May 2021 PRESS RELEASE ISSUED TO MARK JOINING THE ATHELSTAN TRUST FROM 1ST APRIL

Ofsted praises Chipping Sodbury School as it joins one of the area’s most successful Multi- Trusts. Chipping Sodbury School receives praise balance the demands of the forthcoming from Ofsted just days before joining The assessments with pupils’ wellbeing.” Athelstan Trust, a strong, successful group of local schools who work together to Chair of Governors, Robert Owen, is improve standards. especially pleased that Ofsted recognises The Ofsted monitoring inspection, carried out how well governors and leaders have worked together to bring about school remotely at the end of March, praises the school for working with parents and students to deliver improvement. The report says “Governors are ambitious for the school.” remote learning during lockdown. The report also highlights the additional support for reading It is this drive for school improvement that and numeracy and the school’s plans “that led to the school joining forces with one of

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Students of Chipping Sodburry School with Robert Owen (LGB Chair), Tim Gilson (CEO), Katherine Turner (Headteacher) and Richard Boggis-Rolfe (Chair of Trustees)

@AthelstanTrust @BradonForestSch @MalmesburySch @TheDeanAcademy @swr_school @CSSSch www.theathelstantrust.org @AvonTSA OFSTED PRAISE FOR CHIPPING SODBURY SCHOOL the most successful medium sized Multi- improved outcomes for all of our students." Academy Trusts in the area. The Athelstan Dating back to the Middle Ages, the historic Trust consists of and school was originally set up to provide free in Wiltshire and Sir education for the townsmen. There have been William Romney’s School and The Dean many changes over the years including the Academy in . Schools within school becoming a Grammar School, a the Athelstan Trust work in partnership to share Comprehensive School in 1970 and a Co- curriculum expertise and teaching practice to operative School in 2013 before joining The deliver the best outcomes for over 4,000 Athelstan Trust on 1st April 2021. students. Tom Herbert, baker and food equality Chipping Sodbury School’s values of Respect, champion went to the school and students Responsibility, Aspiration and Integrity make it have been lucky enough to visit Hobbs House an ideal fit for The Athelstan Trust which Bakery for work experience. Today’s students focuses on being Caring, Collaborative and also love the new multimillion-pound sports Excellent. CEO, Tim Gilson, says “Chipping hall and all-weather pitch, the high-quality Sodbury School is a lovely school with great technical equipment and activities such as leadership and a dedicated, highly skilled staff. choir and debating club. The school is It will be a wonderful addition to our strong, especially proud of its success with the effective family of local schools. We have been Greenpower Project which involves designing, working together for nearly two years in the run building and racing an electric car at up to the school joining the Trust and we can Silverstone. The school’s team came 26th out already see the additional value we are adding of 266 teams in the most recent competition. to each other. I really look forward to getting to know the school community even better.” Chipping Sodbury School has a shared sixth Robert Owen, local governing body Chair says form with two other local schools and sixth "I am delighted that we will now be working in formers hope to secure places at universities collaboration with other like-minded schools including both Oxford and Cambridge this which I am sure will further support our drive for year.

NEW HEAD AT MALMESBURY - SEPTEMBER 2021

Brett Jouny has been appointed Headteacher of Malmesbury School from September 2021. Dr Claire Graves, Chair of Governors commented, “The governing body are delighted to have appointed Brett Jouny from an exceptionally strong field of candidates. It is great that he knows the school having worked here previously as a very successful Head of Modern Foreign Languages, before leaving eight years ago to go onto leadership posts in two excellent local schools, Balcarras and Burford. We are very excited about Brett leading the school through the next phase of its development.” MESSAGE FROM TIM GILSON, CEO

I know for all staff this has been an incredibly challenging term. Once again, everyone in our schools has shown great resilience and creativity in adapting to the changing situation with the pandemic and dealing with the demands of teacher grading for our Year 11 and 13 students.

It has been lovely to fully welcome Chipping Sodbury School into The Athelstan Trust and I am very grateful to the staff and governors there who have worked so hard to make the transition run smoothly.

During our whole Trust training day hosted by Bradon Forest School, we talked about being a ‘High Trust organisation’ and now more than ever it is important that all staff know that they are trusted to do their best and that their ‘Say not the Struggle Nought Availeth’ professional judgement is respected and by Arthur Hugh Clough trusted.

