NETworking - Staff Newsletter Spring 2023

The staff newsletter of Northern Education Trust

Outcomes Focused, Child Centred

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Rob Tarn awarded CBE in New Year Honours

CAMHS Training Programme for Parents and Carers Careers Learning in Primary Schools research study

Spotlight on Norton Primary Academy

Kearsley students meet King Charles III

Where did that system come from - iAspire

Where did that system come from - Live Marking

NET Staff College

Student Events

Day in the life of... Rebecca Gilhooley

Day in the life of... Andrew Sutton

Trust-wide events

Northern Education Trust art gallery

Message from the Chief Executive

Freebrough’s inspection resulted in them being the fourth of the trust’s secondary academies to be rated Outstanding, joining Grangefield, Dyke House and North Shore – a phenomenal achievement, and magnificent for the Tees Valley.

We welcomed Hetton Academy into the trust family this academic year, and we are working with two other schools and another multi-academy trust, to support their improvement journey through service level agreements. We also continue to share our strategies and resources for improving attendance through the Attendance Hub, having had extremely positive feedback on the initiative from the Department for Education.

What a year it has been since our last edition! Incredible outcomes in GCSE results and KS2 outcomes, bucking the national trend and showing improvements across the board; phenomenal results in Ofsted inspections; magnificent trust-wide events taking place which were a sheer joy to watch – NET Fest, NET Games and NET Golf; and of course a myriad of heart-warming good news stories of personal achievements and triumphs by individual students that occur every day in every one of our academies.

Ofsted has carried out seven inspections across the trust over the last twelve months, resulting in all our inspected academies now being judged as Good or Outstanding.

Those of us who were lucky enough to witness our trust-wide events will never forget the enthusiasm and joy shown by all who took part. I am very grateful to all staff involved in the organisation and delivery of NET Golf, NET Games and NET Fest – the work that goes into such events is immense, and their success is dependent on ensuring everything is meticulously planned and then delivered on the day. My thanks go to everyone who played a part, whether large or small, and of course –thank you as well to all the students who took part so enthusiastically.

I hope you find this edition interesting and enlightening, and join me in looking forward to all the exciting events in store over the next few months.

Rob Tarn CBE Chief Executive

Welcome to the third edition of our staff newsletter –

Newly appointed senior leadership positions

Congratulations to the staff below, who have been appointed into senior roles in the last few months:

As of 1 September 2022

As of 1 October 2022

As of 1 January 2023

Director of NET Staff Mathematics

Associate Director

Michael Fairless Vice Principal at Red House

Jonathan Newton Vice Principal at

Laura Woodhouse Primary Learning

Robert Gales Vice Principal at North Shore

Nichola Westgate Vice Principal at North Shore

Michael Garthwaite Principal at North Shore

Lindsey Brown Trust ICT Manager (fixed term) of Computer

Ryan Baxter Vice Principal at Kearsley

Esther Hamilton Vice Principal at Merlin Top

Emma Wells Associate Director of SEN

Andrea Thompson Senior Business Manager

Alison Dale Senior Business Manager

Ofsted reports

Northern Education Trust is immensely proud of the Ofsted ratings achieved this academic year for a number of our academies.

Abbey Park Primary Academy underwent an ungraded inspection in September 2022. Ofsted found the academy continues to be a Good school in all categories. Inspectors noted a culture of praise and celebration of student success and were particularly impressed by PROUD Thursdays. The English and maths curriculum were of particular interest to inspectors who noted the success of both core subjects and the exceptional teaching delivered, saying: “Teachers have excellent subject knowledge in English and mathematics. These subjects are taught well in every year group. Students are achieving well in these subjects.”

Badger Hill Primary Academy had a graded inspection in November 2022. Inspectors judged the academy to be a Good school, and Outstanding for personal development, commenting that “staff are kind and caring. They encourage children to develop independence.” Inspectors were particularly impressed with changes made to the curriculum with leaders using their expertise to create a “broad, inspiring and interesting curriculum in all subjects” with student success placed at the heart of these changes. Inspectors also recognised the academy’s relentless focus on reading, finding this to be a considerable strength.

The Grangefield Academy underwent a graded inspection in December 2022 and to everyone’s delight, the academy increased its rating to Outstanding in all categories. Inspectors were hugely praiseworthy about the academy, saying that “leaders have created a community that staff and students are proud to be part of” where “praise and recognition is at the heart of the school” and “the culture of achievement and encouragement is palpable.” They recognised the high expectations that students have of each other’s behaviour and attitudes, and that everyone is treated with respect. Inspectors noted the importance leaders place on reading, with an extremely well-developed reading

Stockton on Tees – of the twelve secondary schools in the area, there are only three with the Outstanding rating, and two are Northern Education Trust academies, the other being Northern Education Trust North Shore Academy, which rose to Outstanding in 2021 from Requires Improvement.

Freebrough Academy underwent a graded inspection in January 2023 and is ecstatic to join Dyke House, North Shore and Grangefield as the fourth NET secondary academy to be judged Outstanding. Inspectors were hugely impressed by the high quality of education provided, through an ambitious curriculum, created by senior leaders with careful consideration, saying: “Students at Freebrough Academy receive an exceptional education … The curriculum and subject content from which students learn is exceptional.” Inspectors were hugely praiseworthy of the student conduct and behaviour that exists at Freebrough, with a culture of support, respect and kindness embedded across the school, along with a strong community feel, saying: “Leaders‘ commitment and success in developing students’ character and personal values are first class. Students appreciate the value of good manners, respect and putting others first.” Inspectors also recognised the academy’s success in creating a wide, rich set of experiences for students both academically and socially, commenting on the broad range of extra-curricular activities available, saying: “The opportunities to learn beyond the classroom are vast … Students participate in wider school life with enthusiasm.”

Walbottle Academy was judged to be Good by inspectors on 25 and 26 January 2023, in their first graded inspection since joining the trust. The academy has undergone a monumental transformation which was recognised by inspectors, who were impressed by swift and decisive actions taken by trust leaders, to bring about rapid improvements across all areas of the academy. Inspectors also recognised the innovative and effective rewards systems which celebrate and encourage attendance and academic achievement and were highly impressed by student conduct and behaviour, along with the academy’s highly ambitious and creative curriculum. Students told inspectors they “feel safe and happy” with older students commenting that Walbottle “feels like a different place.”

Rob Tarn awarded CBE in New Year’s Honours

Northern Education Trust is delighted to announce that Rob Tarn, chief executive officer of Northern Education Trust (NET) has been made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours List for his services to education.

Rob took up his first headship in 2009 and led a number of schools from special measures to good or outstanding. In September 2017, he was appointed as chief executive of Northern Education Trust. At that time, many of the schools sponsored by the trust had never been judged good in their history, proving notoriously difficult to lead, and situated in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the north of England. Since Rob’s appointment, with the support of trustees, the trust has undertaken a radical transformation, the scale of which should not be underestimated.

