Alliance for Learning – collaboration to combat C19

Teaching Schools bring people together to collaborate, learn together, provide school improvement support and to support the next generation of teachers and leaders. But above all Teaching Schools provide a ‘community’ for education.

Our Alliance for Learning teaching school based at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls has not only been working hard to move much of the current school work to remote delivery/remote support but also been supporting the NHS with PPE.

Lisa Fathers, the Director of Teaching School and Partnerships, began organising a logistical operation of transporting 3D printers from across schools in Greater Manchester to answer a call out for 3D Printers and managed a logistical operation of transporting them from across schools in Greater Manchester in a safe way whilst maintaining ‘social distancing’.

Supported by the Greater Manchester Learning Partnership, she and her team have worked with schools including Bury College, Sacred Heart Primary School in Gorton, St Peter’s RC Primary School in Blackburn, St Monica’s Primary School in Flixton, All Hallows in Salford, Warrington UTC and Blessed Trinity RC College in Burnley – they have all provided printers while the D & T Department at AGGS is making masks for Wythenshawe Hospital and another partner school – Beaumont Collegiate Academy & STEM Centre (Fab Lab) – has been producing thousands of key components of PPE and other essential medical equipment for the NHS, involving modifying snorkels to help give lifesaving oxygen to patients.

Lisa says: “Teaching Schools bring people together to collaborate, learn together, provide school improvement support and to support the next generation of teachers and leaders. But above all Teaching Schools provide a ‘community’ for education. I have never been so proud of our sector; the innovation coupled with the sense of community in our teaching school alliance and beyond is humbling.”

Chris Hillidge, Director of STEM at Beaumont Collegiate Academy and Director of Warrington FabLab added: “The devices we are producing to connect to diving masks are saving lives across the northwest and we are glad we can play a small part in the nation’s efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

“In addition, we are providing hundreds of pieces of PPE for our frontline NHS workers to prevent them from becoming ill whilst caring for their patients. We are very proud to be able to support our fantastic NHS.”