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Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the new academic year!

I hope everyone enjoyed the summer break and took the opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend quality time with friends and family. As we step into the 2024-25 academic year, I extend an especially warm welcome to our new colleagues who have just joined us – welcome to the WeST family. We are delighted to have you on board and look forward to your contributions as we continue to strive for excellence.

The start of a new school year is always filled with anticipation and optimism. This year is no exception. We embark on this journey full of confidence, inspired by the wonderful achievements of the past year. The 2023-24 academic year was a testament to our dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment to our children's success. I am immensely proud to share some of the highlights that showcase the exceptional progress we have made together.

Firstly, our performance in the Phonics Screening Check (PSC) was outstanding. In 2023, we achieved a 90% success rate, significantly above the national average for England. Our ambitious target for 2024 was 92%, and I am thrilled to announce that we met this goal head-on, achieving 92% across our 19 primary schools. This remarkable achievement reflects the dedication and expertise of our staff in providing high-quality phonics instruction.

In Key Stage 2 (KS2), WeST schools continued to excel. In 2023, we were 7% above the national average, with a combined Reading, Writing, and Mathematics (RWM) percentage of 67%. Our target for 2024 was 72%, and we came extremely close, with 71% of Year 6 children in WeST primaries meeting this standard. This performance places us 10% above the national average for 2024, which stands at 61%. Such an achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teachers and children.

At the GCSE level, our secondary schools have shown significant improvement in both attainment and progress. At the key measure of BASICS (children gaining a Grade 5 in both English and Maths), WeST has achieved 49% of Year 11 students meeting this standard, marking a 4% uplift compared to the previous year. While national progress scores will not be published until October 2024, our internal calculations indicate that we have made strides forward and are likely to achieve a positive progress score (P8) of +0.05.

In Key Stage 5 (KS5) – 'A' Levels – WeST has also made notable progress. We have moved from an average grade of 'C' to a strong 'C+', demonstrating our commitment to raising academic standards across all age range and making sure that the ‘doors of opportunity’ swing open for either Higher Education study or the world of work.

These achievements are not the result of chance but are due to the collective effort of everyone in our trust. Our success has been underpinned by five School Improvement priorities that have been implemented with rigour and consistency. You have embraced these priorities, fostering a culture of trust, support, and challenge among our staff. Your resilience and adaptability in the face of unprecedented challenges and changes in the education landscape have made a tangible difference in the lives of thousands of children and young people in Devon, Plymouth, and Cornwall.

As we celebrate these successes, we must also look forward with confidence and ambition. The bar has been set high, and I have no doubt that we will continue to excel. Our trust value of aspiration drives us to aim higher, push boundaries, and strive for continuous improvement.

Let us embrace these opportunities with enthusiasm and determination. Together, we can build on our achievements, support each other, and create an environment where every child can thrive.

Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our shared vision.

I look forward to the year ahead – good luck!

Best wishes,

Rob Haring

CEO

Peninsula Pensions LGPS Webinar – 9 September 2024

Peninsula Pensions are holding an online webinar for all employees who are members or eligible for LGPS membership across the Devon Pension Fund. The webinar will discuss the type of benefits you could receive, the contributions members pay and ways to increase or decrease contribution levels as circumstances change. You will also learn more about the Member Self Service portal.

These sessions will run on 9 September 2024 for approximately 45 minutes, at the following times: 9.30am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm.

If you would like to attend one of these sessions, you are able to sign up by completing this form.

Peninsula Pensions will then send you a link to the Webinar shortly before the event.

Ihasco Training 

Hi All,

Welcome back, I hope you had a fantastic summer.

As you know Health and Safety is all of our responsibility. One way of ensuring you know what to look out for and to understand risk management is to undertake training. 