With the resilience and strong desire to lead the trust to make rapid and sustained improvements, Rob devised and implemented the unique NORTHERN model of school improvement which has led to unprecedented improvements in student outcomes. NET academies are now high performing, and in 2022, the percentage of students who achieved strong passes in English and maths at grade 5+ was 54%, compared with 50% nationally. Standard passes at grade 4+ was 72%, compared with 69% nationally. Set against the background of the pandemic, and the fact that many of the trust’s academies are located in areas of high deprivation, with 48% of secondary students eligible for free school meals, this is an exceptional achievement.

Attainment in NET primary academies has also increased in all areas. In 2022, in the combined measure of reading, writing and maths, a magnificent 71% of students achieved the expected standard or above, 12 percentage points higher than the national average. Reading results are 80% (compared against the national measure of 74%); writing is 78% (compared against the national measure of 69%); and maths is 79% (compared against the national average of 71%). In addition, within five years of Rob’s appointment, 21 inspected academies are now judged as good or outstanding, including North Shore Academy in Stockton which rose from requires improvement straight to outstanding in all areas in 2021. Dyke House Academy in Hartlepool and The Grangefield Academy in Stockton-on-Tees were both judged outstanding in all areas in 2022. Rob’s leadership has had a significant impact on the lives of thousands of students and their families.

On achieving the accolade, Rob said:

‘I cannot describe how I felt when I received the letter notifying me of this prestigious award, which I accept with immense gratitude on behalf of our dedicated staff and the 15,000 children and young people the trust now serves. Every day, I feel humbled to observe our students overcome significant personal challenges and barriers to learning in some of the most disadvantaged communities. They show enormous resilience and determination and I will never become complacent in supporting their development, focusing on their wellbeing whilst enabling them to succeed.

I feel extremely privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead the trust since 2017 and witness the transformation. It is down to the sheer hard work and commitment of our students and staff that together we have been able to achieve our success. Without the support of our parents and carers, governors and trustees, who give their time freely, we would not have been able to succeed in our journey in such a short space of time. I want to thank everyone involved, particularly our staff who work tirelessly to support our students every single day’

Mark Sanders OBE, Chair of Northern Education Trust said:

‘I am extremely proud that Rob has been made a CBE. His passion for improving the life chances of children and young people is palpable. He relishes the opportunity to work in challenging schools in the most difficult of circumstances, rapidly transforming the lives of the most vulnerable children. He acts not only as an educationalist, but as a parent himself, not wanting to let down those children who depend on their teachers and believe in their promises that they can succeed, despite many of them having the biggest mountain to climb in terms of equity and social mobility. He has demonstrated his ability to influence change in some of the most challenging communities in the northern region, and in schools that have historically proved very difficult to lead. On behalf of all trustees, I send our heartfelt congratulations to Rob on this well-deserved award’.

Art Gallery

By A. A and M. T Norton Primary Academy

By E. M The Grangefield Academy

CAMHS Training Programme for Parents and Carers

Good mental health is the foundation for our lives and helps us to flourish. Poor mental health can be a huge burden on individuals, families and the community therefore protecting and improving our mental health is just as important as protecting and improving our physical health. Preventing mental health struggles in childhood and adolescence and supporting children’s resilience will have long lasting impacts, so it is important to have the knowledge and understanding to help better support children and young people who may be struggling.

The Grangefield Academy have added a training programme for parents and carers in collaboration with the NHS. The Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) will be delivering workshops live via Microsoft Teams for all parent and carers. There are also sessions available for anyone who works with children in Teesside free of charge (child does not need to be open to CAMHS).

These workshops will cover a variety of sensitive and difficult subjects:

• Understanding anxiety

• Understanding emotional wellbeing

• Understanding eating disorders

• Understanding self-harm

• Understanding ASD

• Understanding ADHD

• Understanding sleep

The emphasis throughout the training will be on effective multi-agency working to improve outcomes for children and young people. The aim is to provide parents, carers and staff with the tools and knowledge to spot signs and symptoms and support children and young people who may be struggling with their mental health.

If you are interested in attending any of the sessions above as a member of staff please visit https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/get-involved/training/camhs-training-in-teesside/ for more information and how to book.

Careers Learning in Primary Schools research study

NET primary schools will be taking part in the Careers Learning in Primary Schools (CLiPS) education and research study, carried out by NUSTEM. NUSTEM are an outreach and research group at Northumbria University, who deliver a wide variety of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) interventions with schools and the public.

The CLiPS study is an educational project which aims to support primary teachers to be able to embed careers-related learning in their lessons, particularly in the STEM subjects. The research study will investigate the effects of the CLiPS project on teachers in NET primary schools and seeks to measure how successful (or otherwise) the project is in meeting its aims. The project began in the autumn term 2022 and will end in October 2023.

During the project NUSTEM Group will work alongside teachers and senior leaders at the academies to embed quality careers-related learning into the school curriculum. The careers-related learning materials are designed to help children find out about a wider variety of jobs while they are in primary school.

During this project children in years 3-6 and teachers will be asked some questions at the start of the spring term (January/February 2023) and then again at the end of the school year in July 2023. The children will complete a short survey to tell NUSTEM about their aspirations and explore their understanding of STEM careers and their career-related aspirations.

Parents have been informed of the CLiPS project and what it will entail. This letter can be found on the websites for each primary academy. Participation is not mandatory and parents can opt their child out of the research study by completing an opt out form. Taking part will be confidential with student data anonymised. Once the study is complete a report will be written and shared with the wider education research community and other people interested in improving STEM education.

To find out more information about the CLiPS research project please visit nustem.uk or email Joe Shimwell on joe.shimwell@northumbria.ac.uk

Principal Profile

Neil Cooper, Merlin Top Primary Academy

What is the best thing about being a principal?

The best thing about being principal is being able to do your best for all these children. Merlin Top is based in the heart of a housing estate, we have a lot of pupil premium students and there is a lot that goes on in their lives. To be able to put a package together for them and introduce them to a new world of experiences that they may not usually get to do is amazing. For example, we took year 6 students to perform in a theatre in Bradford which they absolutely loved. Being principal gives you the opportunity and ability to try and improve their life chances and then seeing the impact this has on them is fantastic.

What is the worst thing about being a principal?

It’s your name on the door and that thought is in your mind all the time. You always double check everything because if something goes wrong you’re responsible. Whether it’s someone else who has made the mistake or not, it always comes back to you as the principal. It can also be frustrating when we do so much for the children but sometimes this is not recognised even though you have all sorts of resources and support going on for the child – this can be a difficult part of the job.

Work/life balance – how does that look to you?

I would say my work/life balance is good. The way I like to work is to come in early and try to get as much done in that space of time before the school day starts. There may be times where I have to do some little bits at home but the majority gets done in the early morning.

To relax outside of work, I like to play sports and keep active, I’m an avid cricket player. I also have a 2-year-old son so I like to spend time with him and go out together on walks as a family. We particularly like going to Ilkley and Harrogate.

What is your most memorable moment so far?

My most memorable moment was watching the children perform at NETFest. It was a really nice day and we really enjoyed seeing them on the stage in the lights. Our school choir which consisted of year 2 – year 6 students performed some amazing songs for everyone and I definitely think we had the ‘cute factor’ on our side.

