The end of another busy term beckons, and as I write I know the tinsel and glitter glue will be working hard in our primary schools as we approach Christmas - I’m looking forward to a round of joyful nativities and concerts. At our secondaries too, the season of goodwill will be celebrated in carol concerts and services. I am just hoping the snow and ice will hold off until after the end of term has safely arrived! As we step towards another year filled with opportunities and achievements, I’m pleased to be bringing you up to date with what’s happened since Septemberand there is much to read and celebrate.
In this edition, you’ll find highlights from recent projects in all our schools, interviews with staff and Trustees, and recognition of the hard work you have all put in - children, young people and staff. I know that staying informed and connected is key to our collective success, and this newsletter is one way we can achieve that.
This is also my chance to welcome everyone at Settlebeck School to the Trust. Settlebeck joined us on September 1st, and it has been good to get to know the school, the staff and their young people. Set in a beautiful location in the south of the county, it’s a small school, with learning tailored to the individual needs of students, and the support that children receive is second to none. I know that Headteacher Sarah Campbell is immensely proud of its genuine inclusive approach, as well as the very high academic standards which produce exceptional results and facilitates successful next steps for their young people. In this issue we will meet their Assistant Head Dan Greenwood - the first in a series of opportunities to get to know more about the school. I know you will join me in extending a very warm welcome to the Settlebeck school community.
Thank you for your continued commitment and collaboration. Enjoy reading, and feel free to share your thoughts or contributions for our next issue!
With best wishes
Judith Schafer CEO, Changing Lives Learning Trust
SCHOOL NEWS
As we come to the end of the autumn term, we are pleased to share with you the latest news and achievements from across our family of nine schools.
ARLECDON SCHOOL
What a term it has been! As we reach the end of the autumn term, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on everything our amazing students have been up to. It’s been an actionpacked few months, full of learning, fun, and a real sense of community here at Arlecdon Primary School.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
We’ve been exploring some fantastic topics this term, particularly in Geography. In KS2, the children have been learning about the landscapes of the UK, and we had an exciting trip walking up Dodd, a Wainwright peak that tied in perfectly with our work. The children really embraced the opportunity to walk and explore, gaining first-hand experience of the natural world and learning about the geography that shapes our surroundings. In KS1 we visited St Bees to look at the human and physical features of a beach. In addition to our outdoor learning, the children have enjoyed many other experiences this term, including a STEM workshop where they got to ‘scaffold the world’ with some fascinating building projects. Our Pyjama Drama session on road safety was another real highlight, where the children learned important safety messages in a fun, interactive way. We’ve also been busy with local trips to the library, where the children had the chance to explore new books and learnt how to use the facilities here. As always, our Bikeability sessions were a big success, teaching our pupils important cycling skills that will keep them safe on the roads for years to come.
Fundraising and Giving Back
It has been wonderful to see the children and families getting involved in our fundraising events this term. We kicked things off with a heart-warming Macmillan Coffee Afternoon, where parents and staff gathered to raise money for such a fantastic cause. We also collected donations for our Harvest Festival Foodbank Appeal, supporting those in need in our local
community, and our Children in Need fundraising event was full of fun activities and a lot of smiles. Your generosity and support have truly made a difference, and I am so proud of how our school community comes together for these worthy causes.
Hallowe’en, Scarecrows, and More Fun!
It wouldn’t be the autumn term without a little spooky fun! Our Hallowe’en Disco was a huge hit with the children, who came dressed in fantastic costumes and danced the night away. EYFS also celebrated by holding a Scarecrow Day, where they created scarecrows to add to the school grounds. The children’s creativity was incredible.
Exciting New Facilities
We are thrilled to share that our building work will be completed just in time for the Christmas holidays! The children are already enjoying their new classrooms and the improvements to all areas of our school. The whole school has been buzzing with excitement, and we can’t wait to make even more use of these wonderful new areas in the new year.
Looking Ahead
Looking forward, there is so much to be excited about. We will continue to embrace outdoor learning, creative projects, and community-building activities. The rest of the school year promises even more fun and opportunities for our pupils to explore, grow, and achieve.
We want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support this term. It’s been a truly wonderful time at school, and it’s all down to the fantastic children, staff, and families who make this community so special.
We hope you all have a wonderful holiday break filled with joy, rest, and quality time with loved ones. We look forward to seeing everyone back in the new year, ready for another exciting term ahead!
DEARHAM SCHOOL
As we wrap up our first term, we want to reflect on the wonderful progress, activities and initiatives that have brought our Dearham Primary School community together.
