Better futures for
children & young people

Becoming an associate school

Joining a trust is a big decision, and it shouldn't be rushed. Associate membership lets your school work alongside Charter for two years before anyone commits to anything permanent. You keep your own governance and identity. You also get real support, shared learning and a clear view of what being part of Charter looks like day to day.

Who we areOur Culture
Smiling young person with glasses, wearing a white collared shirt, navy sweater, and blue jacket with a gray hood, standing outdoors.
A young child in a red shirt waters plants in pots using a large green watering can, standing on a patio near a glass door and brick wall.
A smiling schoolgirl in a dark sweater raises her hand eagerly in a classroom with other attentive students.
A smiling student wearing a black hijab and green sweater, holding an open book in a classroom or library setting with bookshelves in the background.
Smiling young boy wearing a blue sweater with a cartoon face, standing outdoors among green leafy plants and wooden fence, flexing his arms in a playful pose.
A boy in a striped shirt pours orange juice from a carton into a plastic measuring jug while a teacher with long black curly hair watches and a girl in a floral jacket holds the jug. They are sitting at a classroom table with other children and educational materials in the background.
Smiling child wearing a green knit hat and navy blue jacket holding onto green ropes on a playground climbing structure with blurred children and autumn trees in the background.

Partnership first

Get to know us before you commit

Teacher helping a young boy with schoolwork at a green table in a classroom, while other children are in the background.

Associate membership is a partnership built on openness from both sides. You get to see how we work, meet our leaders and spend time in our schools. We get to understand your context, your community and what matters to you. Then, together, we decide whether full membership is the right next step.

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Join a thriving community of support staff, teachers and leaders

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Join a thriving community of children and young people

Support from day one

What associate schools get

Two students sitting side by side at a long desk in a computer lab, working on desktop computers and wearing dark sweatshirts with pink lanyards, smiling and interacting casually.

You don't have to wait for conversion paperwork.

Associate schools work with us straight away and get:

  • School improvement support tailored to your context
  • Access to Charter CPD, training and leadership development
  • A place in our subject and leadership networks
  • Peer support from heads and senior leaders across the Trust
  • Access to selected central services, e.g. HR, finance, estates

Our focus is the same as it is across the Trust: better teaching, leadership and outcomes for pupils.

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Access to CPD, training, and qualifications for all staff

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Collaborate on regional and national research projects

Your school, your identity

Stay who you are

Smiling young person with glasses, wearing a white collared shirt, navy sweater, and blue jacket with a gray hood, standing outdoors.

During the associate period your governing board keeps full responsibility for your school. Your name, ethos and community stay exactly as they are. We work with you and what we do together is shaped around your priorities.

Time to decide properly

Due diligence, both ways

Two women engaged in conversation in a classroom setting; one is wearing a light gray hijab and holding a smartphone, while the other wears a colorful shirt with a pink lanyard that reads 'The Charter School North Dulwich Sixth Form,' gesturing with her hands.

The associate period gives both sides time to do this properly.

That includes:

  • If either of us decides it isn't the right fit, the partnership can end with one term's notice. No pressure and no hard feelings.
  • A shared understanding of your school's strengths, priorities and challenges
  • Clear expectations for each other, set out in an associate agreement
  • Regular check-ins to review how the partnership is working

Better futures

A route to full membership, if it's right

Three children playing on a wooden triangular play structure in a sunny outdoor playground with trees and a fenced area in the background; one boy sits atop the structure smiling, two girls lie underneath on the wooden platform.

Associate schools can go on to join Charter as full members.

When that happens, you're already part of the network, already know the people, and get access to all of the Trust's central services. The move feels like a continuation rather than a leap.

If you decide to stay as you are, you'll still have built relationships and shared learning that last.

Get in touch

Want to talk to someone about becoming and Associate School.

Start a conversation

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Where to find us
The Charter Schools Educational Trust
Red Post Hill, London SE24 9JH
Get in touch
info@tcset.org.uk020 7346 6600
The Charter Schools Educational Trust is a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.
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