Welcome back to the second half of the Spring term. I trust you remained safe and well and managed to enjoy the somewhat different (Lockdown) break.

Let’s hope for improved weather and better news all round.

We have now heard from the Prime Minister of the route map to a complete easing of lockdown. We know that a full re-opening of schools are the first element of easing although much uncertainty remains in several aspects. In short;

  • Schools continue as previously until Friday 5th March. We will consider how we manage the transition from online remote education to face to face in school.
  • It now seems we are able to commence LFD testing of secondary students in advance of Monday 8th March. This might help facilitate getting more children back into normal lessons more quickly. We are working on the details of this opportunity.
  • WeST primary schools will open to all children on Monday 8th March for normal teaching.
  • Primary staff will, as previously, continue with their LFD testing routine at home.
  • Secondary staff will continue to undertake LFD tests in our secondary school test centres as previously for two weeks – maybe three.
  • Secondary staff, after the first two / three weeks, will follow our primary colleagues and undertake LFD testing at home following their established testing cycle.
  • Secondary school children will be asked to wear a face covering in lessons as well as communal spaces.
  • By the time we reach Easter secondary children will be undertaking LFD testing at home under the supervision of their parents.

We have updated our WeST Risk Assessment to capture the new, and heavily updated DfE guidance, to support your work. The updated Risk Assessment will take effect from Monday 8th March when we have our children back in school.

I am pleased to again draw to your attention to our WeST staff survey.  I recognise that this might not percolate to the top of your priority list but it is extremely important that our collective staff feel that they have a genuine voice, it is sought in an authentic manner, and it is heard. We acknowledge that we might not always be able to action some of the sentiments that transpire but we can give them due consideration and offer a reason as to why they might not materialise. So, please do take a few minutes to have your voice heard.

Good luck with managing the wholesale return to school operation and the six week run to Easter!

Best wishes, 

Rob Haring, CEO

There's still time to complete the staff survey!

The whole staff survey is open until 26th February to ensure staff have an opportunity to voice their feedback and shape our positive wellbeing culture. 

The short survey has 12 questions and takes less than 10 minutes to complete to share your perspective. You can access this link on any Internet enabled device or use the QR code. Results will be anonymous and every entry will be reviewed centrally. A summary of the results will be published in future editions of the Wednesday Whistle.

Please see below a summary of staff survey response rates to date. As you will see the levels of engagement vary across the Trust and we are keen to ensure all colleagues have an opportunity to participate!  

To complete your survey go here. Or Scan this QR Code: 

 

 

 

 

 

Please see below a summary of staff survey response rates to date. As you will see the levels of engagement vary across the Trust and we are keen to ensure all colleagues have an opportunity to participate!

Please select your place of work.

Response Count:

Headcount:

Participation % of Headcount:

Ashburton Primary School

11

36

31

Boringdon Primary School

6

46

13

Buckfastleigh Primary

9

34

26

Callington Community College

34

130

26

Chaddlewood Primary School

6

59

10

Coombe Dean School

37

124

30

Core Service Team

14

33

42

Dunstone Primary School

10

34

29

Glen Park Primary School

10

53

19

Hele's School

32

163

20

Holbeton Primary School

4

13

31

Ivybridge Community College

91

409

22

Oreston Community Academy

15

65

23

Plympton St Maurice Primary

2

28

7

Plymstock School

81

211

38

Prefer Not to Say

62

N/A

-

Sherford Vale School

10

23

43

South Dartmoor Community College

34

138

25

Stowford School

11

56

20

The Atrium

1

17

6

The Learning Institute (TLI)

7

66

11

Wembury Primary School

3

36

8

Woodford Primary School

23

59

39

Woodlands Park Primary School

21

48

44

Yealmpton Primary School

5

24

21

Total Count

539

1905

28

Continuing recent articles to introduce the School Improvement Team, this week sees the spotlight fall on Giles Freathy, Lead Practitioner for Relgious Education:-

Giles Freathy is a Lead Practitioner for Religious Education (RE) for Westcountry Schools Trust and Programme Director for Initial Teacher Training at The Learning Institute. His primary interest is in improving children’s education through pedagogical innovation and curriculum design. Giles’ collaboration with researchers at the University of Exeter through a close-to-practice theorisation and conceptualisation has contributed to the provision of solutions to recurrent problems in determining the intention, implementation and impact of the curriculum for Religious Education.