Focus on Learning
Beyond the Classroom
This term, we have placed a strong emphasis on the core curriculum. In Early Years and Key Stage 1, we have adopted the new Maths Mastery approach. This method is helping our youngest learners embed a deeper understanding of key mathematical concepts, providing a solid foundation for future learning.
Reading and writing continue to be central to our learning goals across all year groups. Children have enjoyed exploring fantastic books, including Hibernation Hotel, How to Train Your Dragon,The Gruffalo and Macbeth, sparking imagination and creativity in their writing.
Our reviewed curriculum ensures a clear progression of skills and knowledge from Nursery through to Year 6. Each year builds on the previous one, ensuring a seamless journey for our pupils as they grow in confidence and ability. We strive to take the learning outside of the classroom; we have been to the beach and have developed some of the outdoor learning areas.
Our after-school activities and Wraparound provision have been a great success, offering a wide range of opportunities for children to explore their interests. From crafting and music to sports and mindfulness, there has been something for everyone to enjoy.
The Friends of the School (FODS) have been instrumental in bringing our community together with exciting events such as the car boot sale, Pumpkin Picking, and Santa’s grotto. These events not only raise vital funds but also strengthen the sense of belonging within our school community.
Introducing Our New House System
This term saw the launch of our new House system! Pupils chose the names of the houses: Bassenthwaite Bees,Whinlatter Wolves and Grasmere Gorillas, and even designed their own logos. Next term, we look forward to seeing House Points being collected and a range of events, including the eagerly anticipated House Taskmaster competition. Well done to our newly appointed House Captains, who have already shown great leadership.
Festive Fun
The lead-up to Christmas has been filled with excitement as pupils prepare for their end-of-term shows. Early Years will charm us with their performance of The Bossy King, while KS1 presents a beautiful dance interpretation. KS2 will host a Christmas concert filled with songs and poems that capture the festive spirit.
As we wrap up this incredible term, we want to thank our staff, students, and families for their continued support and engagement. We are proud of all the hard work and achievements, and we look forward to another exciting term filled with new opportunities to learn, grow and celebrate together.
FLIMBY SCHOOL
Flimby School Brightens the Train Station
Mini Police Tackle Dog Waste in the Village
In December, a group of children teamed up with Warren from Northern Rail to decorate Flimby train station for the festive season. They hung a banner and wreaths featuring the children’s colourful Christmas drawings, including baubles, stockings, trees, and winter scenes, which were created in class while listening to Christmas music. Flimby School proudly adopted the train station, working with Northern Rail to ensure it remains a well-maintained and welcoming part of the village. As a central feature of Flimby, the station is a source of community pride, and the school’s efforts help make it a bright and inviting spot for travellers passing through.
School Council Decorates St. Mary’s Church
The school council brought Flimby’s LEARN values to life by decorating a Christmas tree at St. Mary’s Church in Maryport. Each child at the school designed a unique bauble based on our values of Love, Enjoy, Achieve, Respect, and Nurture. The finished tree looked stunning and was a true celebration of the students’ creativity and teamwork.
Flimby’s Mini Police, a group of Year 6 students, are working hard to improve the local community. After identifying dog waste as a problem in the village, they created posters to raise awareness and encourage responsible pet ownership. With the help of their local PCSO, the Mini Police displayed their posters around the village and spoke to residents about the importance of keeping public spaces clean. Their initiative is making a real difference!
Choir Shines at the Rotary Carol Service
The Flimby School Choir gave a stunning debut performance at the Rotary Carol Service this December. The children sang a selection of Christmas songs alongside other local schools, celebrating the season with their families.
Their hard work and dedication truly paid off, as their beautiful singing impressed everyone in attendance. The school is incredibly proud of their performance and can’t wait to see what they achieve next!
KIRKBY THORE SCHOOL
It has been a busy autumn term at Kirkby Thore Primary School. We have thoroughly enjoyed the first topics of our brand-new bespoke curriculum. The children particularly enjoyed learning about life in the stone age and sharing their knowledge with parents and friends at our first learning assembly in October.
Exploring History and Geography
Our whole school trip in November rounded off our History topic with a visit to Castlerigg Stone Circle then introduced our Geography focus learning about seasonal change and climate zones with a walk around Whinlatter Forest.
Creative Learning in the Classroom
A virtual visit with Reverend Lambert enabled us to ask any remaining questions about our Buddhism topic and Oaks Class presented their key learning about the religion via Banksy inspired murals. Acorns Class have enjoyed welcoming Little Learners and their families into their classroom on alternate Mondays and weekly forest school sessions with Miss Pymm. Dufton House earned the most points prior to half term and celebrated with a spooky craft session.
