Latest News
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Curriculum team and Headteacher nominated for 2022 Pearson National Teaching Award
Thu 26 May 2022On National ‘Thank a Teacher Day’ we would like to congratulate Emily Calvert, Headteacher at North Worcester Primary Academy and the trust curriculum team for their nominations in the 2022 Pearson National Teaching Awards.
Emily was nominated for Headteacher of the Year in a Primary School Award 2022 and received a certificate of excellence from the National Teaching Awards.
Emily said "It is an absolute joy to be nominated, I can hardly believe it. We work so hard across all the schools in the Academy, as a team, I truly believe we are making incredible things happen for the children in our care.
As we continue to move forward it is exciting to have the opportunity to impact so many children, change the world, and make it brighter and better. I am thrilled!"Emily is part of the trust curriculum team who also received a certificate of excellence from the National Teaching Awards recognising their nomination for the 2022 Impact through Partnership Award.
The curriculum team was nominated for the collaborative work undertaken to devise and create a trust curriculum.
The ambitious project brought together a group of specialists from across our 15 schools, as well as communities, children, and educational experts.
The meaningful curriculum has been in action for almost a year and has been delivered to over 4600 children. It has inspired children and families to take sustainable action by organising litter picks, second-hand uniform and outfit sales, organising food bank collection points, changing their methods of coming to school and much more.
Children value what they are learning and therefore enjoy what they are learning and are more engaged in learning, helping to make them love learning for life.
Well done and thank you to everyone involved in creating and delivering our empowering and sustainable curriculum.
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New website for Heronswood Primary School and Pre-School
Mon 23 May 2022We are really excited by the new Heronswood Primary and Pre-school website.
The refreshed design is inspired by our STARS values and showcases school life and the amazing things pupils are doing.
It is optimised for mobile devices and has been designed to signpost visitors clearly and quickly to useful information.
We invite you to take a look and tell us what you think.
Visit the Heronswood website
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Sally Farrington - 30 years at Cherry Orchard Primary School
Tue 03 May 2022"I have been at Cherry Orchard for 30 years having completed a successful teaching practice in Year 2 in 1991. I have worked in Reception, Year 1 and 2 over the 30 years.
I have been Music and R.E. Subject lead for much of this time and now continue to be responsible for R.E."
Memorable moments
"I have enjoyed leading the School Choir and preparing and conducting the children to sing at Young Voices, annual Christmas Cathedral Services, musicals and Summer and Christmas events. I have organised Inter-Faith weeks over the years which have been enjoyed by staff, pupils and parents."
What has kept Sally in the role?
"I am an experienced teacher always willing to take on new challenges and initiatives and continue to be passionate about developing individual children and helping them to reach their full potential."
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Rachel Bishop shares her experience of 30 years at St Clement's
Tue 03 May 2022Congratulations to Rachel Bishop who has has been at St Clement’s CofE Primary School for over 30 years.
In the beginning
Starting as a lunchtime supervisor, in the late ’80s, Rachel then went on to volunteer in the nursery for several years providing 1 to 1 support to a young child with a brain disorder during their time at the nursery.
Following this voluntary role, in September 1991, Rachel was appointed as a Teaching Assistant for children with a hearing impairment who were based in the nursery. For this role, Rachel gained British Sign Language levels 1 and 2.
Rachel’s specialist care of children with additional needs in the nursery prompted many of the families she supported to decide to keep their children at the school. In these times it was commonplace for children with a hearing impairment to transition to a specialist unit for Reception year and onwards, rather than stay in mainstream school.
Rachel sometimes got to support children with a hearing impairment as they progressed through the year groups, getting to experience learning across all key stages.
Memorable moment
One of Rachel’s memorable moments was attending a hospital visit in Nottingham with a 6-year-old pupil who had her cochlear implant turned on for the first time. Being part of her journey to hearing was an incredible moment.
