July 2024 / Issue 6 / Summer Term
DUNRAVEN EDUCATIONAL TRUST
Dear Families
Spotlight
I’m delighted to welcome you to the summer edition of Spotlight, our Trust newsletter. Its aim, as usual, is to give you a flavour of the many things that our young people have been involved in over the course of this term. I hope that you find it interesting. A reminder that you can see more of what the students have been involved in via the ‘twitter’ (known now as 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. Arts, sports and outdoor learning compete with subject-related events to engage students’ attention. Before and after school as well as weekends, our staff go above and beyond what’s expected to enrich the main school offer. This term we’ve also had Year 6 residentials, Year 11 and Year 13 prom nights, Duke Of Edinburgh expeditions, summer fairs, activities week, world culture days, music concerts and summer shows. The Trust team continues to work alongside our 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.
Ofsted Success Congratulations to Rosendale staff (and children and families) on all of their hard work which led to such an amazing report following their Ofsted Inspection in April. The school was last inspected in 2014 but it was well worth the wait. The report begins ‘this is a truly joyful place where pupils thrive’! Headteacher Kate Atkins and her team are rightly proud of all that the staff team has achieved. This means that all of our schools now have an up to date inspection report and all have developed since the previous visit. We continue to be hugely impressed by the dedication of the staff teams across the Trust and the great work they do in support of our young people.
The headteachers have been hearing from parents who are keen to support the ‘stick to bricks’ campaign for mobile phones. This is to encourage families to delay getting their children a smartphone until they are old enough to manage the consequences of having one. There is a clear sense that primary aged children and younger teenagers don’t need a smartphone; a cheaper ‘brick’ phone allows them to call and text to keep in touch without the hazards that can come with having an internet-connected device. There is plenty of research to suggest that life without social media is happier and less stressful for young people (and adults too!). There was a reason why Microsoft boss Bill Gates didn’t let his children have a smartphone until they were 14. I want to thank those who give their time and expertise to support our schools as governors and trustees. This is a crucial role in our community and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated and passionate group of people. A particular thanks for their service to Joan O’Mahony and Paul Thomas who step down as chairs of The Elmgreen and Dunraven local governing boards respectively at the end of this term.
With very best wishes for a restful and safe summer break. David Boyle CBE CEO