Leigh Academies Trust Winter 2019 | Issue 16 NEWS
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Leigh Academies Trust Winter 2019 | Issue 16 NEWS Christmas wreath making at Horsmonden Primary Academy Continued on page 18 ... Shaping Lives, Transforming Communities A message from the Chief Executive It is always a pleasure to start these newsletter welcome statements with congratulations to staff being promoted to new senior positions. Hayley Sharp Following rigorous selection Principal, Sweety Rekhi processes, I am delighted to announce Horsmonden Assistant Principal, the following new appointments since Primary Academy The Leigh UTC September, displayed on the right: Many of you will have seen the exceptional professional development Charlotte McLeish offer for staff being provided through Vice Principal, Ben Blyth our teaching school this year. If you Horsmonden Assistant Principal, haven’t had a chance, I would urge you Primary Academy The Leigh UTC to visit the Medway Teaching School Alliance (MTSA) website to take a look. www.mtsa.co.uk Patrick Lonergan Sophie Dickinson Head of College, Assistant Principal, Wilmington Academy The Leigh UTC Over the next few months, MTSA have attracted a number of high profile speakers to offer excellent training opportunities to our staff, including Jade Smith Professor Dylan Wiliam and Carl Guerin-Hassett Assistant Head David Didau. Deputy Principal, of College, The Halley Academy The Leigh Academy Georgina Rawlings Neil Arnould Assistant Principal, Head of College, Paddock Wood The Leigh UTC Primary Academy Professor David Didau Dylan Wiliam Across our academies I am encouraged › Retrieval practice; Let me end by thanking all pupils, staff, parents, governors and our to see so much excellent practice, › Knowledge organisers and regular various partners for their ongoing which is firmly rooted in research low-stakes testing; about how pupils learn. This is having hard work and support. We could not a significant impact on how much › Teaching adjusted for intrinsic achieve what we do without you. they know, can remember and do. I and extraneous cognitive load; With my very many thanks and festive look forward to seeing the following › Dual coding; evidence-based practice becoming best wishes even more firmly embedded across › Clarity of instruction. LAT over the coming months: Simon Beamish, Chief Executive 2 www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk Contents › A message from the Chief Executive ... 2 › LAT Swimming Gala .................................. 3 › New Principal at Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy: Future Plans .............. 4 › New Principal at Horsmonden Primary: Future Plans ................................ 4 LAT Swimming Gala › New Principal at Mascalls Academy: Future Plans .................................................. 5 › LAT Represented at International Baccalaureate (IB) Global Conference, Abu Dhabi, 2019 ......................................... 5 › The Leigh UTC Awards Dinner 2019 .... 6 › Shakespeare Schools Festival ................ 7 › LAT's Got Talent .......................................... 7 › Leigh Aspire Primary ................................. 8 › Leigh Aspire Secondary ....................... 8-9 The first-ever LAT secondary boys, the freestyle, breaststroke › Careers Round-up ...................................... 9 boys’ swimming gala was held and backstroke. The winners › Remembrance Day .................................... 9 at Sir Joseph Williamson’s were Stationers’ Crown Woods Mathematical School (SJWMS) on Academy, followed by Longfield › Maths Mystery Update .......................... 10 Thursday 21st November. Boys Academy in second and Mascalls › Kent and Medway Training (KMT) from all LAT secondary schools a close third. Thanks to all the Update .................................................. 10-11 competed in a range of events, competitors and staff who have › MTSA Update ............................................ 11 including freestyle, breaststroke made the 1st two events so and backstroke, both individually enjoyable. On 5th December › Primary Years Programme Update .... 12 and in relays. The standard was we are hosting the first primary › LAT Apprenticeships .............................. 13 excellent, as was the camaraderie event. and positivity of all the students, › International Exchange Visit to China: who competed in heats and then On 5th December, the first The Leigh Academy ................................ 13 finals in each event. When all primary event was keenly › Sharing Best Practice ....................... 14-15 the results were tallied up, the contested with some very high- › Update on Third College Building at winners were SJWMS, followed quality competition. Winners Wilmington Academy ............................ 