• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Stakeholder newsletter www.gepacademies.com | Follow us on Twitter @gepacademies December 2020 A welcome from Andrew Roach—GEP’s Director of Education Whilst I am not sure that I want a repeat of 2020, challenging times do provide us with an opportunity to acknowledge our own good fortunes and to count our many blessings. For us as a trust of 7 schools, there have been many benefits achieved through the collective strength of our partnership working. This strength was evident on the eve of the March lockdown as headteachers shared their approaches to ensuring every vulnerable child remained safe and supported without the daily safety net schools would usually provide. Such collaboration continued as schools shared key worker provision and learning from remote provision to ensure that by working together, we could build back better. Our strong partnership with the RGS community was clearly seen through the provision of IT equipment for pupils at Kings College; a welcome gift for our most vulnerable pupils. More recently, Loseley Fields has benefitted from a newer partner, Guildford High School who have supported the development and plans for the recently opened field study centre at the school. As a trust of leaders, Inside this issue teachers and other stakeholders, we are indeed better together. Page ‘In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in A welcome from Andrew Roach .1 me an invincible summer.’ GEP’s schools in the news ...........2 Albert Camus, Nobel Prize-winning philosopher Twitter highlights ........................5 More broadly, all headteachers have been encouraged to take on a wider trust From the schools leadership role and whilst some plans have been delayed due to current Boxgrove .....................................2 restrictions, it is further evidence of us all working together towards a common Fullbrook .....................................3 good. Kings College ...............................3 In counting such blessings, it is also important to reflect on the challenges faced Loseley Fields ..............................4 by many. Whilst our thoughts turn to a brighter year in 2021, there will remain Sandfield .....................................5 hangovers from 2020. One of those is the impact on mental health and well-being George Abbot ..............................6 and how it must be supported in the future. With many suffering the mental Guildford Grove...........................6 health fallout of the pandemic, the impact on some pupils has been immense, and we must look to ways of supporting them in the months ahead. Whilst the winter From the centre days may not be over, working together as stakeholders within GEP, we can all strive for summer warmth. Estates .........................................7 IT .................................................8 With my sincere thanks to you all for all that has been achieved thus far and for all that we will seek to do in the months ahead. My hope is you can all enjoy a peaceful and healthy Christmas and best wishes for the year ahead. 1 From the schools—Boxgrove Schools in the news “Stepping outside of the 30 November usual classroom environment and The In Your Area news bringing a subject to life comes with its own site ran a story on unique excitement and Loseley Field’s work to thrill for students. Interactive learning tackle climate change activities tie learning to through a new personal experiences and memories, helping partnership with Roots students develop a deeper understanding of subjects and topics.” for the Future But we are in a time where school trips and visits to external places are not possible. So, at Boxgrove Primary, staff have gone above and View the story beyond to ensure pupils are immersed into their topics and learning through hands on, high quality experiences. Some of the highlights 26 November have been… George Abbot In Year 1 children participated in a Childhood from Long Ago day; introduced us to experiencing a Victorian school day, Punch and Judy show, opportunities to play with Victorian toys and make custard tarts. Kevin—an ultraviolet disinfection robot. In Year 2 children came dressed as royalty to enhance their ‘Kings and Queens Topic’. Throughout the day children made jam tarts for their View the Get Surrey royal banquet, went on an outdoor learning orienteering expedition to search for the royal word and article made their own dream castles. Weekly bulletin In Year 4, to enrich their Romans topic children designed The trust publishes a and created their own shields, took part in Roman marches weekly operational and recreated a Roman town bulletin to keep using toilet paper. stakeholders informed These year groups share some of the many experiences that the children have been exposed to across the school during the autumn of what is happening term. Learning is a unique experience and at Boxgrove we seek to across the make it as memorable and exciting as possible for the pupils. organisation. And