Move from the classroom to the school office
Due to the increase of cochlear implants, fewer children with a hearing impairment needed signing support, therefore Rachel began to pick up work elsewhere in the school alongside her TA role. This included looking after the school IT “I looked after the school ICT until it all got a bit more technical, this included networking and setting up new computers (nothing like it is now).”
By 2001, Rachel was helping out in the school office before and after her TA work and had taught herself how to use School Information Management System (SIMS) so she could provide further assistance.
This experience became very useful when in Jan 2008, Rachel began a full-time role as Office Manager.
Role of an office manager
The office manager role covers finance, pupil admissions, contracts, HR, and line management of the site manager, lunchtime supervisors and cleaners.
“Every day is different, I don’t define my role to just office manager, I’ve unblocked toilets and cleaned, I do whatever needs to be done”.
What has kept Rachel in the role?
Rachel often supports and comforts anxious children or utilises her years of experience to help children with behaviour issues.
“I say to children, they know where my office is if they need me and I’m available anytime to talk to”
“Working with children is a fulfilling job. I may not be directly involved with children anymore but I’m still part of their experience”
Witnessing children with additional needs achieve certain milestones has been the most rewarding part of Rachel’s career at the school.
“I’ve worked with a child who couldn’t sit still in class, who would be under the table kicking and shouting and who risked exclusion, transform into a child who took part in his first school play and waited patiently during rehearsal. I always had faith that his behaviour would improve”
“I enjoy working here with the different people and the different roles I’ve had. I’ve spent the majority of my working life here and I can’t imagine not working here”
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34 years supporting early years
Tue 03 May 2022What was supposed to be a two-week supply teaching post at Jubilee Park Primary Academy, has turned into 34 years of service for Nursery Leader Karen Keeling.
After leaving college, Karen gained experience as a nanny before joining Sandwell Council supply team as a nursery nurse.
Whilst on a two-week supply teacher posting at Jubilee Park, the opportunity came up to apply for a permanent nursery nurse post in Reception. Karen was successful and began working with Reception and year 1 children at the school, before moving to work in the pre-school when it opened in 1992.
What has changed in 34 years?
“The school hasn’t changed much in the past 34 years, there’s been some rejigging of classrooms and doors added to rooms (it used to be open plan), but the building itself has not changed”
Karen has seen staff come and go and worked with 4 different heads and a few acting heads over the past 34 years. “There has been an increase in the number of staff working at the school, mainly due to the need for each class to have a learning support or teaching assistant”.
How has the role changed over the years?
Karen has undertaken training over the years to develop her skills and expertise further and is now a learning support Level 4. The role of learning support includes planning activities to support the speech and language development of children, health and safety, child protection and transition home visits.
What has kept you in the role?
“I’ve worked with some great people and made good friends whilst working at the school. A new head generally sees changes and new strategies”.
Variety in the role and being part of children’s development and journey to independence is what has kept Karen in the role for all these years.
“I have seen children on the first day of pre-school, clinging to their mum’s legs not wanting to come into school and children not being toilet trained, to then see them in the Year 6 leavers assembly as confident, independent children”.
Karen now has children in pre-school whose parents she remembers teaching. Being a familiar face at the school helps with transition of children into pre-school, as many of the local families know Karen and have a good relationship with her.
“Time has flown by, the school and the role have continuously evolved, and no day is the same, this has kept the job interesting and is another reason why I’m still here”
Memorable moments
In 2006, Karen was invited to set up and manage the breakfast and after school club. This gave Karen the opportunity to work with children across KS1 and KS2. The clubs were initially created to provide respite to parents of children with challenging behaviours.
Another memorable moment for Karen was when Baroness Betty Boothroyd OM PC opened the nursery in 1992.
What does the future hold?
Karen has no plans to move on from the school or to become a teacher. “I enjoy the work I do with the children. I don’t have the same level of responsibility as a teacher, but I get the same level of satisfaction from my job and know that I am making a positive difference to children’s lives”.