The KAS approach to partnerships with mutual – and meaningful – benefits

Posted on: 12 Nov 2025

Posted by: Liz Robinson

Putting mutual benefit at the heart of collaboration unlocks the true power of partnerships and results in impactful learning experiences for everyone involved, writes Liz Robinson from The King Alfred School.

At The King Alfred School (KAS), one of our great strengths is the ability to be truly ‘independent’. Using that independence to make bold, innovative decisions about curriculum, pedagogy and school culture allows us to create a learning environment that is truly distinctive – and which sets the school apart. But independence doesn’t mean isolation.

Far from being an ‘ivory tower’ accessible only to a privileged few, KAS is deeply committed to sharing its insights and learning approaches with others. At the same time, we also listen to – and learn from – others.

That’s because we believe that collaboration is most powerful when it is rooted in mutual benefit, where all parties contribute, learn and grow together. This ethos drives our partnerships, ensuring they are thoughtful, inclusive and impactful.

In an education landscape that is increasingly complex and fragmented, deep relationships and meaningful collaboration are not just valuable – they are essential. Whether through joint projects, shared professional development or student-led initiatives, our partnerships are designed to enrich learning experiences for everyone involved.

For the first time in our 125-plus year history, we have captured this work in a new publication: Partnerships at KAS. Released this month, during the ISC's Partnerships Week, it details the range of work we undertake with other schools, institutions and organisations.

Key examples include:

• The Schools Directed Courses Consortium, a network of schools developing and offering alternative courses to GCSEs, which KAS was the driving force in establishing;

• Connections, our programme of careers events that sees a panel of experts from specific industries (ranging from film-making to artificial intelligence) share insights into their careers, to which local state school students are invited;

• Rethinking Assessment, a non-partisan coalition of school leaders (both state and independent), researchers, policymakers, employers and higher education representatives working to broaden and modernise assessment and better prepare young people for a dynamic world, of which our deputy head is a founding member and head is a leading member;

• The half-day each week that our school counsellor, Tracy Preston, spends delivering free student sessions at a neighbouring state school, helping to establish the school’s own counselling service in the process;

• Our ongoing practice of inviting educators, policymakers and changemakers, such as Ron Berger, Gwyn ap Harri and Preethi Vickram, to visit our school and experience our signature progressive practices in action – and taking the opportunity to learn from their experiences and practices.

We are proud of the work we do in this space and grateful to the many partner organisations who share our commitment to working together for the benefit of all children and young people.