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Jodie is an experienced Peer Reviewer and describes the most rewarding part of the role as supporting schools across the Trust through visits, observing their development, and seeing the impact of changes during follow‑up reviews. She highlights the mutual benefits of sharing good practice, the challenge of resisting the urge to make direct recommendations, and the importance of evidence‑based, kind and collaborative feedback.
Jodie emphasises that peer review is a collective process grounded in trust‑wide accountability, strong preparation, awareness of school context and effective time management. She concludes that visiting other schools is one of the richest forms of professional development, offering valuable insights to bring back to her own setting.
Catherine Stalham, CEO of South Essex Academy Trust, reflects on the impact of the Schools Partnership Programme (SPP) as the Trust enters its fifth year of the journey.
In her interview, Catherine highlights the significant impact of the peer review programme on pupil outcomes, teacher confidence and leadership development across the Trust. She describes how open, honest reflection and a shared culture of ‘improve, not prove’ have strengthened systems, increased consistency in teaching – particularly in maths – and deepened joint accountability across schools.
Catherine also shares examples of middle leaders growing in confidence, schools improving through collaborative inquiry, and staff adopting coaching‑based approaches that empower colleagues to find their own solutions. Overall, the programme has supported a shift from top‑down improvement to a culture driven by empowered practitioners working together to achieve sustained, meaningful change.