St Columb Major

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Summer 2017

Within ACE we have…..

7 Academies (+2 new academies to join on 01 May 2017) 399 Staff 2,547 Pupils

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Some thoughts from Jennie Walker, our CEO The Spring term was a busy one and I am so proud of all of the exciting opportunities going on throughout our academies. One of the most important processes that did happen last term was the recruitment of three new headteachers to the Trust. I am pleased to announce that we appointed Mark Clutsom at Charlestown, Marie Cameron at St Columb Major and Jess Mills at St Agnes. All of these new heads will take up their new posts in September, although Mark Clutsom is already at Charlestown!!

Mark Clutsom is an experienced head who was most recently Executive headteacher over St Kew and Upton Cross schools (just joining ACE). He was seconded to Charlestown in October and has been working hard with staff and governors to move the school forward. We are delighted at his appointment to the substantive role.

Marie Cameron is currently Head of School at Grampound CE School, having previously taught in the Truro and St Austell areas. She has an impressive track record and the governors and I were thrilled to appoint her to the team at St Columb Major, our outstanding school.

Jess Mills is currently the Co Head of an outstanding Infant school in Dulwich Village, London. Prior to this she was an Assistant Head in an outstanding primary school in Canning Town, London. Jess will be relocating to Cornwall during the Summer holiday. We are very excited that she will joining the team at St Agnes.

As the Trust continues to evolve it is great to see the staff development opportunities that are opening up to our staff, at all levels. We have many examples of cross school support and also of leadership opportunities for staff. We currently have ACE teachers developing their experiences in Associate Head, Deputy Head, Leading Teacher and Key Stage leader roles and ACE support staff working in other schools. This is a great way of trialling a role and gaining confidence before applying for a substantive post. If you would be interested in a similar opportunity please let me know.

I know that you will all be focussing on the important assessments that are on the horizon this term. I’d like to thank you for all of your hard work and I know that we will see improvements in our results by the end of the term. Outcomes must be at the top of our agenda but do not forget that learning MUST be fun!! Enjoy the Summer term!

Jennie Walker Executive Principal

ACE is committed to improving the life chances of all children’ 2

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

ACE Multi Academy trust

Our new Director - Gordon Seabright I’m delighted to have joined the board of ACE MAT. I moved to Cornwall three years ago to take up the post of Managing Director of the Eden Project, and I live in Mawgan Porth, surrounded by ACE schools!

Eden has been open for sixteen years now, and is often described as an educational charity, with almost 50,000 schoolchildren each year visiting the biomes.

The Project has a philosophy of learning through nature, and I believe passionately in the value of children spending time outdoors, learning about the world while having fun and staying healthy. I’m excited that Eden is now working with ACE MAT on the development of a new school at West Carclaze centred on these principles, including a nursery where young children will be learning outdoors all year round. I hope the whole ACE MAT family of schools will be able to benefit, and I’ve already enjoyed visits to most of your schools and seen committed and expert staff working with confident, friendly children. Now I hope to help ensure the success of our schools while providing a link to Eden and some of the other local organisations I support, such as Newquay Community Orchard and Visit Cornwall. It’s great to be aboard and I’m grateful to Phil, Jennie and the team for the warm welcome I’ve received.

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

LGPS and Teachers pensions seminars – dates for your diary

• Monday 24th April ROBARTES & BEACON ACE ACADEMIES – joint • Monday 8th May ST COLUMB MINOR ACADEMY • Thursday 18th May CHARLESTOWN

For schools that have not yet held their session with Milsted Langdon we would urge you to encourage staff to attend these wherever possible as it’s a great opportunity for them to find out and ask questions about their pension rights from the experts. We appreciate it’s not an exciting topic but it’s only an hour session and should be informative and useful! If you have any suggestions on how we could do this better, please let Jane King in the ACE Business team know.

St Columb Major A huge well done to our Complete Core Challenge Team who attended an activity morning at Treviglas last term and won the 1st place trophy. We appreciate the opportunities our pupils are given to attend these activities.

Our school choir took part in the Songfest 2017 concert at the Hall for Cornwall, joining with 12 other schools, taking everyone around the world with their repertoire. It was also lovely to meet those supporting the children. Congratulations to them all!