Who is your greatest influence?

This is a tricky one. I would say that I pick up influences from everyone. I like seeing lots of new things that are happening in other academies and seeing if this will work for Merlin Top or not.

I would also say my family have been a great influence on me. They worked incredibly hard to put me through university and get me to where I am now. They taught me how to work hard and how important it is. How/why did you get into teaching/education?

I’d always fancied it. I wanted to be a PE teacher for a

long time but I changed my mind at the last minute because I also enjoyed maths and various other subjects. Because of this I decided to become a primary school teacher and I have enjoyed every second of it since.

When I first started I taught in a small school with the younger students. Then I began teaching the year 6 classes and have done so ever since until I became a vice principal. I have really enjoyed helping the children achieve the outcomes that they so deserve and build a team with them.

As principal I still teach a year 6 maths booster session before school and do other little bits with them, for example when they’ve done their mock SATs I will do 1-2-1s with some of the children now and again and go over the paper with them. I enjoy this as it allows me to check in with them, and support them further.

What are the highlights of your career so far?

Becoming principal. I came to Merlin Top as a vice principal in September 2019 and by September 2020 I was the principal. Everything happened very quickly in my first year here. It was a very surreal start to headship especially due to COVID - there was a lot going on that I needed to focus on that I wouldn’t typically need to under normal circumstances as a principal. Becoming principal certainly happened a lot sooner than I anticipated.

The highlights in my career have also included going to events with the students. I have really enjoyed seeing the students participate in events that they will talk about and remember forever.

Lastly, I would say another highlight of my career has been the incredible results Merlin Top received last year following our first assessments since COVID. They were the best results Merlin Top have ever received and I am immensely proud of all the children and staff for the hard work they put in to achieving these results.

What is the hardest part about being a principal? The hardest thing about being principal is having to look after everyone – you have to look out for the children, your staff and try to keep the parents happy. But you have to learn that you can’t keep everyone happy all the time. You have to make key decisions and stay true to them – it’s the best way to do it even if some people may not agree.

What’s surprised you the most being a principal? That you can’t write a job description of what happens when you are a principal. There are so many little surprises that come your way, for example when you have a flood but your caretaker is off, or when you are faced with vandalism at the weekend or when a dog finds its way into the building. As principal everyone comes to you for solutions and you have to try and navigate your way through the situation and figure out how to deal with it. There are so many situations that you don’t expect to happen – until they do.

Luckily, I am part of a group of principals that help each other out and you never feel like you are on your own. I know that I can ring anyone and they are always willing to offer support and advice and tell you not to worry! This would be completely different if you were part of a stand-alone school so I am very appreciative of the network of support that exists at Northern Education Trust.

What do you wish you had known before becoming a principal?

You need to quickly figure out who the important people are as they make the academy tick for example the caretaker - you need a good relationship with your caretaker as they know everything that goes on in your school. The same goes for your office staff, you need a good rapport with these colleagues as they keep things running smoothly.

I also wish I knew about all the situations that I have since experienced for the first time, that I had never dealt with before. For example, finance, I have never had to deal with the financial side of things until I became a principal. You tend to learn as you go along so it would have been great to know about these aspects beforehand so you could familiarize yourself with them. When there is a situation or a problem arises, people presume that as the principal you know what to do when you don’t but once it happens and you deal with it you know for next time.

Do you have any advice for others aspiring to be a principal?

Know what you stand for, know what your vision and values are, make sure these are in line with the trust and stand by it and be the best you can. You cannot do this job half-heartedly. It’s not possible. You have to throw everything at it.

Principal Profile

perform such an amazing message to the trust and then our academy staff got to see it as well – it was very touching.

Who is your greatest influence?

My mum – I’m very much like her. We both run at 100 miles an hour and work at a fast pace. We also like working with different people and building a team. She was a teacher as well.

How/why did you get into teaching?

I wanted to be a police officer but the recruitment process was very long. I didn’t want to be a teacher but I did the teacher training and loved it. I was also good at it. I think if you are going to be in a job for 40-50 years you have to do something you love. Life is too short to not do a job you love.

What are the highlights of your career so far?

I did my teacher training in Liverpool and it was a huge eye-opener due to the deprived areas. Then I worked in London and it was a complete contrast. Liverpool was predominately white-British whereas London was very diverse and I liked this difference. I feel very lucky because I’ve worked in 4 NET schools: Dyke House, Blyth, Thorp and now Manor. I’m lucky because my experience of NET has been so varied and I have been able to see how the NORTHERN model works in different contexts.

What is the hardest thing about being principal? I would say it is not being able to teach as much as I used to but I still have two year 11 classes which makes me feel very lucky.

What’s surprised you the most about being a principal?

I didn’t know if I could do it – I still feel like I’ve only just started but I’ve been doing it for a year. Reassurance from others helped me realise that I could be principal and this motivated me and helped my decision to take on the role.

What do you wish you had known before becoming a principal?

All the things I didn’t know! You don’t know how to handle a situation until it happens. Once you have dealt with it you know what to do next time.

Do you have any advice for others aspiring to be a principal?

Say yes to every opportunity. Push yourself and remember why you love your job. Being a principal gives you the opportunity to effect the most change and make the biggest difference.

Art Gallery

By S. D Thorp Academy

By V. C North Shore Academy

Welcome to Hetton Academy

Hetton Academy officially joined Northern Education Trust on 1 September 2022, and we would like to extend a very warm welcome to all students and staff.

Based in Hetton-le-Hole, a semi-urban community half way between Sunderland and Durham, Hetton is known for its rich history as a coal mining town which can be traced back 1,000 years. With some areas of significant social deprivation and others of affluent new builds, Hetton academy upholds the ethos that everyone is given the same opportunities and support irrespective of their background. The academy works hard to create an inclusive, warm environment with student care being its number one priority.

Hetton Academy prides itself on being a community school that serves its community regardless of socio-economic backgrounds or ability level. This positive relationship is evident with the academy’s frequent participation in local events such as celebrations of the area’s mining and railway heritage and the good links in place with parents/carers.

Hetton is proud of its decision to join Northern Education Trust after carefully researching 17 different trusts across the North East. Being part of NET has been hugely beneficial in terms of staff training and collaboration with other academies to improve systems, share good practice and work towards the same vision. The academy has embraced the trust’s effective systems and protocols, embedding them into academy life, which has had a great impact on student attitudes, behaviour and outcomes, particularly in English and maths. The academy is optimistic and excited for the future and to continue progressing and improving.

Nikki Gibb, Executive Principal said “As Executive Principal of Hetton Academy I feel very proud to lead a strong, tight-knit community of hardworking, ambitious and talented staff and students who are committed to student outcomes and to being the very best they can be. Since joining Northern Education Trust the academy has seen some incredible improvements and progress made and this positive change can be felt across the academy. It is a very exciting time to be part of Hetton Academy and I believe it will continue to go from strength to strength as part of Northern Education Trust.”

Spotlight on Norton Primary Academy

Norton Primary Academy students have enjoyed a term full of enrichment activities and learning opportunities, which have been well received and embraced by all.

