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Agora Associates
In September 2021, the Agora Learning Partnership launched the Together Strategy. The Strategy details how everybody across the Partnership will work together over a three-year period to secure Trust-wide improvement. The core purpose of the strategy is to enhance, and not replace, the individual work of schools and assist in improving the life chances of the children and young people within and across the Partnership…ultimately helping them to flourish and achieve the very best outcomes in all aspects of school life and beyond.
One aspect of the Together Strategy focusses on the development of staff and there is recognition within the ‘Together for Staff’ strand that to retain the Partnership’s talented staff, it is essential to recognise and celebrate their achievements, whilst giving them opportunities to share their skills, knowledge and expertise.
In the summer term 2022, a Partnership-wide ‘talent spotting’ system was launched which resulted in ‘Agora Associates’ being appointed across the Trust.
What is an Agora Associate?
An Agora Associate is a member of staff, from any one of the staff groups within the Partnership, who has been recognised as being talented in one or more aspects of their work as the result of a formal application process.
The talents of an Agora Associate can be very specific (for example, a member of a school’s administrative team who is exceptional in their use of Arbor, a teaching assistant who is remarkable in the support they offer children with a specific need or a teacher who is highly effective in the teaching of a specific curriculum area, such as phonics) or very broad (which would include those staff who are exceptional in all aspects of their role and responsibilities).
With the support and agreement from their Headteacher, an Agora Associate will give some of their time within their working hours to support colleagues in need of help, support or training linked to the Agora Associate’s area of talent. The support will take a variety of forms; examples include a visit or visits to another school to support a member of staff (or group of staff), leading a Partnership-wide collaborative working group or delivering a training session on behalf of the Trust.
Staff will not receive payment for this work but will, instead, benefit from this remarkable opportunity for professional development.
Becoming an Agora Associate enables staff to offer support across the Partnership for a limited amount of time, whilst continuing to carry out their roles and responsibilities in school.
How are Agora Associates deployed?
Once appointed, the name and specific talents of each Agora Associate will be added to a matrix developed centrally. The Agora Associates will then be deployed to support other schools and colleagues when the need arises.
All deployments are agreed with the Agora Associate and their Headteacher/Executive Headteacher, ensuring there is sufficient capacity.
Thereafter, the Agora Associate will be deployed (within their working hours) for a set period of time; generally, no more than three days in total in any one academic year.
On completion of the work, the Agora Associate and the relevant school leaders will complete evaluations to determine the impact of the support.
How will the Partnership help the Agora Associates prepare for their new role?
All Agora Associates will be invited to attend induction sessions to help them prepare for the Agora Associate role. This will be followed by further training sessions over time.
How can a member of staff become an Agora Associate?
All staff who are interested in becoming an Agora Associate will need to complete the application form below and submit it to HR@agoralearning.co.uk
All applications will need to be supported by the respective Headteacher/Executive Headteacher (or in the event of the Headteacher/Executive wishing to apply, the Chair of the Academy Governing Body).