Say not the struggle nought availeth, We are very fortunate to work with such hard- The labour and the wounds are vain, working dedicated colleagues. In my The enemy faints not, nor faileth, conversations with groups of students in Trust And as things have been they remain. schools it is clear that our students recognise the hard work that is done for them and If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars; appreciate the care and support you show them, It may be, in yon smoke concealed, particularly as they move onto the next stage in Your comrades chase e'en now the fliers, their education. And, but for you, possess the field.

For while the tired waves, vainly breaking It is great that we can look ahead to brighter Seem here no painful inch to gain, times the other side of half term. Far back through creeks and inlets making, Comes silent, flooding in, the main.

And not by eastern windows only, When daylight comes, comes in the light, In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly, But westward, look, the land is bright. IN CONVERSATION WITH . . . MILO CRIDGE

Bradon Forest has appointed Milo Cridge (currently temporary NQT at Sir William Romney’s School) as an English and Drama Teacher from September. Jo Cummings has been in conversation with him.

holistic, pastoral side of teaching – encouraging students to be intrigued as they will almost teach themselves – you are allowing them to explore rather than just focusing on a grade. That’s what SWR is all about and it matches my style and has made me the teacher I am now.

What are you looking forward to about the new job at Bradon Forest School? I had heard (and it was confirmed on the interview day) that it feels like a larger SWR – very heavy on the pastoral side and a holistic teaching approach. Being bigger, they have the benefits of resources such as Where did you go to school and Uni? a theatre. It is a perfect logical step in my Winterborne Academy – I grew up in Frampton career to move to a school with a similar Cotterell. I did Drama with Creative Writing at ethos but possibly more opportunity. UWE and I know this area and Athelstan Trust Creative writing is my passion and I love schools well as I was part of Sodbury Players teaching it as part of English but I am going Theatre group. to run creative writing, song writing and film clubs. Why did you decide to become a teacher? I clearly remember an English lesson when I was How do you deal with students feeling in Y10 and I was explaining something to self-conscious about creative writing or someone else. My teacher said, “You would be a not taking it seriously? really good English teacher.” I did a Drama I use a light meditative approach so they degree because I was interested in acting, can imagine different things happening to directing and writing but at the end of my degree put into their writing. I know there are I decided to give teaching a shot. I had always a couple who won’t take it so experience of assisting at a theatre school, seriously but I manage it so at least they Razzamataz, when I was 18 but it was only when don’t impede the others from giving it a go. I stepped into a classroom during my PGCE that I tell them to do a bit of breathing and I talk I realised “I’m good at this, this is what I want to them through it “close your eyes, you hear do.” footsteps behind you, you turn around – what does the character look like?” In any What have you enjoyed about teaching at creative writing task, I always get them free SWR? writing which is daunting. I say, “write What’s great about SWR is it is a small school so anything but you can’t stop writing for 2 there is a huge push for pastoral care for minutes” and they say, “what do you students and staff and we feel like a family. Staff mean? It’s going to be rubbish” and I tell across the school are just as supportive as the them it will be but that’s the point and parts person I specifically go to for NQT support. of it will be really interesting. Getting the Everyone is friendly and there to help you and pen to paper is the most difficult part. these bonds have allowed me to focus on the IN CONVERSATION WITH . . . MILO CRIDGE

Do you think you may be able to organise What are you reading? cross Trust drama performances with ‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’ Farrell because I love students from different schools on stage the links to history and Shakespeare. I like together? philosophical books and I’m listening to Yes, that’s a great idea because with school Dostoevsky’s ‘Crime and Punishment’. productions, you try to make it as authentic as possible but essentially, they are performing with their friends so it would feel much more as it would be in the real world.

What genre of literature is your favourite? Growing up I didn’t really enjoy reading but I loved writing. I have learned that to be a good writer you need to make an effort to read and I have learned to love it but initially my love of it came from the storytelling perspective rather than from books so I can sympathise with reluctant readers. For me, one of the most valuable (and enjoyable) types of literature to read is poetry. Rich and interesting language and imagery is what I Which author/poet/actor and musician love more than anything when reading, and would you invite to a dinner party? great poetry is filled with it. Tolkien and TS Eliot. My favourite actor is a Swedish actress called Liv Ullman so I would What have you learnt most about definitely invite her and Joni Mitchell to offset yourself since becoming a teacher? TS Eliot’s philosophical thoughts. That I care (possibly too much). You hear on the ‘getting into teaching’ adverts “you will What’s your favourite all time album? have the ability to change lives” and you ‘Grace’ by Jeff Buckley may not impact every child in the class but I have had an email from a student who has found a text that excited them and asked if it can be discussed in class and I found out a Y7 student has become a massive Tolkien fan and has read all of Tolkien’s books in a year saying it is down to me and my teaching. It is a real passion for me and I really care about that ability to change lives – I care about what they do, how they do. I make it my mission for every student to do well which comes with high expectations. The other day, my class were apathetic and not on form and I had a bit of a stern word but then that night I couldn’t sleep. It has proven to me that it is what I love and I have never had anything else in my life that I have Perhaps we could been so invested in. persuade Milo to run a creative writing club for staff – I’m up for it. Any other takers? BACK TO THE CLASSROOM - MATHS

