THE CONSORTIUM ACADEMY TRUST
Shaping Positive Futures
Welcome from our CEO
Lizann Lowson
Welcome to our Term 1 Trust newsletter.
As we draw to the end of another action-packed term, filled with many achievements that reflect our vision of shaping positive futures, I want to take a moment to celebrate the amazing commitment that you, our brilliant team, have shown. As I read through just some of these highlights I’m struck by the immense sense of pride felt by our Headteachers as they describe the work that has been taking place; your contributions have been pivotal in moving us forward.
You have empowered our learners by fostering a love of learning and promoting a culture of aspiration, kindness and responsibility. From the creative brilliance of our nativity performances and the entrepreneurial spirit seen in Christmas Fayres to transformative literacy initiatives and inspiring STEM projects, your work has expanded horizons for our learners. These initiatives support the nurturing of well-rounded individuals who are equipped for life.
We have also seen the impact of our commitment to community engagement. Whether it was through charity events, the joy of a Colour Run, or the enriching OPAL Play Journey, your dedication to building meaningful connections has brought our communities closer together. The Active Travel Programme, for example, is a testament to how our shared efforts can make a tangible difference in
promoting health, sustainability, and respect for one another. These initiatives not only serve our learners but also ripple outwards to benefit our wider communities.
This year has also been defined by your pursuit of excellence and professional growth. The launch of our Leading with Purpose Programme is a prime example of how we are investing in innovation and fostering leadership at every level. It is inspiring to see colleagues embracing research-based projects that align with our strategic priorities, demonstrating a clear vision for the future.
Our CPDL programme and the opportunities provided through our Apprenticeship routes underline our commitment to ensuring every colleague feels valued, supported, and motivated to achieve their potential. These initiatives are shaping not only the futures of our learners but also the careers of every member of our team.
As we look ahead to 2025, I am filled with optimism for what we can achieve together. Thank you for your exceptional efforts and commitment.
As we celebrate the festive season, I hope you find time to recharge, reflect, and enjoy precious moments with family and friends. You have truly earned it!
Message from our Chair of the Trust Board
Ian Furlong
As a Trust we are responsible for shaping positive futures for nearly 8,000 learners, serving our communities across Hull and the East Riding. Each year, as we approach the Christmas break, I am reminded of the impact that we collectively have on the lives of these young people.
This festive edition of our newsletter clearly outlines how our vision and values are being lived and is a celebration of everything that happens every day in our schools, and this is never more important than at Christmas. Whether it is nativity performances, charity events, Christmas lights switch-ons or choirs carol singing, once again, our schools have been at the heart of their communities. Thank you for the time and effort you dedicate and the impact this has on the lives of our learners, whether you are based in our schools or in our shared services teams working behind the scenes. On behalf of the Trust Board, thank you for your hard work and continued efforts to make a positive difference to the lives of our learners. I hope you all enjoy the Christmas festivities and I wish everyone a peaceful break with family and friends.
“On behalf of the Trust Board, thank you for your hard work and continued efforts to make a positive difference to the lives of our learners.”
Cottingham School Highlights...
From guest speakers to sports successes and community engagement, this term has showcased the wide-ranging opportunities available to our learners, each contributing to their academic, personal and social development.
Special thanks go to Toby and Emma, our Head Boy and Head Girl, for their significant contributions representing the school at Remembrance services, Parish Council meetings, and other key events.
A visit from the Amy Winehouse Foundation inspired our learners, providing them with practical advice on making healthy choices that align with our personal development curriculum. Dame Diana Johnson, MP, visited the school to speak with learners about her political career and the importance of youth involvement in social and political issues.
Our Annual Presentation Evening celebrated our learners’ achievements and featured a keynote address by Paul Lakin, CEO of Hull KR. His words resonated with learners, offering valuable insights into goal-setting and perseverance.
Alumni visits included the unique opportunity for KS5 learners to meet Emily, who is now working as a successful Hollywood scriptwriter and provided a real-life example of the power of ambition, creativity and determination. The visit by Hull FC RFL player Davy Litten provided Year 11 learners with valuable advice on balancing academic work with extracurricular pursuits.
