Windsor Academy Trust Annual Report 2022

Welcome to our Family

Established in 2011, with Windsor High School and Sixth Form, our family has grown to nine successful schools, collectively serving 7,000 students aged 2 to 18, driven by 1,000 committed, inspiring and talented staff.

Children are – and always have been – at the centre of everything we do. Our moral purpose is to unlock the academic and personal potential of young people - and it matters deeply to us that all children thrive, not just those in our schools. At Windsor Academy Trust, we develop highperforming schools that raise aspirations, inspire learning, build character and cultural capital, power social mobility and enable all students to succeed and make a difference in their communities and the world.

In the academic year 2021/22, we celebrated our 10th anniversary and the launch of a new strategy that will power us into our second decade. Within this, we have identified five strategic ‘Big Moves’ that will drive school transformation, build staff talent, transform communities, ensure our family

is an environmental force for good and extend our reach through our system contribution.

This is Windsor Academy Trust’s first annual report and we are delighted to have you on the journey with us. We wish you a very warm welcome to our family.

Introduction from our Chair of Trustees

While life gradually returned to normal in 2022, many of the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are ever present. This has been further exacerbated by a cost of living crisis that is putting huge pressure on families and our communities and a greater burden on our schools. However, despite these difficulties, we continue to ensure our students, especially our most vulnerable young people, get the support they need and deserve.

Knowing that we have continued to deliver on our moral purpose as educators during the hardest of times makes me incredibly proud. In spite of everything that has been thrown in the way of young peoples’ progress over the last three years, our students are thriving, in large part thanks to the dedication and hard work of our incredible staff.

I am equally proud of the ‘Big Moves’ we are striving to make: developing high performing schools, building staff talent, supporting local communities, decarbonising our estate and making a meaningful difference to the system. All this hard work is underpinned by brave and inspirational leadership, effective financial management and strong governance.

If 2022 has taught me anything, it has taught me to be hopeful. While our annual report is a fantastic demonstration of how our schools have emerged stronger from the pandemic, it is also a joyful celebration of all that our family of schools has achieved.

I hope you enjoy reading it and here’s to an even brighter future.

Very best wishes,

Anne Haigh

Welcome from our CEO Dawn Haywood

I am delighted to share with you Windsor Academy Trust’s first annual report.

2022 was an important milestone for our family of schools as we continued to emerge stronger from the pandemic. Not only did we enter our second decade and launch a new strategy, it also marked my first year as CEO. I can honestly say that it is an utter privilege to lead our family of schools and, despite some of the challenges currently facing our sector, I still firmly believe teaching is the best job in the world.

Just over 12 months into my new role, I am hugely proud of all that we do. Our staff and our students have a deep sense of belonging both within their school and the broader WAT family.

As a family, our moral purpose is to unlock the academic and personal potential of young people. We want our students to aspire and to become all and more than they ever thought they could be. Students who know who they are and the sort of person they want to be; students who have discovered their passions; students who have high hopes and dreams for their futures and a clear sense of purpose; students who want to make a difference in their communities and in the world and students who understand the importance and value of education as a powerful driver for the greater good. I am proud to say that our young people are achieving all of this and so much more.

Although we have a clear sense of what makes WAT WAT, each of our nine schools is unique and is cherished for its uniqueness. All schools in the WAT family have their own identity and values. Each brings something different and each is supported to improve, including the very best. Academic outcomes are strong and improving across the family and we seek to keep driving these forwards. The Ofsted judgements of schools are also very strong. Six of our nine schools were deemed ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ when they joined the WAT family. All schools in the family are now graded ‘good’ with many outstanding features.

As a family, our collective work is making a difference to the lives of young people, the communities we serve and the education system more broadly. I hope our annual report reflects this and provides you with a greater understanding of what it means to be part of the Windsor Academy Trust family.

Warm regards,

Dawn Haywood

About Windsor Academy Trust

Our Moral Purpose

The mission of the WAT family remains the same as it was on our first day. We exist for one shared moral purpose to unlock academic and personal potential.

We want our students to aspire and to become all and more than they ever thought they could be. Students who know who they are and the sort of person they want to be; students who have discovered their passions; students who have high hopes for their futures and a clear sense of purpose; students who want to make a difference in their communities and in the world, and therefore students who understand the importance and value of education as a powerful driver for the greater good.

At Windsor Academy Trust, we put the compass in students’ one hand, empowering them to navigate their way to the summit of their ‘aspire’ mountain, and the world in the other.

Our Values

• Pride in excellence - we have high expectations and work hard

• Respect - we behave with integrity and honesty and foster equality

• Responsibility - we take personal and collective responsibility

• Collaboration - we purposefully collaborate for the benefit of all

• Bold and innovative - we shape the future

“To unlock the academic and personal potential of young people”

Our Strategy

Our 2022-25 strategy comprises five ‘Big Moves’ with clearly identified drivers that will help us unlock the academic and personal potential of our young people.

Our Schools

Goldsmith Primary Academy

Rivers Primary Academy

Windsor High School and Sixth Form

Colley Lane Primary Academy

Tenterfields Primary Academy

Windsor Olympus Academy

Manor Way Primary Academy

Kingswinford Academy

Great Wyrley Academy

Kingswinford Academy

Cheslyn Hay Academy

Windsor Academy Trust Central Office

Windsor Academy Trust North Office

Big Move 1: High Performing Schools

Delivering impactful and sustainable school improvement to unlock the academic and personal potential of our students.

Our Approach to School Improvement

Our school improvement cycle begins with school-level self assessment. We have collaborated and developed a ‘School Transformation Model’ (STM) based on Sir David Carter’s four-stage school improvement model.