Festive Highlights
Christmas highlights have included singing for the community at Time for Tea, taking part in the Penrith area carol concert at St Andrew’s and, of course, our whole school production of ‘Reindeer to the Rescue!’
Looking Ahead
We wish everyone a very merry Christmas and are looking forward to another fun packed year in 2025.
QUEEN ELIZABETH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
It has been another busy term at QEGS with every day seeming to hold some kind of trip, concert or competition.
Mock Exams
Our Year 11 have just completed their mock exams which has been a very useful experience for all involved, they now go into the next term with a clear plan of what needs to be achieved in order for them to have the maximum success in the summer.
Renovations
We have had a massive amount of contractors on site this term working their way through the building, renovating the electrics and we now have a completely new roof on our original building which hopefully means we will have no more leaks!
We are extremely grateful to all our staff who give up so much time to offer so many opportunities to students and here are a selection of photos to show the remarkable range of activities.
SETTLEBECK SCHOOL
Outstanding Progress 8 Results
We are thrilled to announce that our Progress 8 score of +0.45 places us in the top 10% of schools nationally! This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our students and staff, showcasing the excellent progress made from primary to secondary school.
Celebrating Success at Awards Evening
Our annual awards evening at The People’s Hall was a memorable event, celebrating the outstanding achievements of our students from the previous academic year. This year, we were honoured to welcome British designer Brian Cannon, renowned for his iconic Oasis album artwork, as our guest speaker. Congratulations to all award winners!
Inspiring Women in STEM
Our KS3 and KS4 students were inspired by an engaging talk on Women in STEM, delivered by Ruth from Science Made Simple and BAE. The session highlighted exciting opportunities in science and technology, leaving our students motivated and curious.
Festive Fun at Settlebeck School
The festive season is in full swing at Settlebeck School, with students and staff putting on a fantastic performance of the pantomime Snow White. Weeks of hard work and rehearsals paid off as the show delighted audiences with its humour and talent.
The festivities didn’t stop there! Christmas Jumper Day saw the school awash with colourful and creative knitwear, raising funds for Save the Children. These festive events brought the whole school community together, spreading joy and cheer as we celebrated the season.
ST BEES VILLAGE SCHOOL
St Bees Village School has been a busy place full of fun and learning this term, much of which has taken place outside of the classroom.
Forest School Adventures
Year 2 embraced the outdoors this term with weekly Forest School sessions in a local woodland.They developed teamwork, self-resilience, and confidence while exploring, using tools, and learning fire-making. These activities contributed to their Outdoor Learning Passport achievements and encouraged them to discover new skills and interests.
Sewing Success in Design & Technology
Year 6 and Year 3 students honed their sewing skills, creating thoughtful and functional products. They practiced stitching techniques and carefully planned their designs, resulting in impressive finished items.
Sports Teams Shine
Sports teams from Year 1 to Year 6 represented the school in local football and basketball events. Highlights include the Y3/4 boys’ football team, who showcased exceptional sportsmanship and upheld school values in a recent tournament.
Christmas Activities
December brought festive joy as Year 6 pupils helped PreSchool children decorate a 10-foot Christmas tree, embodying school values with cheerful spirit. Year 1 and Year 2 visited the Priory to learn about advent and later performed their nativity, A Miracle in Town. Pre-School and Reception delivered a delightful Boogie Woogie Nativity, showcasing their singing and dancing skills. Both events were warmly attended by families and governors.
Year 5’s Artistic Inspiration
Year 5 explored local landscapes on an art field trip, creating seascapes inspired by the work of local artist Dawn Mills. The trip allowed students to connect with their environment and develop their creative talents.
A Thank You to the School Community
As the autumn term ends, we extend heartfelt thanks to the staff and children of St Bees Village School for their hard work and achievements. Everyone has much to celebrate!
THORNHILL SCHOOL
Children In Need
To support Children in Need we came together as a community and took part in two sponsored rambles, one for little legs and one for those longer legs, followed by refreshments at school.
The children did very well in some muddy conditions but the school community came together for an amazing charity and we are beyond proud to announce that as a community we raised £1,293.40.
Well done and thank you to everyone who took part and supported our event.
Festive Fun
Last week, Year 1 and 2 children worked hard to write a wish list for Father Christmas. They then took time out to walk to Thornhill Post Office to purchase their stamps so they could post their wish lists.