We use the Ihasco platform for delivery of 3 training modules per year. This year the training is:

  • Manual Handling
  • Lone working
  •  Slips trips and falls

We all undertake manual handling even when you don't realise, such as lifting the shopping into and out of the boot of your car or moving something into the loft. Lone working is not only about in the workplace on your own but your own personal safety when out and about. When I watched this video, I was very impressed. Are you aware of your surroundings when walking down the street with your hoodie up, headphones on and writing that important snapchat message for your followers? Is the taxi you ordered the one that arrives? Slips, trips and falls are the biggest injury statistic in all workplaces not just schools.

You would have received the email on the 31st July. Click on the link in green as below. 

You will have received the message below. Click on the 'request a magic log-in-link'. 

You will receive a verification code and you are good to go. 

If you have any further queries, please contact your own admin team or Liam Cox. Health and Safety Manager - wcox@westst.org.uk. 

Estates Summer Projects Overview

Over the summer the Estates and school premises teams have been busy delivering projects to improve our schools. WeST receive a capital budget of £2.4m from the DFE. There is a lot to do, however, this is never enough. Ensuring we are efficient in the way we spend our money and manage the projects we deliver is important. 

Every year there are projects that you do not see the results of, such as roofs or fire alarms. Then there is the Wow factor projects such as classroom refurbishments, toilet upgrades and external play areas. Over the next few weeks, I will share with you some of the projects we have undertaken over the summer.

To give an example of some of our projects and the costs associated with projects across multiple schools. 

Roofs

Fire alarm systems

Fencing

Paths and outdoor spaces

Building Fabric

Boilers, heating and water systems

Toilet upgrades

Classroom refurbishments

£680K

£221K

£96K

£95K

£70K

£194K

£90K

£350K

Our first article demonstrates improvements to external play areas and pathways

Two notable projects were undertaken for surfacing at Manor Primary and Eggbuckland Community College. Despite being in entirely different environments, both areas have been significantly improved.

At Manor Primary, we rejuvenated two outdoor play areas by installing new rubber mulch surfaces in both the preschool and main playground. The before-and-after photos below illustrate the transformation. The new rubber surface provides an even finish that enhances safety by preventing slips and trips, as well as a soft surface underfoot. 

 

  

Following the completion of the Manor Primary project, work quickly began at Eggbuckland Community College. We focused on two separate areas: one behind the art block and the other by the languages block. The project involved removing the old surfacing, which was in poor condition and posed a risk of falls.

The preparation for the new surface, took slightly longer than anticipated due to inclement weather, the team pushed on to get the project completed on time. Pictured below are some shots, to show case another excellent result.

    

      

      

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Self-Care September

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Recruitment update:

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

   Eggbuckland Community College is looking to appoint Casual Exam Invigilators - As an invigilator, you will assist examination staff with their examination processes. This activity may include setting up examination venues by laying out stationery, equipment and examination papers in accordance with strict procedures. For more information on the above vacancy please click here. Closing date: 9 January 2025.

Coombe Dean School is seeking to appoint a Teacher of Design and Technology. The successful candidate will be an excellent classroom practitioner, passionate about Design and Technology and working with young people. The ability to implement a strong curriculum, engage, enthuse and inspire young people to achieve success is key and we welcome applications from both experienced teachers and ECTs. For more information, please click here. Closing date: 27 September 2024. 

Westcountry Schools Trust are looking to fill the following vacancies: 

Executive Assistant (School Improvement Team) - You will be the first point of contact for the Team, answering and triaging queries as appropriate, ensuring that all emails and/or calls are responded to in a timely manner. You will be required to produce complex reports and information for the School Improvement Team, as well as helping them to prepare a range of documentation such as presentations, training materials, etc. Closing date: 23 September 2024.  

HR Assistant - The HR Assistant will support the full range of contractual administrative and payroll/pension-related tasks, liaising with the Trust’s managed services provider and be the focal point for trust-wide recruitment sign off. They will also administer routine HR matters for the Core Services team. Closing date: 8 September 2024. 

For more information on the above vacancies, please click here.