Author Jeffrey Boakye’s visit highlighted the importance of literature in shaping identity and sparked thoughtful discussions about the role of books in shaping understanding and empathy. As part of our whole-school drive to improve literacy and foster a love of reading, all KS3 learners received a free book this term as well as a timetabled literacy intervention each week.
Learners from our STEM club visited the National STEM Centre, where they took part in interactive workshops designed to deepen their understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Our Go-Kart is being sponsored as a result of their efforts!
In sporting news Year 7 learner Pippa was crowned Cottingham’s first ever winner of the Cross Country Championship, demonstrating the importance of believing and achieving! We were also delighted to be awarded the School Games Gold Mark, recognising the quality of our physical education programmes and extracurricular activities. Our plans for a 3G Astro and Facility upgrade all line up with this!
This has been a term filled with joy, hard work, and community spirit, and we are so proud of everything our children, staff and families have achieved together.
One of the standout moments this term was the visit from Dame Diana Johnson MP, who took the time to tour our school and meet with the School Council. Our School Council members asked well-considered, thoughtful questions and represented Croxby with pride and confidence. Their enthusiasm and the maturity they showed made us incredibly proud and demonstrated the values we hold dear as a school community.
This term, we have embarked on our exciting OPAL play journey Outdoor Play and Learning is at the heart of creating richer, more inclusive play opportunities for all our children. The smiles, laughter and creativity we’ve already seen in the playground are proof of its impact. We are so thankful to our supportive parents, whose generous donations and encouragement have helped us get this initiative off to a fantastic start. Together, we are building something truly special for the children.
Christmas is always a magical time in a primary school, and the festive season has brought so much joy, from our enchanting Key Stage 1 Nativity performances, where our youngest stars sang and danced like true professionals, to our bustling Christmas Fair. Watching our Year 6 children and Well-Being Ambassadors take charge of stalls with such enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit was a real highlight. Their hard work and dedication embody everything we love about our Croxby children.
This term has also brought a very special recognition for one of our own. Clare Neighbour, our exceptional SENCo and DSL, was invited to attend an event at 10 Downing Street. Clare’s entire teaching career has been dedicated to Croxby, and this recognition is so well-deserved. Her unwavering commitment to our children, families, and staff is truly inspiring, and we are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of Team Croxby.
Finally, I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible staff at Croxby Primary School. Working alongside such a talented, caring and dedicated team is a privilege. Croxby truly cares, and that sense of community and shared purpose is something I am deeply thankful for every day.
In September, we were proud to open the first Enhanced Resource Provision (ERP) for Cognition and Learning in the East Riding.
This makes us a local centre of expertise and provision comes with appropriate funding to recruit more staff, and enables us to build the staff skillset to further our work. We are now a term into this provision and delighted that it has been as successful as we had hoped. It will take time to fully develop our provision but the outcome of this is that a number of learners, who might otherwise have struggled to cope in a mainstream school, can enjoy their educational journey in a bustling and vibrant large school and ‘fit in’ and belong. That is priceless for the learners but also an enriching experience for all of our other learners who learn about diversity and respect through their daily interactions with each other.
Over recent weeks, learners have spent some time in their tutor groups planning the products and activities they would bring to
our annual Christmas Fayre. The fayre created a lovely festive atmosphere with learners, staff and parents browsing the stalls, buying cakes and gifts, playing games and contributing to the four House Charities. The amount raised was phenomenal and will be revealed to the learners in their end of term celebrations.
It continues to be a very busy term for educational trips and for guest speakers in school. Across the year, our aim is for all our learners to have at least one educational visit opportunity and, across their time in school, for all to have the opportunity for an overnight visit and possibly an overseas trip. In recent, or coming weeks, learners will experience a variety of opportunities including a Year 9 Art trip to the Tate Liverpool (with a Beatles tour thrown in), a Year 10 trip to Motorcycle Live at the NEC, Birmingham, a Year 11 trip to Barcelona, Spain, a Year 12 Physics trip to The Royal Institute, London and a Year 13 Geography trip to Hull University. It takes a huge commitment from our staff to organise these events as well as the colleagues who then cover for them whilst the trips take place, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank colleagues who give their time so generously.
