Originally founded at Surrey Square Primary School (part of the Big Education Trust), a growing number of Family Zones are now working to redefine the relationship between schools, families, and the wider community.
Surrey Square Primary School, Southwark, Big Education, London
Henry Fawcett Primary School, Lambeth, London
Redriff Primary School, Southwark, London
Communities facing systemic barriers are often ‘done to’ by those that think they know best about what is needed.
The Family Zones are a new approach to community wellbeing, centering the local voices and expertise at the heart of decision making, to make children, families and the wider community feel safer, happier and healthier.
Each Family Zone has a designated Community Board, who are the engine behind the initiatives. Our Community Boards go through a specific process to understand the issues from the communities’ perspective before working collaboratively and creatively to find the answers.
It also requires rethinking power itself: questioning who holds it, and intentionally sharing it with the community so that solutions are shaped with local people, not for them.
Our Community Leadership Programme, starting in January 2026 will work with schools to support them to go on this mindset shift. It is designed to give school leaders the space to reflect, learn, and build a style of leadership that is community-rooted, preventative, and collaborative. Each participating school will use this programme to shape the community approach to their context – whether that’s deepening relationships with families, convening health and social care partners, or piloting new community initiatives.
This training has been a powerful driver in helping us move from vision to reality. The programme gave us not just the inspiration, but also the framework and theoretical models to lead sustainable change. Having a dedicated space away from the everyday pressures of school and community work allowed time to reflect, think strategically, and stay intentional about the kind of project we want this to be.I’m now more deliberate about building relationships, contracting with new partners, and planning for impact. I'm especially grateful for the practical support around things like evaluation, which has strengthened our ability to tell our story clearly and meaningfully.
