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Dear Colleagues, 

There’s no doubt that Term 5 is flying by in a flash, and as we head towards the final two weeks of this short, intense term, I want to take a moment to reflect on another week packed with collaboration and purpose.

First and foremost, as our Year 6 pupils prepare to sit their SATs next week, I’d like to acknowledge the tremendous dedication and professionalism of our staff. The preparation, care, and commitment you have shown to ensure every pupil feels confident and ready is deeply appreciated. These assessments are a significant milestone in our pupils’ primary journey, and we wish them all the very best - knowing they will rise to the challenge with the support you have given them.

Alongside our Year 6s, our Year 11 and Year 13 students have now begun their public examinations. These are the culmination of years of learning, support, and guidance - and we are so proud of the resilience, effort, and maturity they are showing. We look forward to celebrating their achievements later this summer, but for now, we extend our sincere best wishes to all students and staff involved in this crucial period.

This week also brings exciting leadership news. We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Ryan Howe as the new permanent Headteacher of Manor Primary School, effective 1 May 2025. Throughout the recruitment process, Ryan demonstrated a deep and unwavering commitment to the highest standards of education and care for every child. His clarity of vision and passion for the school community were evident throughout. We are confident that under Ryan’s leadership, Manor Primary will continue to thrive and grow. Please join me in warmly congratulating him and offering your full support as he takes on this important role.

Tuesday was a particularly vibrant day across the Trust, featuring three key professional networks:

  • The EYFS Network Meeting, led by Hannah Ocean, focused on the vital role of interaction and communication in early childhood development. The session reminded us that 90% of brain development occurs before age 5, with early experiences shaping how children think, feel, and relate to the world around them. Hannah shared practical strategies - such as open-ended questioning, following the child’s lead, and one-to-one quality time - that support language acquisition and emotional development. Thank you, Hannah, for such an insightful and inspiring session.
  • The Teaching & Learning Leads Session, expertly led by Naveed Khan with contributions from Amy Pearce, focused on core instructional principles and practical strategies to support revision and memory retention. Topics included the use of precision-paced plans, choral responses, positive reinforcement, and checking for understanding. Amy provided valuable insights into direct instruction, reinforcing the importance of modelling, focused practice, and attention strategies. Plans for the next academic year were also outlined, including the calendar for INSET days and Raising Standards Meetings. As always, the session provided timely guidance to support excellent teaching across all phases.
  • Meanwhile, the SENDCo Network, facilitated by Caroline Kearney, Gemma Tully, and Ian Squires, brought together colleagues to share best practice and innovative approaches in SEND provision. It was a powerful space for collaboration, resource sharing, and professional reflection. The energy and passion in the room were tangible, and colleagues left feeling both inspired and better equipped to support some of our most vulnerable learners. Thank you to all who contributed so generously.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this week’s activities. The strength of WeST lies in the way we come together across roles, schools, and settings to learn from one another and drive continuous improvement.

As ever, your commitment and professionalism are what make our community so special. Best of luck to all involved in the upcoming assessments, and here’s to another productive week ahead.

Enjoy the sunshine - and have a restful weekend!

Best wishes, 

Rob Haring

CEO

IMPORTANT ITrent Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Action from 1 May 2025

Starting May 1st, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be introduced to the ITrent login process. This step is in line with the National Cyber Security Centre's advice to enhance protection against common cyber security attacks. MFA is a highly effective security measure, and MHR, the provider of ITrent, has mandated its implementation.

To help you get started, we have attached a document explaining how to log in using MFA. If you are unable to download an app to your phone, please inform your local administrator by April 30th, so that email authentication can be arranged as an alternative. 

Please note that disabling MFA via the app and using email authentication instead will only be considered in exceptional and limited circumstances.  This is because it provides a reduced level of security when compared to the App and the over-ride needs to be applied to individual accounts by the central team.  Local administrators will therefore carefully evaluate and consider the circumstances of each request before endorsing these for action by the HR Team.

Please click here for the booklet. 

Thank you in advance for supporting this important change, Julia Strang HR Data and Payroll Manager

Word Of The Week!

This week's word is "synergy".

Definition: Synergy is the combined effect of two or more elements working together to create a result greater than the sum of their individual contributions. In teamwork or collaboration, synergy happens when people’s skills, ideas, or efforts complement each other, leading to heightened efficiency, innovation, or success.

Reason: A synergistic workplace encourages open communication, mutual support, and a culture of trust, allowing ideas to flow and projects to succeed more efficiently. Whether it’s cross-functional teams working on complex initiatives or colleagues brainstorming fresh strategies, synergy ensures that collective effort leads to amplified success.