Year 9 Art trip to the Tate Liverpool.
This term we were thrilled with the relocation of our Art and Design block into a newly purpose-designed suite in the very heart of our school.
This state-of-the-art space provides our learners with an inspiring environment in which to develop their creative talents, embodying our values of aspiration and resilience as they work toward becoming future artists and engineers’s
As part of our commitment to promoting sustainable and healthy travel, we have seen some impressive results from our Active Travel Survey, with a significant reduction in cars on site and an increase in the number of learners walking and cycling to school. During Road Safety Week we raised awareness with focused assemblies and workshops. Our immersive Bike Safety Lessons, the Dr. Bike free bike servicing and the giveaway of bike lights, helmets, and locks were fantastic opportunities to encourage our learners to stay safe and visible on the roads. These efforts support our core value of respect—respect for ourselves and for other road users.
Point Field Trip and exciting new Art and Design block.
Over recent months we have seen a multitude of trips and visit opportunities for our learners including a Year 9 girls Women into Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME) event at the Guildhall, a Year 13 Spurn Point Field trip where A Level scientists spent a wonderfully sunny morning at Spurn Point looking at vegetation succession across a dune transect to support their studies and a Student Voice event at the Guildhall where learners met with other schools to discuss and share their own career experiences.
Our school community came together to raise an impressive £620.50 for Children in Need through our non-uniform day. This charitable initiative highlighted the importance of kindness and generosity, while reinforcing our values of respect and aspiration as we continue to support causes that make a positive difference in the lives of others.
We marked Remembrance Day with pride, as our learners represented the school at the Hedon Sunday Parade, the Augustine’s Church Service, and during the wreath-laying ceremony. These events provided our learners with an opportunity to demonstrate their respect for those who have served, and their deep sense of responsibility to their community. We were incredibly proud of the way our students came together to honour this important occasion, showing the values of kindness and respect.
Howden
It has been an incredibly busy start to the school year, with many exciting events and activities taking place.
Howden Minster provided a wonderful venue for the celebration evening for our Year 11 learners. Learners received their GCSE certificates, and it was lovely to catch up and to hear how well they are doing as they continue their educational journey with a range of post-16 providers. In the run up to Christmas, a number of our learners also took part in another event at the Minster, where they sang a collection of Christmas songs with younger children from the Infant and Junior schools. This term we hosted a group of learners visiting from Ukraine, with help from the local Rotary Club. It was fascinating to learn how different the school experience is in both countries. It is heartening to see how members of our school community are playing their part at the centre of the wider Howden community
The Goole Times shared the story of our journey to outstanding accreditation and regional school of the year through our work with Modeshift around active travel following the amazing work
of our Active Travel Ambassadors. We have welcomed a number of external partners into school to deliver sessions on road safety workshops and CPR training, both with support from Safer Roads Humber and Yorkshire Ambulance Service
Over 50 learners have successfully completed Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and trips have taken place across the year groups, including learners from Year 11 visiting the Knitting & Stitching show in Harrogate, Year 7 ‘A Christmas Carol’ and a planned trip to London and ‘An Inspector Calls’ in the new year. Our sporting teams have seen some incredible results so far, with many of our teams progressing to the next round in the National Cup
Howden School entered the National Language Competition (NLC), a virtual competition where teams from around the UK compete against each other to solve language-based puzzles and score points. The competition encourages learners to discover their aptitude for learning languages, codes and problem solving. Over 1700 UK teams entered the competition run by GCHQ and one of our four teams, ‘Team Elegant Patient Cat’ reached 96th place, breaking into the top 100 for the first time, a proud moment.
Duke of Edinburgh and CPR training on Re-start a Heart Day.
Our school community coming together for a spectacular colour-run.
