Nottinghamshire’s Flying High Trust has been awarded the Teaching School Hub status by the Department for Education.

Replacing seven current teaching schools across the county, the Flying High Teaching School Hub will now be responsible for a coordinated approach to teacher development across Nottinghamshire, and Nottingham City from September 2021.

The Department for Education announced that the new hubs will create a countrywide network of 87 centres of excellence for teacher training and development, each chosen for their ‘high quality, evidence-based professional development to school leaders and teachers’.

Fundamental to the role of Teaching School Hubs will be to address the national challenges of recruitment and retention in the profession, by supporting teachers throughout their training and into their long-term careers.

Paul Goodman, deputy chief executive of The Flying High Partnership, said: “This is fantastic news for Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire, which will for the first time receive a coordinated approach by the two new hubs to support the training and development of leaders and teachers. This includes Initial Teacher Training, the introduction of a new Early Career Framework; supporting teachers through the first two years of their development, and leadership development through the National Professional Qualifications for school leaders.”

The Flying High Teaching School Hub will now be responsible for its own designated area covering 282 schools in its locality, covering Ashfield, Mansfield, Broxtowe, Nottingham City and Rushcliffe.

Chris Wheatley, chief executive of The Flying High Trust, added: “Being awarded the status of Teaching School Hub is fantastic news for the Flying High team and their partners across Nottinghamshire and is testament to their untiring commitment to the profession.

“We are proud of our proven track record which has now been recognised by the Department for Education. We are looking forward to the responsibilities this holds and will continue to demand the highest standards of ourselves to deliver and develop the best professionals in education to teach our children.”