as Albert Einstein said- ‘The only source of knowledge is experience’. Chantelle Quinlan—Curriculum Leader—Boxgrove Primary School 2 From the schools—Fullbrook Fullbrook was recently gifted a number of indoor of the ongoing trees from British Airways which have now fundraising, the school arrived in school. Three of the trees have a new launched a challenge home in our Fullbrook 6 block, which Ellie and to staff, students and David from our Fullbrook 6 Student Leadership their families to walk Team were photographed with so that we could or run 5k across send a note back to British Airways to show the November and plants in their new home, and thank them for December. The idea their generosity. behind this challenge came from the We have created the Fullbrook Young Minds benefits that exercise initiative which is a dedicated fund to support and movement have on mental health and the mental health and wellbeing requirements of wellbeing so there was a natural synergy to Fullbrook’s students. This will enable the delivery incorporate this into the campaign. With the help of invaluable support to students who may be of Tom Leacock from the Fullbrook 6 Student struggling with family issues, mental health Leadership Team and our House Co-ordinators problems or other serious challenges to their the whole school is being encouraged to wellbeing and safety. Fullbrook is dedicated to participate. helping these young people build resilience, improve wellbeing and raise aspirations. As part Katie Moore—Principal—Fullbrook School From the schools—Kings College Three students from Kings were proud to Our students, joined by Mr McKenzie, were (virtually) meet with the Countess of Wessex on formally introduced to the Countess by Tuesday 10th November. This meeting, part of a University of Surrey and Media presenter bigger visit to our partners at the University of Professor Jim Al-Khalili OBE. This was an Surrey, tied in to World Science Day. Our excellent experience for all. students shared the experiences they have had, with Year 9 and 10 girls talking about a visit to Alastair McKenzie—Principal—Kings College the University of Oxford last year to undertake some Chemistry sessions as well as discuss their experiences on campus at Surrey. One of our year 8 students shared her experience of writing a 1500 word, fully referenced essay, on Malaria as part of her extracurricular work with The Brilliant Club. The Countess was interested to hear about the partnership and delighted to hear how engaged and aspirational our female students were about their Scientific futures (and present). 3 From the schools—Loseley Fields Despite the restrictions brought about as a result sessions to the children during the day – COVID of the pandemic it has been full steam ahead secure of course! with our school improvement plans this term. A real highlight for us has the been the completion Our new school library has also been opened this and launch of our new science building known as term created purely through parental volunteers, The Field Study Centre @ Loseley. It has been a imaginative teacher design and by securing a real joy to watch the new building rise from the grant which has allowed us to fully restock our ground and to help shape the kitting out of the shelves and purchase accelerated reader which space in order to enhance our curriculum offer. even after a few months is already showing really The results of all this work culminated in our encouraging progress in reading fluency. Loseley STEM Fest Opening day of the building for the children, on December 10th. We have We have also continued to market the school been supported by Gaby Sutton and Ben Griffin- strongly to new prospective parents by holding Smith from the Science Learning Partnership who Virtual Open Evenings with the Headteacher, have helped us connect with local partners socially distant tours of the school and the (George Abbot School, RGS, University of Surrey, production of a new promotional video so that WWF, Roots for the Future, Surrey Wildlife Trust the parents can see the school in action. and local STEM ambassadors from the National Physics Laboratory) who will be offering science Amanda Pedder—Headteacher—Loseley Fields Primary School 4 From the schools—Loseley Fields (cont’d) Twitter highlights A Christmas elf is befriending Loseley Fields’s rabbits. Santa paid a visit to Boxgrove. George Abbot showed off the work of its talented photography students. Kings College has been fundraising for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. Fullbrook is teaching its students exemplary English. From the schools—Sandfield Sandfield have just launched their new website this November. Children at Guildford After carefully surveying our parents, children and staff about Grove have embroiled what people wanted in our website, we hope we have designed in a ‘whodunnit’. an easy to navigate, informative, child friendly, creative and dynamic site that children and their families will enjoy using.

Load more

  8

Copy Link