Carol builds a new pyramid (From Stroud News and Journal)

Carol builds a new pyramid

IT would be easy to assume schools were locked in a fierce competitive battle for pupils thesedays and that may well be the case in some areas but not in Stroud.

Sam Bond talks to Carol Endacott about the Stroud Pyramid, a consortium of local schools she has helped nurture. As she prepares to step down from her role as co-ordinator of that consortium, Carol explains why our schools are in a class of their own...

"We all know each other in Stroud and we work together and co-operate," said Carol Endacott, co-ordinator of the Stroud Pyramid.

Strange words from an educationalist in what often seems to be an increasingly dog-eat-dog environment. But then the Pyramid is pretty unusual.

"There is certainly nothing like it in Gloucestershire," said Carol. "And there may not be anything quite like it in the country."

Many people in Stroud may be familiar with the Pyramid, as its annual exhibition in St Laurence's Church is one of the highlights of the educational calendar.

But what exactly is it and what does it do? "It's a consortium of local schools," said Carol.

"Primary schools, secondary schools and now Stroud College are all involved. "But it's always been based on the comprehensive school principle.

"It's original purpose was really to establish Maidenhill, Archway and Thomas Keble after the reorganisation, to stop them becoming second class schools compared with the two selective schools.

"Things have moved on since then and the comprehensives in Stroud have grown hugely in strength and popularity.

"So the grammar schools aren't the huge threat they were when we started 12 years ago and even they are going to be joining the Pyramid now."

While the original union of the three comprehensives is still at the heart of the Pyramid it has adapted over the years to meet the changing challenges faced by the education sector.

When stripped down to its basics, the Pyramid serves two roles.

First and foremost, it allows the schools to share ideas and information, to tell each other of their successes and any problems they might have run into.

But, almost like a workers union, it also gives the schools added clout when it comes to dealing with the LEA and other authorities. "It's all about co-operation and sharing," said Carol.

"It's a really healthy forum for all the different phases of education to get together and talk about problems.

"We get national initiatives that effect everybody and they can be quite daunting or confusing.

"Especially if you're a little primary school, you can come and discuss with the management committee what the latest changes are all about."

The committee is made up of the heads of all the comprehensive schools plus six primary representatives, the principal of the college and special school representatives.

"If it weren't for the Pyramid it would be very rare for all these people to get together," said Carol.

"And it's all very democratic." At the end of the day the whole focus is, of course, to improve the quality of education and make school life more enjoyable for the children.

Links between senior and junior schools make the transition from one to the other less traumatic for the young pupils and benefit the older students too, who learn useful social and leadership skills.

"We have a programme where students at Thomas Keble write letters to the children at Eastcombe Primary, for example, to let them know what to expect and make them feel welcome," said Carol.

"And at Archway the older students go into the primary schools to help the pupils with their reading."

And it is not just the pupils who directly benefit from the co-operation either. The Pyramid organises working days for teachers, so those who specialise in the same subjects can get together and discuss what works, and what does not, in the classroom. It also paves the way for schools to share resources and even teachers.

"For example, we've had the art specialists from secondary schools going into the primaries to do workshops with the children. "All this co-operation is actually very efficient and economic.

"It's also highly powerful in a way and very successful because it allows us to put on a united front when we have to deal with the LEA and others." While the schools do get along and frequently work together a friendly rivalry is only natural, she said.

"There is still healthy competition but it's not cut throat because the heads all know each other and have a gentleman's agreement on how to behave towards one another," said Carol.

"The main thing is that they trust one another and meet regularly, and that allows for a degree of co-operation which you just don't get anywhere else. "Stroud is unique in that, and very lucky."

* Having spent 40 years in education, from teaching in Buenos Aires and travelling all over South America, to taking on the headship of Nailsworth's former Highwood School to working for the Pyramid and the Stroud Education Business Partnership, Carol is soon calling it a day. "I shall finally retire in July 2005," she said.

"It's going to be very strange because I've always had very busy jobs but I think there comes a point when organisations need new people with a fresh outlook." But Carol is certainly not going to be idle, and true to form has come up with a plan.

"I thought what the heck am I going to do," she said. "So I came up with the Stroud Pyramid of the Third Age."

The group is a gathering of retired women head teachers and deputy heads and this feisty bunch organise outings and activities.

"We walk, we talk, we cook, we have a book group, we get out and about and we're even starting up a little choir to go round the pubs to sing for charity," she said.

"There are about 35 of us now and if you picture having 35 retired women, all heads, all used to getting their own way all getting together you can imagine what it's like," laughed Carol. "It's mayhem."