From
exciting adventures in the great outdoors to meaningful initiatives that bring us together, this term has truly been a season filled with growth, joy, and community spirit.
One of the standout events of this term was the Year 6 residential trip to Peat Rigg. For many of our children, this was their first time experiencing life away from home, and they embraced the many challenges of outdoor activities. The teamwork, determination, and courage they displayed throughout were truly inspiring.
danced their way around the course, getting showered in rainbow hues along the way! Not only did this event raise vital funds for an incredibly worthy cause, but it also brought smiles and laughter to everyone involved. Seeing the joy on the children’s faces as they completed the course reminded us all of the power of community spirit and shared purpose.
Beyond the physical challenges, the trip was also an opportunity for the children to develop independence, build friendships, and create memories that will last a lifetime. The glow on their faces upon returning—and the stories they shared—were a testament to the trip’s success.
Our school community came together in spectacular style for this year’s Colour Run in support of Children in Need. It was a sight to behold: a sea of vibrant colours as learners and staff walked, and
Anti-Bullying Week was marked with a series of opportunities to encourage kindness, inclusion, and respect. One of the highlights was Odd Socks Day, which celebrated what makes each of us unique and sparked conversations about individuality and the importance of accepting others for who they are.
As December progresses, the festive excitement across the school is rises daily. The school twinkles with decorations and the sound of Christmas music fills the air. Our younger children have been especially enthusiastic about their Nativity preparations, and our older children are building towards a joint celebration in our beautiful village church in our final week of term. We are all looking forward to our traditional Christmas jumper day and Christmas dinner, complete with crackers, music, and plenty of festive fun. It’s events like these that remind us of the magic of the season and the importance of togetherness.
Penshurst
Making the outdoors accessible for all: The Waterproof and Wellies Project.
This
term
has
been a
remarkable one at Penshurst, filled with exciting achievements and moments of celebration.
From the addition of new outdoor equipment for our Reception class, to the raising of our Eco Flag and a generous donation of outdoor clothing, it’s been a busy, productive, and rewarding few months.
This term, our Reception learners have been enjoying some fantastic new outdoor equipment, which has provided them with even more opportunities for play, learning, and exploration. The equipment includes everything from climbing frames and reading teepees to sensory play panels and garden tools. This new addition has transformed the outdoor learning space, allowing our youngest learners to engage in physical activity, build social skills, and foster creativity in the fresh air. The Reception learners have been thrilled with the new equipment, and we are looking forward to our next project: revamping the Nursery.
Another significant achievement this term was the proud moment when our Eco Flag was finally raised, marking Penshurst's continued commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness. The Eco Flag is awarded to schools that meet specific criteria in areas such as energy conservation, waste reduction, and promoting eco-friendly practices. This flag represents not only the hard work of our learners, staff, and parents but also our ongoing efforts to make the school a greener, more sustainable place. The ceremony was attended by members of our eco-committee, and it was a moment of pride for the whole school as we officially celebrated our eco-friendly initiatives.
One of the most touching moments of the term came when Gina Bradbury, Managing Director of The Outdoor Guide (co-founded with her sister, Julia Bradbury), presented outdoor clothing to some of our learners. This donation was made possible thanks to a sponsored walk completed by the retailer Rohan, whose dedication and hard work raised the necessary funds to purchase warm, weather-appropriate outdoor clothing for the learners. The new outdoor clothing ensures that learners, regardless of their circumstances, are able to participate in outdoor activities comfortably and safely, whether it’s for learning, play, or sports. Rohan’s efforts and Gina’s generous contribution have made a huge difference in the lives of many learners, and we are incredibly grateful for their support.
What an action-packed term we’ve had so far! From lively competitions to heartwarming charity efforts, it’s been a whirlwind of activity.
Our Inter-House competitions have been in full swing, showcasing the incredible talent and enthusiasm of our learners. Highlights include: Tug of War: a battle of strength and determination; Flag Designs: creative minds designed flags that truly represented their Houses; Year 7 Poetry Slam: budding poets stole the spotlight with their expressive verses; Geography T-Shirt Designs: learners turned geographical themes into wearable art; MFL “All About Spain” Quiz: testing knowledge on Spanish culture and language; Staff Quiz: proving that staff know how to bring their A-game; and finally, Bake Off: delicious treats and fierce competition made this a memorable event.
