Trust Newsletter Issue5

DUNRAVEN EDUCATIONAL TRUST

March 2024 / Issue 5

WELCOME TO OUR SPRING ISSUE

Dear Families

I’m delighted to welcome you to the spring edition of Spotlight, our Trust newsletter. Its aim is to give you a flavour of the many things that our young people have been involved in over the course of this, relatively short, term. I hope that you find it interesting. I’d be grateful for any suggestions that you might have to make it more useful along with things that you’d like to hear about in the future. A reminder that you can see more of what the students have been involved in via the ‘twitter’ (now called X) feeds for each school.

I continue to be impressed and inspired by the wide range of opportunities that our schools offer to our young people, both academic and social. From a recognition of the importance of standing up for what matters at Goldfinch Primary as a UNICEF Rights Respecting, and award winning, school to an appreciation of the awe and wonder inspired by travel at both Dunraven (art and business trip to Paris) and The Elmgreen School (skiing in Austria, exploring the arts in New York). We’ve had visits from national figures (the rapper Formz, author Graham Whitlock and poet, Akala at Dunraven as well as Van Gogh ‘old girl’ Florence Eshalomi’s visit featured in this edition) and international friends (a Dutch delegation to see Rosendale students’ cooperative learning strategies). We’ve raised money for Comic Relief, dressed up to celebrate the power of reading on World Book Day and constructed marbleruns in Year 2 to explore physics during science week. We’ve been to the theatre, performed on stage, sung in choirs, celebrated the world languages spoken in school and watched Chelsea play Arsenal in the Women’s Super League. Oh and Dunraven’s Henning, Year 10, won the Lambeth regional final of the Jack Petchey ‘Speak Out’ competition. Quite the term then.

The Trust team continues to work alongside school leaders to support and develop what we can offer to our young people. This includes a range of things from working with subject leaders to develop curriculum provision; supporting improvements to school sites (like the creation of Goldfinch’s astroturf pitch); ensuring that school budgets are well looked after to provide even better value for our families and communities.

We’ll continue to offer all we can to make sure that our young people are ready and well prepared for the next stage of their educational journey. I’d like to thank our DET team for all that they do on behalf of the children and young people in our schools: our talented school staff along with the school leaders, Governors and Trustees. Thank you for your support too. We couldn’t do it without you.

With very best wishes for the Easter break.

David Boyle CBE CEO

Please sir, can I have some more?

Many will know the famous line from Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist. Many more will know the hit tunes from the musical version first performed in the 1960s. And now a new generation has fallen in love with the story thanks to Dunraven School’s musical production.

The cast of Oliver took to the Dunraven stage on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 February 2024 to present months of hard work and dedication to an audience of family and friends. Both performances, as well as a special sneak preview dress rehearsal for Dunraven Primary Year 5 and 6 students, were a resounding success.

The talented cast of 60 students from Year 7 to Year 13 wowed the audience with their renditions

of “Consider Yourself”, “Who Will Buy” and “Be Back Soon” transporting us to Dickensian London through the magic of musical theatre. Zachary shone in the title role of Oliver, drawing us all in with “Where is Love?” - no mean feat for a Year 7 student! He was expertly supported by some of our Year 11 students; the endlessly energetic and charming Daisy as Dodger, the powerhouse Ameille who brought us all to tears as Nancy and the incredibly charismatic Benjy who brought a vibrancy to the role of Fagin. Caolan, now a Year 13 student who we remember fondly as an 11 year old in his first Dunraven Musical, Les Mis, brought the fear and terror to Bill Sikes. The stage was truly full of incredible talent and skill fit for a West End stage.

The backstage crew headed up by the remarkable team of Eleanor and Tristan were crucial in the smooth running of the show and the level of detail paid to costume, props, lighting and sound. They have created some very difficult shoes to fill whilst training up future stage managers on ‘follow spot’ lights and sound boards.

It takes a huge amount of effort from all involved to create a performance like this and we are immensely proud of everyone who supported the production. Thank you to the talented staff team who led the way. Thank you too to all those that took part, supported the students, donated time, energy and flat caps. We consider you ‘part of our family’!

