Phase Two:

Cradle-to-Career Foundations

Turning insights into action

Over the course of a year, we work together to build the organisational capacity and capability required to design, develop and deliver integrated pipelines of cradle-to-career support—grounded in great schools and aligned with local priorities.

Each partner identifies up to three practical “threads” that tend towards coherence—creating educational coherence, strengthening family relationships, and/or connecting local systems.

How it works

  • One year.

  • After the Catalyst year, partners who are ready to move from vision to delivery can join the Foundations phase—a one-year programme focused on building the organisational capacity and capability needed to bring cradle-to-career models to life.

  • The programme combines termly in-person conferences, webinars, coaching calls and directed activities, providing both structure and flexibility for local teams to make tangible progress.

    Each partner identifies up to three ‘threads’ to explore in depth. These threads help align different parts of the system and strengthen coherence across the local ecosystem.

    • Local systems coherence. Listening to the community, building partnerships, and strengthening support beyond the school gates—ensuring every organisation around the child is connected by shared purpose and aligned practice.

    • Strengthening family relationships. Developing models of excellence in school–family relationships, and recognising the school’s role in supporting positive relationships within the family unit—especially during moments of transition, stress or change.

    • Educational coherence. Deep-diving into curriculum design and implementation to ensure the educational offer reflects the wider cradle-to-career vision and meets the needs of every learner.

    • Three termly conferences, each designed to share learning and test ideas in practice.

    • Coaching and advisory support from The Reach Foundation team.

    • Webinars and peer learning sessions to sustain momentum between conferences.

    • Directed local activities, helping teams apply learning in real time.

    • Access to tools, templates and resources developed through previous cohorts and partners.

  • By the end of the Foundations year, partners will have:

    • Strengthened their organisation’s capacity to design, develop and deliver integrated pipelines of cradle-to-career support;

    • Embedded coherent, connected practices across schools, families, and communities; and

    • Developed locally owned models that are ready to grow and share through the wider Cradle-to-Career Partnership.

  • £1,000 per thread

    Each organisation selects up to three threads to explore over the year. Costs include participation in all programme activities, access to resources, and ongoing support from The Reach Foundation.

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