This is part of the government’s Best Start in Life strategy, which focuses on giving every child the strongest possible start to their education. 

Glebe is one of just 45 schools across the country selected for this role. It recognises their strong early years provision and the brilliant leadership at the school who are committed to supporting others. 

From this summer, Glebe will lead a network of schools across Stoke and Staffordshire. It’s about schools working together, sharing what works and making sure every child benefits from high-quality early education.

As a Trust, we believe in people helping people. This network brings that to life, connecting teachers and leaders so that good practice is shared. It also works both ways. While Glebe supports other schools, they’ll also bring back new ideas and the latest research into their own classrooms.

The programme supports a national ambition for 75% of children to reach a good level of development by the end of Reception by 2028. It’s a great programme to help give children the strongest early start and better prepare for the rest of their school life. 

What Glebe will do

As a Lead School, they’ll work alongside colleagues across the region to support high-quality practice, including:

• Sharing knowledge - creating space for open, honest conversations about what works in the classroom
• Opening their doors - giving other practitioners the chance to see strong practice in action
• Working together - using shared tools and approaches to improve outcomes for all children

This recognition reflects the hard work and care shown by the team at Glebe every day. It’s a great chance to make a huge difference for children and communities. 

Kirsty Suleman, Headteacher at Co-op Academy Glebe, said: