John Camp OBE is CEO of The Compass Partnership of Schools, a trustee at Ambition Institute and the immediate past president of ASCL.
Over recent years, the trust has become known for its commitment to school improvement, professional development and inclusion, particularly in the areas of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and early years.
The trust’s reputation continues to grow, and it has recently proposed a merger with another high-performing academy trust, the Eko Trust, to strengthen educational excellence for over 9,000 pupils. The new trust, if approved, will lead 25 schools (23 primary schools and two special schools) in London, Essex, Suffolk and Brighton.
A personal commitment to tackling disadvantage
John’s values are rooted in his own experience of growing up in a disadvantaged household. This perspective shapes his focus on professional development as a means of improving outcomes for pupils facing the greatest challenges: “My core focus is on trying to make a difference to outcomes for the most disadvantaged in society.”
This belief led John to become a trustee at Ambition Institute. He was drawn by the focus on narrowing the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils, and by the emphasis on improving the quality of teaching and professional development. “As someone who grew up in a really challenging context and very poor household, I know personally the difference that not just a good education makes, but also great teachers,” says John.
Inclusion at the heart of school improvement
The Compass Partnership currently has 14 primary and special schools in London and Essex. Its reputation for high-quality SEND provision began at Willow Dene School, a large special school within the trust. John describes Willow Dene as “a system leader in all respects” and credits its improvement “through a very intentional focus on building knowledge and expertise across the team.”
For John, inclusion is central to effective school improvement. “You can’t draw a line between what goes on in our mainstream schools and what goes on in Willow Dene because we just have one community of engaged learners,” he explains. “We can only judge our effectiveness by how well school works for the child that’s in the most challenging of circumstances.”
Professional development as the foundation
Compass has developed the quality of provision, teaching and learning through the lens of high-quality professional development. John is clear that the quality of teaching and support staff is fundamental to pupil success. “The quality of outcomes for our young people is inextricably linked to the quality of the adults in our organisation. Professional development is the foundation of everything that we do.”
He emphasises that sustained, high-quality professional development is essential. “We’ve always focused on extended periods of professional development,” he says. He points to the Early Career Teachers programme delivered by Ambition as an example of this longer-term approach, where participants benefit from structured support and expert guidance over two years.
This approach extends to all staff. “Our pupil outcomes are very much linked to inputs around teacher subject knowledge, pedagogical agility and responsive teaching - similarly for our teaching assistants and support staff.” John believes that confident, knowledgeable teachers are essential if schools are to avoid gaps in provision that may disadvantage pupils.
The importance of working together
John sees collaboration across the sector as important for sustained improvement. “SEND features very heavily in my conversations with other professionals and organisations. My engagement with Ambition can equip me to bring those learnings into conversations as the Ambition board and my own trust board at Compass.”
He values Ambition’s national perspective and its focus on evidence and impact. “Ambition is an organisation that is making a difference. It is intentional in the things it does, and wants to get it right and have maximum impact.”
Looking ahead, John points to the need for a joined-up approach in education. “We need a system-wide connected approach, mobilising the collective expertise and skills of sector bodies to fully engage with the government’s opportunity mission and make a difference. Ambition is well-placed to influence that approach and elevate the very best evidence about what has a genuine impact.”
