This term has certainly flown past! Again, I want to send a huge “thank you” to all of our staff who have ensured that our pupils are receiving “Excellence Every Day”. We see this in the breadth of experiences our pupils access and the significant emphasis on cultural capital which is threaded throughout our curriculum offer. Taking children out of school on trips using public transport involves the confidence and trust of staff and a willingness to go the extra mile. There is not a week goes by that our pupils are not broadening their learning through our cultural capital offer…..
Science Fair
Spring 2 2024
A big thank you to Louise Appiah who organised the wonderful Science Fair at Pelham! To celebrate British Science week, pupils dressed up like a scientist and all year groups participated in the Fair with their parents and carers in attendance. The buzz throughout the school was electrifying, as all children took part in activities related to the British Science Week theme of ‘Time’ and showcased what they had been doing during the week in Science lessons. Multiple entries for the British Science Week poster competition were submitted with the Pupil Parliament announcing a winner in each section: Reception, KS1, Lower KS2 and Upper KS2.
During a visit yesterday to a school where I am Chair of Governors, it was really interesting meeting with their Pupil Voice and hearing their views on how to
encourage students with learning in Science. The resounding message that came out was the importance of visits and experiences to inspire students. The Science Fair at Pelham certainly offers this to our pupils and hopefully will spur them on to want to continue their interest in the subject throughout their school lives.
Science week poster competition.
A Nurturing Approach…..
A key feature of the offer at Fairford is the intervention offer based on nurturing principles. The Forest School at Fairford has been a labour of love for Hollie Braham who has totally reclaimed the outside area and created an amazing outside area which enables our pupils to experience outdoor learning whilst developing vital skills: independence, resilience, teamwork and safety awareness. Forest Schools is truly embedded in the Fairford experience which is thanks to all of Hollie’s hard work! If we are able to secure funding, our aim is to review the provision at Pelham and develop a distinct Forest School area which provides an immersive experience using Hollie’s expertise and personal vision which has definitely paid off for our Fairford pupils. Forest Schools provision has increased further the intervention offer for our pupils with additional needs, forming a key element of the nurture programme which is running a rolling sched-
ule of part time provision for pupils whose Boxall Profiles indicate that this type of intervention will benefit them.
Fairford’s Nurture Team – Sue Graham, Nicky Mahoney and Michelle Freeman –have created a space which brings together nurture and belonging with academic learning. The Nurture Room is a classroom both like and unlike any other, very much a valued learning environment where our pupils with the highest level of need in EYFS and KS1 are thriving. Input from our Educational Psychologist, Kate Fallon, has also been helpful in the continuing journey of improvement as we learn and develop this provision. We have been fortunate in having Nicky who throws herself 110% into everything she does and Michelle now joining her, bringing her skills in behaviour management and resource preparation. Nurture at Fairford is truly a team effort!
Investment in our staff resource
In all schools the vast amount of the budget is allocated to staffing costs, with an expectation that staffing costs make up between 75-84% of the annual budget. Since staff are the most valuable resource, it is absolutely right and proper that on-going investment is made to ensure our staff team are well trained, current and committed to lifelong learning. Therefore, I want to celebrate the investment, both in terms of time, money and leadership support, in our staff teams from a trust perspective:
• Rhea Taylor and Naz Karademir (ELKAN accredited training – for our children with speech and language needs)
• Sam Robinson, Aman Aujla (Team Teach Instructor Certification – de-escalation techniques, dynamic and positive handling risk management and techniques for managing behaviour and physical intervention techniques).
• All staff have had Speech and Language training through an annual Monday training schedule.
• All support staff have accessed Precision Teaching training through our annual schedule.
• Sam Robinson, Aman Aujla and Alice Palmer –NPQH accreditation for headship.
• Sydnie Maldon; Chris Guildford; Louise Appiah – NPQSL
• Charlotte Garrett; David Awofisan; Jade Mitton; Josh Jones; Kat Howes - NPQLT
• Louise Appiah – undertaking a doctorate qualification; also involved in the Leaders Like Us Programme for 2024-25.
We also have other staff involved in Masters qualifications (Ashleigh Starchuck; Sian Tilbury) and about to embark or studying for degrees (Izzy Taylor; Rhea Taylor).