Our School Choir also had the most exciting time touring London and the Classes 11 & 12 have received First Aid Houses of Parliament before taking Training with St Johns Ambulance this part in the VIAM 2017 Concert at week learning essential lifesaving skills. Wembley Arena where they sang with It has been a delight watching them all thousands of voices to help ‘Make a grow in confidence Difference’ for the charity ‘Adoption UK’.

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Our School Councillors watched in awe the installation of a Silver Ball Time Capsule on the bell turret of the Town. Pupils had the opportunity to make & collate items and information to place inside the capsule, which was expertly made by lead worker, Tim Fuge. The

School Council really enjoyed being a part of St Columb’s history. All pupils have been involved in some fun learning with our Number and Science themed days.

Welcome to our new Business team members

David Houghton - Business Operations Manager [email protected] 01637 839594

Amy Roberts - Finance/HR Administrator [email protected] 01637 873958

Social Media…

t 01637 873958 e [email protected] w: www.aceacademies.co.uk

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Sky ACE Academy and Eden Project Nursery

Our plans for a new primary school and nursery have been given the green light by the Department for Education. Our school will be part of the West Carclaze Eco- Community and this project represents a partnership with the Eden Project and Eco Bos Development, the company behind the West Carclaze Eco-Community.

The school will cater for 420 pupils but will build up from Foundation Stage in the first year of opening from September 2019.

The Nursery, will be led by Eden and involve children being outside for 80 per cent of their time. This outdoor learning ethos is the key first step for the youngest children of the West Carclaze Eco-Community in becoming globally and environmentally aware and fully prepared for life and learning in the 21st Century.

We are excited that the DfE acknowledge the importance of an outdoor learning approach as we believe that it leads to significant benefits for children's health, happiness, well-being and development, in their relationship to nature and each other.

This is fantastic news for our Trust and we are really pleased with the announcement. We will put our heart and soul into providing an outstanding education for the children of the new school. The building will enhance our ethos of sustainability and we will use the fantastic environment to create unrivalled outdoor based learning.

Approval of the school is the culmination of many months of dedication and hard work. Our thanks to the ACE Business Team, Directors and everyone involved for their efforts so far. Exciting times ahead!

Pictured right: Melissa Bunt – winner of the Ipad draw with Jennie Walker & Gordon Seabright 6

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Gatehouse ACE Academy

What a busy Spring term we have had at Gatehouse! All of the children have been kept busy learning new topics and further developing their skills across the curriculum. Some pupils have been involved in local sporting events, competing against other schools within the Dawlish area.

From cross country running to netball and dodgeball, our children competed exceptionally well and were a credit to the school due to the level of sportsmanship they displayed.

Our School parliament attended a Fair children are actively planting trees and Trade Conference, where they met a shrubs to look after, with a view to cocoa farmer from Ghana who helped start planting some vegetables to them to understand the importance of harvest later in the year. In addition to global fair trade. They thoroughly this we have been looking at how we enjoyed the event, particularly the may use our lovely grounds to tasting of the chocolate! Their next enhance the learning experiences for step will be to plan events in school our children. next term to develop everyone’s awareness of fair trade and promote it Our Y3 and Y4 pupils have to staff and parents/carers. experienced forest school activities with outside providers, where they We have had a particular focus on were given opportunities to learn new developing our grounds this term, skills and develop their understanding with the PTA at Gatehouse supporting of the surrounding environment. staff to drive forward the development of our wildlife garden and the outdoor learning space for Both year groups had an amazing time our Reception pupils. A huge thank and thoroughly enjoyed learning you for all their help with this outside of the classroom. Plans are mammoth task – it is really beginning now being developed to enable this to to take shape! become a key aspect of life at Gatehouse. A gardening club has been set up and 7

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

St Agnes ACE Academy

Our boys reached and our girls won

the Peninsula Football. The netball

team won the league and are

Peninsula Partnership champions.

Along with our badminton team they

are through to the Cornwall Games

later this year.

Last term was a super busy term at St Agnes. Highlight events have included World Book Day, World Downs Syndrome Day and an awesome Science Week involving every child and many parent helper scientists and featuring a visit from Professor Nitrate.