Plymouth Historical Association Lecture

On Tuesday the 6th May, around 100 of our GCSE and A-level students attended the Plymouth Historical Association Lecture with Nicholas Terry. During this lecture, "The Rise of Nazism in Germany after 1929, and the Consolidation of the dictatorship" was discussed. They discussed the impact on german society, the economic and political crisis and many more points around this. Our students chatted with the university lecturers after the event and looked at the courses that they offer. The schools that attended were Coombe Dean and Ivybridge Community College. Thank you to Becky Bailey for accompanying the students to this lecture.

SEND Provision in Mainstream Schools - Expressions of Interest

We have all noticed changes in the cohort in our mainstream schools. Mainstream schools are expected to cater to an increasingly wider and more complex range of SEND needs. WeST is embarking on an exciting project alongside Kernow Learning Trust with the aim of better supporting the children within our trusts who are falling between the cracks of mainstream and specialist provision but are placed in our mainstream schools.

Our ultimate aim is to provide bespoke teacher-led SEND classrooms within our schools to meet the most complex needs of our pupils. Our goal is to open our first provision in September 2026 and use this as a starting point to grow across more of our schools. This is likely to be a KS1 provision.

These provisions need to be run by specially trained teachers. We want these teachers to come from within our trust. To that end, we will be delivering a programme of training to selected teachers during the academic year 2025-26. There will be 10 sessions throughout the year with opportunities to engage in CPD and visit specialist provisions. There will be a mix of online and in-person sessions which will be based in our training room in Camelford, co-delivered by members of WeST, Kernow and SEND specialists. As there will be a commitment to attend all training sessions, we ask that you seek support from your headteacher before expressing your interest.

Entry onto the course will not guarantee a placement in a bespoke classroom in the first year, but there will be opportunities as the project grows. While on the programme, teachers will continue on their current contracts.

If you would like to put yourself forward for a place on the course, please write a paragraph detailing why you feel you would be suited to the course and send it to gmallard@westst.org.uk by 21st May 2025.

Please include:

  • Your motivation and passion for working with pupils with complex needs.
  • Demonstration of your experience and how this relates to the purpose of the long-term project.

Following this you will be notified if you have been put forward to the selection process day on 11th June.

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Meaningful May

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Internal Y6 Teacher vacancy:

Boringdon Primary School is seeking to appoint an inspirational and creative Year 6 Class Teacher to join their accomplished and dedicated team in September 2025. This role also includes an additional TLR2a payment, and it can be discussed that the role is a potential secondment. The candidate would also join the Senior Leadership Team as both the English and Personal Development Leader. If you are an established leader or if you are ready for the next stage in your career, Boringdon look forward to hearing from you. To arrange a tour or for an informal discussion regarding this role, please contact Matt Stace (Headteacher) on 01752330424 or matthewstace@boringdon.plymouth.sch.uk

Recruitment update:

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

Coombe Dean School are seeking to appoint the following vacancies: 

Teacher of MFL - The successful candidate will be a hard-working individual with high expectations and an unwavering determination to get the best outcomes for students. Closing date: 16 May 2025

Cover and Behaviour Inclusion Supervisor - The successful applicant will demonstrate an understanding of the issues related to the motivation of students and have a good education with a minimum of 5 GCSEs A-C or equivalent. Closing date: 2 June 2025

Teacher of English - The successful candidate will be a hard-working individual with high expectations and an unwavering determination to get the best outcomes for students.  Closing date: 12 May 2025

Ivybridge Community College are seeking to appoint Casual Examinations Invigilators. Hours of work are by negotiation, to cover examination sessions throughout the year. The ability to work at least three days a week during the peak times in May and June. Full day, morning (start 8.30am) and afternoon sessions are offered. For more information, please click here. Closing date: 18 July 2025. 

Westcountry Schools Trust are looking to fill the following vacancies:  

Headteacher at Woodlands Park Primary School - The Headteacher will have overall responsibility for the organisation, management and conduct of the school, providing leadership and assisting with the delivery of the WeST strategic direction to ensure the achievement of the highest possible standards of education. The role will require collaboration within and beyond Westcountry Schools Trust and a close working relationship with the Director of Education. For more information, please click here. Closing date: 19 May 2025. 

Secondary Initial Teacher Trainees (unpaid) - Are you passionate about teaching and ready to make a significant impact on the lives of young people? We are seeking an exceptional individual with vision, energy and passion to join us as an Aspiring Secondary School Teacher, to uphold our core values and guide our vision of Every Child in a Great School. This is a 12-month, full-time, postgraduate programme in a Secondary School environment where you’ll experience a mix of study modules, live training sessions and classroom practice. Study modules can be completed at your own pace through our online learning platform, which will provide you with a foundation of theory to build your practice on. At every stage, you'll be guided by your own personal mentor. For information, please click here. Closing date: 20 June 2025. 

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