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Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to this week’s edition of the ‘Whistle’ – and what a week!

Thursday saw the Department for Education (DfE) publish the national dataset for how Year 1 children performed in the 2024 Phonics Screening Check (PSC). The national average is 80%, up 1% on the 79% of children that met the standard in 2023. It is with huge pride, then, that we can recognise the success of our Year 1 cohort since 92% met the standard, some 12% above the national average.

Coincidentally, this week saw our wonderful team of those who teach phonics come together for professional training. Regular, high-quality professional training is an integral aspect of how we deliver such high standards. Colleagues networking, sharing, and learning together builds an ever-strengthening network of professional practice. The collaborative spirit fostered during these sessions not only enriches individual expertise but also cultivates a collective aspiration towards excellence. By continuously engaging in these training opportunities, we ensure that we are best paced to deliver the highest quality experience for our children.

Maintaining the theme of professional development and supporting professional growth, it was fabulous to see our brand new cohort of early career teachers (ECTs) from across our WeST Training Institute meet for their launch conference. We were delighted to welcome teachers embarking on their careers from schools outside of the immediate WeST family. This inclusivity underscores our commitment to fostering a broader educational community where shared experiences and knowledge transcend individual institutions, thereby uplifting the collective quality of education.

Our WeST Year 2 enjoyed their final face-to-face conference at Morley Meadow. This key event represented the last occasion whereby they came together as an ECT cohort, completing two years of training. The event was a testament to their hard work and dedication over the past two years. It also provided a platform for them to reflect on their journey, celebrate their achievements, and look forward to future opportunities for professional growth.

Our first school improvement priority for 2024-25 is curriculum enactment. As such, it was fantastic to see first-hand colleagues within the School Improvement (SI) team modelling direct instruction with each other and strategising on how we can constantly challenge ourselves to further improve.

In conclusion, this week has been a shining example of our commitment to professional collaboration and continuous improvement. Through our shared efforts, we continue to build a vibrant, dynamic educational environment that not only meets but exceeds standards, ensuring the best possible outcomes for our children. Thank you for your continued dedication and hard work. Let's keep aiming high and supporting each other in our journey towards excellence.

Best wishes, 

Rob Haring

CEO

World Mental Health Day

Thursday 10 October this week was World Mental Health Day, and we’d like to remind all colleagues that your mental health matters. Do you know about the UK charity Education Support? It’s there to provide mental health support for anyone working within education.

Education Support provide a free and confidential helpline, staffed by qualified counsellors. When you call you’ll receive immediate emotional support. Available 24/7, round the clock, on 08000 562 561.

You can also download their World Mental Health Day toolkit, which includes popular resources to help you, and your colleagues stay mentally well. Share with your teams and departments to start the conversation about mental health in your workplace.

Access the World Mental Health Day toolkit

Please remember you're not alone. We are all here to support one another and work together to provide the best education we collectively can for children and young people.

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Early-Career Payments for eligible teachers

Eligible chemistry, languages, mathematics and physics teachers can apply to the DFE directly for early-career payments between October and March.

You can can apply from 14 October to 31 March for the 2024 to 2025 academic year.

For more information, please visit: 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/early-career-payments-guidance-for-teachers-and-schools

Final Estates Summer Project Update

This will be our last update from the Estates team for the summer projects – sometimes you really can have too much of a good thing!

The variety of projects our central estates team manages is extensive, and this summer, we tackled something new: the demolition of a brick building. Hartley House at Eggbuckland Community College, once the 6th Form College, had served multiple educational purposes over the years. Most recently, it housed a thriving school/nursery, but with the reduced PAN and the construction of the new Michael Caddy building, it became redundant.

Hartley House fell into significant disrepair, becoming not only an eyesore but a safety risk due to vandalism and years of disuse. A feasibility study was carried out to assess whether the building could be repurposed, but with refurbishment costs estimated at £4 million – the same cost as demolition and rebuilding – and no defined future use, we made the decision to demolish the structure.

The demolition process lasted nine weeks. We started with an internal soft strip, carefully segregating materials for recycling, including key plant equipment, which has been repurposed across our schools. Although this stage was labour-intensive and time-consuming, it was crucial for minimising landfill waste and maximising reuse.

Once the summer holidays began, we were able to bring in heavy machinery to dismantle the building piece by piece. As with any complex project, a few unexpected challenges arose: we encountered wasps' nests in the cavity walls, discovered unforeseen asbestos, and found foundation slabs 500mm deeper than expected. These obstacles extended the timeline by one week, but the demolition was completed successfully and exceeded our expectations.

We hope you’ve enjoyed these updates and gained insight into the extensive work carried out by our Central Estates and School Premises teams over the summer.

Flu Vaccinations                     

WeST continues to support staff wellbeing and is pleased to enhance the NHS free flu vaccination by offering staff access to flu vaccinations this winter.

Last year we issued over 350 flu jab vaccination vouchers to staff members across the WeST network!

This year we have partnered with Doctorcall to deliver a limited number of e-voucher flu vaccinations via participating pharmacies and we have also partnered with H&G Healthcare to deliver flu vaccinations at on-site clinics within the Trust.

These vaccinations are provided at no cost to staff members and we encourage all staff to take up the offer of a flu jab via one of these pathways:

Flu vaccination voucher

To be used at one of the participating pharmacies (Found here: https://doctorcall.co.uk/pharmacy-finder). You are able to book an appointment at a time and location that suits you, pharmacies include Tesco, Day Lewis, +Well and Asda.

To request you flu vaccination voucher, please visit https://forms.office.com/e/uREz7LRVma or scan this QR code:

 

 

 

 

Flu vaccination at one of our WeST sites

Plymstock School

23 October 2024

11am—5pm

Deadline to book your appointment: 21 October 2024

Coombe Dean School

6 November 2024

7am—10am

Deadline to book your appointment: 4 November 2024

Following on from last year, you also have the opportunity to receive a vaccination at one of our sites in the Trust. The clinics are located:

Please note if you wish to receive a vaccination via this method, you will need to book an appointment. Flu vaccination clinics are on a ‘first come first serve’ basis, on the specified dates and times only.

For further information please contact WeST HR via hr@westst.org.uk

Optimistic October

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Recruitment update:

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

Coombe Dean School are looking to appoint a Cover and Behaviour Inclusion Supervisor. You will be a confident individual who can create and develop good relationships with students and who has a strong commitment to supporting student learning. The ability to work independently and as part of a team is essential. For more information, please click here. Closing date: 21 October 2024. 

   Eggbuckland Community College are 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.

Plymstock School are looking to fill the following vacancies:

Senior IT Technician - The successful candidate will work closely with the ICT Network Manager to ensure that the ICT resources in the school are safe and effective. They will respond and resolve problems relating to hardware and software and be the first point of contact between system users and the Network Team. Closing date: 14 October 2024. 

Science Technician (Chemistry) – The successful candidate will provide teachers with a range of technical support, enabling them to deliver the science curriculum to students, including advising on health and safety issues. Closing date: 14 October 2024. 

Teacher of Science (Chemistry) – In addition to being a creative practitioner, you will have the commitment and energy to encourage all students to excel and aspire to attain their highest academic and personal goals. Closing date: 17 October 2024. 

Teaching Assistant – Acting under the direction of the school's SENDCo and SEND Year Team Leader, the individual will provide general and targeted support to staff and students, as well as specialising in SEMH and EBSA. Closing date: 18 October 2024. 

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