What is LocalED?

LocalED is a pilot project to test new locality models for the English school system led by local authorities, combined authorities and school led partnerships.

The project began life as a report published in March 2021, following research sponsored by the Association of Education Committees (AEC) Trust and BELMAS, the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society.

A key finding of the research, which explored four leading international systems, was that – to borrow a phrase from educational researcher Michael Fullan – ‘Leadership from the Middle’ through locality-based governance and partnership working is key to building school systems that can deliver excellence and equity.

The updated literature review available here draws on the latest research confirms this analysis.

What are the pilots focusing on?

Following the final report in 2021 and subsequent interviews and consultation, which made several recommendations to strengthen the role played by locality-based partnerships, the AEC Trust launched LocalED focusing on pilots to explore three approaches:

Each pilot is running for 2 years, between April 2022 and July 2024, and a report on learning from the pilots will then be published.

Why a locality-based approach?

The infographic below ‘Why Locality Based Approaches Build Strong School Systems and support for vulnerable pupils’ picks out what schools, school led partnerships and local authorities identify as key reasons for the importance of locality working:

Latest updates on the Projects

Locality Working in Education: Why it matters and what it takes – a conference hosted by LGA in partnership with AEC Trust

Thursday 30 January 2025 | Transport House, 18 Smith Square, Westminster, London SWIP 3HZ

Over the last two years, nine local areas in England have been piloting locality-based approaches to tackling some of the biggest challenges in the education system including:

Better support for vulnerable young people to meet challenges around attendance
Developing new models of professional accountability including School Report Cards
Exploring the potential benefits of working with Combined Authorities

The conference will provide an opportunity to learn from the work of the nine local areas and will draw out learning from across the pilots about the successes and challenges of locality working. It will also reflect on the implications for national policy and policymakers from this locality learning and in particular the key contribution that place-based working can play in unifying a fragmented system. The Project has been independently evaluated by Professor Toby Greany and Dr. Susan Cousin from Nottingham University.

For more information about the conference, including the agenda and details about speakers, click here.

If you are part of a Local Authority or a school-led partnership and you are interested in attending, please email us at info@localed2025.org.uk