Bright Minds, Big Futures

A selection of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils have been attending an after-school club led by a local youth-led movement called “Bright Minds, Big Futures”. For half a term, the students have met and discussed what could be done to minimise food waste. They had a visit from The Stockton Food Power Network Community Electric Van, which helps tackle food poverty in Stockton-on-Tees.

During one session, students worked with Little Sprouts, a health and well-being charity, where they sorted fresh ingredients for making a soup with their families at home. Students decided to write letters to local supermarkets, requesting donations of food which would otherwise go to a landfill and they also hosted a Pop Up Pantry at the Academy. They spent time designing posters to promote the project.

The Pop Up Pantry was a huge success. Students decided that the funds raised should be donated to Teesside Hospice and some were there to present the cheque to them. The children hope to host further Pop Up Pantry Events in the coming months due to its success.

Bring it On

In the 2022 Autumn term, 15 year 4 students from Norton Primary Academy visited Sunderland for the annual ‘Bring it on’ event. Bring it on North East exhibition is targeted at 9-14 year olds, and aims to raise the aspirations of North East youngsters and contribute to closing the engineering skills gap.

The students from the academy interacted with companies and engineers from FujiFilm, Jacobs, Siemens, Nissan and NHS to name a few. They took part in building challenges, discovered what the inside of a wind turbine looks like via virtual reality, learnt how robots make medicines and even got to drive a JCB!

The students were thoroughly engaged and had so much fun whilst learning all about the world of engineering.

STEM at Norton in action

In December 2022, the 9 students who attend the weekly STEM to Stars after school club were invited to visit Kielder Observatory. It was a fantastic day filled with new facts, information, experiences and moments of inspiration. The children had the opportunity to operate the NASA telescopes and the Sir Patrick Moore observatory deck. As well as this, the children walked on an actual piece of Mars and touched pieces of the moon. Who can say they have done that? The staff at Kielder Observatory commented on how much prior knowledge the children had about the many topics linked to space and stars – we truly are budding scientists at Norton Primary Academy.

The clear sky at Kielder Observatory was truly specialthe crisp air, the silence was bewitching, the stars mesmerising. We are very lucky to be alive on this tiny planet we call Earth and the Kielder Observatory educational visit certainly reminded us of that!

To create an account and browse available cars, scan the QR code or visit tuskercars.com. Login using the company code NET1 and your payroll number (found on your payslip).

Student Voice - Primary

Frederick Nattrass Head Boy Jack and Head Girl Sophia

What is the best thing about your academy?

Jack: I love how teachers help the children to improve on things they don’t understand or when we are stuck. They help everyone learn. Wherever you are in the class they will come over and check on you and help if you can’t do something.

Sophia: As well as doing a lot of work, we also have a lot of fun.

What is your most memorable moment being part of student voice?

Jack and Sophia: We’ve only been head boy and head girl since January so I say it would be the moment we first found out we had been nominated by the class.

Also, being asked to do this interview as new head boy or head girl because no head boy or girl has been asked to do this before. We are keen to share our views with the rest of Northern Education Trust.

What made you want to take part in the student voice?

Jack: I think it is very important that all children get their voices heard, so I want to represent the boys and girls at the academy to the wider world.

Sophia: I was inspired by my brother who was head boy. He goes to a secondary NET school now. He did a great job as head boy and I want to represent the school like he did.

What have you got out of being in student voice?

Jack and Sophia: It has helped our confidence because people believed in us. Both the children and the teachers felt that we would do a good job and that feels great. We are excited to be able to make a difference in our school and learn some new skills.

Why should people stand for election to be head boy/head girl?

Jack: It is a special role in year 6 to be head boy and head girl. You only get it in year 6 because it is a position of great responsibility and you need to be old enough to have the confidence and experience to do it well. If you are chosen, the experiences which you learn along the way will stay with you for a lifetime.

Sophia: There will alway be something which you want to do but you don’t know if you are brave enough. When you try your best to overcome the fear then you will be very proud of yourself for what you can achieve. All you have to do is believe in yourself and you can do anything. There will be times in this role when it feels a bit too scary, but I know that I can do it.

What did you hope to change by being part of student voice?

Jack: I want to do what I can do to protect the environment and spread the word to other people. There are many children and families who aren’t very eco-friendly because they don’t know what to do. I want to help educate the whole school community to change people’s feelings and actions to be more eco-friendly. So far, we have put more plants around the school and we have a bottle top collection box in the office, where any clean bottle tops can be recycled and turned into items such as a chair. We also have added lots of recycling bins around areas of the building to encourage recycling. I will continue this after I am head boy.

Sophia: I would like everyone in the school to use the Talk It Out cards. If a child has a worry, there’s a box outside the office for them to put a card in and a teacher will come get you and talk to you about it. Sometimes when you feel a bit rubbish it can be hard to remember that there are people there to help you. Talking about your worries is very important, so I want students to use this when they need to. Hopefully people reading this article will also be reminded to talk about things which are making them sad or worried.

What is your greatest achievement so far?

Jack: My greatest achievement this year was being the first person in the class to get 40 out of 40 on my arithmetic test. I worked really hard so that I could answer all of the questions and work quickly enough to beat the time limit.

Sophia: Pushing myself to do things I have been scared to do when we went to Robinwood. I was scared to go on the zip wire because it was high up and you had to step off the platform. But when I did it I was proud of myself and I enjoyed flying through the air.

What impact has being on the student council had on you as a person?

Jack: A boost of confidence came into me because I really wanted to do these things and I did not expect to get elected. It has made me believe in myself more and when I found out I was going to be head boy it made me really happy.

Sophia: It made me feel like everyone believed in me and felt like if I did this then everyone would be proud of me. My family is very proud of me.

What career do you hope to follow in the future?

Jack: A scientist or engineer because I feel like these are my strong points.

Sophia: An army girl, just like my auntie, or a chef because I love food.

Who is your greatest influence?

Jack: My grandad because he did lots of things that looked really good such as Judo and this has inspired me to do these as well and follow in his footsteps.

Sophia: My auntie Codie because when I was younger she worked really hard to try and save money for me because I was really poorly when I was little. She didn’t give up even when it was tough. She was also brave enough to train to protect our country.

Student Voice - Secondary

Kirk Balk Academy Student President –Holly

What is the best thing about your academy?

I would say it’s the collaborative structures that we have in place across the school. We have built this whole idea in Kirk Balk that we are a community and we act as one, both students and teachers and the fact that you can also go to teachers for anything.

What is your most memorable moment being part of the student council?

I think from a personal place it was the president inauguration as everyone went full out for that and it was greatly appreciated and I will never forget it. From being part of the student council, I always enjoy when parents come into the school for events such as parents’ evenings or ‘fish and tips’ because I enjoy showing off the school and everything that student voice does.

What made you want to take part in the student council?

With the student voice role, I really enjoy representing the school especially when parents come in. With the student president role, I wanted to help everyone enjoy school as much as I do so I wanted to make a difference here as I can’t imagine going to school 5 days a week and not enjoying it. What have you got out of being in student council?