Lasting legacy as Head retires It is with mixed emotions that we announce the retirement of Carol Wint, headteacher at St Agnes ACE Academy. Carol joined the school in September 2008 following a successful first headship at Polruan Primary School and has called this her 'job of a lifetime'. Carol has always been a bit of a talent spotter and has encouraged and inspired school staff to lead initiatives in the arts and literacy in particular. Under Carol’s guidance, St Agnes has had a high profile within the sporting world winning many regional and local trophies and titles. She is proud to have led the school to join the Atlantic Centre of Excellence in 2015. A lasting legacy will be improvements in pupil outcomes over the past 8 years, a beautiful new classroom building to meet the demands of an increasingly popular school and the maintenance of St. Agnes Academy's place at the heart of its community. We wish Carol well in her retirement and hope that she will continue to use her extensive experience to support the wider trust but maybe in a more leisurely capacity.

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Robartes ACE Academy

shattered by the end of his visit! All staff were left buzzing about T4W and eager to embed new approaches. The outcomes have been incredible and we are developing a true writing culture throughout the school. Our teachers have continued to fill the curriculum with lots of inspirational Last term we continued to enrich our learning experiences, embarking on curriculum with a focus on bringing MI5 secret missions, adventures into more excitement into teaching writing magical lands and visits from WW2 through experiences and visitors to experts! Robartes. Our team embraced ‘Talk for Writing’ throughout the autumn term, We have replenished our reading for so a visit from Pie Corbett in January pleasure materials and have introduced was perfect timing for an inspirational creative reading spaces throughout the training day! The following day Pie school. We embraced World Book Day modelled teaching ‘short burst’ writing and more recently STEM week when in every class, needless to say, he was our children were ‘wowed’ with a scientific extravaganza that included our visitors lying on a bed of nails and igniting flammable shampoo! It’s been another busy and eventful term and we can’t wait for the next one.

Cornwall Teaching Awards for ACE We are all very proud to announce that the following have been nominated & shortlisted for an award in the specific categories listed. More details to follow in the next ACE times…well done everyone!

Outstanding Teacher: Karen Wakefield, St Columb Major School Governor: Phil Mason, ACE School of the Year: St Columb Major

Winners will be announced at a presentation evening on 21st April at Truro Cathedral http://www.cornwallteacherawards.org/news-1/2017/3/28/2017-shortlist-announced 9

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Forest School with Marine Academy (an article by Jess Daw)

0“Let children look at the mountains and the stars up above. Let them look at the beauty of the waters and the trees and flowers on earth. They will then begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education. ”David Polis

area, showing them the type of activities that we provide for our children and supporting them in the use It is an exciting time for outdoor of their outdoor area. Earlier that learning across ACE at the moment. month we also had a visit from Marine There is currently a widespread passion Academy in Plymouth, who bought a for outdoor learning emerging, and the group of children down to our Forest benefits of getting children out of the School and spent classroom and into an environment the day taking part where they have more freedom, are in activities. able to take risks and explore new We have built a possibilities are being recognised as a good relationship tool for accelerated development in with staff from the children. Having seen this first hand, my school and feel we passion for outdoor learning is growing can also learn a lot by the day. At St Columb Major we are 2 from the provision years into our Forest Schooling, and are that they offer now at the point where we are able to their children. They have invited a share our skills across other schools. We group of children from St Columb Major have seen how the provision is up to Plymouth, to experience the beneficial for children of all outdoor learning that they offer their backgrounds, abilities and needs. How children. Schools Direct trainees have it is calming for children who find a also taken part in a Forest School taster classroom restricting and difficult, how session, and many have expressed it widens the experiences that children interest in gaining further experience have at school and how it develops the and building outdoor learning into their minds of all children. school practice. We recently had Last half term we spent some time with Gordon Seabright and a member of the other schools within ACE and beyond to Eden education team visit our site and support them in the development of see the children in action. We had some their outdoor learning. We spent a day great conversations about outdoor with Gatehouse ACE Academy, who learning and how this can be further have a fantastic outdoor woodland embedded across ACE schools.