A shout-out to Mrs. Drury for launching her very own cheerleading squad! The team has been practising tirelessly and is ready to dazzle us with their debut at an upcoming sports game.
This year’s Halloween Spooktacular Challenge had learners showcasing their creativity with fantastic fancy dress costumes, carved pumpkins, and stunning Halloween-themed art.
Odd Sock Day, part of Anti-Bullying Week, made a powerful statement, reminding us all of the importance of kindness and individuality.
Wini’s Got Talent was a showcase of exceptional skills and confidence, as was the sell out production of The Nativity, which was a seasonal showstopper.
Our incredible Head Boy and Girl, their Deputies and House Representatives have been pivotal in driving our charity efforts. Highlights include the Macmillan Coffee Morning and Wear It Pink Fun Run with a grand total of £1,846.51 already raised for chosen charities
In the run up to Christmas, we’re looking forward to a Christmas Charity Appeal, Learner versus Staff Festive Cookie Bake Off, Geography Map Challenge, History Homework Competition and the Christmas Break Half-Term Challenge. With only a few points separating the Houses, it’s still anyone’s game.
We’re ending the year with our annual Christmas Dinner, tied with Christmas Jumper Day, to raise money for Save the Children This final charity event is a wonderful way to bring everyone together for a festive meal while supporting a great cause, and we’re already planning more exciting events for the new year, ensuring 2024 starts on a high note.
Wear it Pink Fun Run raising money for charity and The Hub visit London.
At the end of a busy term filled with activities it is wonderful to look back on just some of the events that have taken place in our school community.
Learners from Year 7 to Year 13 wowed audiences with a fantastic production of Aladdin! Each performance showcased their hard work and enthusiasm, with stunning costumes, captivating choreography, and powerful musical numbers that brought the story to life. Special thanks go to Mr. Aygun, who worked tirelessly to bring this production together, along with all the staff members who provided essential support behind the scenes. Their dedication helped make Aladdin an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.
Year 10 GCSE Art learners, along with a small group studying A Level Fine Art, visited the Michael Craig-Martin Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. For many of our learners, this exhibition was a rare and invaluable opportunity to see such a large body of his work displayed in one place. Seeing art outside of the classroom, especially in a setting like the Royal Academy of Arts, serves as a reminder of the power of creativity and the impact it can have.
November saw two of the most special events in the school calendar take place. Our whole school gathered together in The Forum to mark Armistice Day. This incredibly moving event has become an important tradition in our school, one we value hugely and one which truly reflects our school values of excellence, endeavour and, most importantly, respect. Later in the same month, our school community came together to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our learners at our annual Academic Awards
Evening. The event showcased the dedication, hard work, and talents of our young people across a variety of subjects. The Academic Awards Evening is not just about acknowledging individual achievements but also about celebrating the collective spirit of our school. It is a reminder that success is built on effort, support and a love of learning.
And finally, in one of just one of the many celebratory events that will mark Christmas, it was brilliant to see our learners shining and giving back to the community at the Willerby Christmas Light Switch On, with two of our Year 10s being invited to switch on the lights while the school choir sang a range of Christmas classics.
This term has seen a wide range of Sixth Form trips and visits.
Year 12 Physicists went to the Royal Institution and the Science Museum in London. They learnt about careers in science and the history of Physics. There was an unexpected parade outside Buckingham Palace, the chance to hold a postcard signed by Albert Einstein and to see a real Nobel Prize! A group of our Year 12 and Year 13 Classicists were excited to hear an incredible talk on Medea by Professor Edith Hall at the Hull Classics Association. All of Year 12 attended the Hull and East Riding Apprenticeship Fair at Bishop Burton College, helping learners begin to consider their future pathways. As part of our opportunities to explore future careers paths, a final year student from Hull York Medical School launched our Future Medics
scheme with some of our aspiring medics. Our Future Medics also had the chance to take part in a valuable Mini Mock Interview practice session - the future of medicine is in safe hands! This year's Enrichment Programme started with First Aid Learners took part in the first of two morning sessions perfecting their skills and widening their knowledge. Other enrichment courses will be scheduled in the coming weeks.
