Southampton Education Forum (SEF)

Deep collaboration. Deep trust

The Southampton Education Forum unites civic leaders within a framework of shared values, positioning members to gain individual and collective advantage through integrity, openness, commitment and capacity to work for the collective good.

The Forum seeks to establish and maintain meaningful and deep-rooted support and trust between institutions and across phases by honouring confidentiality; championing excellence; valuing diversity and inclusion; recognising differing needs; and encouraging honesty and openness.

If these values resonate with you, then look out for vacancies in Southampton schools and colleges and join us.

City leaders sharing strength and collective responsibility

The Southampton Education Forum is made up of the principals and headteachers of 15 Southampton secondary schools (two with sixth forms), three post-16 colleges and both Southampton universities, together with representatives from the local authority.

The Forum meets seven times during the academic year to conduct its business and holds an annual conference, to promote and enact collaborative engagement with key strategic initiatives.

Members of the Forum include:

• Bitterne Park School and Sixth Form
• Cantell School
• The Compass School
• Itchen Sixth Form College
• Oasis Academy Lord's Hill
• Oasis Academy Mayfield
• Redbridge Community School
• Regents Park Community College
• Richard Taunton Sixth Form College
• St Anne's School and Sixth Form
• St George Catholic College
• St Marks
• Oasis Academy Sholing
• The Polygon School
• Upper Shirley High School
• Weston Secondary School
• Woodlands Community College
• Solent University
• University of Southampton
• Southampton City Council
• A representative from the Primary Heads Forum

Read more about our groups.

Southampton: a city of growth and opportunity where everyone thrives

SEF exists to secure the highest standards of education for Southampton and to raise the achievement of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. We strive to secure the best collective outcomes for our students and our goal over the next three years is for every school and college in the City to be rated 'Good' or better by Ofsted. We are committed to achieving this goal whilst sustaining inclusive and appropriate curricula across our group.

Each educational institution offers expertise in its field so that SEF partners benefit from proven experience in what works best locally, regionally and nationally.

Working together with the common moral purpose of school improvement, we aspire to take our place among the top 50 local authorities. Current activity is now focused on the development of a self-improving system, drawing on deep partnerships between schools, colleges and the universities. At SEF, we are proud to foster an elected accountability model which is based on high levels of open dialogue, challenge and professional trust.

Opportunities to work within SEF arise directly from roles within schools, colleges and our first-rate universities. If you are seeking your next career step and want to make a demonstrable difference to the lives of young people, look out for vacancies across our City.