The Woodland Federation of Peak District Schools was formalised in 2018, seeing the collaboration between Great Hucklow CE and Peak Forest CE Primary Schools becoming a formal arrangement recognised by the Department for Education.  In September 2021, following a two-year collaboration, Stoney Middleton CE Primary School formally joined the federation.

This new model of leadership heralded exciting new opportunities, opportunities that allowed the schools to prepare for the future and brought possibilities of development for our children and our staff.   The children of our schools shared lots of experiences, prior to COVID lockdowns affecting our ability to mix, such as shared residentials, sporting activities and educational visits.  Since lockdown measures have been lifted, we have taken the opportunity to bring our children together on a more regular basis in the form of our ‘Together Days’.  ‘Together Days’ take place each Monday and Friday throughout the school year.  These days allow our children to learn together in a larger cohort, with all EYFS and KS1 children working together at one site and all KS2 at another.  During these days, the children are taught music by peripatetic music teachers, experience Woodland Learning (delivered by our very own Forest School trained leader), PE with a PE specialist and generally have lots of fun!  The children are transported to their alternative sites in our very own minibus, driven by members of our staff team.

The headteacher and deputy share their time across the three schools and are supported by members of the Senior Leadership team, including the Special Educational Needs Coordinator, who also works across the three sites.  Our staff team all work together, and all teaching staff have clear subject leadership opportunities, allowing us the opportunity to develop our staff skills and our curriculum to bring our children the very best that a small school has to offer!