Our Sixth Form learners have also got involved in a number of community initiatives this term. Thirty of our Year 12 learners were lucky to have the opportunity to volunteer at Penshurst Primary with their Key Stage 1 and 2 children. Learners enjoyed wearing their onesies, raising money for Children in Need and Sixth Form ambassadors helped at the Year 7 Christmas party and with Christmas card deliveries.
Year 12 visit the Royal Institution, First Aid training and community Christmas initiatives.
Initial Teacher Training
Term 1 has been busy for the ITT Team as we have hosted 41 trainee teachers across our Trust.
21 of these trainees are following postgraduate QTS courses and are working towards becoming a qualified teacher by the close of the year. 17 of this cohort are YWTT trainees, our strategic partner for ITT.
Additionally, we have been delighted to host 20 students from the University of Hull. The majority of these are following undergraduate courses including the new accelerated 2-year BA (Hons) Teaching Studies programmes that can progress to the 1-year QTS. This is an exciting time for the School of Education who have been working hard to develop their routes into teaching offers, and we in return have been proactive in our support for them. This partnership will prove vital for the local area, to maintain a healthy supply of teachers.
Yorkshire and Humber - Bucking the Trend
in ITT recruitment!
Although they say no news can be good news – this news is great news! Whilst we are aware of struggles related to teacher recruitment and retention, the latest DfE figures in ITT recruitment in Yorkshire and Humber indicate that we are bucking all national trends with a significant increase in new entrants.
This success cannot happen without the hard work and commitment from caring and inspirational mentors and ITT Leads who are supported by our wider teams. Thank you, all for your support.
Future Teachers Programme
We don’t always think about this, but as Trust colleagues we play a vital part in role modelling for employees of the future! Whatever our role in the Trust, you never know who might be admiring your work and hoping they can follow in your footsteps. This has certainly been highlighted and celebrated in a wonderful way as we have relaunched our Trust Future Teachers Programme. 12 budding future teachers from The Consortium Sixth Form College have signed up to our programme and December marked the launch with our introductory online session. Our provision will include:
• advice on routes into teaching – supported by our local providers
• provision of classroom experience within our Trust schools
• learning from our current ECTs about their experiences of routes into teaching and the start to their career
• buddying up with a teacher who has inspired them to ensure we create a strong alumni and support system
It has been wonderful to hear their 'WHY' stories and to learn who has inspired them and how. Updates on their progress to follow!
Routes into Teaching
As part of our Trust CPDL Offer and commitment to our colleagues, much work has been taking place to ensure that we are engaging in discussion with and supporting colleagues who have an interest in gaining Qualified Teacher Status.
For some colleagues the opportunity to discuss their options for training routes has been valuable. For others, who are currently working as Instructors, we have been considering options such as the Assessment Only Route into teaching.
Congratulations to Chris Wright at Cottingham and Oliver Sizer at Winifred Holtby who successfully completed AOR in the summer. They are both enjoying ECT Year 1.
Our Trust ECT Welcome Meeting marked the official start to the term for our cohort of 31, which consists of 11 Year 1 ECTs and 20 Year 2 ECTs, 28 of whom are secondary based with 3 primary based.
Our guest speaker for the event was Professor Sam Twiselton, OBE. Sam is a leading light in ITT and ECT development as well as being a UK government advisor for teacher recruitment, retention and development. It was wonderful to see our brilliant team of ECTs, Mentors and Induction Tutors together celebrating the start to an important milestone in their career. We are delighted to have you all as part of our Trust team and hope you all feel proud of what you have achieved this term.
“The sessions were really interesting and you feel part of something special with everyone coming together.”
“I’ve learned strategies and I’m looking forward to trialling the techniques we discussed, during sessions, in my practice.”