The STM is a key driver in developing high performing schools across the trust. It accurately diagnoses where each of our schools is in its improvement journey, categorising schools into the most appropriate phase - stabilise, build foundations, grow and synergise. Leaders in our schools self-evaluate using the STM and develop five focus areas for improvement, with associated action plans.

The WAT Way

The WAT Way is shaped by our codified approaches for school improvement. For example within our curriculum, assessment and teacher and learning effectiveness. Each codified approach is grounded in research and empowers leaders to implement a framework in an agile way, depending upon the phase of the school’s improvement journey.

Ofsted Success

Delivering great education means inspections take care of themselves. Our Ofsted outcomes continue to demonstrate the impact of WAT’s school improvement approaches and the improvement journey many of our schools have been on. In 2022, we celebrated fantastic Ofsted judgements at four of our schools, with all gaining a better grade than when they joined the WAT family.

• February 2022, Rivers Primary Academy achieved a ‘good’ judgement in all areas

• June 2022, Windsor High School and Sixth Form achieved a ‘good and improving’ judgement in their section 8 inspection. This suggested that the quality of education would have been ‘outstanding’ if a full section 5 inspection were undertaken

• November 2022, Cheslyn Hay Academy achieved ‘Good’ in all areas

• December 2022, Goldsmith Primary Academy achieved ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ for Leadership and Personal Development

Primary Outcomes - Key Stage 2

In 2022, WAT’s primary schools demonstrated significant improvement from the 2019 published Key Stage 2 outcomes. The aggregate progress scores in reading, writing and mathematics were all positive and above the national average. In 2019, the combined attainment at the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics (RWM) was 18% behind the national average. In 2022, it was in line with the national average and above the regional average. This attainment was achieved with nearly twice the proportion of disadvantaged children than the national average. WAT aggregate scores can be seen in the table below.

Two of WAT’s primary school’s outcomes were exceptional. Goldsmith Primary Academy has 78% disadvantaged pupils but achieved combined attainment (RWM) above the national average, and progress scores in all three subjects were well above the national average. Manor Way Primary Academy’s combined attainment (RWM) was 21% above the national average at 80% and progress scores in all three subjects well above the national average.

Progress across secondary schools was positive and improved from 2019. Attainment in all schools improved compared to 2019, with considerable attainment increases seen at Great Wyrley Academy (joined WAT in September 2018 as an Ofsted rated ‘inadequate’ school) and Cheslyn Hay Academy (joined WAT in December 2018 as an Ofsted rated ‘requires improvement’ school) highlighting the long-term improvements to curriculum and teaching bearing fruit. Students’ progress at Kingswinford Academy was exceptional at +0.3.

Secondary Outcomes - Key Stage 5

This year, no progress data will be published nationally for post-16 students. This is because the Department for Education committed to not using any teacher or centre-assessed grades in accountability measures. We saw pleasing increases in the average-point score and average grades in 2022. Students’ attainment in vocational courses was exceptional.

WAT Post-16 Aggregate Attainment 2022 (KS5)

Big Move 2: Staff Talent

At Windsor Academy Trust, we are proud to work with 1,000 dedicated and talented teaching and professional services staff. Our approach to staff learning, development and wellbeing is based on the belief that our people are our most precious resource.

Our trust family continually strives to be an employer of choice, and our sector leading approach features as a case study in Sir David Carter and Laura McInerney’s book, ‘Leading Academy Trusts: Why some fail but most don’t’

Here’s just some of the ways we have continued to invest in our people during 2022:

• Introduction of the WAT Talent Institute to provide a central hub for CPL opportunities and to accelerate staff talent

• CPL opportunities provided for over 800 exceptional teachers, leaders and professional services staff across our family

• Four staff enabled to take a sabbatical from their role to bring their talents to critical trust-wide developments through our WAT Associate programme

• 57 staff supported through our Practitioner Researcher programme, providing researchgrounded and practice-informed professional learning across the WAT family

• Our Practitioner Researcher programme extended to include an optional pathway to gain a Chartered College of Teaching (CCT) Certificate in Education Research Inquiry

• 38 new WAT teachers supported as they embark on their teaching career through our Early Career Framework (ECF) as a delivery

• 18 new apprentices undertook their training across the WAT family

• Our Instructional Coaching programme delivered to over 60% of teaching staff

• Our ‘What makes a WAT leader’ programme, aimed at powering up our senior leaders, successfully launched

• Sign up to the DfE Education Wellbeing Charter and the Disability Confident Employer scheme

• Learning and development of teaching professionals locally, regionally and nationally supported through our Talent Institute

• National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) delivered to over 280 staff regionally and nationally as a trusted partner of the Teacher Development Trust

Big Move 3: Civic Leadership

At WAT, it matters to us deeply that all children thrive, not just those in the WAT family. We understand that schools and students thrive best when communities do and that is why we place great importance on establishing our schools as anchors in their communities.

In 2022, we embarked on a trust-wide project to get to know our communities better. We carried out ‘tear downs’ of each of our school communities to identify where our communities’ needs and strengths are - and who the key civic partners are. We held listening groups with members of our local communities to gather their views and insights - and we asked every child in our schools, KS2 and above, where they spend their time when they’re not in school. This powerful research is now shaping our approach. to civic leadership across our family.

Our 2022 ‘Civic’ Highlights:

• Colley Lane Primary Academy pupils were proud to take part in their local Remembrance Day Parade in November

• Children at Tenterfields Primary Academy took part in Barnardo’s Big Toddle raising almost £250 of much-needed funds for the charity

• Cheslyn Hay Academy students raised a massive £2,428 for Comic Relief and The British Red Cross Humanitarian Fund through non-school uniform donations, bake sales and a tombola organised by our Aspire Sixth Form students

• Students at Kingswinford Academy made a record-breaking donation to the Black Country Food Bank equating to 1,722 meals, providing a family of four up to three meals a day for nearly six months

• At Christmas, pupils at Manor Way Primary Academy dressed up as elves for National Elf Service Day to support the Black Country

We’re an Armed Forces Friendly Employer

In March 2022, we pledged our support to the armed forces community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. This commitment ensures that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated with fairness and respect.