As co-creator of the TES award-winning  RE-searchers Approach, Giles has changed perceptions and improved practice in RE teaching in primary and secondary schools in England, and in the education of RE teachers internationally, particularly in Norway and Finland. As author and contributor to a range of publications and practical guides for teachers including: Metacognition, Thinking and Religious Education, The RE-searchers Approach: A quick start guide with exemplar units of work and activities & Dialogic Education: Mastering core concepts through thinking together, Giles has a wealth of ideas and resources to share with teachers within local schools. Moreover, he is keen to collaborate with enthusiastic teachers so as to improve the rigour and reward of teaching and learning in RE.

Initially trained at Woodlands Park Primary School, Ivybridge, Giles taught for the best part of a decade at Sir Robert Geffery’s Primary School, Landrake. Formerly an Advanced Skills Teacher and practising Teacher Trainer, Giles’ brings to the role extensive experience of supporting teachers’ development across curriculum areas. Giles has been Chair of the Board of Directors and is Chair of the Standards Committee at Connect Academy Trust, Plymouth. He is passionate about improving the life chances of pupils in the region.

Giles Freathy, Lead Practitioner for Relgious Education 

Recruitment update:

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

Evening Cleaner - Grade A (£9.25 per hour) - permanent. Hele's are seeking to appoint an evening cleaner for immediate start. Further information can be found here or please ring 01752 337193.  This post will be subject to a satisfactory DBS Enhanced Disclosure. Closing date: midnight Sunday 14th March 2021. Interviews will take place on Thursday 18th March 2021.

Required for September 2021;

  • Teacher of Creative Performing Arts (Drama with Art/Music) – MPS/UPS, Full Time, permanent. Closing date: midnight, 14th March 2021. Interviews: Monday 22nd March 2021
  • Teacher of Social Science (Psychology/Sociology/Criminology), MPS/UPS, Full time, permanent. Closing date: midnight, 14th March 2021. Interviews: Wednesday 24th March 2021

Further information is available through our website here. Hele’s School is committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment; therefore, the post will be subject to a satisfactory DBS Enhanced Disclosure.

Receptionist - Grade C (£17,842, Per annum, pro rata) for 37 hours a week. Callington Community College are looking to appoint an enthusiastic and reliable  receptionist. You will be the first point of contact for visitors and be responsible for ensuring that safeguarding procedures are followed. Further information can be found here or please email munderwood@callingtoncc.net. A DBS Enhanced Disclosure will be taken for the successful applicant. Closing date: 9.00am on Friday 5th March. 

HR Update

Mid-Year Appraisal BlueSky – An opportunity for a personal check-in

We’re now mid-year point and appraisal reviews will be taking place.  Please do take the opportunity to discuss your wellbeing with your reviewer as part of this meeting; this aspect has been explicitly incorporated to support you with any specific difficulties or, merely as a means of checking on general wellness and strategies to improve or sustain this.  Please also see our West Staff Portal Health and Wellbeing area for information related to Confidential Counselling, Able Futures (personalised mental health support), Wellbeing Action Plans, personal resilience and other useful resources. The email address and password is available from your local admin office or HR@westst.org.uk.  And, don’t forget to also let us have your confidential views via the West Staff Survey!

Maintaining Staff in WeST Schools and Business Units Safely – Covid-19

Please find attached a slightly updated version of this guidance document, which now references the (new) third way a member of staff can be identified as CEV through the COVID-19 Population Risk Assessment. The guidance related to CEV staff remains unchanged for the moment, in so far as remaining away from work, until such time as national advice changes. The guidance for CV staff, or others who consider themselves to be more vulnerable also remains in place; which is to discuss any worries or concerns with your line manager within the context of the Risk Assessment in place at your setting and, if appropriate, an individual Risk Assessment to address specific issues.

