Handsworth Association Of Schools
Charity 1141805
Overview
Summary
Handsworth Association of Schools appears to operate as a place-based intermediary rather than a conventional single-service charity. Its core asset is an established network of more than 23 schools, which it uses to connect school improvement, family support, youth participation and community wellbeing across Handsworth and nearby north-west Birmingham. The organisation seems distinctive in translating school relationships into wider civic infrastructure: schools are both education partners and routes through which families, volunteers, funders and community activity can be brought together.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Handsworth
Confidence: high
Direct evidence places HAOS's contact base and conference-centre offer at Welford Primary School in Handsworth. Its current 2026 playscheme programme also delivers at Welford Primary School and Holy Trinity C of E Primary Academy, both identified by the organisation as Handsworth locations.
- HAOS contact page
HAOS gives its address as Welford School in Handsworth, Birmingham. - HAOS Our Sites and Services page
HAOS states that its conference centre is located in the heart of Handsworth and is available to Association schools for meetings and training. - HAOS Summer of Something Playscheme 2026 page
HAOS lists Welford Primary School and Holy Trinity C of E Primary Academy as venues for its current summer playscheme programme.
Holyhead
Confidence: high
HAOS's current Summer of Something programme directly names St James C of E Primary School as a delivery venue. Birmingham City Council identifies St James as a polling-station location in Holyhead Ward, providing a clear ward match.
- HAOS Summer of Something Playscheme 2026 page
HAOS lists St James C of E Primary School as a venue for its summer playschemes. - Birmingham City Council notice of poll and polling stations
The council lists St James CE Primary School under Holyhead Ward polling stations.
Aston
Confidence: high
HAOS directly identifies Broadway Academy as a current Summer of Something delivery venue. The Department for Education's current establishment record assigns Broadway Academy to Aston ward.
- HAOS Summer of Something Playscheme 2026 page
HAOS lists Broadway Academy as a venue for its summer playschemes. - Department for Education, Get Information About Schools: Broadway Academy
The current school record records Broadway Academy's ward as Aston.
Alum Rock
Confidence: medium
This is direct evidence of HAOS's school-network reach rather than a separately evidenced public-facing delivery site: Shaw Hill School in Alum Rock is listed as a current Association school, and HAOS says its school-improvement networks, resources and curriculum-enhancement initiatives are available to all Association members.
- HAOS school network directory
HAOS lists Shaw Hill School in Alum Rock among its schools network. - HAOS homepage
HAOS states that its learning networks, learning resources and curriculum-enhancement initiatives are available to all Association members.
Nechells
Confidence: medium
This is evidence of operational reach through the member-school network rather than evidence of a separately described HAOS venue or programme in the ward. St Matthew's CE Primary in Nechells is a listed current member school with access to HAOS's member offer.
- HAOS school network directory
HAOS lists St Matthew's CE Primary School in Nechells among its schools network. - HAOS homepage
HAOS describes school-improvement work delivered through learning networks, resources and curriculum-enhancement initiatives available to Association members.
Remaining uncertainties
- The available evidence confirms HAOS's Handsworth base and current programme venues, but does not establish whether every listed member school hosts HAOS activity in a given year or only receives network support and resources.
- HAOS describes its 2026 playschemes as operating across the Perry Barr Locality, but the named venue list includes Broadway Academy, whose current Department for Education record is in Aston ward. 'Perry Barr Locality' should therefore be treated as a programme-locality description rather than a precise ward boundary.
- Oscott Gardens is named as a fifth 2026 playscheme venue but is described as residents-only; the supplied evidence does not provide a sufficiently precise public location to assign it to a ward.
- The website lists many partner organisations, but it does not specify the locations or operational responsibilities of most partnerships. They support local delivery capacity but do not, on their own, evidence additional geographic areas.
Additional evidence needed
- A current HAOS delivery or impact report identifying which member schools hosted programmes, received staff development, or participated in youth and family activity during 2025-26.
- A current site list for the Family Hub, Food Hub, conference facilities and storage or operational premises, distinguishing owned or routinely used sites from the registered correspondence address.
