18 er 20 Summ r ttHeEAD’S INTRODUCTION Welcome to our final newsletter olf the eboth a member of pastoral staff and a academic year which provides an insight governor for 13 years, to Kris Benn who into the vast array of thse academic and has taught design technology with us for personal successes of our students and 19 years and to Sue Tyson who has our school. As ever, this summer term worked in our school community since whas been a period of goodbyes and 2004, most recently providing e welcomes. As we said goodbye and adminstrative support to the SEND good luck to our Year 11 students department. following a really successful examination As we move into the long summer N period and a wonderful prom, we also break, I would like to take this opportunity welcomed to our school a new cohort to extend my thanks to parents and carers of Year 6 students through their for your ongoing support of the school transition days. and our students. This support, We also give our best wishes to those combined with the tireless work of staff is staff who will leave us at the end of this what makes our school such a great year. Lyn Dickinson, who has worked at community to be a part of and one that the school for over 15 years, providing a I remain very proud to lead. wide range of support for our students, is I wish you all a very enjoyable celebrating her retirement and does so summer break. with all of our very best wishes. We also say goodbye to Kerry Stockdale who has served our students and community as John Richardson School CI havoe beenu workning clocsely iwitlh the School Council over the last half term to develop their identity and vision for the future of the team. The School Council will be stepping to the fore in September to develop new projects for the student body, to ensure that our student body enjoys an enjoyable learning experience, stimulating learning environment and environmentally friendly ethos. The School Council will also be responsible for supporting the development of Student leadership throughout the school. Many exciting times ahead for this very forward-thinking group of Students! On 27th June, we were very fortunate to lively discussion on the theme and our welcome Nat from Brathay, along with students views will be shared as part of a related issues. We look forward to Mariam from Fixers who spoke to students wider project across the North-West and working more with both Fixers and on the issue of ‘Food Poverty and taken to the Government for discussion on Brathay in the future. Insecurity’. There was a very insightful and how young people are affected by food Mrs P Magee 2 | News The MAT Board Chair Writes Since my last report to you there has undertaken to improve the school to this been a lot of hard work going on at the point and everyone is determined that schools, in the governing bodies and those improvements will continue. across the Multi Academy Trust. I am delighted to report that we have Students have been involved in external three new Trustees on the MAT Board. and internal examinations and I really We have recruited Maxine Froggatt hope all the hard work of students and whose background is rooted in staff will reap the rewards they deserve. extensive and impressive experience in Thank you to all of you who have education. Eddie Richards has many supported the students during this very skills to bring to the board from his work important and sometimes stressful time. and leadership in the world of As you will know Ofsted visited The engineering and Joanne Heather brings Queen Katherine School in May and I the wealth of her financial experience am pleased to say that the school no and expertise to the board too. I am longer requires Special Measures. confident that their addition will enable There is still much work still to be done us to continue to robustly support all the and the Head, staff, governors and the schools in the Trust and also further Trust are already taking the ambitious develop the Trust as and when it I wish you all a very enjoyable actions needed to continue the journey is appropriate. summer and I hope you can all recharge to make the school the great school your batteries to return in September re Finally, I would like to thank everyone -energised to meet the opportunities we all want it to be and which your involved with the Trust and those who children deserve. and challenges which will lie ahead work in all our Trust schools for the huge next year. George Hastwell School has also efforts they make each and every day. been inspected by Ofsted and they too There is much work to be continued With best wishes to you all. no longer require Special Measures. over the coming months and I know Clearly, a lot of work has been there is the determination and capacity Liz Moffatt to carry it out. Chair of the Multi Academy Trust The Chief Executive Officer Writes As we come to the end of another Multi Academy Trust. Our Chair, Liz very intensive year for all our three Moffatt has done an exceptional job in schools it is with great pleasure that we improving the MAT Board and brought a can report a significant improvement in real sense of purpose to our the outcomes for our students and the endeavours. This has helped improve Ofsted classifications of our schools. the confidence of three really good and You know how exceptional each well led Local Governing Bodies that school is in its own way and the pride know their schools, take pride in the our staff, students and pupils have in successes and challenge staff and their schools and the opportunities that students to be the best they can. are on offer, now this is being reflected We are all ready for the challenges of in improved OFSTED judgements. This 2018/19, are still ambitious for our is due to the hard work and schools and the young people and commitment of The MAT Board, The communities we serve, our pace of Local Governing Bodies, School improvement will continue and our Leaders, staff, students and our parents schools will soon be among the best in and local communities, all of whom I the North of England. thank. Thank you as always for your As I read all of the Summer support and helpful feedback on our Newsletters I enjoy, as you will, the journey of improvement. Enjoy a lovely celebration of the many successes of Summer Break. our schools and also enjoy the real diversity across our small but improving Stephen Wilkinson Chief Executive Officer News | 3 FUTURES FRIDAY FUN AT WALNEY: What will your story be? Walney School held its second Futures • A team from Siemens Subsea • Sonya Lengweiler, Life Coach Me Friday on 6th July and we welcomed 74 • A variety of visitors who work • Sophie Broadgate, Signal Film & Media visitors to tell their career stories to our at BAE Systems • Stephanie Armstrong, Support for students. Research says that the more • A team from Morgan Sindall Schools Advisor encounters a student has with employers • Damian Bonsall, Inspira • Suzanne Steele, Boogie Bounce and employees during their school years, the more likely they are to find their own • Dan Morrison-Gardner, Blackberry • Terry Menzler, Marine Biologist meaningful employment. We are now asking • David Brimelow, DUO UK • Tim Westwood, Newton Rigg College our students – what will your story be? • David Little, Lake District Estates • Gabrielle Rowley, The Old Vicarage Sometimes our students see people as • A team from Risedale Retirement the ‘finished product’ and they don’t & Nursing Homes Here is a selection of the comments always understand the twists and turns • Gary MacDonald and Jade Johnson, that our visitors left: that most of us have gone through before Firefighters • Four very good groups. Very attentive & we find our career path (or indeed our • A team from Orsted cheerful – Martin Cooper, Duddon & career paths, as we are likely to have more Furness Mountain Rescue • A team from Jacobs than one job in our working life). So we • Well organised. Lovely students who invited as many local employers/employees • Hannah Hodgson, poet and youtube were very engaging. Enjoyed it. T blogger as possible to come to school and tell our hank you! – Jodi Slater, NHS students their career journeys, with all the • Ian Dixon, Forge-Europa • LOVED EVERY SECOND!! The children details – the good, the bad and the ugly! • Jack Todd, NCS are a credit to your school! – Our students heard amazing stories of • A variety of visitors from Brathay Trust Molly McGlynn, Actress how people had overcome obstacles and • Thanks for the opportunity to speak to been resilient in order to achieve success. • Janet Dixon, Headteacher Barrow Island Primary your students. I hope it was as They learnt that you often have to fail many enjoyable for them as it was for me. – • Jayne Moorby, Oxley Group times before you eventually succeed. It is Gavin Andrews, Orsted important to learn from every experience, • Judith Wren, Kin Toffee Vodka • Thank you for the opportunity today, even if it is a negative one. • Kim Hadwin, Cumbria Training Centre I thoroughly enjoyed the whole We are very grateful to our visitors • Carl Nixon, Cumbria County Council experience, I would love to do it again. who gave up time and committed to • Martin Cooper, Duddon & Furness – Emily Lambert, BAE Systems making this a fantastic experience for our Mountain Rescue Team • Lovely Morning.