Latest News
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Cranham pupils’ hands-on history experience
Tue 29 Jun 2021Year 1 and Year 4 pupils at Cranham Primary School, Worcester enjoyed a hands-on experience of history as part of a ‘Wow’ introduction to their next history topic on castles.
David Cadle aka ‘The History Man’ brought over 4,000 years of world history to the school.
The children looked at armour and costumes and dressed up in Egyptian costume. They learnt about Medieval weaponry and had a go at jousting. They also got to handle agricultural equipment and have a go at grinding grain with a stone.The interactive experience was a great introduction to the history topic. The children are now ‘fired-up’ with enthusiasm to learn about this period in history.
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Burlish Park crowned Athletics Champions during School Sports Week
Tue 29 Jun 2021At the end of a very energetic week pupils at Burlish Park Primary School, Stourport-on-Severn were rewarded by being crowned Wyre Forest District Athletics Champions.
Over 160 pupils from 11 Wyre Forest schools took part in an Athletics championship at Stourport and Kidderminster athletics track. The championship was one of many sporting events that the school took part in to celebrate National School Sport Week 2021 (Monday 21st – Friday 25th June).
Pupils also joined schools across Worcestershire in the Summer Virtual School Games in which children took part in Paralympic themed challenges throughout the week. At the start of the week pupils took part in Goalball, a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment.
Throughout the week pupils from Reception through to year 6 took part in Football, Tennis along with participating in the school’s annual Inter-house Rounders competition and a Cricket Skills Blast Festival delivered by Worcestershire Cricket.
Sports week and the virtual games provided pupils with an opportunity to experience new sports, take part in friendly competition; get active and have fun.
Winning the Athletics Championship was an amazing achievement and a perfect ending to an action-packed week. Well done to all the athletes who took part. -
Pupils inspired by West Bromwich Albion
Mon 21 Jun 2021Pupils at St Clement’s CofE Primary School in St John’s, Worcester and Cutnall Green CofE Primary School have been receiving weekly visits from West Bromwich Albion Sports Development Coach, Kie Brown, as part of a learning initiative created by the Football Premier League.
Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of the Premier League and professional football clubs to inspire children to learn, be active and develop important life skills.
Kei, who is also a Football Coach at Birmingham City Academy, has been delivering football coaching to pupils at Cutnall Green and St Clement’s schools in order to promote the importance of physical activity and empower children through sport.
Year 4 and Year 5 pupils at St Clement’s have also benefitted from focussed English interventions to help improve their reading and writing. Pupils practise their reading and writing skills using football-related resources and texts.
The English intervention aims to increase pupil’s confidence in reading and encourages a lifetime love of reading.Kei explained that initially many pupils were not keen on getting involved however, over the past few weeks, he has seen an improvement in their enthusiasm, handwriting, teamwork and language skills.
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CEO's Blog - 18th June 2021
Fri 18 Jun 2021CEO’s Blog 18th June 2021
Collaboration and Conversation
This term, we are continuing to work collaboratively on exciting projects such as our new alternative provision school and our innovative Rivers curriculum. A recent highlight was a visit from Professor Michael Waters, Director of Curriculum at the Qualification and Curriculum Authority 2005-2009, who spent a day working with the curriculum design team. Mick’s expertise and wealth of experience have been invaluable in ensuring that our progressive, new curriculum equips pupils with the knowledge and skills they need.
Recently, I have made a very welcome return to the most pleasurable part of my job – visiting our schools! It is wonderful to be talking to pupils again and to be able to meet our new pupil ambassadors. Even after the challenges of the past year, our pupils continue to show an impressive learning attitude and extraordinary resilience. They are engaged, enthusiastic and happy to engage in conversations about their current learning, mental health issues and what they are enjoying about being back at school. So far, I have visited Great Witley, St Clement’s, North Worcester Primary Academy and Cutnall Green and I look forward to visiting our other schools during these last few weeks of term.
Kate Brunt
CEO
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School Improvement opportunity has shown “the truly impressive things which happen in other schools”
Wed 09 Jun 2021With over 20 years’ experience Bob Harris, Assistant Headteacher at Northwick Manor Primary School, began a strategic school improvement role working across all schools in the Trust.