- A programme venue schedule with ward information for all current holiday, youth-social-action and family-learning activity.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Education/training
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Other Defined Groups
How they help
- Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body
- Other Charitable Activities
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A school network functioning as civic infrastructure
HAOS appears to use its member-school network as a platform for community-level work, not solely for educational collaboration. Its Family Hub and community activities suggest that schools are treated as trusted connectors to families and local partners.
Why it matters
This helps explain how an education-focused charity can also deliver food support, playschemes and family learning. Its influence may depend less on owning services than on convening institutions with everyday contact with local residents.
Show evidence
“HAOS describes itself as an independent local charity working through partnership with schools and established community partners from its Family Hub.”
Source:Organisation“The organisation has an active membership of over 23 schools.”
Source:Organisation“Its activities include home, school and community partnership work addressing educational, social, health, recreational, cultural, linguistic and safety needs.”
Source:Charity Commission
Education is framed as a route to family wellbeing
HAOS appears to take a broad view of educational opportunity, linking learning with household economic wellbeing, food support, recreation, safety and adult learning. This suggests a preventative model that recognises barriers to children’s learning beyond the classroom.
Why it matters
It distinguishes HAOS from a school-improvement partnership focused only on attainment, and may make it a useful bridge between education, family-support and anti-poverty organisations.
Show evidence
“The objects include adult education, family learning and enhancing the importance of the economic wellbeing of the family.”
Source:Charity Commission“HAOS lists after-school activities, cultural events, learning programmes and a responsive food bank among its work for families.”
Source:Organisation“The charity records education and training, prevention or relief of poverty, and arts, culture, heritage and science as areas of activity.”
Source:Charity Commission
Youth participation is embedded alongside enrichment
HAOS appears to position young people as contributors to local civic life, not only recipients of educational or recreational provision. Environmental activity, Black History Month work and the Young People’s Parliament indicate an effort to connect enrichment with citizenship and social action.
Why it matters
This may create relationships and capabilities that extend beyond short-term activities, particularly by giving children and young people routes into representation, community awareness and collective action.
Show evidence
“HAOS identifies its Young People’s Parliament as the focus of its youth social action work.”
Source:Organisation“Its curriculum enhancement offer includes social and environmental awareness, and recent news references tree planting and a Green Mentor.”
Source:Organisation“Its objects include promoting good citizenship, community cohesion, equal opportunities and young people's capacity to participate as mature and responsible adults.”
Source:Charity Commission
- How far HAOS reaches beyond families already connected to member schools.
- Whether its school-improvement, wellbeing and youth-social-action strands are integrated in practice or operate as separate programmes.
- Which communities, age groups or schools are least reached by its current offer.
Remaining uncertainties
- Programme-level data on participants, referral routes, repeat engagement and outcomes, broken down by school and neighbourhood.
- Evidence from families, young people and member schools about how HAOS changes relationships, access to support and decision-making.
- Information on funding sources, delivery partners and the scale of resources allocated across its different strands.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
To promote,develop and advance home/school/community partnership activities which meet the educational,social,health,recreational,cultural,linguistic and safety needs in the member schools of the Handsworth Association and their communities. To develop a collaborative approach to the Association's plan for school improvement and development.
Charity objects
TO FURTHER SUCH CHARITABLE PURPOSES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE INHABITANTS OF HANDSWORTH AND SURROUNDING AREA OF NORTH WEST BIRMINGHAM AS THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE SEES FIT IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY: (A) ADVANCING THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE MEMBER SCHOOLS; BY SEEKING SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES; (B) ADVANCING EDUCATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND THE SAFETY OF YOUNG PEOPLE; (C) PROMOTING GOOD CITIZENSHIP, COMMUNITY COHESION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES; (D) PROVIDING OR ASSISTING IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR RECREATION AND OTHER LEISURE-TIME OCCUPATIONS (INCLUDING SPORTS) IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE WITH THE AIM OF IMPROVING THE INHABITANTS’ CONDITIONS OF LIFE; (E) ADVANCING IN LIFE AND HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP THEIR CAPACITIES, SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY TO SOCIETY AS MATURE AND RESPONSIBLE ADULTS; AND (F) THROUGH EDUCATION - PROMOTING ADULT EDUCATION AND FAMILY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES; PROMOTING AND ENHANCING THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ECONOMIC WELL BEING OF THE FAMILY.