It has certainly helped me to interact with others. I am a fairly confident person but the whole idea that I could do this on a larger level and inspire other

Why should people stand for election to be student president?

It is definitely something that they’ll never forget with all the experience we have and interacting with peers, teacher and parents. It’s a very enjoyable experience and it is good for those who want to make an impact in their academy.

What did you hope to change by being part of the student council?

First I was the chair of teaching and learning so this focused on the different structures and different ways of learning that could be integrated into school life and affect the way students learn. We ensured that teachers focused on collaborative learning, for example if you are someone who is clever and knows all the answers you may sit next to someone who might struggle. It was about helping those who struggle, to struggle less and helping those who are doing well to continue to progress and build on these skills. We would make sure that collaborative learning took place in every lesson.

I also wanted to make a difference to students and parents, for example everyone’s ability is different, and as a parent if your child does not enjoy school or is not as academically successful as others, you may feel frustration towards the school and the academy. So, to create a space such as the ‘do well’ events or parents’ evenings where parents can be welcomed into the school and see that even if their child is not doing well in a particular subject they can still progress elsewhere, can make a difference.

What is your greatest achievement so far?

Getting elected as student voice president as I ended up with 55% of the vote which blew my mind as I did not think I would be able to do it.

What impact has being on the student council had on you as a person?

It has definitely made me more eager to inspire others for example when parents and other teachers come into the school I usher students to be more interactive, whereas before I would have said ‘if you don’t want to do it then you don’t have to’. I have to be that inspiration to encourage them to do things they may not want to do so it’s nice to be this inspiration for people.

What career do you hope to follow in the future?

A writer because I enjoy English and the creative writing side of things. My favourite author is Michael Morpurgo.

Who is your greatest influence?

My grandparents because they are local to this area and so became miners or worked in the textile industry so there have been times where they haven’t earned enough and struggled to afford things. They crawled so my parents could walk and I could run so they have been a huge inspiration for me.

Kearsley students meet King Charles III

Bolton Town Hall celebrated its 150th anniversary on 20th January 2023. To mark the very special occasion His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Consort attended the event along with representatives from some of the Bolton schools. Principal, Mr Newton attended with Kearsley Academy's Student President and E1 star students from Y7 and Y11.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for these young people and they were very excited and grateful to be selected. Each child was given a flag to wave as they lined the way on the steps into the Town Hall. As King Charles passed he shook the hands of our students advising them 'to do well in school'.

Every young person that attended received a certificate of thanks from Bolton Council, thanking them for being a representative of Bolton during the Royal visit.

Student Voice President, Jayden said “I was astonished to meet the King, it was an amazing experience and I loved meting him, the set-up was awesome. It was a great once in a lifetime opportunity and I am so thankful I got to meet him. I can’t say how much I loved the day!

Graphic Design Catalogue

We are delighted to announce that the NET Graphic Design Catalogue is now available for staff to view and pick what they would like to order for their academy.

The NET Graphic Design Catalogue is a series of 3 books includes all of the graphic design products created up to now by Shannon Barraclough, Graphic Designer. The books feature a variety of products such as banners, boards, external signage and Reading Routes.

If you are interested in any of the products featured in the catalogue please complete the graphic design request form in advance. There will be new items added to the books every now and again so please do check regularly for changes in case you spot something you like!

We would also like to extend a big thank you to Shannon for all the hard work she had done over the last few years in creating these resources that make our academies look amazing and contribute to the successful learning of our students.

Book 1: https://issuu.com/northerneducationtrust/docs/net_graphic_design_catalogue_book_1

Book 2: https://issuu.com/northerneducationtrust/docs/net_graphic_design_catalogue_book_2

Book 3: https://issuu.com/northerneducationtrust/docs/net_graphic_design_catalogue_book_3

Where did that system come from?

iAspire - Steven Jones, Associate Principal, Manor Community Academy

How and why did you come up with the idea for iAspire?

I came up with iAspire because the pledges we were initially using became outdated and I thought it would be a nice way of tying in some of our other systems and develop students further with what is already in place, for example reading routes, PROUD and love to learn.

When I was at North Shore Academy I had a conversation with Andrew Murphy and we discussed how the pledges could be improved, and the idea for iAspire developed from there.

I worked closely with Emma Roffe, Principal at Frederick Nattrass on developing iAspire. I came up with 10 challenges which Emma adapted for the primary phase. These challenges were put on a 2-tier structure and got more difficult for the children as they went through the key stages. The challenges were linked to NET systems that were already in place and worked well, to get the students more engaged with something they already do, for example read at least one book from reading routes and write a review.

Within those 10 challenges I created a set of criteria to be met for example one of the challenges involves regularly attending an after-academy enrichment. The criteria for completing this challenge is to have 100% attendance for the same enrichment club for a full term. This way they are more dedicated, more resilient and more committed to one enrichment club rather than jumping between them.

I was invited to an exec meeting where I presented my idea to Rob, Jane and the principals. Emma and

produce iAspire passports, badges, banners and boards. We put a full, final proposal together and presented this at the NET conference in September 2021. Once approved we did a big launch and delivered everything to staff and students.

Since then it has taken on a life of its own. The academies are responsible for running iAspire. They will do a pop-up table once a week at lunch time where students can show how they’ve completed a challenge and get this signed off. They will do assemblies each half term where students who have completed a badge will be rewarded and celebrated.

The iAspire initiative has been really well received and I always enjoy speaking to the students about it and hearing how they are getting on with the challenges.

Is it used in primary and secondary?

It is used in both primary and secondary. At the primary phase students start it in year 6 and can complete the challenges in a year; at secondary it takes the students 3-4 years to complete.

At secondary, if the students do 4 challenges they receive a bronze award, 6 they receive silver, 8 they receive gold and at 10 they receive platinum. It is similar at the primary phase except the students receive ruby, emerald, sapphire and diamond awards. Students at both phases will receive a badge once they achieve their award.

How did you go about developing and implementing it?

iAspire became tasked to the individual academies. Myself and Emma designed the challenges, the criteria and other resources such as the badges. We made sure everything was ordered and ready and took this to the NET conference. The principals then took these resources back to their academy. I also ensured that everything the academies needed went into a shared folder that principals and Deep Experience leads could

How successful has it been/what have been the changes you’ve seen as a result of using it?

Well I can only speak for the academies that I’ve been in but I’d say it’s the same for any system in NET – it is only as good as it’s led. If the academy lives and breathes iAspire and pushes it to the students then it is really good, really successful. If it is not pushed then it will not be as successful.

North Shore is a good example of how it is done really well. They have a lot of displays up, they do the pop-up session at lunchtimes, the staff talk to the students about it all the time to encourage them, SLT will talk about it. And when the students receive a badge, a big fuss is made of them and they are really celebrated. Each half term we would also make one challenge the main focus. We would mention this challenge in assemblies, in conversations with students, and frequently remind the students, for example if the challenge was to represent the academy we would encourage students to do this at say an upcoming football match, if they do this they get the challenge ticked off. It is also a really useful way of starting a conversation with a student if you are a new member of staff.

The students love being told they’re brilliant for doing it

What were staff reactions to iAspire?

