The Five Pits Partnership of Schools (5PPS)

The Five Pits Partnership (5PPS) is a formal collaboration that brings together 12 schools with the aim of improving educational opportunities for the young people of the area. The 12 schools, which are all members of the Tibshelf Cluster, include two infant schools, a junior school, eight primary schools and a community school.

The schools in and around Tibshelf formed a local cluster over 15 years ago and have a history of working well together across a number of areas from sport to shared resources. As headteachers have come and gone, new members have been welcomed into the cluster and we have moved towards a more formal, collaborative method of working.  

With the current educational landscape constantly shifting, The Five Pits Partnership will continue to look to the future and to its role in supporting systems leadership across this area of Derbyshire, in order to positively influence the education of children in the wider community.

Our Vision:

To provide excellent educational experiences and outcomes so that all pupils in the 5 Pits Partnership attend a school that is at least ‘Good’ or better.

The aims of the Five Pits Partnership are to:                                                               

• Raise aspiration of children staff and governors by offering high quality, inclusive and enriching learning experiences
• Secure strong strategic leadership
• Maintain and develop individual character, ethos and distinctiveness of each school.
• Achieve economies of scale of 5PPS to ensure cost effective services, including training and development

The Five Pits Partnership currently has in place:

• Memorandum of Understanding
• Credible Plan - the structure by which we will support each school to improve and develop
• Regular meetings for all stakeholders (senior leaders, teaching staff, admin staff, Governors, SENCo)
• A Partnership Development Plan
• A Partnership Parliament

The Five Pits Partnership Parliament

Our children are also involved in collaborative ways of working.  Each school elects two school councillors from each key stage to form part of the Partnership Parliament.  This Council meets termly to work on community developments and fundraising initiatives. 

Members of the Five Pits Partnership:

• Blackwell Primary School
• Heath Primary School
• Mickley Infant School
• Morton Primary School
• Newton Primary School
• Pilsley Primary School
• Shirland Primary School
• Stonebroom Primary School
• Stretton Handley CoE Primary School
• Tibshelf Community School
• Tibshelf Infant & Nursery School
• Town End Junior School
• Westhouses Primary School

Memorandum of Understanding - please click HERE