Margeruite Jepson goes back to the only invested in the course for knowledge but classroom at Malmesbury School as a also I was looking for that key ingredient so student instead of a TA. important in a classroom – the relationship Last term, Teaching Assistants and Learning with the teacher and my peers. Was I really Coaches from across the MAT were asked if experiencing what the students do when I they were interested in a Maths course run by struggled to understand a concept? I know I Emma-Jane O’Neill, Trust Lead for felt inadequate when others understood and Mathematics. An incredible 30 members of staff I didn’t! signed up! The course was most definitely worthwhile. The focus of the course was to enhance our Emma-Jane was very diligent in ensuring Maths skills and enable us to better support our that the resources she prepared were of a students. If a Teaching Assistant or Learning really high standard. We only had 45 Coach in the classroom is confident in their minutes and it is an understatement to say ability in a topic it enables them to further that we steamed through it all, with time to explain to students, who may be struggling, to practise during the session and ‘homework’ understand the concepts. set each week for us to revisit the topic at a Emma-Jane was brilliant at not only showing us pace more suited to ourselves. the ‘how’ of the Maths involved but she also We had a flavour of ‘online’ working that our explained the ‘why’. students have experienced so much of over Here at Malmesbury, there were a number of us the past 12 months and it gave me a new sitting at our computers ready to start each respect for them and the teachers that spend Monday. You could almost feel the nerves in so many hours a day online, teaching the room – the giggles as we set out our pens meaningful content. Although we had no and paper as we logged on. It certainly made ‘cat’ mishaps the challenges of teaching and me feel like a student again and each weekend I learning from home were apparent on was hurriedly doing the ‘homework’ that had occasion. been set the week before. The highs and lows I would definitely recommend that Teaching of getting answers right and wrong made me Assistants and Learning Coaches working in think of what our students must feel constantly. I the Maths faculty are encouraged to do a was doing this with no pressure apart from that course of this sort – meaningful, fun, and which I put myself under. So how much tougher above all it gave practical advice and help. I must it be for the students I work with who really would certainly sign up for another one. find this subject so difficult? I found I was not BACK TO THE CLASSROOM - MATHS

As a follow up, Sarah McCombe at Malmesbury School is looking to build on this initial work with the Teaching Assistants to improve the learning experience for SEND students in their Maths classroom. Some of the initial actions she is looking at are to:

 Standardise classrooms from the front aspect for students, (e.g. getting number lines printed so all rooms have them in the same fashion and in the same place) to minimise the impact on SEND students of teacher and classroom changes.

 To improve consistency with the dialogue between TAs and class teachers:

 Print a copy of the SOW for TAs for each new unit of the White Rose Scheme

 For each new White Rose topic, Knowledge Organisers to be shared with TAs supporting so that they have access to what is being taught.

 Provide worksheet answer sheets for TAs each lesson so that they can ascertain where assistance is most required within the classroom.

 Teachers and TAs to agree a plan of action each lesson to ensure that TA and teacher time is split accordingly so that individual SEND students gain both.

 Longer term

 Generate misconceptions sheets for each topic, which can be shared with TAs for each topic so that they are prepared for them.

 Create a cross Athelstan working group for supporting SEND students in Maths and sharing best practice.

“I can show the students the correct method and understand why they do things a certain way.”