We employ a number of armed forces veterans and reservists and support the armed forces through various activities, including national events and cadet organisations. Our commitment to the armed forces community is making a positive difference for the communities we serve.

Big Move 4: Sustainability

Our ambition is to become one of the most sustainable school trusts in the country. We are deeply committed to leaving the world in a better place, to meet the needs of the present without compromising our ability to meet the needs of future generations.

In 2022, we developed our dedicated sustainability strategy and 10 year decarbonisation plan, with an aspirational target of becoming net carbon neutral by 2030.

Our sustainability strategy is closely aligned with the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the framework set out in the One Planet Living principles.

Investing in a Greener Future

We have already made significant investments to decarbonise our school estate. Through effective use of our School Condition Allocation funding and support from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, we have been able to deliver a range of projects to help reduce our carbon footprint, including;

• Upgrades to heating infrastructure

• Installation of solar PV panels and air source heat pumps

• Double glazing and LED lighting upgrade programmes

• Commencement of phased implementation of EV charging points

• 1:1 devices (iPads) across Key Stages 2, 3 & 4

• New energy management dashboard

Leaving the World in a Better Place

The positive changes we have made are improving our energy efficiency and reducing our reliance on non-renewable energy sources. In turn, we are reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Over the last 12 months we have:

• Reduced our CO2 emissions by over 300 metric tonnes

• Generated 366,000 Kwh of sustainable clean energy for our schools (the equivalent of powering 75 homes for a year)

• Reduced our annual energy consumption by

Our 2022 Highlights

• Students attend our very own trust-wide WAT COP summit to help shape our approach to sustainability

• Students collaborated at the Schools for the Future: Sustainable Education Summit

• Eco committees, developed by our Student Senate, helping to drive action

• Eco clubs in our schools making a difference

• Using our school grounds to ensure students learn in and about the natural environment

• Pilot to phase out Single Use Plastic bottles in schools

• Planting of trees (Queen’s Green Canopy and

Big Move 5: WAT Reach

To deliver on our moral purpose of unlocking students’ academic and personal potential, and to make a difference to the lives of more students, the trust is expanding its reach and the number of students and schools in the WAT family in a sustainable way.

Free Schools

Progress of our new free school - Windsor Olympus Academy in Winson Green - has continued at pace. A headteacher designate has been appointed from within the WAT family and construction work is well underway and running on schedule, ahead of the planned opening in September 2023. This year, a site was also agreed for the trust’s second free school, Swift Academy, which is due to open in Walsall in 2025.

Support for Schools

In line with our commitment to provide support to Local Authority maintained schools and single academy trusts, over the last 12 months we have provided school improvement support to Learning Village Trust in Stoke-on-Trent, comprising two schools, Greenways Primary Academy and Milton Primary Academy, as well as Brook Primary School in Stourbridge. The outcomes of these partnerships has enabled the trust to establish a WAT School Partnership model to help inform future collaborations outside of the WAT family. Furthermore, the support provided to Learning Village Trust (LVT) proved hugely successful and was the catalyst for a transfer application being submitted by LVT to the DfE. As a result, Greenways Primary Academy and Milton Primary Academy are expected to join Windsor Academy Trust in 2023.

Through a process of strategic mapping and engagement, active discussions also took place and are still ongoing with numerous schools across Dudley, Staffordshire, Sandwell, Birmingham and Worcestershire.

System Contribution

Amongst many contributions to the wider education system during 2022, Windsor Academy Trust’s CEO, Dawn Haywood, has been engaged by DfE ministers and officials in relation to the Schools White Paper and to help inform the Regulatory and Commissioning Review. Furthermore, Ms Haywood sits on Priority Education Investment Areas Local Partnership Boards (PEIA LPBs) for both Walsall and Sandwell, to support the DfE with improving education in these areas, and is a member of the ASCL Trust Leaders Advisory Group.

Community

Powering our Big Moves

Digital Technology

Building on the successful launch of iPads for Learning in 2020-21, our 1:1 digital learning approach expanded to ensure every child in years 4-10 has a personal iPad to power up their learning at school and at home. Alongside this, we successfully launched a staff and student digital learning platform to enhance digital skills and celebrate the digital learning journeys of both staff and students.

Innovation and Research

We continue to build a culture where all staff have the confidence to innovate and become consumers and generators of research. Research is built into staff professional learning. We’ve expanded the Practitioner Researcher role and developed our WAT Associate Programme to drive innovation. We’ve also increased opportunities for staff to engage in research through Masters degrees with the University of Worcester and the University of Birmingham.

Resource Allocation

Our financial strategy is aligned to our organisational strategy ensuring our organisational health and strength for the short and long term.

At the start of the academic year, our financial revenue resources were allocated to support the delivery of each of our Big Moves, while ensuring a healthy reserves balance was maintained. This included use of the trust’s Strategic Development Fund (SDF), recycling efficiency savings and repurposing the school/trust budget. In addition, we secured additional capital and revenue grant funding through a successful bid for monies from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

Our investment in digital learning along with over £4m of capital investment (through grants we have centrally secured) in the last 24 months in sustainable projects (Solar PV, full LED light replacement across all schools, energy management systems) has placed Windsor Academy Trust in the perfect position to meet the current inflationary pressures all sectors are

feeling. We have a strongly sustainable financial strategy. This investment will continue with over 50% of our annual capital funding earmarked for sustainable projects over the next three years, further reducing our carbon footprint and costs.

We have an strong culture of financial management and are extremely proud of having clean external audits for the last two financial years, an achievement our auditors have called “extraordinary in any sector”.