Really positive – everything was made really accessible for staff such as the student presentation, how to order more badges or passports, how it should be delivered etc so it was a really easy launch.

What were student reactions to iAspire?

Again, really positive – the students really see the value in it. They love the badges, the challenges, the friendly competition and being told that they’re brilliant for doing it.

Do you have any other ideas for new initiatives that you’re happy to share with us?

Not at the moment but my advice for anyone who does have an idea would be to go for it. If you have a good idea, tell someone and pilot it first. There are lots of amazing teachers and leaders who can help and it can end up positively impacting thousands of children's lives across the Trust.

Where did that system come from?

Live Marking – Alexandra Forsyth, North Shore Academy

Can you explain Live Marking for anyone who doesn’t know what it is.

Live marking is an approach to feedback in lessons. It happens in the classrooms rather than retrospectively after the lesson has taken place. The aim of live marking is to ensure students make progress on the work they are doing, in that moment, in the lesson.

Is it used in primary and secondary?

Yes it’s used in both primary and secondary.

How and why did you come up with the idea for live marking?

I developed it originally alongside Adam Palmer (Executive Principal at Dyke House Academy) and Joanna Macaulay (Principal at Manor Community Academy). We trialled it at Dyke House in maths, science and history. Once we trialled it we found it worked really well. It was brought to an Academy Network meeting and it rolled out from there.

How successful has it been/what have been the changes you’ve seen as a result of using it?

I think it has transformed classroom practice. The biggest change has been that staff are able to circulate around the classroom as they are teaching and the students receive immediate feedback on their work as they’re doing the lesson. It highlights any misconceptions the students may have, enables staff to know when they might need to provide a model or re-explain to students and can support students when they might have otherwise been stuck. It is also used to stretch students and evoke more from the work they are doing. We have completely moved away from the retrospective marking

What were staff reactions to live marking?

They were over the moon! The staff were really pleased as it is a feedback policy that does what it is intended to do. It is designed for students and it supports teaching and learning in the classroom. You constantly know what your students can and can’t do because you’re circulating your classroom all of the time. An unintended consequence of live marking is that the teachers no longer have to take exercise books home and retrospectively mark work that the students have done previously.

What were student reactions to live marking?

The students really like it. All children like praise and that continuous conversation between teachers and students in the classrooms and around the work they’re doing in that moment enables that praise to really resonate in the classroom. The students really like to receive immediate feedback on what they’re doing, so much so that the majority of students in the trust now actively ask teachers to ‘pink pen’ their work.

Do you have any other ideas for new initiatives that you’re happy to share with us?

Yes, lots! I’m currently really interested in looking how to support EAL (English as an Additional Language) children across the trust and I’m constantly looking at anything relating to teaching and learning to improve our practice in the classroom.

Survey results

A stakeholder survey was carried out in June 2022, of the following groups:

• All academy staff in primary and secondary academies

• All central team staff

• A snapshot taken from ParentView

Within the central team, the majority of questions received overwhelmingly positive responses. 94% of staff would recommend working for the trust.

Academy staff also gave extremely positive responses. 92% of staff would recommend working at their academy/the trust to others. 96% of staff would recommend their academy/the trust to parents/carers who are considering where to educate their child.

The following questions yielded particularly high agreement:

Leaders do all they can to ensure the academy has a motivated, respected and effective teaching staff

The academy challenges all students to make at least good progress

Students are safe at their academy The academy dealt with any cases of bullying of students effectively

Of the most recent academies to join NET (Freebrough, Badger Hill, Whitecliffe and Walbottle) 100% (783 staff) agreed or strongly agreed that their academy had improved since the last Ofsted inspection.

Results of the staff surveys for individual academies have been shared with principals, who will review the data and develop action plans to address any areas necessary.

A student survey will be carried out in May 2023.

NET Staff College

Northern Education Trust Teaching Internship Programme - Summer 2023

NET Staff College has been successful with its application to deliver the Teaching Internships Programme June/July 2023. The aim of the programme is to enable undergraduates studying for a degree in STEM-related subjects the opportunity to experience teaching maths, chemistry, physics, computing and modern foreign languages, before they commit to it as a career. This programme is part of the Get into Teaching service, supporting prospective teachers through their journey into the profession. The programme is open across England to potential teachers in maths, chemistry, physics, computing and modern foreign languages.

It is an exciting opportunity for undergraduates, in any year of their degree, to experience time in an academy. These students may not have considered the teaching route; however, this programme gives them an opportunity to gain a greater insight and experience first-hand academy life. Interns will be offered a structure of activities to gain a deep experience of teaching, with access to one-to-one mentors and various opportunities to network with qualified subject specialists. The programme will also include measures to encourage and support interns to apply for teacher training.

As previously stated, this programme is only for specific subject areas within a secondary setting. It is a three-week placement that could be across more than one academy, depending on geographical location. In addition, the opportunity to spend two

days in a primary academy will also be included. Interns will receive a payment of £900 (£300 per week).

For more information please visit: NET Staff College website:

https://nsc.northerneducationtrust.org/teaching-internship s-programme/

Apprenticeships with NET Staff College

Northern Education Trust has appointed LMP Education Group to deliver our apprenticeship professional qualifications. We will work together to deliver a high quality, bespoke programme across all NET academies that complements our existing professional development portfolio.

Apprenticeships that are currently available through the NET Staff College are:

Business and Professional

• Business Administrator (Level 3)

• Team Leader (Level 3)

• HR support (Level 3)

• Library, Information & Archive Assistant (Level 3)

• School Business Professional (Level 4)

• Operations or Departmental Manager (Level 5)

Specialist Services

• Accounts or Finance Assistant (AAT) (Level 2)

• Digital Marketer (Level 3)

• Content Creator (Level 3)

• IT Solutions Technician (Hardware/Software) (Level 3)

• Laboratory Technician (Level 3)

• Information Communications Technician (Level 3)

• Assistant Accountant (AAT) (Level 3)

• Marketing Executive (Level 4)

• Professional Accounting/Taxation Technician

Teaching, Early Years and Sport

• Sports Teaching Assistant (Level 3)

• Early Year Educator (Level 3)

• Early Years Lead Practitioner (Level 5)

• Children, Young People and Families Manager (Level 5)

For more information about any of the courses mentioned

https://nsc.northerneducationtrust.org/cpd-offers/apprenti

The NET Staff College will be attending careers fairs for all secondary academies to encourage students to consider continuing their journey with Northern Education Trust, through one of our programmes. So far, we have attended Freebrough Academy and Dyke House Academy and look forward to visit the remaining secondaries, meet the students and hear about their aspirations.

Train to Teach

Looking for a change in career? Thinking about teaching? Why not do it through NET Staff College. Working in partnership with Educate Group Initial Teacher Training, a nationally recognised, DfE accredited training provider, you can earn your teaching qualification with Northern Education Trust who will support you to be the best teacher you can be.

Northern Education Trust has worked with Educate Teacher Training for over 10 years and strive to ensure that our teacher training programme is tailored to best develop you in your training year. Educate Teacher Training will provide you will excellent training and will support your transition into a successful teaching career. In partnership with Educate Teacher Training and Leeds Beckett University, we offer a practical ‘hands-on’ School Direct programme which helps you obtain an PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

What is it like to train with NET?

