Leigh Academies Trust Easter 2017 | issue eight NEWS Offi cial opening of Langley Park Primary Academy by Mrs Helen Whately, MP Libby Fidock (Principal) welcomed Members of the local business Mrs Fidock said: local MP Helen Whately to Langley community also attended, showing Park Primary Academy for the offi cial their support for the school, and “Today is about reaffi rming our promise opening of the new school on Friday, included senior managers from that we want children to learn within 10 March 2017. To mark the occasion, Morrisons, Elite Pubs, Citi Business a culture of curiosity, enjoyment and Mrs Whately planted an apple tree Systems, CleanTec and Olive Dining. positive approaches to new experiences donated by Rumwood Nurseries, and skills. This state-of-the-art building watched by a group of governors, Special visitors included: can only help us to achieve this”. parents, teachers and children from Stuart Reeves (Executive Director, Leigh the academy. Academies Trust); As part of Leigh Academies Trust, the Debbie Biggenden (Executive Principal, new primary academy is committed Leigh Academies Trust); to shaping lives and transforming Paulina Stockell (KCC Member); communities. Gary Cooke (KCC Member); Linda Pickles (KCC); and Richard Ashby (Langley Park Developments). Shaping Lives, Transforming Communities A message from the Chief Executive “It was my great privilege to professionals. Our governors are helping to fertilise these present to our 1,700 staff during new relationships to provide work experience, career our 6th Annual Trust conference guidance and mentoring activities for students. LAT is in February. At the end of my itself a major regional employer now and plans to use its speech, I set out a view of the scale and expertise to make a real diff erence, not only in future. I have included that extract its joined-up interactions externally, but in developing here. LAT academies are now its teachers and staff to be the best and do their best in positioned along the region’s ensuring our students graduate successfully into the world most exciting arc of residential of work. and economic development, the South Thames Corridor, which spans Greenwich, Bexley, “This is truly an exciting expansion opportunity and a Dartford, Ebbsfl eet, Medway and Maidstone. The Trust is refreshing antidote to gloom about teacher shortages, perfectly poised to make a very considerable diff erence to fi nancial stress and academic interference. It is infl uencing shape the lives of young people and help transform the our curriculum choices, guiding our bids to open new communities in which they live as part of this programme academies, driving our eff orts to attract and train more of community growth and regeneration. new teachers and reinforcing our collaboration with other schools. LAT is a special place to be just now and we can all “For too long, education has lived in a world of its own. proudly applaud our extraordinary team success. Now, at last, it is connecting more directly with its communities. That is a tremendously powerful change. “I hope that you will enjoy reading the several stories we Community prosperity depends greatly on the availability have chosen for this edition of our newsletter. Amongst of young talent to maintain momentum for the successful these, my considerable congratulations to Strood Academy, growth of businesses and services. The fact is that the The Leigh UTC and Wilmington Academy for their successful stronger the talent pool emerging from community schools, Ofsted reports.” the more prosperous the community eventually becomes. “LAT understands this and it’s a responsibility we are proud to accept. LAT is positioning itself to play a larger-than- ever part in helping its communities thrive. Take Dartford, where our links with business and the community are Simon Beamish expanding rapidly. Our academy and central leaders are Chief Executive engaging regularly with business, service and community WHAT’S INSIDE • Strood Academy offi cial partnership with LAT .................................3 • Leigh Aspire ...................................................................................................3 • Trust Conference 2017 ...........................................................................2-3 • IT innovations across our academies ....................................................4 Trust Conference 2017 • Digital Media Centre at SCWA .................................................................5 LAT held its sixth annual conference in February this year for • The PCA Masters Cricket Gala day .........................................................5 its 1,700 staff at the Leigh and Longfi eld Academies. Whatever • LAT Sports Day - 2017 ................................................................................5 their role, all staff were included. Simon Beamish, CEO, started • Ofsted inspections: Strood & Wilmington Academies the event with an address outlining the Trust’s successes and & The Leigh UTC .......................................................................................6-7 priorities for the year ahead. We were privileged to be joined • LAT Working With Business - updates so far in 2017 ...................8-9 by Sir David Carter, National Schools’ Commissioner, and Dominic Herington, Regional Schools’ Commissioner, who both Supported internships at Milestone Academy ...............................10 • commended LAT most highly for the excellent work it is doing to • The Leigh UTC students & the Royal Navy Challenge ..................10 improve educational standards across the region. • Maidstone primaries – young voices ..................................................10 • Proposed new secondary schools: Medway & Stone Lodge ......11 During the day, staff enjoyed a wide range of high-quality workshops delivered by their colleagues and external Cherry Orchard Primary Academy... ....................................................11 • facilitators. On the right you can fi nd a number of photographs • Year 8 careers event... ...............................................................................12 from the day itself, which give a fl avour of how valuable a set- • Joining The Leigh UTC..............................................................................12 piece event this has become for LAT. 2 www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk Strood Academy's offi cial partnership Leigh Aspire with Leigh Academies Trust LAT is beginning a new programme for its brightest pupils, On 10th January 2017, Strood Academy offi cially launched called Leigh Aspire. The intention of the initiative is to its partnership with Leigh Academies Trust (LAT) with an provide even more cultural and academic enrichment unveiling of a plaque to be displayed in its main reception opportunities for our pupils at all key stages. In doing so, area. Senior staff from LAT, including Simon Beamish (CEO) we intend to raise the number of top grades they achieve and Neil Willis (Deputy CEO), attended and celebrated in national tests and to increase the number of students with Strood Academy staff after the Regional Schools’ who progress to the UK’s most-selective Russell Group Commissioner approved the Strood Academy Governors’ universities when they leave secondary school. request to be part of the Trust as of 1 January 2017. We have appointed the Director of Careers and Guidance Staff were addressed by LAT's Chairman, Bob Findlay, who from one of the region’s most-selective and top-achieving spoke about our economic purpose as educators, and David grammar schools to lead the programme from May. Leigh Mead, Vice-Chair of Strood Academy board of Governors, Aspire will join LAT Working With Business as a value-added who commented on our moral purpose to provide students service provided by the Trust to its students, connecting with the best outcomes, allowing them to develop into them with infl uential people and successful organisations well-educated, caring citizens who play a part in the growth outside the school environment to accelerate their career of our economy. Both messages were extremely well development and future prospects. received. LAT and Strood Academy look forward to working together. Simon Beamish commented: “LAT is proud that Strood Academy has now joined its family of schools. We look forward to working together and learning from each other to produce even more opportunities for Medway children.” Shaping Lives, Transforming Communities 3 IT Innovations across our academies In January 2017, the Trust The OSMO play system uses the iPad OSMO has been a great success by launched its exciting new to provide hands-on investigation and encouraging creativity, giving students Innovations Programme, games-based activities, developing space to explore and see their work literacy, numeracy and problem- transported into a digital world. The VR providing schools with access solving skills. sets have been especially beneficial in to exciting and innovative new bringing the subject-matter to life. technologies. The focus is to In the two months since these provide students with different programmes have been rolled out, We are still in the early days of rolling types of learning experiences we have seen an impressive uptake out these exciting technologies by both teachers and students. Within and look forward to more students that enrich and enhance the classes, it has had a marked impact being able to enjoy new learning curriculum. on student engagement, allowing opportunities