CPDL
“A real community feel is being generated and nurtured and we look forward to continuing the journey together.”
The start of the year marked an important milestone for the Trust – the launch of our CPDL Core Offer.
Continuing Professional Development and Learning is a crucial aspect of our investment in our people and helps us recruit, develop and retain colleagues who feel motivated and inspired to collaborate and learn together. Our CPDL portal is the vehicle for communication of the offer and we will continue to develop this over time.
Guide
“I feel proud to be part of a Trust where we are fortunate to have such great opportunities with everyone working ”
Leading with Purpose Programme
Our Leading with Purpose Programme is a new initiative that forms part of the offer and is open to all colleagues across the Trust. Designed to align with our Trust values and strategic priorities, the LWPP provides colleagues with a chance to undertake a research-based project whilst benefiting from the support of a technical mentor and a leadership coach. We are delighted to share that nine applicants have secured a place and will launch their projects in January. We look forward to sharing updates on their progress.
Spotlight on Apprenticeships
We would encourage colleagues to take a little time to learn more about the opportunities that are on offer through the Apprenticeship routes. These start from an intermediate Level 2 (equivalent to four/five GCSEs at A* to C), right up to Levels 6 and 7 (equivalent to a degree and Masters). Apprenticeships provide colleagues with a great opportunity to upskill, broadening knowledge and skills to work towards progression pathways and are funded by the Apprenticeship Levy.
To learn more about how this could benefit your professional development take a look at page 23 of our Core Trust Offer. We have several colleagues who have already signed up this term who are looking forward to engaging in their programmes.
Updates to follow!
Shaping Positive Futures
2024 CPDL Event
The Shaping Positive Futures Annual CPDL Event was based on the theme of ‘Aspiration’.
The event was attended by our largest cohort on record this year as we welcomed colleagues from Oakfield School for the first time, as we eagerly anticipate them joining the Trust in the new year. Furthermore, as a development to our Trust CPDL Offer, we were delighted that a number of colleagues who do not typically attend the day due to their contract arrangements took us up on the opportunity to join us.
“I found it really useful to learn more about the 'why' behind the different forms of questioning.”
Points of celebration
Thank you to colleagues for timely completion of the planning surveys. This helped us to ensure all operational aspects, including transport and parking arrangements, ran smoothly on the day.
· It was clear from the feedback that our Keynote speaker, Dr LJ Ducksbury, a practising educational psychologist, was very well received. We were delighted with her energetic and thoughtful delivery.
18 external specialists and 6 Trust colleagues were invited to deliver sessions for our non-teaching and learning support staff which strengthened our offer for these cohorts and this was recognised within the feedback.
· More time was allocated to subject specific training sessions this year with a total of 25 subject sessions delivered by Trust colleagues and 21 by external facilitators. Thank you to our subject network leaders for coordination of the morning.
Key takeaway points for development
· For the first time this year we utilised large group presentations via Teams. Whilst this helped us to secure external speakers with national expertise, it was clear that colleagues found this impacted on their ability to engage with the content. We will move away from Teams delivery for future events. Whilst there has been positive feedback related to the ‘Trio of Pedagogy’ sessions in the afternoon, feedback indicates that colleagues would prefer to access a wider choice of pedagogy sessions and in smaller groups. We have started to discuss planning ideas on preparation for next year.
Thank you to all colleagues who supported the planning and implementation of the day. We feel proud of the quality of provision on offer and recognise the power of bringing all colleagues together to engage in a shared opportunity for professional learning.
“I particularly liked the keynote. It challenged everyday perceptions/expectations without being confronting and gave time for reflection.”
Survey Results
Completed by 278 colleagues
When designing the programme for the day, careful consideration was given to ensure provision aligned with the Trust’s strategic priorities, whilst responding to staff survey feedback.
Did you feel the training relevant to your role whilst achieving this? 67% Yes 33% No
Did the day provide you with opportunities to have discussions with colleagues? 85% Yes 15% No
Did you take at least one developmental action away?
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year