"With over 20 years’ experience as an English lead in a variety of schools, it seemed a great opportunity to further develop my skills in a more advisory role without having to leave the classroom itself."Development
"The school improvement role enhances your strategic skills but also enables you to develop important skills in building relationships and trust for and from your colleagues; without which any support or challenge you offer can be undermined. An important phrase to use when offering advice is ‘consider’… "
Different challenges
"It is a varied role because, whilst we are one family of schools, like all families, we are full of individuals. Each school is different. With that difference comes each own set of challenges. It is an extremely varied role which involves a great deal of thinking and often research. One school might be looking at how to develop effective sequences of learning; another may be looking to improve its KS1 reading data; another may be looking at specific mentoring of NQTs; another may be following a thread from SLT looking to support a member of staff; another might need help ensure assessments are accurate."Outcomes
"What is clear is the role is ultimately about improving pupils’ outcomes, not just in data but also in experiences. On a personal level it has been of great benefit as it has enabled me to see all the truly impressive things which happen in other schools and to copy or adapt them in my own as well as in other settings." -
Children benefit from Early Years secondment opportunity
Tue 08 Jun 2021Helen Pool, now Early Years Lead at Cutnall Green CofE primary school, took a secondment opportunity to become a Reception class teacher. The experience enhanced her own skills and those of the children she had been teaching.
"Taking up the opportunity for secondment within the MAT enabled me to explore an avenue that I was interested in, with the safety of being able to return to the role that I was familiar with and confident in.
It has been a great experience, I have been welcomed into the new school by all staff, it has at times been a steep learning curve, but I have been supported fully in my role, by staff and parents."Professional development
"I have developed new relationships, learnt new ways of working, and enhanced my skills. I am happy to have now been appointed to a full-time role in the school to which I was seconded, enabling me to further develop my career and skills, whilst providing an opportunity for another staff member to do the same in my previous role."
Benefit to all
"I am conscious that this implies that it is all about me, but it most definitely is about the children who I have been teaching, they have benefitted from my passion and commitment to this new role, the learning environment, and my knowledge and experience. They too have increased their knowledge and understanding in our time together. The school that I am now a part of have also benefitted from my passion, time, experience, and expertise, together we are building an outstanding provision." -
Opportunity to lead English “has been invaluable and leaves me wanting more”
Mon 07 Jun 2021Scott Clulee,Year 2 Teacher at Cutnall Green CofE Primary School explains why a secondment opportunity has been the highlight of his teaching career so far.
Next step
"During the summer term, a secondment opportunity became available at a smaller school within our multi academy trust. Fast forward a year and here I am, about to explain why this opportunity has ended up being the highlight of my teaching career so far.
Heading in to my fifth year as a class teacher in Key Stage 1, I began to wonder what was next for me. As the year progressed, it became clear that I was ready for something new, so when the opportunity to move to a new school arose, I jumped at it. New setting, new colleagues, new children and a new challenge. Little did I know just how beneficial this move would be.
I quickly learnt that I would be leading English across the school, a role that has always interested me. Teaching English in Key Stage 1 has been a passion of mine since I started teaching and this move has provided me with the opportunity to develop my knowledge of what English looks like in Key Stage 2."Professional development
"School improvement visits, English subject leader meetings and a range of courses made available by the MAT have all helped me grow in confidence and have helped to prepare me to support the teaching and learning of English across the school.
With the support of my new colleagues and the trust of my new head teacher, my focus quickly shifted to on one of our school priorities ‘to promote a love of reading’. Our approach to reading has been so successful. Reading is at the core of everything that we do and the children love it. The approach that we have adopted and adapted has been well received with staff and the children speak so passionately about reading. This has been a great project for me and a perfect opportunity to develop my leadership skills. Leading staff meetings, writing policies, presenting at parent workshops and giving feedback after lesson observations has been invaluable and leaves me wanting more.
