from improved pastoral support

What success looks like for leadership and staff

• Stable, strategic leadership: The Executive Headteacher model provides both schools with experienced senior leadership capacity, allowing Heads of School to focus on excellent teaching and learning rather than being stretched across multiple competing priorities
• Professional development that retains talent: Staff have enhanced career progression opportunities and access to (and opportunities to develop) specialist expertise, which means excellent teachers stay and develop within the family of schools and Islington rather than leaving for opportunities elsewhere.  By retaining skills and expertise within our family of schools both schools will continue to benefit through our collaboration and shared expertise.
• Shared expertise: Both schools benefit from staff collaboration on curriculum development, moderation and assessment of pupil progress, and joint training that strengthens teaching across both schools
• Efficiency and support: A unified leadership model helps to reduce the workload for both leaders and staff by removing the need to do the same task twice. By working as one team, the schools can share administrative work and resources, allowing staff to spend more time on teaching and learning. This structure also creates a better balance of responsibilities; rather than one person managing a subject alone, staff can share the pressure and support one another across both schools.

How the governing body will monitor success

The federated governing body has three core responsibilities: setting strategic direction, holding the Executive Headteacher to account for educational performance, and ensuring financial resources are well spent.

The board will evaluate the federation through:

• School performance data: Tracking pupil progress, attainment, and wellbeing in both schools
• Stakeholder confidence: Regular surveys of parents, staff, and pupils to ensure the federation maintains trust and delivers what our communities need
• Financial sustainability: Monitoring how collaboration creates efficiencies that can be reinvested in teaching and learning
• Board effectiveness: Regular self-evaluation to ensure governors are providing robust oversight and challenge

Being realistic about timelines

Some benefits will be immediate - formalising successful leadership arrangements provides stability from day one. Other benefits - like enhanced curriculum opportunities or career pathways - will develop over the first few years as we build on our existing collaboration.

We're committing to building something stronger and more sustainable for both schools, measured by tangible improvements that benefit every child.

Why we're doing this proactively

The long-term viability of individual primary schools that are not part of a Community Schools Federation or a Multi-Academy Trust is increasingly uncertain in the current education landscape. By proactively choosing to form a federation between two schools with shared vision and values, who are neighbours and have the support of the local authority, we are setting our own course for the future rather than being forced to follow the currents.

This is a strategic decision made from a position of strength, not a crisis response.

Our commitment

If the federation isn't delivering the benefits we've identified, the governing body has a responsibility to review and address this. Both schools are entering this partnership because the evidence shows it works.

This isn't about managing decline or making do. But it is about being realistic about the current and future challenges that individual schools face and the current and future policy direction. It's about creating the conditions for both schools to be more ambitious in what we offer children, more sustainable in how we operate, and more effective in how we deliver excellent education.

Q. Who leads the deaf provision and how will federation strengthen it?

In January 2026, Ms Sangha was appointed as Lead Teacher for the Deaf Provision at Laycock. She brings specialist expertise in deaf education and is working closely with the Senior Leadership Team at Laycock to strengthen and develop the provision.

What our partnership has already delivered

Over the past two years, the partnership between our schools has demonstrably strengthened the deaf provision:

• Secured funding: The provision now benefits from a renewed funding agreement with Islington LA, secured through the strategic leadership of Miss Lewis as Interim Executive Headteacher
• Enhanced strategic oversight: Ms Sangha has direct access to Executive Headteacher support and direction
• Increased specialist capacity: We’ve increased the number of Qualified Teachers of the Deaf (QToD) since the partnership began 
• Stronger external partnerships: We've built strengthened relationships with regional specialist agencies
• Protected capacity: The deaf provision's capacity has been protected within the school structure, ensuring it remains central to Laycock's identity and purpose

These are not aspirations - they're achievements already delivered through collaborative working.

How federation strengthens this further

Federation builds on this success by providing additional safeguards and enhancements:

• Governance expertise: The federated governing body will include a deaf education specialist governor, ensuring specialist understanding at strategic level
• Enhanced accountability: Formal governance structure with clear accountability for provision outcomes
• Shared resources and expertise: Access to training and resources across both schools, increasing awareness and understanding of deaf education throughout the federation
• Long-term stability: Federation provides the structural foundation to maintain and develop the provision's regional reputation as a centre of excellence

Continued excellence

The core priorities remain unchanged and protected:

• All deaf pupils continue to receive support from Qualified Teachers of the Deaf (QTOD)
• Specialist assessments and tailored interventions are maintained
• The provision's specialist character is safeguarded as central to Laycock's identity
• We have secured capital funding to deliver acoustic improvements across the school, including assistive technology to further enhance the learning experience for all children.

The partnership has already strengthened the deaf provision. Federation formalises and secures these gains, ensuring the provision has the strategic backing, resources, and governance oversight it needs not just to continue, but to thrive as a regional centre of excellence.

Q. Can the Executive Headteacher really give both schools the attention they need?

This is a fair question, and it's important to be clear about how leadership has worked over the past two years and how it would work within federation going forward.

The past two years: establishing strong foundations

When our partnership began in April 2023, Laycock needed intensive leadership support to establish strong operational foundations following previous leadership turnover. Miss Lewis focused time and energy at Laycock to put the basics in place - stable staffing, clear systems, improved attendance, and secured funding for the deaf provision.

This was the right priority for that phase.  At Thornhill Paul Robinson, as Acting Headteacher, has provided strong day-to-day leadership throughout, and the school has continued to thrive.

Two years on, those foundations at Laycock are now established. The school is stable, improving, and ready to build on this progress.

How federation leadership would work going forward

Federation formalises a sustainable leadership model for both schools:

Strategic vs operational leadership:

• Jenny Lewis (Executive Headteacher) provides strategic leadership, vision, and accountability across both schools
• Paul Robinson (Head of School at Thornhill) and Fred Hall (Head of School at Laycock) lead day-to-day operations at their schools
• Each school has dedicated senior leadership onsite every day
• Both Heads of School and Senior Leaders have direct access to Executive Headteacher support when needed

Why this model works:

This structure is well-established across London primary federations and offers benefits that single-school headship doesn't:

• Broader perspective on school improvement
• Shared expertise on complex issues like SEND, safeguarding, and curriculum development
• Enhanced support for Heads of School who can learn from each other
• More robust leadership structure with distributed capacity

The evidence from two years:

• Pupil attendance improved at Laycock by 4% and remained strong at Thornhill
• Both schools have maintained stable, effective teaching teams
• Both schools have continued to develop and improve
• Partnership working has created additional capacity rather than depleting it

Results at both schools demonstrate that our partnership is facilitating both schools to continue to improve:

The combined measure shows the percentage of Year 6 pupils achieving the expected standard (EXS) or above in reading, writing AND maths - this is the key accountability measure for primary schools.

• Laycock: Combined achievement in reading, writing and maths improved dramatically from 34% (2023) to 64% (2025), now above the national average of 62% (2025), demonstrating significant progress in preparing pupils for secondary school
• Thornhill: Combined achievement improved from 76% (2023) to 88% (2025), maintaining performance well above the national average of 62% (2025), with particular strength in Greater Depth Standard results showing excellent stretch for higher attaining pupils

What federation provides

Now that Laycock has strong foundations in place, federation provides the governance structure for both schools to move forward together on a more equal footing. The intensive phase of establishing basics is complete. Federation formalises a sustainable model where strategic leadership is shared, but each school has the operational leadership capacity it needs.

Rather than "dividing" leadership, federation creates a stronger, more resilient leadership structure that benefits both schools. The model we're proposing has been tested over two years and proven to work - federation now secures this for the long term.