Tips for presenting to school clusters

[.style-intro]This guide is for parents who want to take Smartphone Free Childhood beyond their own school and create change across their local area. Every education system is different, and figuring out how schools connect can be complicated. This guide will help you navigate school clusters, build momentum, and engage the right people to make a bigger impact.[.style-intro]

Clusters: the key to creating change at scale

Are you inspired to push for change beyond your own school? The 'holy grail' of Smartphone Free Childhood school organising is persuading clusters to adopt smartphone-free policies. 

Why? Because this is how we can create change in schools at scale – reaching multiple schools at once and making a bigger impact on children’s lives. When clusters move together, it becomes easier for schools to follow suit, reducing resistance from parents and ensuring that no school is acting alone. 

This guide will help you navigate the system and get schools on board, one cluster at a time. We’re learning a lot as we go, so will be updating this with the latest advice, insights and and ideas about engaging with school clusters as we have them.

Firstly, some background - how are schools organised?

Education is structured differently across the UK, so understanding the landscape will help you navigate conversations effectively.

• England has a mix of local authority-maintained schools and academies (state-funded independent schools run by charitable trusts).
• Scotland & Wales have only local authority-maintained schools.
• Northern Ireland has one central Education Authority and five types of government-funded schools.

Local Authority schools and clusters

In England, Scotland, and Wales, schools under local authority control are often grouped into clusters (sometimes called consortia or federations). These clusters help schools share resources, training, and best practices. Clusters usually consist of 10–20 schools and are chaired by a headteacher, sometimes with support from a local authority officer.

Each local authority structures its education system differently – some publish cluster lists (like in Bolton and Norfolk), while others do not.

Academies and Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) (England Only)

Academies are state-funded schools that operate independently of local authorities.

Single Academy Trusts run one school.

• Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) manage multiple schools with shared resources and leadership. 90% of academies are part of a MAT.
• Free Schools are new academies that have never been local authority schools.
• Each MAT has a CEO, but their contact details are not always publicly available. When a school converts to an academy, it’s encouraged to stay in a cluster, but this doesn’t always happen.

Ok - but how do we reach them? 

The school system is fragmented and varies by area, so there’s no single best way to get ‘in’. Often the best first step is to find a ‘local champion’ school leader who can help you navigate your local education landscape. But don’t be put off if you’re finding it difficult at first – even if the first doors you knock on are closed, there will definitely be supportive heads in your area. It’s just a case of finding them.

Every community is different, so the below advice isn’t one-size-fits-all; but these steps have proven successful in other regions across the UK:

Step 1. IDENTIFY A LOCAL CHAMPION

In our experience, finding a local champion – normally a headteacher who feels passionately about this issue and wants to drive change beyond their school – is key to getting access to clusters. 

If the headteacher at your school isn’t a candidate, parents in your regional SFC WhatsApp group might know a supportive headteacher. If not, look for schools that are already smartphone-free and reach out.

Step 2. ASK TO PRESENT AT A CLUSTER MEETING

School clusters generally meet every quarter. Ask your champion headteacher to arrange a meeting with other school leaders in their cluster. Request a 45-minute slot at a cluster meeting. Nothing beats in-person presentations, heads are more likely to engage (and to agree on collective action together) in ‘real life’

Present the evidence using our SFC presentation slides (they’re just a starting point – you can adapt to meet your needs). Leave time for Q&A to get the conversation going. See our tips for presenting to secondary heads for more info on holding successful meetings with heads.

Step 3. ORGANISE AN SFC EVENT

Sometimes a wider event is a great way to demonstrate wider support in your region, or build relationships with key local stakeholders.

For example, in Oxfordshire a group of SFC volunteers organised two public events in school halls—one at lunchtime and one in the evening, to bring together parents and educators.

• Parents invited school leaders to attend.
• They sent invitations to heads of secondary education from the largest local MAT.
• Speakers presented the evidence, and attendees were encouraged to engage in discussion.
• Contact details were collected at the door for follow-up.

After the events, the team followed up individually with teachers and school leaders, leading to meetings and action plans with parents from interested schools. Check out our guide for holding successful panel events for more information.

Step 4. ASK FOR INTRODUCTIONS TO OTHER CLUSTERS 

If your first cluster meeting goes well, why stop there? You might find your local clusters will have relationships with others nearby, so creating further local change might be as simple as asking to do the same again! At the end of your cluster meeting, ask:

• Which other clusters can we speak at?
• Who else can you connect us with?

Let us know how you get on!

Change starts with one school, then one cluster, then an entire region. Schools are looking for leadership on this issue, and with the right approach, you can help drive the shift toward a smartphone-free childhood.

💡 Next steps: Reach out to your local champion, secure a cluster meeting, and start the conversation!

📩 Need help? Contact us at community@smartphonefreechildhood.com and we’ll do our best to support you.

📺Want to chat to others working on creating wider change in schools in their area? We’re planning regular Zoom meetings to discuss tips and tactics for engaging school clusters. Sign up here and we’ll be in touch.

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