Award Winning Rights Respecting School

We are very proud to announce that Goldfinch Primary has achieved the silver award as a Rights Respecting School. This is in recognition of the work that has been done to embed understanding of Children’s Rights across the school. Pupils from Years 2 - 6 were interviewed as part of the assessment process and were able to demonstrate their understanding, and express how the school supports them to enjoy their rights, such as being treated fairly, being safe, speaking up and being heard. The whole school was involved in the UNICEF OutRight campaign earlier this year, learning about climate change and its effects, and raising their voices by writing letters to leaders calling for action to protect all children’s right to a clean and safe environment.

It is an important measure of our pupils’ confidence that they can present a complex point of view clearly and effectively. Watch out Rishi Sunak and Kier Starmer. The next generation of leaders are on their way.

More than dressing to impress: National Careers Week 2024

Elmgreen’s Sixth Form students had an incredibly busy National Careers Week with a range of events including trips, mock interviews, industry panels, workshops and talks. The school kicked things off with prospective apprenticeship students visiting the iconic Salesforce Tower in The City and travelling via a glass lift to the 32nd floor. Going up in the world, indeed! Whilst there, students were taught networking skills, had a professional headshot taken (overlooking the Gherkin), listened to two keynote speakers and liaised with employers from a range of industries across London including Google and PWC. A truly inspirational day for all and as always the sixth formers impressed the hosts with their professionalism and insightful questioning.

Additionally, the school hosted an exciting day of mock interviews for all year 12 students. Access Aspiration, part of the Mayor’s Fund for London, kindly organised 15 volunteers from varying industries

and sectors. Sixth Formers arrived for the day in business dress, fully briefed on interview tips and techniques and went in for what was most students’ first experience of a professional interview. Despite some initial nerves, we were thrilled that every student in year 12 made the most of the opportunity and gained valuable information and experience in the process. The feedback from students and volunteers alike was glowing and it was inspiring to see the mature conversations taking place between students and the industry professionals.

Finally, to finish off the week, there were two talks for year 12 and 13 students: one on mastering CVs and another from professionals in the creative industries, specifically marketing, digital media and interior design. Thank you to Stefan, a marketing executive, business owner and Elmgreen parent, and Sonja, a CEO, entrepreneur, and former MI5 employee (!) who thrilled sixth

form students with insider industry advice and stories of their own not-so-linear career journeys. Both offered hugely insightful guidance on what the students should be doing right now to ensure they are prepared to be able to stand out at interviews, excel in business and most importantly feel secure and happy with their chosen career path.

It really has been a hugely busy, exciting and inspiring National Careers Week and we are so proud of how year 12 and 13 have applied themselves and contributed to each of the events. Students and staff alike have left feeling informed about careers, the options available post sixth form and specifically what they should be doing right now. Thank you again to all volunteers who helped us deliver such a fantastic week to Elmgreen sixth formers.

Local MP and Future PM meets VG’s PP

Van Gogh’s Pupil Parliament enjoyed a visit from local MP (and rising political star) Florence Eshalomi to speak about how they can make a positive difference within their community.

The visit began with a tour of the school with headteacher, Nadine Bernard. Florence was very impressed with all the progress the school had made. She enjoyed visiting the classrooms and seeing all the learning that was taking place. The Pupil Parliament group then welcomed Florence into the meeting room where they had the opportunity to share all the work they had done such as organising and delivering donations to the local Food Bank. This was also a great opportunity for Pupil Parliament to ask Florence about the work that she does whilst also sharing their own concerns about the local area. The conditions of the local estates and the dumping of rubbish was an interesting topic! The meeting finished with an inspiring and motivational speech from Florence who reminded the children that they can achieve amazing things which make a positive difference as long as they work hard and believe in themselves. And she should know: she was a pupil at the school herself.

Phoenix Lettings News

Phoenix Lettings are continuing to support all schools through the promotion of available facilities to hire. We have had lots of interest and we want to say a big thank you to all staff and families that have helped to spread the word.

