Value for Money Statement Organisation name: Looe Community Academy Trust Company number: 7909371 Year ended 31 August 2014 I accept that as accounting officer of Looe Community Academy Trust I am responsible and accountable for ensuring that the academy trust delivers good value in the use of public resources. I am aware of the guide to academy value for money statements published by the Education Funding Agency and understand that value for money refers to the educational and wider societal outcomes achieved in return for the taxpayer resources received. I set out below how I have ensured that the academy trust’s use of its resources has provided good value for money during the academic year. Overview • We remained well within our allocation to deliver a sustained improvement in outcomes for all students. Academic outcomes • Our year on year rise in examination results continued for the sixth consecutive year: • We narrowed the gap even further for our Pupil Premium students: Looe Community Academy - Closing the Gap % of students achieving 5+A*-C GCSE grades (or equivalent) including English and Maths 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% % of students 2011 2012 2013 2014 Other students 58% 63% 67% 71% Disadvantaged students 9% 29% 42% 50% Gap 49 34 25 21 Leadership and staffing • Our new Assistant Headteacher championed Pupil Premium and ensured learning was personalised. • We further reviewed the staffing structure and used staff turnover as an opportunity to implement strategic changes. • We invested in data management software systems to identify and track under-performance • Our teaching and learning training and development programme continued through external expert presenters and the sharing of knowledge and strategies between our staff. This included literacy and numeracy across the curriculum, meeting special educational needs, the characteristics of high quality teaching and learning, effective feedback, using data effectively, mobile technology in the classroom, strategies for marking, reading and writing intervention and the use of dedicated improvement time. The curriculum, extra-curricular and enrichment activities • Our engaging curriculum offer was broadened by new courses in Child Development, Land Based Studies, Psychology and our collaborative working within the South East Cornwall Learning Partnership where we were able to extend our offer to include vocational courses, such as construction; this enabled us to tailor learning pathways to the needs of the student. • One to one and small group activities helped us to personalise learning, with a particular focus on Maths, reading and literacy. To illustrate, some of our less able students improved their reading age by 2 years and 10 months in a 6 month period of personalised intervention. • Our Arts ethos continued to play a big part in Academy life, providing students with a sense of fun, an opportunity for self-expression and the chance to develop and nurture their cultural appreciation. Students worked collaboratively with the RAF Central Band, the East Cornwall Bach Choir and at the Schools Prom at the Royal Albert Hall where they performed a breath-taking bespoke composition with over 500 Cornish students. We opened our doors for public performances of Oliver! the Musical, our Oscars themed Fashion Show “Hollywood Fashionista”, our Spring and Christmas concerts, the annual art and design exhibition and students performed for the public at the Looe Music Festival alongside professional artists. • We provided a diverse range of breakfast, lunchtime and after-school clubs and revision classes after school and during school holidays. • In addition to numerous curriculum-enhancing visits, students developed wider life skills and broadened cultural awareness as they enjoyed memorable residential trips to Paris, the Ardeche, the Isles of Scilly and London. We ran our first scuba diving activity to further broaden the qualifications available. Raising student aspirations and Academy expectations Our “Be the Best you can Be” programme built upon the inspiration of London 2012; Team GB Olympic Weightlifter Michaela Breeze MBE was a very inspirational role model for Year 7 students as she helped them through their self-motivation and confidence building workshops. This year we extended elements of the programme to engage and encourage students across all years and Michaela led by example as she broke a Commonwealth Games record to secure her silver medal at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. 2 • We consulted on the new sport and PE uniform and were delighted that the students proudly insisted on it having the Academy badge with “Be the Best you can Be” enshrined through its Cornish translation, “Bydh gwella gylli”. • We invested heavily in our learning resources and environment to ensure students continue to feel proud of their Academy by: resurfacing the Sports Hall floor to provide a fantastic learning and community resource; procuring tablet PCs for use in Science and Technology; replacing outdated windows to improve thermal and noise-reducing properties of classrooms; providing additional interactive teaching boards and touch screen TVs to enhance the learning experience; replacing ageing carpets, chairs, desks and furnishings to modernise the learning environment; planting trees in support of the Woodland Trust. Keeping stakeholders informed • Regular reports were sent home on students’ progress, targets and improvement strategies. • Information evenings were held with tutors, heads of year, subject teachers, special needs adviser, the leadership team and governors. • We published weekly bulletins and termly newsletters and regular announcements and news articles on the Academy website. Letters and text messages were sent about specific events. • We invested in software that enables students, parents and carers to access the homework that has been set. Supporting students and families • We helped to provide stability for students to ensure they get the best from their time at school through our Family Support Manager and professional dramatherapy and mentoring services, where vulnerable students received one to one counselling and support. • We launched our whole school buddying programme so that every student has another student to support them. • Our Year 10 and Year 11 students were all mentored by adults employed by the Academy. • We worked collaboratively with the Cornwall NHS Foundation Trust to secure an Integrated Health Centre on our site to serve the health needs of young people in the area, which we look forward to completing in 2015. Community • We opened our facilities for use by the community after school, at weekends and during the holidays and this provided a focal point for community life. • The Academy featured regularly in the press for our fundraising, performances, Arts, Olympians and other achievements. • We were very excited and honoured to host the helicopter landing for their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall when they visited Looe in July 2014. Financial management and governance • The Finance and Premises Committee used our monthly management accounts to monitor expenditure, acting where necessary, and looked at all major financial decisions in the context of the 3-year budget plan, which was reconstructed under our strategic financial review. 3 • Our Responsible Officer checks and annual audit provided an external perspective and assurance. • We reviewed all Service Level Agreements, reducing costs by ceasing activities, competing services, adjusting specifications or by undertaking activities in-house. • We terminated all continuous contracts to ensure every service is properly competed. • We tendered major financial commitments to secure best value, saving over £21K p.a. from renewing grounds maintenance, property compliance, broadband, MIS software, HR and payroll services, catering contract and electricity. • A capital investment donation of £44K was secured from our new catering contract. • Donations of £5K were received as contributions towards our new Sports Hall floor and outdoor canopies. Going forward and lessons identified • We will reshape our Leadership Team to recruit an inspirational leader to drive forward teaching and learning and develop pedagogy. • We will undertake a further strategic financial review to plan for demographic changes and to further strengthen the link between curriculum planning and financial planning. • Our improvement plan, underpinned by robust performance management, will drive us forward by raising standards and achieving consistency. • Our risk register and scorecard will indicate where management attention needs to be focussed. • We will continue to test services for relevance, quality and effectiveness and will challenge, compare, consult, compete and collaborate to reduce costs. • We will continue to personalise learning for all and endeavour to eliminate the disadvantage gap. Signed: …………………………......................................... H Jenkins Accounting Officer for Looe Community Academy Trust 8 December 2014 4 .