We also enjoyed our visit to the pantomime to watch Hercules - the children were a delight and represented our school fabulously.We then returned to have a very special visit from Mr and Mrs Christmas, along with their Elf to provide all children with a gift. A huge thank you to Egremont Council for their generosity.
On Thursday our children enjoyed Christmas dinner. Thank you to Changing Lives Learning Trust for their generous support in making the lunches possible.
Learning Outdoors
This term, our nursery children have been busy exploring our school grounds searching for natural materials which they have then used to create natural paint brushes. They then used their natural paintbrushes to create a piece of art linked to their class story ‘Cave Baby’.
Bright Stars Project - Bingo Evening
Year 5 and 6 participated in the Bright Stars Project during the Autumn Term. Teamed together with a local business, North West Nuclear Waste, the pupils learnt about a business. With a start-up fund of £50 the pupil’s set-up their business and organised a Bingo Evening to raise funds for school and a local charity. They organised a non-uniform day in November where pupils donated a prize. From all the donations the children produced hampers and raffle prizes for their Bingo Evening. Together the small group of pupils raised £368! The money is being split 50/50 between Thornhill Primary School and the local charity, Egremont Youth Centre.
WEST LAKES ACADEMY
Dance Live - Danceathon
Last week our wonderful Dance Live team participated in a 12 hour danceathon! Each hour students participated in a different form of entertainment, as part of their dance experience. Even at the 11th hour the team were in fine spirits and energy was high.
Mrs Whitaker said: ‘We are all very proud of the Dance team for all their hard work and commitment.They have danced, learnt new skills and most importantly they did this all with a smile on their faces whilst working as a team. An extra special mention to our visitors for the day that have given up their time to teach our students.We always welcome back past students for this fabulous event and their willingness to come back and help us out reminds the team that they are part of something really spectacular. We can’t wait to compete at Blackpool in February!’
Festive Fun at the Christmas Craft Fair
Apprenticeship Day
In November, our Year 13 apprenticeship students took part in our Apprenticeship Day organised by Inspira. They completed sessions on budgeting, team building skills and then quizzed a panel of professionals. In the afternoon, all Year 13 students took part in mock interviews, the feedback from which was resoundingly positive; interviewers noted our learners’ confidence, enthusiasm, outstanding CVs and passion.
The students spoke about how useful the experience was, asking for more in the future with many saying, even though they were nervous to start with, they felt more confident and gained invaluable life experience.
Christmas Charity Drive
West Lakes Academy’s Christmas Craft Fair was a resounding success, bringing together students, staff, and the local community for a delightful festive celebration. With over 50 stalls offering handmade crafts, gifts, and seasonal treats, there was something for everyone to enjoy. The academy choir enhanced the festive atmosphere with their beautiful singing, while our music students and dance team delivered wonderful performances that delighted guests throughout the day.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came along – we look forward to welcoming you again next year!
West Lakes Academy’s Christmas charity drive, themed “No Rainbows Without Rain,” brought staff, students, and the community together to support those in need. Donations included toys, care packages, toiletries, games, and clothes for local charity No Rainbows Without Rain, which aids underprivileged children, families, and isolated pensioners in Cumbria. The charity also supports individuals facing domestic violence, medical challenges, or hardship throughout the year. WLA’s efforts featured two donation schemes: “Santa’s Wish List” for larger gifts and “Help an Elf” for essentials like toiletries. The drive was so successful it required a van to deliver the contributions, with tutor groups enthusiastically participating. This was a very heart-warming and wonderful thing to see around the academy.
ONE CUMBRIA UPDATE
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Dan Greenwood - Settlebeck School
What is your current role and what does this entail?
Associate Assistant Headteacher responsible for behaviour, attendance and the pastoral support of students across all year groups. It entails working with our dedicated Heads of Key Stage and wider staff base to manage and improve the behaviour of students in school, improve attendance and ensure they are safe and happy in school. This includes coordination of leading areas of staff CPD, creating new plans to support student behaviour, day-to-day behaviour management across the school, meetings with local authority attendance officers, coordination of Early Helps and plenty more. I am also in the process of launching the RADY program (Raising the Attendance of Disadvantaged Youngsters) throughout the school from January.
What has been your career path to get here?