Governance

Windsor Academy Trust is proud of its strong and effective governance. The WAT Governance Structure consists of Members, the Board of Directors/Trustees and Committees of the Board including the school level Local Advisory Bodies (LABs). Board members are highly skilled and influential people who take responsibility for the strategic governance of the whole family. The WAT Scheme of Delegation clearly sets out the role and remit of all levels of governance. This is complemented by the WAT Scheme of Financial Delegation.

A Governance Working Group was established in 2022 in order to undertake a full governance review. Substantial progress has been made including the adoption of new Articles of Association, a revised Scheme of Delegation, and revised Terms of Reference for all governance committees. Furthermore, the trust welcomed four new trustees to the Board in autumn 2022.

Marketing and Communications

Aligned to the Powering into the Second Decade strategy, in 2022, a new and detailed three-year marketing and communications strategy and plan to underpin and support delivery of each of WAT’s five Big Moves and communicate our successes was agreed and put into action.

Collaboratively Unlocking Potential

Windsor Academy Trust is a family of 1,000 staff collectively serving 7,000 young people across the West Midlands. We are currently nine schools: four secondary and five primary schools in close geographic proximity allowing for strong and meaningful collaboration.

In September 2023, Windsor Olympus Academy, a brand new secondary Free School in Winson Green will also open.

We are incredibly proud of each and every school in the WAT family. Each brings something unique and each is supported to improve, including the very best.

Academic and Personal Potential

All students get a great education that unlocks their academic and personal potential. This comes from a deeply collaborative, researchbased and innovative approach to the quality of education. Students also have many opportunities to come together across the WAT family to engage in activities that develop them academically and personally.

Over the last 12 months, this has included student leadership events, sustainability summits,

sports, arts, dance and cultural capital building events, ‘Operation Smash It’ for year 11, subject challenges, debates and events and national and international visits.

WAT Primary Games

In September, 120 children from across Windsor Academy Trust’s five primary schools came together to compete in the WAT Primary Games at Aldersley Stadium in Wolverhampton. Children took part in hockey and tag rugby throughout the morning, before an afternoon of athletics. The sports chosen were inspired by the Commonwealth Games, given the way the Birmingham Games had captured our imaginations earlier in the summer. Year 9 sports leaders from Cheslyn Hay Academy supported the primary school pupils throughout the day in refereeing, score keeping, judging, and presenting medals. Congratulations to Colley Lane Primary Academy who finished the day on 169 points fighting off the challenge from our Walsall Schools Rivers Primary Academy and Goldsmith Primary Academy who finished in second and third respectively.

Student Senate and Student Leadership

Our Student Senate is made up of 100 student leaders from second and third year upwards across our family of schools. The Senate was created to further our mission of unlocking academic and personal potential by empowering students to become self-regulating, take responsibility for themselves and others as contributing citizens.

The Senate provides extraordinary enrichment experiences that help students become the best learners and best people they can be. It is a place for students to express their voice, to take action and through their leadership to positively impact the Windsor Academy Trust family, the wider community and the planet.

Student engagement opportunities, such as the Senate, empower our students to speak about issues that are important to them and influence decision making. Our Student Senate demonstrates to students that their voices and opinions matter and that they can help shape the

future. For example, the Senate is playing a critical role in sustainability development across our family of schools.

The WAT Pledge

The WAT Pledge was developed by our Student Senate. It is our promise to students that they will gain key personal development experiences and accomplishments before leaving school. We have 11 pledges in primary and 12 pledges in secondary. Alongside a huge range of extracurricular activities, the pledge expands learning beyond the classroom, builds cultural capital and helps students unlock their academic and personal potential.

Manor Way Primary Academy Dudley

“Creating happy and successful learners”

Manor Way Primary Academy is a one-form entry primary school catering for children aged two to 11 years old. Our small, friendly and welcoming school has high expectations and we are committed to excellence. Our aim is for children to be the best they can be in all areas of their life. Children here experience a broad and exciting curriculum, they learn, laugh, get muddy and make friends. We expect children to leave Manor Way confident, prepared and ready to excel and succeed at secondary school.

Powering up Pupils’ Learning

To children entering Year 4 at Manor Way Primary Academy in September (and indeed all WAT primaries), there was but one thing on their minds at the start of the school year. When would they be getting their iPads? Fortunately, they did not have long to wait.

As the children went out to enjoy their play time, staff swung into action and within minutes, the classroom was transformed with balloons and 29 beautifully-wrapped iPads.

The children were so excited as they entered the classroom after lunch to the sound of The Final Countdown and the beams on their faces said it all.

“The unboxing was so much fun with music, balloons tied to our chairs and around the door and bows on our iPads. It was like a birthday party in school! We had a go at editing a photo of ourselves and it was so much fun, you could make your hair purple! It makes you feel grown up having your own iPad, it’s a bit like carrying a school around with you.” Isobelle and Inaayah.

Our 2022 Highlights

• After returning from the pandemic, we have reintroduced cooking and forest school to all year groups and we are enjoying learning life skills and exploring our natural world (pic 1)

• Science Week in March focused on ‘growing green’ with activities about sustainability. This culminated in children showcasing their science projects at our Science Fayre, from the lifecycle of a butterfly to growing a rainbow (pic 2)

• Children from Years 4, 5 and 6 enjoyed an exciting trip to London’s West End to see Frozen and to take part in a dance workshop at the famous Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden (pics 3 & 4)

• Children marked the Queen’s Jubilee with their very own street party in the playground (pics 5 & 6)

• Year 6 spent three fabulous days at Kingswood Residential participating in a range of activities to build confidence and resilience (pics 7 & 8)

• Our curriculum has been enriched and made memorable by a wide range of workshops and visits; Egyptian Day, Young Voices Concert; The Pioneer Centre, Stone Age workshop, Black Country Museum visit, trip to the Botanical Gardens, and many more (pic 9)

Tenterfields Primary Academy Dudley

“Learning together, growing together”

Tenterfields Primary Academy is a one-form entry primary school catering for children from two to 11 years old. Dating back to 1909, Tenterfields Primary Academy prides itself on being a familyorientated, community school. We work closely with our parents, families and community to provide the finest, all-round education possible for our children, sharing in our statement of learning together, growing together.