If you would like to find out more, please feel free to email me: [email protected] 10

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

St Columb Minor ACE Academy St Columb Minor Academy had a whirlwind of a term with so many events taking place that really set the flag flying in and across the community. This included: World Book Day, Songfest at the Hall for Cornwall and St Piran's Day events in the community. However, the two events given distance in the quickest time. of particular note were Science Week The children were very excited as they and the Bloodhound Project. counted down to zero, the fuses were lit and the rockets sped across the playground in the blink of an eye, the flash of ignition and the whoosh of a jet! As a hub school, we hosted schools from across the county – it was a truly exciting and magical day…. And who knows…… after the next round, we could be off to London and Science Week: Our whole school were then South Africa!!! Watch this space! focused on the topic of ‘Changes’ for the week and involved local visits to Academy Leaders Porth Beach and the Zoo. Many of our Beacon Infants & Nursery School ACE children went to Treviglas with their Academy parents to engage in science lessons – Sally Atwell parent and child working together! Charlestown ACE Academy These were incredibly well attended Mark Clutsom with 20% of the children in school taking part in these sessions. Gatehouse ACE Academy David Batchelor

Bloodhound Project: Our children in Robartes ACE Academy Kaye Haywood Year 5 were involved in this fantastic STEM opportunity which was based St Agnes ACE Academy on a unique high technology project Carol Wint that was focused around a 1000mph St Columb Major ACE Academy world land speed record attempt. The Antus Phillips & Michelle Hall children worked in teams to design an (Associate) aerodynamic car that was rocket St Columb Minor ACE Academy fuelled. These cars were raced and Nikki Cotterill timed to see which car could cover the 11

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Charlestown ACE Academy

Last term was another very busy one at Charlestown ACE Academy: the children were involved in World Book Day, Race for the Line (the Bloodhound racing car project), and raising money for Comic Relief.

To celebrate their love of reading, record attempt. This was the first time children were encouraged to dress up we had taken part in this project and as as their favourite book character and so the children were so engaged, we’re we were inundated with numerous looking to build on it next year, making wizards, enormous crocodiles and even it a half term project. an Angelina Ballerina. (Well done Mrs Leonard!) The School Council voted to raise money for Comic Relief by organising Charlestown’s Got Talent, having a bake sale, an exercise bike challenge and – the most popular event of all – throwing wet sponges at certain teachers. However, all of us were amazed at the talent on show – we even had our own Ant and Dec who

Year 5 designed, built and raced model compared the final. Many rocket cars, inspired by the land speed congratulations to all involved!

Beacon ACE Academy

Our children at Beacon have been learning about how they can keep their bodies healthy and their minds happy. Whilst learning about healthy food they enjoyed bread-making workshops and a “Ready, Steady, Cook” competition. We are sure we have some future top chefs!

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

A real highlight of the Spring term was The new climbing area is being the “Wild Rumpus” dance event at the particularly well used to help them to Hall for Cornwall. A group of Y2’s be fit and active on a daily basis. joined with Year 5’s from Robartes to create and then perform their own Across the school we have seen dance built up around a story (Where children working incredibly hard with the Wild things Are!). They were all aspects of their learning. The link magnificent! We saw wonderful with the importance of basic skills collaboration between the year groups with getting jobs was well made when and the development of real our Y2’s visited the Bodmin Job Centre enjoyment in their dance and, of to deliver posters they had made course, growth in confidence. about jobs they would like in the future. We are sure they will inspire people walking by!

Introduction from our new schools – Upton Cross & St Kew Our search for a suitable multi-academy trust started some 18 months ago. We invited a number of established MATs to present to our staff and governors. A number of these MATs had elements that were attractive to us, but none 'ticked all the boxes'. It was only later that we became aware of ACE. What particularly interested us was the fact that ACE comprised only primary schools whereas other MATs seemed to have the main focus on a secondary school lead. We also very much identified with the ethos espoused by Jennie Walker and the ACE team, that of openness and inclusivity and the fact that schools are very much encouraged to keep their unique identity within their respective communities. St Kew and Upton Cross Primary Schools have been federated for the last three years. This partnership will formally end when we join ACE in May, however, the relationship will continue through the existing, shared governing board when it becomes the LAB on joining ACE. Chris Boarland, Chair of Governors said, 'This is a really exciting time for both schools. I am delighted that after taking the decision to seek out a MAT that would best suit our two schools, we are on the threshold of joining the Atlantic Centre of Excellence and I look forward to a fruitful relationship in the years ahead."