Our secondary schools have a variety of organisations offering a range of activities to children and adults within the community, a few examples include Gymnastics, Football & Tuition. For more information, please keep an eye out for leaflets and banners at your local school.

Goldfinch Primary School, Van Gogh Primary School & Rosendale Primary School have a variety of spacious halls, football pitches and meeting rooms that are perfect for Yoga, football, training courses and much more.

We are proud to be supporting local businesses and we are working hard to try and find individuals or organisations that are passionate in being able to offer new and exciting activities to the families and the communities of our primary schools.

If you would like to enquire or know someone who might be interested in hiring our facilities, please do get in touch via our website contact us page.

For all Phoenix Lettings enquiries please visit www.phoenixfs.org.uk

E: phoenix@det.org.uk

T: 020 7959 4126

Rosendale Achieves TfL Gold Star Status

Rosendale has been awarded the prestigious TfL Gold Level Accreditation in the TfLTravel for Life programme, a feat that only 10% of schools in London have achieved.

This award is given to schools that encourage active travel, and support students and staff to be safer in the streets whether it be on bikes, bus, scooters or on foot.

A theatre company came in to teach the early years’ children about road safety; year 2s had scooter training to help them get used to being safe in the streets; year 3s will have pedestrian training and our Year 5s will have bikeability training in the Summer Term.

Rosendale’s PTA has organised bike and walking buses for people to gather and cycle, scoot or walk to school safely together, as well as providing high-vis jackets for safer travel.

Finley, Year 6

TRUST TERM DATES

Good Friday 29 MarchFriday 12 April

Easter Holiday

Summer Term 2024

Monday 15 April

Professional Development Day for all schools (staff only - no students in school)

Tuesday 16 April

All Students Return

Monday 6 May

May Bank Holiday

Friday 24 May

Last day of half term

Monday 27 – Friday 31 May

Half Term Holiday (Mon 27 Spring Bank Holiday)

Monday 3 June

All Students Return

Thursday 13 June

Professional Development Day (staff only - no students in school)

Wednesday 24 July

Last Day of Term

Thursday 25 July

Start of Summer Holidays

Upcoming term dates for 2024-25 can be found on the trust website: www.det.org.uk

Teacher Training in the Dunraven Educational Trust

Story of a Trainee Teacher

My training journey, spanning PGCE at Roehampton and a School Direct placement at Dunraven, was enriched by diverse experiences. A week at Dunraven Primary and a half term placement at The Elmgreen School broadened my perspective. However, it was within Dunraven Secondary, particularly the Design and Technology department, that I found my passion. Mentored by experienced educators, I immersed myself in the craft of teaching. The collaborative culture at Dunraven fostered my growth as an Early Career Teacher. Every interaction, every challenge was a stepping stone towards honing my skills. I am grateful for the invaluable lessons learned and look forward to continuing this journey of learning and growth as a Design and Technology teacher at Dunraven.

Josie Coleman, Design and Technology ECT and former School Direct trainee:

We are delighted to offer primary and secondary teacher training placements through our partnership with a range of local schools, the Sharing Excellence Partnership, and the University of Roehampton. We offer training placements in our schools as a Lead PGCE Partner (formerly School Direct). Our training has been highly successful for over a decade and one of its strengths is that we offer the opportunity for people to choose the school where they train, unlike the traditional PGCE where the school is chosen for you. We are passionate about finding the best candidates to teach the young people in our schools, both within the Trust and more widely in the local area. We have successfully trained over 200 teachers in recent years. Josie is one of them and shares her story below. We hope she inspires others to apply. For more stories from people who have trained with us please see our website and booklet, details below.

For all enquiries please visit www.sharingexcellence.org.uk Or email teachertraining@ sharingexcellence.org.uk

Nana Baffoe Governor, Rosendale Primary School

How long have you been involved in governance?

I have been a Local Governor at Rosendale since 2023.

What made you want to be a governor?

I have a keen interest in securing the best experiences and outcomes for our children and young people. I wanted to use my life experience and skills to make a difference in my local community.

How do you find the time to do it?