Our Rockstars!

We were delighted to have won the Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) competition across the Windsor Academy Trust primary schools. Going up against bigger schools didn’t stop us and Tenterfield pupils smashed it. Not only did we win the overall school competition, we also won the overall individual winner. With nearly 1,000 pupils taking part, Tenterfields pupil Kyle-Jin rocked hard and beat everyone.

Executive headteacher, Lisa Buffery, commented: “What a fantastic achievement for our school and Kyle-Jin, who we are incredibly proud of. Times Tables Rock Stars is an award-winning maths programme that takes all the worry out of learning their times tables. Pupils can access it on their iPads, at school and at home, and it has a proven track record of boosting children’s fluency and recall in multiplication and division. The questionbased games automatically adapt to each child’s unique learning needs, helping them to recall times tables in record speed.”

Our 2022 Highlights

• Year 4 went back to the Stone Age for the day and made spears using twigs and twine and produced cave art on slate using charcoal. They also pretended to be Stone Age hunters and chased a woolly mammoth around the school hall (pics 1, 2 & 3)

• Recognising the positive effect that music and the arts can have on mental health, we joined many other local schools and Dudley Performing Arts to learn the song ‘Connecting Together’ to put on a live performance with other participant schools via a live feed at the end of the week

• We thanked all the mums, grans and special people in our lives by hosting a Mum’s Royal Tea Party to mark the Queen’s Jubilee. Year 2 mums hold the record for the most tears! (pics 4 & 5)

• A group of Year 1 and Year 2 children represented Dudley at the Black Country School Games, which took place today at The Institute of Sport, University of Wolverhampton. This involved the children competing in a selection of team multi skill games. We are delighted to announce that Tenterfields came third to win the Bronze medal

• Year 4 were lucky enough to go to the MAC Theatre in Birmingham to watch their animation films brought to life as part of the ‘Artsmark Award’

• Year 6 headed off to the Pioneer Centre for our joint residential with Manor Way. The children participated in a wide variety of exciting activities including: abseiling, archery, caving, challenges, high ropes climbing, low ropes climbing, team building, and zip wiring to name but a few

• Our curriculum knowledge has been deepened helping us to know and remember more through our school home projects and competitions (pic 6)

• A new forest school programme is a curriculum favourite in all weathers (pics 7 & 8)

• Students enjoyed participating in a dance celebration at Stourbridge Town Hall (pic 9)

• Raising money and collecting donations for the Black Country Food Bank on National Elf Service Day (pic 10)

Colley Lane Primary Academy Dudley

Colley Lane is a two-form entry primary school in Cradley catering for children from three to 11 years old. The school has been serving families of the Cradley community for over 100 years. It has the highest aspirations for all children and strives to ensure students leave Colley Lane as lifelong learners who are polite, confident, resilient and able to thrive academically and personally. The school is proud of its academic, creative and sporting achievements. It has a strong family approach to school and works closely with parents, families and the community to provide the very best education in a safe, nurturing environment.

Our Hive

In 2022, Colley Lane launched Our Hive, a social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) provision aiming to support KS1 and KS2 children who are struggling in a mainstream classroom. Our Hive offers children access to a curriculum more tailored to their individual needs with an emphasis on supporting their SEMH. Through

Our 2022 Highlights

• Whole school Commonwealth Games attended by Elizabeth Foster, Deputy Lieutenant representing the Queen, and Suzanne Webb MP for Stourbridge (pic 1)

• Celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a whole school picnic, games, singing and dancing (pic 2)

• Headteacher, Mr Simpson, along with the Head Boy and Head Girl, planted a tree on behalf of The Queen’s Green Canopy (pic 3)

• Year 6 had a fantastic time on residential at PGL Boreatton Park in Shropshire (pic 4)

• Children dressed up as their favourite storybook characters and paraded around

building trusted relationships with traumainformed qualified staff, the school hopes to engage children and help them to believe in themselves, raise their self-esteem and reach their potential.

We believe that all children should be provided with the opportunity to be the best they can be and our aim is to provide a more nurturing environment where those children, some of whom may be at risk of exclusion, can have the opportunity to change their story and make positive steps towards re-engaging in their learning journey within a supportive smaller setting.

We are working closely with teachers, parents and other professionals to ensure children have the support needed with an aim to reintegrate them back into the classroom or other alternative education. Our provision is short stay and the timing and length of placement can be developed in partnership with schools.

the school grounds to book-themed music for World Book Day (pics 5 & 6)

• Thirteen children from Years 5 and 6 trained with Black Country Mental Health to become Wellbeing Warriors to support their peers (pic 7)

• The school’s youngest children put their skills to the test during an EYFS Balance Bike training session (pic 8)

• Children learned the importance of being different and how to ‘reach out’ and empower others during Odd Sock Day (pic 9)

www.colleylaneprimary.org.uk

“Never settle for less than your best”

Windsor High School and Sixth Form Dudley

“Excellence for all”

Windsor High School and Sixth Form is an 11 to 18 comprehensive school in Halesowen - and Windsor Academy Trust’s founding school. We are committed to delivering the very best education for all of our students. We are a school built on traditional values and our ethos and beliefs are evident in “The Windsor Way”, which celebrates the twin tenets of respect and responsibility. We strive for our students to have a love of learning, and gain the knowledge, skills and attributes to be successful in the world of work. Equally, we endeavour for our students to be good human beings, with a sense of purpose and character, enabling them to flourish in life.