• Bev Evans, Jodie Cousins and George Brocklehurst (BSL Level 1 – for our HI children)
• Nicky Mahoney and George Brocklehurst (ELSA accredited training – for our children with ASD and SEMH needs)
The purpose of relaying this information here is to emphasise the weight our trust puts on continual professional development. We are fully aware of the link between improved outcomes for children and young people being dependent on the continual training and development of the staff team. We recognise that the only way to build a learning community is through creating a culture of lifelong learning. Ambition for our pupils starts with ambition for our staff and we will continue to encourage our staff to be active participants in their own learning journeys.
In retaining the best staff, the trust has to show commitment and investment in individuals and shape opportunities which is, for me, key to our future success!
Next term’s training will include Adaptive Teaching CPD for all staff as well as Colourful Semantics training. With Aman and Sam now fully accredited Team Teach Tutors, a programme of Team Teach refreshers and Level 1 training for newer staff will be rolled out from May onwards.
What makes us special? How do we know it is working?
Our USP is founded on inclusion, relationships, belonging and ambition. That is our intent but how do we know we are actually implementing this effectively? Feedback from our School Improvement Partner, Brian Simber, has noted the strides forward being made by the team at Pelham in terms of quality of teaching and learning. Well done in particular to Jacob Boulton on a successful Maths Review! Jacob is new to the school and is already making a positive impact, building on the great foundations established by Sydnie Mauldon during her time leading on Maths.
Our recent visit to review Master Reader was highly complementary and particularly noted the progress made by Pelham in introducing this programme. Well done to Alice Palmer who has led on this! Josh Jones has also been instrumental in supporting the teaching of reading across both schools and is proving a huge asset to the Trust!
It was lovely to welcome Alistair Reid, a Team Teacher Behaviour consultant, to Fairford this term who came in to support us in our inclusion journey. During his visit to the school, he commented incredibly positively on our inclusive approach, noting the many strengths within our recently formed Year 2 provision. Well done to the Year 2 team and the SEND Department!
Thursday 6th June. We currently have eighteen schools from Bexley, Greenwich and Kent signed up and look forward to welcoming their pupils and staff to the games as well as extending an offer to our local governors and trustees.
Pelham’s Careers Day
At Pelham, we dream BIG! To raise our pupils’ aspirations and celebrate national careers week, each class learned from and asked questions to a range of professionals, who were parents, carers and friends from our school community. The children were exposed to various occupations including: soldiers, engineers, lawyers, doctors, actuaries, paramedics, vets and many more. Years 5 and 6 learned about the role of an MP from Sir David Evennett (MP for Bexleyheath). This event arranged by Louise Appiah was a huge success and we are hoping to replicate this at Fairford later in the Summer Term.
World Book Day
Yet again it was great to see staff and pupils dressed up and celebrating World Book Day. This is always a popular event and photographs from both schools show how much fun was had by all!
Raising our profile and sharing our expertise in SEND and inclusion have been a priority for us. Aman Aujla has made a mark for our Trust in again organising the Illuminate Minds Bexley Paralympics. The second Paralympic Games will take place at Fairford on
Rockstar’s come to Fairford!
Probably one of the most exciting events this half term has been the whole day rock event at Fairford which culminated in a “dance-off” between staff – I believe Mr Robinson may have won this event??! It was fantastic to see all of the children working together, actively participating in a whole school and whole year dance party. For our children with sensory needs, adaptations were made to ensure they were able to participate and enjoy the sessions.
Farewell and good luck to Bev Thomas who is leaving the Trust after 30 years at Pelham Primary School with twenty-four of those years being spent in the school office. Bev has been a consistent feature of the school for such a long time that her departure will leave a gap in the school office and she will be sorely missed. We wish her every success in her new role, working alongside her husband where she will be having quite a different lifestyle including spending time at a corporate event at Silverstone.
Easter Bunnies and Bonnets
Finally, a big thank you to Lexi (Pelham) and Nicky (Fairford) who again took up the costumes and assumed the role of Easter Bunnies! Being ambushed by groups of children may not be everyone’s idea of fun but it has to be said that the pupils loved it as ever!
And on that note, I would like to wish you all a very happy Easter break and look forward to seeing you back, well rested, on Monday 15th April!