16 by Stationers’ Crown Woods were High Halstow Primary, with Academy and Leigh Academy Paddock Wood Primary second › Update on New Building at Leigh Blackheath in joint second place. and Hartley Primary in third place. Academy Blackheath ............................. 16 › Update on New Sports Facilities at On Thursday 28th November Well done to all the competitors The Leigh UTC .......................................... 16 we welcomed the girls from across all of the events, for the Trust to the first gala and their determination and for the › New Maths centre opens at Sir Joseph they competed in a range of fantastic spirit with which the Williamson's Mathematical School events, which included, like the competition was completed. (SJWMS) ...................................................... 17 › Update on New Building Developments at Dartford Primary Academy ............. 17 › Facility Upgrades at The Halley Academy ..................................................... 17 › Update on Bearsted and Snowfields Academies and Leigh Academy Rainham ..................................................... 18 › Christmas wreath making at Horsmonden Primary Academy ........ 18 › Vision 2025 ................................................ 19 › Leigh Academies Trust Card Competition .............................................. 20 Shaping Lives, Transforming Communities 3 New Principal at Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy, Future Plans Travelling to Stationers’ Crown Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy classical education, comprising the Woods Academy from West Kent, I has faced some challenges in recent liberal arts: the Grammar (building gain a sense of familiarity, a peculiar years. The introduction of Progress 8 powerful knowledge), the Dialectic sentiment considering I was born and Attainment 8, the strengthening (the art of questioning to validate and raised in the Potteries, in the of content and the introduction of the authenticity of knowledge) West Midlands. This feeling stems examinations into the vocational and the Rhetoric (articulating the from the formative years of my system, the adoption of a more knowledge and understanding that career in education (2005-2014), rigorous Key Stage 4 and 5, with has been acquired with the skill spent working for a large multi- much of the specification content of oration). academy trust in South-East London being adopted from a higher key while living in Blackheath. For a stage, reductions in educational As we near the end of the first number of years, I played rugby at funding through the National half-term I am convinced that my Well Hall, now home to Blackheath Funding Formula and the teacher- decision to move back to South- Rugby Football Club, I trained with recruitment crisis have all impacted. East London was the right one. I the Sutcliffe Park Athletics Club and very much look forward to leading socialised with ex-students and staff I aim to simplify and demystify Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy of the-then Crown Woods School. some of the confusion that exists for several years to come. This pocket of South-East London in education. I am a traditionalist holds a special place in my heart; at heart, believing that children Wayne Barnett one of the reasons that I accepted should display good behaviour and the role of Principal, SCWA. manners, respect, compassion and tolerance. I believe in equality in In addition, Stationers’ Crown Woods which all children, irrespective of Academy has an illustrious past, their background, have the right some high-profile alumni, state- to acquire knowledge and cultural of-the-art facilities built on land capital. Children who attend that was formerly King Henry VIII’s a comprehensive state school hunting grounds, and the support of should receive the same quality two exceptional organisations, Leigh of education as those who attend Academies Trust and The Stationers’ the grammar school or independent Company. school down the road. I favour a New Principal at Horsmonden Primary Horsmonden Future Plans Primary Academy I am absolutely thrilled about looking forward to building on Children only get one education becoming Principal at Horsmonden the strong foundations already in and, at Horsmonden Primary Primary Academy, a small rural place to develop an exciting, well- Academy, we will strive to make school at the heart of Horsmonden balanced, broad curriculum that is it the best it can be, ensuring that village. The school is blessed with inspiring for all and has everyone children develop inquiring minds delightful children, a committed aiming high. and become learners for life. teaching team and excellent surroundings. I am very much Hayley Sharp 4 www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk New Principal at Mascalls Academy Future Plans I was in Year 9 when I watched the opportunities and the best know they have learned it? Once PE teachers