A Global Community of Schools

In 2022, Windsor High School and Sixth Form became part of a select group of global schools by joining the Schools: Partners for the Future (PASCH) initiative.

The school is one of only 12 schools in the UK and the first within the West Midlands to join the PASCH initiative, which connects young people worldwide through its network of 2,000 schools across 100 countries.

The initiative, which the German Federal Foreign Office launched in 2008, was founded to create and strengthen a global network of partner schools that have special links to Germany. The PASCH initiative has further expanded our cultural education and provides extraordinary opportunities for our students. This includes summer schools, placements with world-leading companies and the chance to study at German universities through a PASCH scholarship. A ceremony to mark the occasion was held at Windsor High School and Sixth Form with representatives from the German Embassy, Goethe-Institut, the Mayor of Dudley and Windsor Academy Trust CEO Dawn Haywood attending. The ceremony included dance, music and poetry performances from students, as well as speeches from two Windsor alumni; Isobel Cooper, currently studying at Oxford University, and Chadsley Atkins who works for PwC. They spoke about their time here at Windsor studying German, and how it has helped them in their career paths.

Our 2022 Highlights

• Windsor High School and Sixth Form became the ECFA West Midlands Men’s Regional Invitation 2 League champions when our Sixth Form football team won 16 of their 18 games and scored 101 goals en route to a comprehensive league victory (pic 1)

• We were delighted when Windsor student Q’Ue had the honour of carrying the Baton for the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay (pic 2)

• Ex-Windsor student and author, Morgan Owen, visited to talk to students about her new book, The Girl With No Soul. Morgan was a student at Windsor from 1995-2000. Morgan worked with a Year 7 and Year 9 class giving them tips and advice about writing (pic 3)

• Congratulations to all students who performed in our Summer Dance Showcase held at the Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton. 76 students from Years 7-13, as well as our Alumni Dance Company, performed in a range of styles and did so with energy, excellence and professionalism (pics 4 & 5)

• Students in the Eco Club planted a tree for the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) project to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee (pic 6)

• Year 8 took part in a DofE expedition experience in the Clent Hills as part of our WAT Pledge. They also learnt to read maps as well as work as a team (pics 7 & 8)

• Windsor Dancers were invited to perform at Loughborough University as part of the Youth School Games Opening Ceremony. The ceremony was performed to the young athletes and Olympians in attendance and was live streamed by the Youth Sport Trust (pic 9)

www.windsorhighschool.org.uk

Kingswinford Academy Dudley

Kingswinford Academy is an 11 to 16 comprehensive school that aspires for all young people to ‘Be Extraordinary’. We pride ourselves on being one of the very best schools in our area whilst remaining very much at the heart of our community. Since joining Windsor Academy Trust in November 2016, our school has gone from strength to strength. Exam results have risen rapidly each year, the range of extracurricular activities has grown significantly and our site and facilities have been revamped, developed and expanded. We are rightly proud of the incredible

Our 2022 Highlights

• We welcomed a change in leadership in September when Ian Moreton took over the reins as headteacher at the school. Mr Moreton was previously a headteacher at our sister school, Great Wyrley Academy in South Staffordshire (pic 1)

• Students participated in the Dudley Commonwealth Games Festival at Stourbridge RFC. They took part in tennis, athletics, rugby, archery, Tai Chi, circus skills and many more (pic 2)

the end of the summer term. This year, students enjoyed an array of activities and trips to help them discover their passions and unlock their personal potential:

• Kingswinford FC arrived for their pre-season training at St George’s Park. They had a very exciting few days using the facilities of our English national teams

• The students had an incredible three days exploring London. They enjoyed a Thames river cruise, museums, and Back to the Future at the theatre. They beat the heat using spray bottles, which the teachers gladly helped disperse over the students!

Acclaimed street artist, Void On, came to work with our art ambassadors and KS4 artists to totally transform the Drama Studio wall, with ideas submitted by our students featuring in the final design (pics 3 & 4) This year 57 students took part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. The Bronze students expeditioned in Upper Arley and Kinver with expert navigation and learnt to cook on a camping stove. The Silver students spent three days in the Long Mynd and tackled some challenging terrain (pic 5) We held our annual Summer Showcase with over 50 performers across Years 7 to 11. We had dance, drama and music acts which showcased the incredible talent our performance students have (pic 6)

• Our students had a great time on their PGL trip at Boreatton Park and showed real willingness to join in on all the activities (pics 7 & 8)

• Year 7 and 8 students took part in the Football Inspire event with Wolves Foundation to further develop their ball skills (pic 9)

www.kingswinfordacademy.org.uk

“Be extraordinary”

Rivers Primary Academy Walsall

“Inspire to aspire”

Rivers Primary Academy is a two-form entry primary school in Walsall catering for children aged two to 11 years old. The school offers children a happy, supportive and inspiring environment to develop both their academic and personal potential. All of our staff work hard to ensure every child thrives and has the best possible learning journey. We seek to develop independent learners who are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to progress to secondary school and cope with an ever-changing world. We are committed to working in partnership with parents/carers and the wider community to achieve the very best for our children.

It’s all Good!

We were delighted to retain our ‘Good’ status following an Ofsted inspection in February. Rivers was rated ‘Good’ in all areas, with inspectors praising school leaders for the high expectations set for the education that children receive.

Inspectors highlighted the positive and nurturing learning environment provided for children, stating ‘pupils are proud to attend Rivers Primary Academy’, ‘value their education’ and ‘enjoy the broad range of subjects that they learn’.

Throughout the report, inspectors praised a wide range of areas where the school is working exceptionally hard to instil a culture of high expectation to ensure every child is able to flourish. The report also noted how children at the school felt ‘happy and safe’, saying staff go above and beyond to ensure the children are enjoying their time at the school.

