Good afternoon, everyone.
Eid Mubarak to our Muslim colleagues and families celebrating today.
This has been one of those weeks where the work has been largely behind closed doors, but no less significant for it. I have spent much of the past few days involved in senior appointment processes at both trust and school level, and while I cannot share all the outcomes just yet, I can say that the calibre of candidates we are attracting continues to be remarkably strong. Anyone who suggests the Southwest struggles to produce or draw in excellent leaders is simply mistaken. We have the capacity to grow our own and to attract from further afield, and that is something worth stating plainly.
Katie Patrick appointed Director of Education, Primary. I am genuinely delighted to share that, following a rigorous and searching process against a very strong field, Katie Patrick has been appointed to this important role. Katie is one of our own, having led Woodford Primary admirably for more than five years, as well as supporting other schools, headteachers and Executive Headteachers within WeST. She brings exactly the skill set, experience and professional drive that our primary phase needs as it moves into the next chapter. I also want to recognise Sue Costello, whose leadership has been instrumental in building the strong position our primary schools enjoy today. Sue will remain with us next year in a focused role leading on Ofsted readiness and SEND across the Trust, areas that draw on her deep expertise. This creates a clear, purposeful alignment of responsibilities, and I am confident it positions us well. Please join me in congratulating Katie.
One of the things that struck me during the interview process was a candidate responding to a question about the national policy climate with such relentless, grounded optimism that it stopped me in my tracks. It was a useful reminder. The funding picture is not easy right now. We learned this week that post-16 funding is likely to fall considerably short of what we had been led to expect, and that has real consequences for the education we can provide from age 16 upwards. We will respond as we always do: as a trust that takes as little as possible centrally, that keeps resources at the chalk face, and that puts children first. Thirty years in education has taught me that headwinds come in different forms, but they always come. We push through, and we do it with integrity.
On a brighter note, I was encouraged by today's Plymouth CEOs meeting, which explored how trusts across the city can maximise the opportunities arising from significant defence investment in Plymouth. Already, a number of our headteachers have put themselves forward to join working parties looking at how funding and programmes can best serve young people. That kind of willingness to step up speaks to something important about who we are.
Turning to our schools, there is plenty to celebrate. Ashburton Primary has achieved Gold in the Primary Futures National Recognition Programme, the highest level of recognition for embedding meaningful career-related learning. For a small primary school to reach that standard says a great deal about the ambition Annette and her team hold for their children's futures. Staying in our primaries.At Holbeton, children spent a glorious day at Orchard Farm, meeting lambs, planting willow and exploring woodland. And Boringdon has clocked up over 1,100 active journeys in just four days as part of the Big Walk and Wheel, alongside some lovely cross-curricular food exploration in Year 3.
In our secondaries, Maisie W at Eggbuckland continues to be a quietly superb ambassador for the college, representing England in football in Turkey with her trademark modesty and determination. Ivybridge launched their Place of Sanctuary hub this week and welcomed back former student and professional goalkeeper Freya Weeks, while their girls' rugby teams performed brilliantly at the Millfield 7s. Plymstock took Year 12 students to Exeter College, Oxford, and Callington welcomed a representative from Downing College, Cambridge, both visits opening doors and broadening horizons. Plymstock's girls also reached the semi-finals at the Southern Regional EFL Finals,. At Hele's, Year 11 students impressed during their mock interview experience, and their JLT Post-16 students organised a spring fundraiser with real initiative.
I must also highlight Jenni Bindon, our Executive Director of Languages, who presented at Language World 2026 this week alongside Michael Slavinsky. She showcased WeST's work on the Languages for All pilot, demonstrating how we are ensuring every student has a pathway to A-level languages regardless of geography or disadvantage. The response from national figures was excellent, and Jenni has been invited to present at the Pearson Edexcel conference in July. It is always good to see our trust represented on the national stage, particularly in the Southwest, which was notably under-represented at the event.
I will be honest: one regret I carry from this week is that, other than being based at WeST HQ I have not managed to get into a school. The appointment work was necessary and important, but I do not want to become disconnected from classrooms and corridors. Next week I intend to put that right.
Have a good weekend, everyone. Thank you, as always, for everything you do.
Warm regards,
Nat Parnell
CEO