As the year has progressed at my new school, my confidence continues to grow. I find myself leading more staff meetings, involved in discussions regarding future aspects of the school and most importantly for me, I enjoy myself more every day.In such a short amount of time, I feel like I have come such a long way. With the faith being shown in me and the willingness to help provide the best possible outcomes for the children and staff at my new school, I’m excited about the future."
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To gain a variety of experience in different school settings “is the best opportunity I have had professionally”
Mon 07 Jun 2021Mrs Sarah Price, Acting Assistant Head and Lead for English, Science and Curriculum at St Clements CofE Primary School provides her account of the benefits of working for the Rivers CofE Academy Trust
"I initially joined a MAT, as working in a single school limits the opportunities available to you. Since working across the MAT, I have had the opportunity to professionally engage with a wide range of staff with a variety of experience in different school settings. It has also supported me by working with SLEs across a range of subjects.
My English School Improvement role allowed me to apply my professional knowledge to support our partner schools, whilst also taking away good examples to regularly apply to my own school. Seeing practice in a variety of settings gives you the opportunity to critically evaluate your own practice as a school and achieve the best moving forward. It is the best opportunity I have had professionally, as it is something that would not have been available in previous single school settings. It also opens potential doors for the future." -
Proud of the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience
Mon 07 Jun 2021Caroline Jeynes, Deputy Headteacher at Cherry Orchard Primary School shares her previous experience of working with three other schools within The Rivers CofE Academy Trust as part of the School Improvement team.
"My experience of working with three other MAT schools as part of the school improvement team has been really positive. Being asked to do the role was a little daunting at first but it made me feel proud that I was being given a chance to share my knowledge and experience and that other people felt that I was in a position to do that and would trust me to support others schools."
Personal and professional development
"Being given the chance to work with other staff has allowed me to develop my interpersonal skills. My confidence to deliver training has grown. I know that I am now able to talk to people in a range of situations about both positive and negative aspects of their teaching/planning. The teachers and head teachers that I have worked with have been appreciative of what I have done and that in turn has benefitted my own school. I have worked in classrooms outside of my age phase, which has given me the chance to know more about my subject. The work that I have carried out has also shown me other ways of doing things that I can bring back to use in my own school and teaching which benefits our staff and children. I feel that being out of the classroom for these times has given me a different viewpoint and allowed me to broaden my horizons, as I have seen different approaches by both teachers and head teachers/subject leaders. It has allowed the building of bridges between our schools, and the ability to work together, which can only benefit the whole MAT.
I would recommend everyone has the chance to work with another teacher/school/setting. It strengthens relationships and supports/develops knowledge, both of which will benefit yourself, your school and the MAT. -
Supporting the teaching of Computing across the Trust “has opened new opportunities for me professionally"
Mon 07 Jun 2021James Radburn, The Rivers C of E Multi Academy Trust Computing School Champion and Class Teacher had the opportunity to work across the academy to support the teaching of Computing.
"As a teacher at Northwick Manor Primary School, in my fifth year of teaching, I had the opportunity to work across the academy to support the teaching of Computing. Previously, I had led the subject within my school and had led several local events and meetings outside of school. I wanted to broaden my horizons as well as having the opportunity to push myself, which I was ready for."Professional development
"In fulfilling this role for several years, it has given me opportunities to craft my skills as a teacher and as a leader. I find visiting other schools a real privilege and some of the best forms of professional development available; from leading staff meetings across other schools; planning, delivering a coherent curriculum, and supporting staff in its implementation. I have had the opportunity to talk to all levels of leadership, from coordinators to heads, to finance to Trustees to ensure our clear vision is heard and supported. This work has opened new opportunities for me professionally and has provided me with experiences outside of the academy too where I now lead training for the National Centre of Computing."
Career opportunity
"In terms of a secondment opportunity, I could not speak highly enough about the positive experience I have had. I never wanted to leave the academy after the hard work I have done but wanted the experience of another school in a different year group. Every school has its own identity and moving from a large to a relatively small setting has been fascinating. It has honed my craft and even moving Key Stages has enabled me to see the progression across the whole primary age phase which will set me in good stead as I move through my career."