Our 2022 Highlights

• We were delighted to welcome Becky Anderson as River’s new Head of School. Leanne Bridgwood also took up the post of Executive Headteacher across Rivers Primary Academy and Goldsmith Primary Academy (pic 1)

• Our festive Nativity was a real highlight with our Reception children putting on fantastic retelling of the Christmas story (pic 2)

• Our children took part in Parliament Week to learn about democracy, the different roles in government and how you’re never too young to have a voice (pic 3)

• Year 4 had a wonderful time at RSPB Sandwell learning about different wildlife and the habitats they live in (pics 4, 5 & 6)

• Our EYFS children were delighted when a new climbing frame appeared in their playground (pic 7)

• Our eco Leaders and sustainability champions organised a Wear It Wild Day for WWF to raise awareness about endangered animals and to understand the impact our actions have on the environment (pic 8)

• “The best day ever at Rivers” - Year 4 had a brilliant time unboxing their iPads to help power up their learning at school and at home (pics 9 & 10)

Goldsmith Primary Academy Walsall

“Dream. Rise. ASPIRE”

Goldsmith is a two-form entry primary school in Walsall catering for children from two to 11 years old. The happiness, personal growth and academic achievement of all children is the school’s top priority. It is the school’s mission to ensure all pupils dream big, rise academically and aspire to their next chapter in life. It is intrinsic to everything the school does, from dreaming big in future career aspirations to dreaming big on the sports field.

Ofsted Success!

Before joining Windsor Academy Trust, Goldsmith had an Ofsted judgement of ‘Requires Improvement’. As such, we were delighted to achieve an Ofsted judgement of ‘Good’, with ‘Outstanding’ for ‘Leadership and Management’ and ‘Personal Development’ in our inspection in December.

The report recognised the hard work and dedication of staff and students at the school and reflected the collective strength of our family of schools. Inspectors praised the school’s

Our 2022 Highlights

• We were delighted to welcome Paul Ingles as Goldsmith’s new Head of School. Leanne Bridgwood also stepped into the role of Executive Headteacher across Goldsmith Primary Academy and Rivers Primary Academy (pic 1)

• Children paid their respects by making their own poppies to mark Remembrance Day after learning about the significance of the flower. Pupils planted their poppies in various public locations around the school (pic 2)

• Students marked Black History Month with a visit from famous football coach, Terry Connor, to discuss his struggles and successes (pic 1 & 3)

“inspirational leaders” and staff for their high expectations of all pupils. They recognised that “exceptional leadership has enabled the school to make significant improvements over time” and commented that the school’s curriculum “is ambitious and enables pupils to achieve well”. The report also highlighted that pupil’s personal development is exceptional.

Leanne Bridgwood, Executive Headteacher, commented: “I am exceptionally proud that Goldsmith has been recognised for the high quality education it offers. Over the last three years, the school has thrived despite the additional challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is hugely rewarding to see Ofsted recognise both the hard work of our staff and the pride our pupils and parents have in our school. Our ethos of ‘Dream, Rise and Aspire’ is now embedded in every aspect of school life. We will continue to build on this success to help raise the aspirations of our young people and unlock their academic and personal potential.”

• In October, Year 5 achieved one of their WAT Pledges – ‘have an adventure’ – at Whitemoor Lakes Activity Centre (pics 4 & 5)

• Our nursery children made the move into their stunning new building in July (pics 6 & 7)

• Goldsmith was proud to host the Platinum Jubilee celebration for the Bloxwich and Blakenall Cluster of schools. We welcomed delegations from nine local schools to perform in front of the Deputy Mayor of Walsall (pic 8)

• KS2 students had a superb day of Bhangra lessons as part of their Commonwealth Games Day (pic 9)

www.goldsmithprimary.org.uk

Cheslyn Hay Academy

Staffordshire

“High expectation, high achievement”

Cheslyn Hay Academy is an 11 to 18 comprehensive school and sixth form in South Staffordshire. We have a strong reputation for enabling the young people in our care to flourish. For a number of years the school has been oversubscribed. Annually, our examination results are above the national average. We believe that high expectations lead to high levels of achievement. Therefore, we set high standards for our staff and students. Cheslyn Hay Academy offers an academically broad education supported by an incredibly rich extracurricular programme based around our student pledge.

Celebrating Success!

It was a good outcome for Cheslyn Hay Academy when Ofsted visited in October. The school, which was rated ‘Requires Improvement’ before joining Windsor Academy Trust in 2018, achieved ‘Good’ in all areas. Inspectors praised school leaders for their strong focus on academic and social development and our high expectations of students’ behaviour.

The report commended staff for their commitment to developing students both academically and personally. It highlighted the wide range of subjects on offer and the impressive range of opportunities for young people to develop their interests and talents, noting that students ‘are proud of the school’s many sporting successes.’ Inspectors also remarked how much students enjoy coming to school.

Headteacher, Tom Macdonald, said: “Our aim is to deliver the very best education for all of our students and it is hugely rewarding to see Ofsted recognise the hard work of our staff and the pride students have in our school. Our success is down to a partnership between students, staff, parents and carers, and the ongoing support provided by Windsor Academy Trust.”

