The Harpur Trust, which operates four independent schools in Bedford, has partnered with The Pioneer Learning Trust and Bedford Borough Council, to organise a new network of nine primaries in the borough of Bedford, where senior leaders review each other’s schools and share best practice to help with school improvement,

The Bedford Accelerator Peer Review Network is funded by The Harpur Trust’s Accelerator Programme, which has been set up by the trust to support the improvement of educational outcomes in the borough.

Primary schools Carlton, Hazeldene, Kings Oak, Lakeview, Livingstone, Priory, Turvey, Westfield and Wilstead are the first cohort taking part in the peer review programme which will be facilitated over a three-year period with further cohorts joining annually.

Caroline Downing, head of education partnerships at The Harpur Trust, said: “Having a clearly defined and purposeful peer review platform, where local school leaders visit each setting with a fresh set of challenging, yet supportive eyes, is really powerful. It can give senior leaders an opportunity to try new approaches, as well as offer school to school support.

“At the launch session the new network were really engaged with the process. It felt like we were building a real sense of community between the schools.”

The Harpur Trust schools are: Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School, Bedford Girls’ School. Bedford Modern School and Bedford School