When you complete your initial teacher training you get access to a wealth of experience and a proven track record of improving life chances for children. Northern Education Trust is proudly outcomes focuses, child centred and our decision making is driven entirely by what is best for children. This means we want the children in our academies to receive the very best teaching possible, therefore training the next generation of teachers is a key part of our model of school improvement.

Testimonials

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my ITT year at Northern Education Trust. I have been supported by such an amazing department.”

“My mentor has been my go to person for so many things during my ITT. It has been hugely beneficial to have someone not only explain procedures but also put them into perspective at the same time.”

“I would like to thank the staff at Northern Education Trust for such an amazing ITT experience.”

For more information about the course and entry requirements please visit https://nsc.northerneducationtrust.org/train-to-teach/

National Professional Qualifications

Northern Education Trust are proud to be delivery partners with Teach First to deliver the full suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). We will work together to deliver these high quality programmes, based on DfE frameworks. You can find out more about Teach First by visiting: https://www.teachfirst.org.uk/developing-with-us

The current NPQs available are:

• NPQ in Leading Teaching (NPQLT)

• NPQ in Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC)

• NPQ in Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD)

• NPQ in Senior Leadership (NPQSL)

• NPQ in Leading Literacy (NPQLL)

• NPQ in Headship (NPQH)

For more information and how to apply please visit: https://nsc.northerneducationtrust.org/cpd-offers/national -professional-qualifications/

NET Visions and Values

Chief Executive, Rob Tarn hosted his Visions and Values talks again this year to ECT 1 and ECT 2s and new members of staff. The sessions were very successful and engaging and attendees left with a greater understanding of the visions and values, that underpin Northern Education Trust.

Staff training

Numerous CPD course have taken place this year at NET Staff College which have been increasingly successful and well received by all. These include:

• PA/Office Manager training

• First Aid training

• Lexonik training

• DSL training

• NPQ conference

Art Gallery

By R. J & H. P Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy

By M. S Grangefield Academy

Student events

The Big Debate

In November 2022, Northern Education Trust hosted its first ever The Big Debate event, with year 10 pupils from all secondary academies competing as part of their Literacy Strategy into KS4. Students were split into groups of 7 and argued a side on ‘Will climate change affect children’s rights?’ and battled it out in 3 rounds.

In rounds 1 and 2 students looked at climate change and the strategies being put in place to reduce the effects before combining both arguments together in round 3. In rounds 1 and 2 the teams were eliminated after being judged and scored based on the presentations they put forward. 4 teams were able to escape elimination and made it through to the final round; Freebrough, Kirk Balk, Grangefield and Red House.

On 14 December 2022 the 4 teams battled it out in the final. With some excellent arguments being made by all teams it was difficult to pick a winner but in the end The Grangefield Academy came out triumphant. Along with earning their well-deserved title as the winner, the team also won The Big Debate trophy which they will be able

to keep for the year, until the next event in 2023. The Grangefield team were ecstatic to have won, the feeling of celebration and pride for each other could be felt across the room.

The Big Debate was a fantastic opportunity for students to improve on a variety of skills such as team work, oracy, communication and research skills and improve on their confidence through some healthy competition.

This event would not have been possible without Ms Howieson, Literacy Lead, who worked superbly to put this together. We would like to say a huge thank you to Ms Howieson and NET Staff College for your time, commitment and dedication to organising a successful first edition of The Big Debate which was thoroughly enjoyed by both staff and students. We can’t wait for next time.

Spelling Bee

The spelling bee is being run for Y7 students. This will be a mixture of in school events leading up to a larger competition between the academies. Using words from the Need to Know Books and the National Curriculum across the rounds the pupils will be tested on 30 key

words. A top group from each academy will then be invited to the NET Staff college where they will compete against each other until we have our winner.

The spelling bee will be launched in the spring, with academies to start working with their teams. Students are feeling very excited and are eager to get started.

Day In The Life Of... Rebecca Gilhooley, Phase One and Phonics Lead, Norton Primary Academy

How do you relax?

I go to the gym. I find it is a good stress reliver. At the weekends I try and focus on things that are not to do with school so I can unwind, for example socialising with friends and family. It can be difficult to switch off but you have to make time for you.

What is your most memorable moment in the role?

There’s too many! Something magical happens every day so I can’t pick one moment.

Who is your greatest influence?

I’ve worked with many excellent practitioners in my career who have been a big influence to me. But I would say my parents are my greatest influence because their work ethic and dedication to their jobs and encouragement has got me to where I am today.

How/why did you get into education/teaching?

What is the best thing about your

The difference I make to all the students is really rewarding, especially the little wow moments such as the small achievements that the children make, for example putting on their coat by themselves or writing their name. It’s the little things that are the best part of the job.

What is the worst thing about your job?

I feel like there is not enough hours in the day to do what you want to do. You want to do so much more for the children but there’s not enough hours.

What is your work/life balance like?

I think it is crucial to have work/life balance in this role. What works for me is working long hours during the week so I can keep the weekend free. There are a lot of responsibilities and long hours with this role so it is important to have balance. I will arrive early and leave late so I am prepared for the next day. I understand this does not always work for everyone and it depends of people’s circumstances.

There are times in the school year where there is a lot more work to do but you have to be able to prioritise the work that needs doing and also keep that balance.

Originally, I had an interest in physical education. I was a sports coach and studied sports science at college. I really enjoyed supporting my peers with doing assignments for example. At this point the college said to me ‘you’d make a great teacher’ so I decided to go and do work experience at different schools. I realised I would like to work with primary aged children so I went to university and studied primary education, specialising in physical education.

What are highlights of your career so far?

I would say my graduation from university. I worked so hard to get where I wanted to be so when I finally graduated I knew I was on the right step for my career.

What is the hardest part of being in your role?

As a teacher I would say it’s getting the children to where you need them to be over the course of the year.

As a leader it is gaining the respect and trust from your colleagues as you have to make difficult decisions, but you always need to act in the best interests of the child.

I am also a perfectionist so as a leader I have had to learn how to delegate. I’ve been told a few times that I need to delegate more. You can’t do everything and it’s important that you realise this.

What has surprised you the most doing your job?

Over the course of the years of teaching I have mainly been surprised by how much society has changed and the impact of this when the children start school. For example, there is so much technology that children are not reading books anymore, they are not being spoken to as much as they are directed to an iPad. This has an impact when they come to school because they need a lot of support with basic language skills and development and writing skills.

What do you wish you had known before starting your role?

It is not just about standing in front of a class and teaching skills and knowledge - there is more to the role. It’s about the child as a whole; their family, their experiences, their personal development, forming active relationships with the children and families and developing a whole rounded child.

When I trained you were told ‘here’s a curriculum, this is what you teach, this is how you teach it.’ You are shown how to be a teacher but not taught how to support a child’s personal development which is just as important.

Do you have any advice for others who are aspiring to be in your position?