Our 2022 Highlights

• In September, we were delighted to welcome new headteacher, Tom Macdonald. Mr Macdonald was previously a headteacher at our sister school, Kingswinford Academy in Dudley (pic 1)

• We were so proud when student, Jack Forrest in Year 13, completed the 100m and 200m in the Staffordshire Schools County Champion race, qualifying for the English Schools Championship in Manchester (pic 2)

• Art students enjoyed a trip to Liverpool where they visited Crosby Beach and viewed artwork by Antony Gormley. The pupils also visited the Walker Gallery and viewed historic and contemporary art (pics 3 & 4)

• 22 students participated and completed their DofE Silver expedition in the Peak District. Despite camping for two nights and walking for three days, they were all in high spirits when they finished the expedition (pic 5)

• In December, we presented our ‘Christmas through the years’ concert - a celebration of Christmas classics and hits through the decades showcasing the amazing musical talents of our students (pic 6)

• As part of the WAT Arts Ambassadors programme, nearly 40 students went to the Midland Art Centre to work with a visiting specialist to complete and exhibit their animation (pic 7)

• We were thrilled when our Year 13 art students put on an exhibition of their work. It was incredible to see such accomplished pieces of art (pics 8 & 9)

www.cheslynhayacademy.org.uk

Great Wyrley Academy Staffordshire

Great Wyrley Academy is an 11 to 18 comprehensive school and sixth form in South Staffordshire. We endeavour to ensure that each and every student in our care fulfils their potential - both academically and personally. Students leave our school with fantastic qualifications but also having had opportunities and life experiences that great schools should afford them.

Going for Gold!

We were incredibly proud to be awarded the Gold for Excellence award for our music provision. The award recognised our continued good results at GCSE, excellent curriculum and curriculum delivery and our ongoing links with local primary schools, such as our Samba and Djembe

Our 2022 Highlights

• We had a change in leadership in September when Kelly Moore, deputy headteacher, took over the reins as headteacher at the school, having worked at Great Wyrley Academy for over a decade (pic 1)

• School show ‘13 the Musical’ was a huge success and showcased our students’ musical and acting talent to best effect! (pic 2)

• Our Year 12 engineering students took part in the prestigious Manufacturing Group Design and Make Challenge 2022. Great Wyrley were judged winners of the innovation and design category and were presented with the prize of a 3D Printer for our school (pics 3 & 4)

• Two Year 11 students were accepted to the prestigious General Electric Academy Programme to support and mentor them in their career goal of becoming an engineer. This programme was offered to all schools in the Staffordshire area and received hundreds of applications to be part of this opportunity with only 40 spaces available

drumming workshops. The assessment also took into account our extra curricular provision – including our yearly European tour with our resident soul band - and uptake on instrumental lessons across the school.

Headteacher, Kelly Moore, commented: “Our aim is to engage, enthuse and inspire students in every lesson, every day. We have a culture of high aspirations, and our brilliant teachers challenge and support each student to develop and achieve their potential. Our music provision is an example of this in action - providing the opportunity for our students to thrive both academically and personally - and we’re hugely proud to have this recognised with a Gold for Excellence award.”

• Great Wyrley Academy was proudly asked by the Great Wyrley Parish Council to design and create a fitting tribute to the NHS to be situated in the Memorial Gardens in the village. Our ASPIRE Sixth Form Engineering students along with Mr Rob Baker gladly took on this honour and were invited along to unveil it during a dedicated service with Churches Together and local dignitaries (pics 5 & 6)

• Year 9 and 10 relished the opportunity to have a lesson from the team at the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour on Graphics in Movies. They learned how graphic design, from the smallest coins at Gringotts to the newspapers and book covers in Flourish and Botts, all have an important role in building the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (pic 7)

• The Great Wyrley Gallery is now up and running and we had our first exhibition as part of our Open Evening. This brilliant space will be used to showcase our students’ wonderful work throughout the year (pic 8)

www.greatwyrleyacademy.org.uk

“Relentlessly pursuing excellence”

Windsor Olympus Academy Sandwell –

Opening September 2023

We are delighted to be opening our first Free School in 2023! Windsor Olympus Academy will be a non-selective, non-denominational 11-16 secondary school and is currently in the preopening phase, with a planned opening date of September 2023.

Windsor Olympus Academy will be much more than a school. It will be at the heart of the community, supporting families and transforming lives through the power of education.

Our purpose is simple. We want our students to thrive and our community to thrive. We want out students to unlock both their academic and personal potential. We will do this by inspiring students to follow their passions, providing them with the skills and experiences to thrive in learning and life. Students will learn in brilliant facilities, be taught by inspiring teachers and be part of a welcoming and inclusive community. In short, Windsor Olympus Academy will provide students with everything they need to succeed. The school will be part of Windsor Academy Trust, alongside nine other successful schools in the West Midlands, and will be built on a decade of excellence and putting children first.

We believe in delivering education for the greater good, positively impacting the local community and the world. For us, this means providing students with opportunities to make a difference in their community and more widely. As such, Windsor Olympus Academy will be at the heart of the community, with students becoming civic actors. Furthermore, the school will be a welcoming place for all, with local residents, community groups and sports clubs able to use our excellent facilities. Students will also play a critical role in driving sustainability across the school - including the development of an eco hub - to support our vision of leaving the world in a better place for future generations.

We want all students to be excited to attend school and generate a love of learning that stays with them throughout their life. With this in mind,

our teaching and learning will engage, enthuse and inspire students in every lesson, every day. Our curriculum will provide students with the knowledge, character virtues and learning skills to thrive. Through our one-to-one iPad strategy, we will power up students’ learning, developing the digital skills they need to succeed in the future.

To help students settle into life at our school, we will run a comprehensive transition programme during the summer of 2023 where both children and parents will be invited to visit their new school. Once at our school, each child will experience a welcoming and inclusive community with excellent pastoral care. Our house system will provide further support and opportunities for each child, which will build students’ confidence and allow them to enjoy school life to the fullest.

Students with opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom is crucial to supporting their development. At our school, students will be able to take part in a huge range of extracurricular activities allowing them to follow their passions and develop new skills. As part of our ‘WAT Pledge’, all students will achieve 12 experiences and accomplishments before leaving our school that will inspire them and boost their development.

Follow our progress at www.

“Thriving together”