“I feel more confident.” WELLBEING NEWS

STAFF WELLBEING THE EDUCATION STAFF It has been an extraordinarily busy and stressful time for everyone working in WELLBEING CHARTER schools. Everyone has done an Mental health and wellbeing matters for everyone amazing job of ensuring our students working in education. are alright but it is important to turn your During the recent Mental Health Awareness Week, the attention to yourselves as well. DfE published The Education We hope you can take a well-earned Staff Wellbeing Charter. The break over half term and even if it rains, charter sets out a belief enjoy some restorative nature outdoors. shared by the Athelstan We came across this tip from author Trust that everyone working Nora Roberts that we want to share: in education should have the “The key to juggling is to know that opportunity to enjoy the some of the balls you have in the air are highest possible standard of made of plastic, and some are made of wellbeing and mental health. glass.” A comprehensive list of Recognising which of accessible and free mental your balls are essential health resources for all ages to keep hold of and has been published and it is which could survive well worth dipping into for being dropped now and tips on how to look after your then will give you some own mental health as well as breathing space. that of your students.

THE DEAN ACADEMY: TRIP TO JAMIE’S FARM A group of students at The Dean Academy together and tackled unfamiliar problems whilst really blossomed during some hands-on on the farm and it’s been amazing to see them farming experience at Jamie’s Farm in bring those skills back and apply them to their Monmouth as part of a team building and self- studies!”. confidence boosting exercise where students were given the opportunity to experience how a real working farm operates. The sustainable farm is nestled above the stunning Wye Valley and the . Drawing on its beauty, purpose and community the team at Jamie’s Farm help to transform the lives of young people whilst creating memories they will never forget. Craig Palmer, the Pastoral Lead at the school commented “From mucking out the pigs and milking the cows to chopping wood and cooking lunch for everyone all the students excelled in conditions that for most felt alien to them.” Julia Pitt, a TA at the school was delighted when a Year 10 student in her group was able to overcome his fear of horses, so much so, that by the end of the visit he was leading the horse, brushing it and he even gave it a hug, she said “it brought tears to my eyes!” Headteacher, Richard Brand said, “We were delighted to see how well our students worked PE AT BRADON FOREST

PE Departments across the Trust are them with their academic studies. We offer looking forward to teaching summer these students a range of measures sports for the first time in 2 years. including bespoke timetables and mentoring as well as regularly liaising with their parents Bradon Forest School’s PE department is as their needs may change throughout the firmly focussed on the House summer year. The PE team take account of the competition. Our students are already eyeing physical strain that our elite performers may up the summer sports day records with a view be under and we help them moderate the to setting new records and having their name level of activity that they do in lessons to immortalised in Bradon Forest School Sporting prevent overtraining. history. Bradon Forest is proud to have several elite Our main aim this term has been to get as student athletes who compete outside of many students as possible back into playing school at regional, national, and international sport after school in a number of different level in rhythmic gymnastics, golf, ice summer activities and catch up sessions have hockey, football, athletics, and swimming. been offered for any student needing support with course work. Many of our elite athletes have been able to go on to achieve sporting success in adult It has been great to see so many people life. It is always a pleasure to have students turning up and the numbers are growing every return to Bradon Forest to visit or to be a week. All these activities have been mixed guest presenter at our annual sports awards groups of girls and boys allowing everyone a evening to celebrate the successful taste of something they might never have performances of team and individual played. The emphasis is that it is fun, and achievement. everyone enjoys taking part. Examples include: Grant Turner (Olympic Our elite students, due to the level they swimmer Team GB squad 2012), Laura compete at, have huge time and travel Halford (rhythmic gymnastics, commitments outside of school. As a school, Commonwealth Games 2014 double we recognise this and work with the students Bronze and Silver medallist and Silver to help them manage their time and support medallist 2018) and Craig Miles (cricket). ATHELSTAN TRUST CPD 2021-2022