Make sure you get a wide range of experience so you can understand your role. Understand where learning starts and the developmental stages of children.

Personal development is so important and keeping up to date with that so you are able to implement new strategies for the children.

In regards to being a team leader, you are only as good as your team so it is important that you develop a culture of shared values and respect.

Day In The Life Of... Andrew Sutton, Senior Business Manager

every night. I think you have to be quite disciplined to do that otherwise you can easily fall into that trap. I’ve changed a bit in the last year because I used to do more work at home but now I try to do more time in the office and not go onto my work laptop at home or at the weekend. It is important to have that down time at the weekend; relax with the family and do the things I enjoy.

How do you relax?

I like spending time with my family, playing cricket in the summer and watching sport. My eldest daughter is a big rugby player so I enjoy taking her to her games and watching her play. I also enjoy playing golf but I don’t get as much time to play as I’d like. I am also an avid Lincoln City fan, even though I don’t live anywhere near Lincoln now and haven’t done for years I still follow them and go to watch them whenever I can.

What is your most memorable moment in the role?

What is the best thing about your job?

For me it’s the variety – you never know what you’ll be faced with every day so I like the variety of the role and the different people you get to meet.

What is the worst thing about your job?

I suppose it would be the flip side of how varied the role is and the level of organisation needed. Like I said you never know what you’ll be faced with so you always have to adapt your plans for the benefit of others and business needs - your priorities change all the time.

It would be nice sometimes to be able to stick with your plans and get the things done that you planned to do but priorities change and whilst this can be frustrating I also quite like it at the same time.

What is your work/life balance like?

I think the key thing is to be organised and plan your diary each week. In this job I do a lot of things that are cyclical so I have to know what I’m doing each week, each month and each year. It is important to be organised to start with.

I work fairly long hours which is also important for my role but once I leave I do try to switch off and not get into the habit of turning on my computer

I would say my most memorable moment is from when I was working at Thorp Academy. We transitioned from an old building to a new building and this was quite challenging because throughout that time there was a lot of building work going on whilst the school was still functioning. We moved out of one block to a new one over the space of a week. We also had to co-ordinate all the furniture deliveries and removals to the new block without any impact on the school or disruption to learning. It was a very busy and hectic time with lots to be coordinated but it went really well and I was very pleased with how it worked out as it was a real challenge.

Who is your greatest influence?

My wife. She has always been very supportive and understanding, especially when I get phone calls out of hours because this can happen a lot in my role. She always lends an ear to listen when needed.

How/why did you get into education/teaching?

Prior to working in education, I worked in financial services. Once my first child was born I wanted a better work/life balance, so I took a job as an office manager in a local school which could allow me to do that. As the kids have gotten older I’ve been able to progress in education and devote more time to my career again. I didn’t want to do that whilst the kids were young and growing up.

What are highlights of your career so far?

In a previous role I worked for Abbey National and I was nominated for sales manager of the year for the whole company which I was very proud of. Since being at NET the biggest highlights for me have been seeing the staff I work with develop and progress. I have worked with a number of staff over the years and watching them develop in their roles and progress to the next level has given me a great sense of pride seeing them flourish and move onto the next steps of their career.

What is the hardest part of being in your role?

Working with different schools, I would say the hardest part of my role is the demands on your time. You have to be able to balance the needs of the schools and your workload with the demands that are placed on your time every day.

What has surprised you the most doing your job?

I work across a number of academies, and even though we all have the same vision and the same type of set up, when you look at how some of the schools are set up and funded it amazes me how much they can differ. This is mainly around the building and facilities side of things. The government has different ways of working when it comes to schools

especially how new builds have been funded. For example, Walbottle is a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) building, Hetton is a Building Safety Fund (BSF) building and Hilton is a stand-alone building.

There are a lot of complexities and bureaucracy that are associated with these elements that really does surprise and sometimes frustrates me, because it can get in the way of getting things done.

What do you wish you had known before starting your role?

When I first started working for NET I didn’t have a great deal of experience in health and safety on the premises. Luckily, I started in the summer holidays so I was able to spend a lot of time researching what I needed to know and speaking to different people about these things – it was a steep learning curve and one of the biggest challenges for me.

I would have also have liked to know how quickly things

can change that are out of your control and you have to adapt the way you work quite often, for example when there have been changes in legislation.

Do you have any advice for others who are aspiring to be in your position?

Don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t know the answer. Ask questions and be inquisitive. You need to understand why you’re doing certain things and challenge yourself in your role because your time is precious. You need to question why am I doing this, is there a better way? So, don’t be afraid to challenge why you’re doing things.

It can also be isolating in this role but there are other colleagues who do this job and who can support you, so ensure you learn off them as you may find ways to make your job easier. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice!

Trust-wide events – what a summer!

We had quite a summer last year! Not only did we experience soaring record temperatures, but for the first time ever, we held five events involving students from all our academies – NET Golf for secondary students (23 June), NET Fest (7 July), NET Games for primary students (11 July), NET Games for secondary students (14 July), and last but definitely not leastNET Golf for primary students on 18 July. These events will forever be memorable, not just because they took place in the hottest months of the year, but because they brought together hundreds of students from across all our academies, creating incredible experiences and memories for all involved.

NET Golf

The NET Golf tournaments were held at Middlesbrough’s Municipal Golf Centre in conjunction with Golf Fore All, who delivered 6 hours of coaching to 30 students in each academy before the actual tournament took place. 8 students were then selected from each academy to participate in the separate tournaments for primary and secondary, which took place on the junior course of 6 holes. 176 students took part overall, with The Ferns winning the primary tournament, and Manor winning in the secondary section. All participating students were delighted to receive a NET Golf branded bag and water bottle, with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed students receiving medals to treasure.

NET Games

The inaugural NET Games for primary students took place at Middlesbrough Sports Village, on a day when temperatures reached 28oC. Around 200 students in total from all 10 primaries coped magnificently and the heat did not melt their enthusiasm. They were well

supported by the sports leaders from North Shore Academy who helped with the organisation of the day and encouraged students to do their best in all the events. Students received NET Games branded bags and water bottles, with medals for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams. Abbey Park Primary Academy won the games in great style.

The NET Games for secondary students were held for the second time at Gateshead International Stadium, with around 450 students taking part from all 12 secondary academies. Another magnificent day was enjoyed by all, with all participants taking home the

NET Games branded bag and water bottle, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed teams proudly wearing their medals. Thorp Academy were delighted to win the coveted trophy.

NET FEST

And then there was NET Fest! Months of planning, practice and organisation culminated in an incredible day at the York Barbican of excitement, joyous performances and delight, with a sprinkle of nerves thrown in for good measure. Over 500 students from

all 22 academies took part, delivering songs, music, dancing and plays to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience of parents, family members, staff, trustees and invited guests. The next event will be held at the Sage in Gateshead, and we can’t wait!

Art Gallery

We hope you have enjoyed reading this edition of our staff newsletter. We would welcome your feedback. If there is anything you would particularly like to see in future editions, please do let us know by contacting Rowena Walters on r.walters@northerneducationtrust.org

The staff newsletter of Northern Education Trust