About Us

Heartwood Federation is a partnership of two schools - Upton St Leonards C of E Primary School and Nailsworth C of E Primary School; operating under a single Governing Body.

The name 'Heartwood' comes from the Heartwood of a tree trunk -  wood nearer the pith of a stem or branch, different in colour from sapwood - it symbolises strength, connection and shared love. 

It is our belief that we are 'stronger together' and share the same vision, values and determination for educational excellence.

'Together, we place children at the heart; nurturing love, respect and life-long learning.' As the Executive Headteacher, I am proud to lead this collaborative initiative. 

Benefits of the Federation:

We believe there are many benefits of our Federation. Among them are opportunities to collaborate; share expertise and resources; develop staff; strengthen leadership, governance and long term financial sustainability.

• Retainment of staff: The federation model facilitates further opportunities and career development for staff, retaining high-quality skillsets and securing future leadership.
• Sharing staff resource across schools: Specialist or expert staff can be utilised across the Federation improving outcomes for all pupils.
• Skill Sharing: The federation model allows our wider team to share their skills and expertise, enhancing the educational experience for all pupils.
• Sharing Workload: Workload can be split acroos schools for example, we can share the creation and review of statutory, policy or procedural documentation.
• Increased Opportunities: The combined resources of our schools provide more opportunities for extracurricular activities, academic enrichment, and personal development.
• Alleviate Budget Pressures: Costs can be shared across sites and economies of scale can be secured.