Staff Status Form

The HR Team are working on a refreshed version of this form taking into account recent contextual changes and this will be rolled out shortly. As part of this roll-out staff will be asked to complete a new form, and to update their status each time there is a change. The new form also asks you to indicate your vaccination status. This is an optional question and responses will only be used to inform safe systems of work across the Trust including the wider reopening toolkit.  Summary data only will be used to update WeST Trustees, trade unions and other stakeholders as appropriate and no personal information or location will be shared with them. The roll-out will commence shortly and a further update will follow in next week’s Whistle. 

Update on the Employer Referral Portal

As an employer who is registered to use the Employer Referral Portal (ERP), we have been notified that it will be decommissioned shortly.  From Friday 26 February 2021, essential workers who are self-isolating either because they or members of their household have coronavirus symptoms should book tests directly via the self-referral portal, please click here. To ensure, as part of the education workforce, you receive a prioritised slot, please tick the relevant box on the self-referral portal to indicate your status.  

Joss Davis, HR Director

Morley Meadow Update 

The build is nearing completion as you can see in the photo, the sign looks amazing. 

We are now at the point where snagging is taking place and the WeST Estates team are visiting the site to undertake familiarisation of the building and systems, such as the fire alarm, access control. IT etc.

We still have a lot of work to do such as installing new furniture, servers and switches for IT. 

WeST still do not have the keys to the building. There is a process to be undertaken, where the build contractor has to complete all testing. They will hand the building to Persimmons who are the site developers and they then pass the keys to the client who is PCC who in turn will hand West the keys. 

 

Wembury New Build Update 

Wembury is having three class new modular buildings installed. Following a recent site meeting, the ground works for the installation of the building are now complete. The underground ducts that provide the pipes and cable from the main building have been installed. 

Various membranes have been laid and the earth backfilled so the foundations are now hidden. From the photo you can see the main load bearing floor being installed. Once the beams are in place the insulated composite floor is installed, locking the floor into one section. Changes on site will be every few days as the walls will be delivered which have already been made but in flat pack over the next couple weeks.

Due to the building being a modular build, the constructions onsite are fast paced, only slowing down when it comes to the internal fit out. It is an exciting project to deliver as well as watch being installed. More updates will be provided.

Mark Bullard, Estates Director 

Director of inclusion Update 

As we prepare to welcome our children back into our schools many of you will be thinking about how they have been coping during lockdown. For some of our pupils this will have been a difficult time. Thank you for what so many of you have been doing to support those children through the regular contact, both academic and pastoral, during our extended period of remote learning.

Simple empathic listening from a trusted adult is a huge, protective factor in the life of a young person going through a difficult period. We should all be confident that with a caring, thoughtful and empathic approach every contact we have with the children in our schools (and our colleagues, visitors and parents/carers etc.) can be a positive intervention.

For those of you interested in learning a little more about how we can support those who have experienced crisis Public Health England have made the Psychological First Aid training freely available. It takes between 1 and 2 hours to complete and is broken down into easy to digest chunks that explain the four phases of Prepare, Look, Listen and Link.

  • ‘Prepare’ to deliver PFA – make sure you know the background and feel ready to act
  • ‘Look’ for signs of distress and assess the situation
  • ‘Listen’ to build understanding and empathy
  • ‘Link’ to further support (community activities and groups, physical activities, voluntary and statutory agencies and online resources)

Having completed the course this week I can recommend it as a useful aide memoir to concepts that are probably familiar to many of us. For those of you may have completed the Mental Health First Aid training this is complementary as it is directed towards helping those who have faced crisis, rather than recognising the signs and symptoms of common mental health issues.

Richard Woodland, Director of Inclusion

Wellbeing for Education Return – new webinar and supporting resources for all education staff

There are new and updated Wellbeing for Education Return resources available for staff who do not have access to locally adapted training and support. These include a short, recorded webinar - 'Every interaction matters'. It introduces a simple framework for promoting wellbeing, resilience and mental health, building on staff’s existing roles, skills and personal qualities. 

This sits alongside the original Wellbeing for Education Return content covering issues such as bereavement, loss, anxiety, stress and trauma and signposting to free information and resources for education staff, children and young people, parents and carers.

For more information, click here.