Planning ahead I would say is beneficial and we receive notices in advance which is helpful when juggling work and life in general. Most things can be done flexiblywhether it’s commenting virtually on school policies, or arranging to visit the school at a convenient time.

Meet the Governors

Pete Jarvis

Parent Governor, Dunraven School

How long have you been involved in governance?

Whilst my day to day work includes a lot of aspects of governance, I am relatively new to being a school governor having joined as a Parent Governor in October 2022.

What’s the best thing about the role?

Being a governor though is more than just contributing to the school, I see it as a useful way of giving something back to the community in which I live. Being a school governor offers me the opportunity to get involved in the different areas of the schools, including school initiatives, strategic and operational transformation plans of schools. This is a positive privilege where I can make a meaningful contribution to the community in which I live and serve.

What made you want to be a Governor?

I have two children in the Primary Phase of Dunraven and during their time at the school I have been really impressed with the staff and the setup of the school and I wanted to be able to make a contribution. I wasn’t sure I was really built for taking an active role in all the excellent work Friends of Dunraven do, so when the opportunity came up to be on the governor’s side it felt like a really good opportunity to support the school.

How do you find the time to do it?

There are busy times being a governor, from Ofsted inspections to policy reviews, school visits and meetings balanced with family life and my normal job, but the reward is worth making the balance work. Everything on the governor’s side is well organised and comes with lots of advanced warning which is a big help!

What’s the best thing about the role?

If you were Secretary of State for Education, what one change would you make?

Though quite a few things need changing, I would say the ability for every school to take pride in their achievements by enabling all children to experience a rich and diverse curriculum and a range of development opportunities. Securing funding will help to strategise and implement initiatives to enhance the learning experiences of every student, ensuring they have the tools to flourish academically and emotionally.

The best thing is seeing the culmination of what the school is aiming to achieve in the success of the students, be it in academic results, competitions or performances that they take part in. In addition, getting to better understand the school community, and therefore improve how I can help the school more, has been a really interesting (and steep) learning curve. I knew very little about the school outside of the Primary. Since being appointed I have had the opportunity to: tour the whole school, engaging with a range of teaching staff; seen some wonderful performances by the pupils and witnessed how engaged the students and staff are to deliver these events; experienced an Ofsted inspection; talked to other parents; worked alongside all the other governors to support and challenge school leaders.

If you were Secretary of State for Education, what one change would you make?

Probably resign immediately and appoint someone whose career has been in education and fully understands the needs of schools. We need to recognise that schools and teachers play a critical part in the community and the role they have in developing and readying our children for the future! Ultimately, the funding model and how we financially recognise teachers and schools needs addressing.

Meet the Governors

If you, or anyone you know, would like to know more about becoming involved in governance with our Trust we would love to hear from you. Please contact Kylie Burgess, Governance & Compliance Manager, for an informal conversation at governance@det.org.uk

Notices

School Admissions Updates

On Friday 1 March primary families were notified of their child’s school place for Year 7 entry for this September. The Elmgreen School and Dunraven School were delighted again to have so many families apply for their child to join the schools.

The induction process takes place in the summer term, which will help to prepare our young people for their transition to secondary school in September. Tuesday 16 April is National Offer Day for Reception entry for this September

We look forward to welcoming the new cohort of children starting their school journey.

School Uniform Survey

In February we launched a survey for families regarding school uniforms. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey, with towards 1000 responses across the schools. As stated when we launched the survey, we believe in the importance of school uniforms to create a shared identity among our students, regardless of their background. The aim of the review is to ensure that our school uniforms are affordable, well made and accessible for all.

The survey was the first part of the process and we will begin reviewing the responses soon, as well as engaging with a selection of students at each school to hear their views. The review will continue into the first half of the summer term and we will contact families again to provide an update towards the end of the summer. If you have any questions, please contact us through info@det.org.uk

Admissions Policies

The Admissions Policies for September 2025 entry have been published on the school websites. We look forward to welcoming families to our schools in the autumn term for the open sessions and tours. Details will be published on the school sites over the summer holidays.

If you have any questions about school admissions, please do contact Mr White, Senior Admissions & Appeals Officer via info@det.org.uk