I did my PGCE through the University of Cumbria with placements at the Lakes School, Windermere and Ulverston Victoria High School. Two different schools in terms of size and I preferred the smaller nature of the Lakes. The opportunity came up at Settlebeck and I did my NQT year as a science teacher starting in September 2015. In September 2020 I was appointed Head of Year 11 and stayed in this role for three years before beginning my current role in September 2023.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Early check-ins with Heads of Key Stages and Pastoral Assistant about the day ahead and any previous issues we need to resolve in our shared office. Three mornings a week I will be in a 15-minute meeting or briefing before the students start arriving. We then start to check-in with our students and make sure they are ready to learn. A list will come through with the day’s attendance and we will start to action anything necessary there. I still teach a number of lessons a week, so depending on the day I will be in the lab at various points in the day. When not teaching, as a team we are on hand to support staff with behaviour in school. There are always meetings with other professionals, other staff members or parents and carers to be held. Continual overall analysis of behaviour and attendance data to make sure that this remains a strength of Settlebeck.
What is your favourite thing about your role?
The day to day can be challenging. Working with students to support them managing their behaviour, but over a longer period of time when you see a student turn it round for themselves and re-engage positively with school and enjoy themselves it is great and makes it all worthwhile.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Dan Greenwood - Settlebeck School
What career would you choose if you weren’t teaching?
Tricky one, as a student I had plans to work in professional sport but as the course went on, I realised I wasn’t ready to stop playing sport myself and this line of work would mean I would have to. I got into teaching at a young age and have kept enjoying it since. If I was to change now it would probably be into some area of project management.
Can you share a recent accomplishment or success story from your work?
In June we decided to take a radical step to make Settlebeck a mobile phone free school. There was not much time before September and we hadn’t developed the full plan for how we would do it. By working with other staff members, the plan was ready to go and from September fully launched.The students have been fantastic and got on board right away with it. Students are now reporting feeling safer in school, more time is spent in lessons, less time in the toilets and there feels a greater sense of focus. I would recommend any school to give it a go and I am happy to share our experience with anybody interested.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have always tried to keep myself active physically and socially with sport. Rugby, cricket and golf have been my main interests.
MEET OUR TRUSTEES
Michael Potter
Changing Lives Learning Trust
Please tell us about yourself and your career background:
Born in Sunderland, I attended my local comprehensive school before heading to the University of Manchester to study History, achieving a PhD in modern British history. During my studies, I worked as an Attendance Officer in a secondary school in east Manchester and, on completion of my PhD, worked for a multi academy trust in Tameside where I had responsibilities for attendance, welfare, inclusion, safeguarding and parental engagement. After a decade working in schools, I accepted a job with the educational charity Teach First where I was, first, the School Partnerships Manager for the North West and, latterly, the Head of Partnerships for the North. During my time at Teach First I was responsible for partnerships with schools, trusts and Teaching School Hubs and was heavily involved in the training we provided to teachers and leaders.
What is your current role and what does this entail?
I am currently the Director of Partnerships at Steplab, an education company which offers innovative professional development tools, resources and training to schools and trusts across the UK (and increasingly overseas!). In this role, I am responsible for growing and maintaining partnerships with schools and other education organisations but also have oversight of marketing, communications and events. It’s my job to ensure this relatively new company continues to grow!
What inspired you to become a Trustee, and what motivates you to serve in this role?
The best bit of my job at Teach First was working with schools in Cumbria. Cumbria is a unique place and it was a real joy to understand the context of the county and find new and novel ways to help schools across Cumbria. I was responsible for Teach First’s relationship with One Cumbria Teaching School Hub and supporting the work of the TSH in their first three years of designation.
What skills or experience will you bring to this role that will benefit the Trust?
My professional roles have given me first hand experience of working in schools where I was committed to improving the life chances of young people. My most recent roles have developed my knowledge and understanding of the systems in which schools and trusts exist and seeing what lots of different schools do to meet the needs of their contexts. I am also a very experienced governor; I have been Chair of Governors at a highly successful Sunderland primary school for over a decade, a staff governor and (most recently) a parent governor.
What do you think are the main challenges facing the future of education, and how do plan to address them as a Trustee?
I’m not sure I have the space here to write about the challenges facing the future of education (funding, retention, attendance,etc.). It’d also be a pretty dull read. Instead, an optimistic tone! There are thousands of teachers who head out to work every day completely committed to improving the life chances of young people. There are many more young people who head into school completely committed to learning. I see my role as a Trustee being about ensuring the Trust and its schools are doing what matters most at all times. In short: teachers can teach and pupils can learn in safe, happy and vibrant environments.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have two little boys, aged 2 and 5, so I’m not sure I know what spare time is anymore! However, as a family, we love getting out in the fresh air. When we can get a babysitter (a rare occurrence!), I’m most likely to be found in a restaurant or at the theatre (I love a musical!).