We need your help! As you may know, the  Session 1 (Term 1): A face to face funding for the Avon Teaching School Alliance is twilight session in which the theme coming to an end so we are putting together an leader will use research led theories to exciting CPD programme for next year and we introduce and discuss the CPD theme are recruiting theme leaders. before facilitating each individual participant to commit to action We have already received requests from subject research that will have impact on their and SLT teams for themes to be covered: professional practice.  Session 2 (Term 3): An online 1. Fostering independent learning session in which the theme leader will 2. Building relationships with disengaged revisit the topic and facilitate a sharing of progress in terms of the action students research. 3. Supporting student mental health  Session 3 (Term 6): A face to face 4. Understanding barriers and identify session as part of The Athelstan Trust effective strategies for SEND students day in which participants share and 5. Motivating students to learn evaluate the impact of their work and 6. Cognitive learning theory: retrieval research. practice, cognitive load theory and interleaving etc. Becoming a CPD theme leader is a 7. Gender gap professional development / career 8. Behaviour Management development opportunity and planning time and support with admin, logistics and 9. Adaptive teaching in a mixed attainment communication will be provided by the setting central Athelstan Trust team. There will also 10. Impactful Leadership for emerging be an initial planning, guidance and Q&A leaders looking for first responsibility or meeting with other theme leaders, led by new to post Emma-Jane and Michelle (lead 11. Impactful Leadership for middle leaders practitioners). 12. Impactful feedback 13. Parental engagement To volunteer, please complete this Form by th 14. Supporting ASD students 18 June 2021. Volunteers can sign up 15. Post 16 teaching individually or as a pair; should we be in a position where several individual colleagues 16. Closing the disadvantage gap through have volunteered for the same theme, we improving vocabulary and creating a will communicate with volunteers and offer reading culture the opportunity to work collaboratively. 17. Challenging high attainers 18. Making tutor time count We are really grateful to colleagues who 19. Making data meaningful have already been in touch and expressed 20. Metacognition and self regulation an early interest in becoming a theme leader. Whilst we have logged their interest, we still need them to complete the Form, As explained in this narrated PPoint, each CPD please. theme will be led by an enthusiastic colleague(s) with a particular interest / expertise in this area of Once we have our theme leaders in place, teaching and learning. These theme leaders will we will be back in contact to ask all take responsibility for planning and leading the colleagues to sign up for the CPD title that three sessions: is most relevant to their current practice. GDPR ADVICE FROM ONE WEST OUR DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

E-MAIL SECURITY The most common cause of specific data breaches is as a result of emails being sent to the wrong recipient. The difficulty with avoiding this type of breach is that the only methods reduce the ease and efficiency of the use of emails, so the best method for avoiding this is for individuals to be aware and mindful when sending emails to remember the following steps; • Stop • Think • Check • Send

So before hitting the send button; STOP for a second, take a look at the address bar and the people you expect to receive this information; THINK about whether it matches up with the content or the intention of the email; CHECK the addresses that you have used, is it one that you have typed in directly? Then there may be a typo. Does it need to be Bcc’d? Would these people expect to know the other people’s email addresses? What attachments are there? SEND in the confidence that it is going where it should.

The use of Blind Carbon Copy (Bcc) should be used whenever contacting multiple external recipients when the message is intended to be received on an individual level. So, ask yourself the question when you THINK ‘is this message part of a group discussion, or am I copying everyone in to make it easier than sending it individually?’ For example, a notification about an upcoming event will very likely be Bcc’d whereas an email to a number of people in another organisation, a supplier for example is unlikely to need to be Bcc’d. Another common error is attaching the wrong file to an email or using an incorrectly named file. It is worth opening the document that you intend to attach before sending it, in some cases this may not be a significant issue, however safeguarding notes, confidential documents, and any situations where you may be sending lists of names or some form of personal data should be checked.

THINK & STOP! SEND CHECK BRADON FOREST GIRLS RUGBY & ENGINEERING WORKSHOP – BATH RFU AND DYSON PARTNERSHIP

We were delighted to welcome ex Bradon Forest student, Lewis Palmer, and his colleague, Tom Page, from Bath Rugby into school. Lewis and Tom came to deliver a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Most Able initiative. The initiative is being run by Dyson and Bath Rugby Club and is aimed at encouraging girls to consider careers in STEM industries. In the engineering workshop Year 8 students took apart a turbine head, examining each part and how they worked together before reassembling it. During the rugby element of the morning students practised a range of touch rugby skills. PE teacher, Mrs Evans, who organised the event said, “This is an excellent opportunity for our students. There is such a wide range of careers available in STEM. I hope this event will encourage the girls to investigate these opportunities in more depth.”

DANIEL COLLICT It was with great sadness that Bradon Forest staff learnt of the death of their colleague Daniel Collict on May 21st aged 38. Daniel had worked at Bradon Forest School since 2008 as a member of the IT Support Team. Staff at Bradon Forest were always grateful for the expert support given by Daniel when they were experiencing IT difficulties. Daniel also worked on a regular basis at St Mary's Church of Primary School next door making sure that their students were able to access technology. Our deepest sympathy goes to his parents, Sonja and Alan and his family in Swindon. Trust IT Manager, Dave Cox said “Daniel was always available to help. Calm, quiet and committed to always finding an answer to any IT question given to him. He was a brilliant IT engineer and a great person to work with. We will all miss him.”