PARK NEWS Autumn/Winter 2018 www.theparkschool.org.uk Follow us: @ParkBarnstaple @ParkBarnstaple the Tarka Learning Partnership. The TLP is a trust formed in North Devon to support the children and young people within our communities. Greater collaboration with a range of Primary partners and working with the Trust will only serve to enhance the provision at Park as well as other schools and to provide better opportunities for our students. In the classrooms it is really pleasing to see the positive effects of our work around developing the teaching and learning. We have undertaken three reviews so far in this academic year. An important element of our reviews are the student voice. Since September we have conducted twelve different student feedback sessions, not including Welcome to Park News School Council feedback. Students understand and appreciate the changes in lessons around assessment, feedback, questioning, seating plans, ith so much going on both in and out the use of the Chance, Warning, Action System of school, trying to agree and set and other developments to improve teaching and Wa publication deadline is becoming learning. Students are also responding extremely increasingly tricky. In this edition you’ll find positively to our AtL (Attitude to Learning) highlights from the end of Summer Term, the system and AtL Wall. More students than ever Autumn Term up to and including the final night are earning the right to be acknowledged on the of our fantastic production of The School of Rock. AtL wall and it is really pleasing to see the efforts of students being recognised and rewarded. The Summer Term highlights include our various educational trips and visits. Reading the articles Having over 150 adults working with 1300 and seeing the photographs will bring back many students, provides many variables and we are happy memories for students and staff. The trips aware of the need to improve consistency across to New York, Normandy and Barcelona do not the school. Our next focus is to develop the Park happen without the time, effort and energy of curriculum, as a school we have been undertaking our staff and these opportunities not only help to research, by visiting other schools and discussing broaden horizons, they uphold our school values what will work best at Park. We are currently and provide lasting memories for our students. reviewing and planning curriculum change for September 2019. The developments will be shared In September we officially opened our new with parents/carers and students in due course geography suite, enhancing facilities for students and we would welcome your feedback on this. and developing part of the North Block building. Feedback from students has been positive and Any curriculum development will present change they appreciate the new light and airy classrooms. and this can be a challenge for some. However, In the Autumn Term we fell foul of Storm Callum after seeing the fantastic talents, work ethic, and as a result our school hall has been closed teamwork and dedication of our students who for some time. As I write, the repairs have been performed and supported the School of Rock, I completed and we await the installation of the know that Park students are capable of amazing new floor. We are hopeful that the hall will be things both inside and away from school. We back up and running just after February Half Term. must work together to offer the best opportunities and expect the very best from our students. Again in the Autumn Term the school was successful in securing a SALIX loan. This is to Park News is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the develop energy efficiency across the site. We amazing experiences and talents of our students. I will soon see an array of Solar PV panels on the hope you enjoy reading all about our #parkstars. sports hall roof, to help generate our own electricity reducing running costs for the school. Further savings will be aided by changing our lighting to an automatically operated LED system. This will improve conditions in classrooms and corridors. We have also worked hard behind the scenes to submit other capital bids to develop the estate, more news Gareth Roscoe - Headteacher on this will shared in the Weekly Parent Bulletin. I am pleased to announce that on the 1st February the school converted to Academy status and joined 2. Park News Autumn/Winter 2018 The Tarka Learning Partnership formally welcomes The Park Community School into the TLP family n 1st February there was such as school improvement, an air of excitement. governor support and training, OFrom the viewpoint of the finance, HR, premises students at The Park Community development, teacher training School this may have been more and direct services to children about the possibility of snow and families are being created. and the cancellation of lessons! Unfortunately, as on many other The Park Community School occasions this was thwarted is now officially a new school by Barnstaple’s micro climate! through their academy conversion process and their previous Ofsted The Tarka Learning Partnership, inspection report although formed in September 2018 to relevant will be archived. The support the development of students and staff at Park have local schools, admitted The been most welcoming and very Park Community School into open to the challenges ahead; the multi-academy Trust on it has been a joy to work with 1st February. A lengthy conversion process, them on the initial phase of formation. I know that due in the main to the protracted land transfer the Trust and all constituent partners are looking process from Devon County Council to the forward to working with the school’s community in 125 year Trust lease, was recently completed. this new era, safe in the knowledge that we have already collectively built a supporting structure Eden Park Academy, Sticklepath Community to enable the future development of The Park Primary Academy, Landkey Community Primary Community School and the wider family of schools. Academy, Roundswell Community Primary Academy (opening a Reception class at Newport in September 2019), Newport Community School Primary Academy and the Park Community School have been working together for the last 3 years to assist in the formation of this Trust to support staff, governors and the young people of North Devon. Mr Roscoe and the Park team have been instrumental in creating this family of schools and Andy Cotton my sincere thanks go to them for their energy CEO Tarka Learning Partnership and perseverance in reaching this milestone. Over 50% of schools and more than two thirds of pupils nationally attend Academies with only a few secondary schools in Devon remaining under local authority control. The Trust gives us the opportunity to support the development of partner schools ensuring that the leadership and resources of the Trust remain focussed at the heart of our community, where the Trust can support the education and welfare of your son or daughter from primary school until they leave Park. The Trust has already begun to support schools, assisting and leading bids to bring additional resources to the partnership and working with schools on leadership and classroom practices which support your child. Our family of schools will benefit from locally based support services which are in sharp decline across Devon. Support services www.theparkschool.org.uk 3. Look at our Year 7s Now! Transition into Park School Year 7 have settled in to life as Park students During their final term of year 6, many now and are making the most of new students took part in our Transition Project led opportunities every day. Since they started in by Mrs Paddon. The project aims to support September, the year group have accumulated students with their transition from primary 28,344 merits; the top three students are school to secondary school, and strives to make well on their way to 200 merits each and are: this move as successful as possible. Students Tamima Shah, Alice Place and Caitlyn have completed numerous activities and Darbyshire. created some wonderful pieces of work over the last two terms. Academic success has been recognised in the first monitoring report of the school year with a third of the year group working 'above expected progress' in at least one subject. Notable amongst these students are Elena Carter and Rosina Smith who are working 'above expected progress' in four subjects each. The following students helped to rock audiences in December's sell out performances of the modern musical 'School of Rock': Samuel Tyacke, William Slater, Emily Sharples, Freddie Pegden, Jack Partridge, Miles Howells, Noah Habib, Megan Gruber, Katie Foster, Brooke Biggs and Abigail Bellamy - well done to you all! The students worked hard Jack Grant 7JG suggested this display, which preparing throughout the Autumn Term and the showcases some of the work he and other Year result was three impressive shows at the Petroc 7s have been completing. theatre - something they are sure to remember for years to come. Helen Paddon - Higher Level Teaching Assistant Student Council have been nominated by their peers to act as School Council Representatives, the School Council meets regularly to discuss a range of topics, including how we can improve the school experience for everyone. Thank you to those students who give up their time and represent the wider students' views. After such a fantastic start, we look forward to seeing what else they will achieve before the end of Year 7! Mrs Sluman - Progress Leader Year 6/7 4. Park News Autumn/Winter 2018 Enjoy Your Retirement Mr Ley Mr Ley - MFL Teacher Retires The End of an Era! My association with and affection for the Park Community School began in September 1966 (then Barnstaple Grammar School) as a shy 11 year old.