Windsor Academy Trust Opening Gateways to Collaboration

Windsor Academy Trust’s (WAT) strategic collaboration with NHS trusts began when a meeting between WAT’s CEO and and the CEO of a group of four NHS trusts took place following an introduction by a shared trustee. 

Conversations initially focused on seeking to understand more about each other’s sectors and knowledge- sharing in areas such as strategy, financial sustainability and governance. Quickly, three strategic areas to focus collaborative endeavours were identified:

• Preventing health issues in young people
• Establishing neighbourhood health services on school sites
• Developing the future NHS workforce

Discussions underscored that a collaborative approach would yield the most meaningful impact over time. Education significantly influences health, and schools possess a unique capacity to shape societal behaviour and choices. To enact shared aspirations, it was crucial to establish a gateway connecting NHS trust CEOs with school trust CEOs, and headteachers and school-based civic leaders to facilitate collaboration.

WAT’s CEO and the CEO of a group of NHS trusts initiated efforts to connect local health providers and schools in each of their geographic areas. This involved aligning and connecting other school and NHS trusts outside of their own in order to facilitate this broader collaboration.

This approach has borne fruit, with Windsor Academy Trust forging meaningful partnerships with NHS trusts directly serving its school communities, including Stoke and North Staffordshire NHS Integrated Care Board, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System and Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.

Numerous initiatives, spanning prevention, neighbourhood health services in schools, and workforce development, are now underway.