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Upton Cross School Bodmin Moor and countryside. Within our setting, we have a well- established ‘Forest School’ and our Leads take each year group throughout each term. We also have a vegetable/fruit garden, poly tunnel and chickens all maintained by Upton Cross School is in the heart of a children, staff and volunteers. small village in East Cornwall. Many of Within our village, we have had a our pupils come from surrounding brand new village hall together with villages and hamlets. We currently Sterts, which is an amphitheatre, have 82 pupils on roll and a preschool studio and gallery. We have strong with 20 2- 4 yr olds. We have 3 links with the theatre, where we are classes: Yr R/1, Yr 2/3, & Yr 4/5/6. Our able to watch and sometimes perform Yr 6 go on to attend Callington, shows, have workshops and Launceston and Liskeard CC. occasionally use the venue for We are fortunate to have beautiful CPD/training. grounds, with surrounding views of St Kew 5 and 6 pupils: all taught by our dedicated staff members. Our Year 6 children generally go on to attend Wadebridge Secondary School.

We have wonderful, far reaching views

and beautiful grounds, and within our

setting, we have well-established

‘Outdoor Learning’ opportunities with St Kew Community Primary School is a fantastic roundhouse and two poly in a beautiful small village close to the tunnels taking centre stage. All market town of Wadebridge. Many of children benefit from the fantastic our children come from the sessions that our Outdoor Learning surrounding hamlets and St Kew Leads plan throughout each school Highway. We currently have 65 term. The two poly tunnels, which are children on roll in 3 classes: Class 1 currently being managed by both the consists of our Reception, Year 1 and children and a fantastic ‘green- Year 2 pupils, Class 2 our Year 3 and 4 fingered’ volunteer, are full of many pupils and Class 3 consists of our Year different kinds of fruits and vegetables 14

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust in order to provide our kitchen with food and a fruit and vegetable stall for parents throughout the Summer Term. ACE Business Team Our children are fully involved in the process from planting, nurturing, Business Director harvesting to the eating process! Gill Harper

Personnel Manager Jane King

Group Accountant Angela Andrews

Business Manager David Houghton

Estates Manager Our local pre-school ‘St Kew Pre- Malcolm Godwin School’ is housed in the local Parish Project Manager Hall and within the village we have a Polly Menear 16th Century church, the ‘famous’ St Kew Inn and Trescobel (the old Finance/HR Administrator vicarage) which has been home to a Amy Roberts

‘Traditional Village Fete’ for as far back as we can remember!

Teaching Support for each other (article from Julian Wilce) I am a Year 5 teacher at St Columb Major ACE Academy who was recently asked to support Robartes ACE Academy. Although I was a little anxious about leaving my class mid-way through the year and was unsure about the challenge I was keen to use my experience to benefit our ACE colleague.

During my three weeks at Robartes I taught a lovely Year 4 class and also supported the school in making contact with an external internet safety officer from SWGfL to support the school and advised the PE co- coordinator with long term plans. I also worked alongside an NQT and was able to give her support and advice as she begins on her career.

I was hesitant about moving from my current school but found the experience and change very beneficial to see how other schools work. It was also very rewarding to work alongside other ACE colleagues. I can now honestly say that working as a team benefits everyone. I was made to feel really welcome at Robartes by a team of enthusiastic and committed staff. My thanks to Sally and Kaye who are leading the school so well. I certainly could have stayed.

ACE Times – Newsletter of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust

Executive Principal: Mrs Jennie Walker Deputy Executive Principal: Mr Antus Phillips

Atlantic Centre of Excellence Trust www.aceacademies.co.uk

Atlantic Centre of Excellence Multi Academy Trust

Registered Office: c/o St Columb Minor ACE Academy, Porthbean Road, St Columb Minor, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 3JF

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