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Dear Colleagues, 

As we approach the conclusion of the public examination and assessment season, I want to extend heartfelt thanks to each and every member of the WeST team. Your commitment, care, and professionalism have once again ensured that our young people were well prepared and well supported during this critical time. Whether through direct teaching, administrative support, pastoral care, or simply creating a calm and focused environment, you have helped create the conditions our young people need to thrive—and for that, I am deeply grateful.

This week marks an important milestone for many of our pupils. Our Year 11 students have now completed their GCSEs and preparing to move on to the next phase of their educational journey—whether that’s sixth form, college, apprenticeships, or other post-16 pathways. We wish them every success as they take these exciting next steps. Similarly, our Year 13 students are closing this chapter of their school lives and heading off into the world of work, further training, or Higher Education. It has been a privilege to see them grow into thoughtful, capable young adults, and we know they will carry the values and confidence nurtured in WeST schools into whatever lies ahead.

At the other end of the journey, our Year 6 pupils are beginning their transition programmes in preparation for secondary school. These carefully crafted activities and visits are designed to help our young learners make a smooth and confident start in September. Thank you to all the staff who are investing time and care into these transitions—it makes a real difference to how these pupils perceive and experience the move to Key Stage 3.

On Wednesday, we marked National Thank a Teacher Day, a valuable opportunity to reflect on the immense impact teachers and school staff have on the lives of children and young people. Our classrooms are places of discovery, challenge, encouragement, and joy—thanks to your relentless dedication. Thank you to all our teachers and support staff for the inspiration, guidance, and energy you bring every day.

Also on Wednesday, we held the second Mentor Conference as part of our Early Career Framework. This important event brought together mentors from across our Trust to strengthen their understanding of the ECF and enhance the quality of support they offer to our early career teachers. It was heartening to see the professionalism, generosity, and collaborative spirit on display throughout the day. My sincere thanks to all involved.

Later in the week, I had the privilege of closing our Third Annual WeST Sixth Form Summer Conference at Plymouth University. The event was a super showcase of intellectual curiosity and aspiration. With seminars led by university lecturers, guest speakers, and our own staff, the conference challenged students to engage critically with ideas beyond the curriculum. A big thank you to everyone who made this opportunity possible.

We ended the week with our Level 3 Refresher in Child Protection—a timely and essential reminder of our collective safeguarding responsibilities. The session reinforced our shared commitment to keeping children safe and well.

As we enter the final stretch of the academic year, I remain immensely proud of our shared achievements and the strength of our community.

Thank you for all that you do.

Best wishes, 

Rob Haring

CEO

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Inspiring Futures: Year 8 Students Shine in Aspirations Project

At Coombe Dean, our Year 8 students have been taking bold steps toward their futures through the exciting new Aspirations Project 2025. Designed to help students visualise and articulate their educational and career pathways, the project has empowered them to think big, plan ahead, and connect their current learning to long-term goals.

Launched with an inspiring assembly in the Sixth Form Centre and followed by a visit to Plymouth University, the project has given students a real taste of what lies ahead. Weekly tutor sessions have guided them through tools like Unifrog, helping them explore university courses, career options, and the qualifications needed to get there. Each student has created a personalised “Aspirational Plan” mapping out their journey from GCSEs to potential university degrees and careers.

On Wednesday this week, a group of these students had the opportunity to present their work to WeST leaders. They were nothing short of outstanding—articulate, enthusiastic, and deeply inspiring. Their confidence and clarity in discussing their aspirations were a testament to the power of the project and the dedication of the staff supporting them.

This pilot initiative has not only reignited the enthusiasm of Year 8 but also laid a strong foundation for their future success. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing how their aspirations evolve in the years to come.

Word Of The Week!

This week's word is "optimism".

Definition: Optimism means choosing to focus on the positives and believing that good things are possible—even when challenges come your way.

Why it matters: As we prepare for a new term and school year, optimism helps us face new goals with confidence, stay motivated through tough moments, and support one another with hopeful energy. It reminds us that each new beginning is filled with opportunity - and that mindset can make all the difference.

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Submit an Article!

Do you have an achievement to celebrate, a job opportunity to promote, a charitable initiative to support, or an important update to share? The Weekly Whistle is your platform to keep our community informed and engaged.

How to Submit:
Send in your article by 2 PM every Thursday by emailing admin@westst.org.uk, and we’ll consider it for publication in the following Friday edition. Submissions should be clear, engaging, and relevant to our audience.

No Purchase Order (PO), no pay policy

From 1st September 2025, the Trust will be implementing a strict 'No PO no pay' policy whereby all invoices must quote a valid Trust purchase order number to be eligible for processing. It is therefore extremely important that ALL staff are aware of this change and if your role involves any form of ordering, please make sure that you are familiar with the purchase ordering system. We are in the process of communicating this to suppliers. Finance teams will be circulating the letter that is going out to suppliers in the next few weeks which will provide more details. 

Thank you!

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Joyful June

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Internal Vacancies:

Westcountry Schools Trust is seeking to appoint to the following roles which are ringfenced and restricted to the Plymouth Cluster: 

ICT Network Manager

The ICT Network Manager will manage and develop all ICT services within the Cluster and lead the ICT support team.  

Operations Manager

The Operations Manager will lead and manage operational activities, people management and workload across the Cluster of schools.

Recruitment update:

We are delighted to inform you of the following exciting career opportunities within our Trust:

Hele’s School are seeking to appoint a Food Technician. The successful candidate will support the Food department to provide teachers with a range of technical support to deliver the Design & Technology curriculum to students, including raising health & safety issues/concerns. For more information on this vacancy, please click here. Closing date: 1 July 2025.

Ivybridge Community College are seeking to appoint a Head of Rugby: The Head of Rugby is responsible for the coaching of rugby to teams of students at Ivybridge Community College, from the planning and implementation of coaching sessions through to team selection and organisation of matches. This forms part of the specialist Sports Academy provision of Ivybridge Community College, which strives to provide excellence, building engagement and participation, and representation at the highest competition levels. For more information on this vacancy, please click here.  Closing date: 23 June 2024.

Westcountry Schools Trust are seeking to appoint a HR Assistant. The successful candidate will have an aptitude for acting as the face of the HR team and resolving day-to-day problems with the support of the wider HR team, a good understanding and working knowledge of administration.  They will also be committed to working to Trust values, have a working philosophy of continuous improvement and a willingness to develop professional practice excellence to meet the changing demands of the role and as part of a team. For more information, please click here. Closing date: 30 June 2025

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