Welcome back,
The first week of the summer term always has a particular energy to it, and this one has been no exception. Schools have returned with real focus, and there's a sense across the Trust that the work we've been building through our strategic plan is beginning to take root in visible, practical ways.
The term ahead and getting ready for what matters
This term naturally leans into our first strategic pillar: educational standards and outcomes. Across primary and secondary, I'm seeing thoughtful, careful preparation for the key assessment points ahead. What I value about our approach is the way we hold a continuum in mind. In primary, SATs are an important check on how well our curriculum has landed, but our staff are exceptionally good at ensuring children are well prepared without being pressured. As children get older and external qualifications become gateway moments for their futures, the emphasis rightly shifts. By A level and Level 3, those results matter most to the young people themselves. I think we strike a good balance along that continuum, and it's encouraging to see it in action right now.
Recruitment and headship
I'm delighted to report that we have secured a number of excellent appointments in recent weeks, particularly in our primary schools. The quality and depth of the fields we're attracting has been genuinely impressive, giving us the privilege of choosing candidates who are not only technically strong but the right fit for their community. Individual schools will share that news in due course, but it's a healthy sign. In a trust where headteachers retain real autonomy and more than 95% of funding stays in schools, getting the right leader is everything.
A visit to Ashburton Primary
I spent time at Ashburton Primary this week and left with a strong impression of calm, purposeful learning. The children took visible pride in showing me how they moved through the building, walking in careful lines, raising hands in class, keen to demonstrate their responsibility to a visitor. Outside, the new play area was in enthusiastic use, with parents lingering to enjoy the space alongside their children. Several told me how much they're looking forward to the upcoming local governance elections, wanting to be, as one parent put it, "on the inside" to support and challenge the school's leadership. It was a reminder of how much community investment matters.
Sporting success across the Trust
The breadth of sporting achievement this week is striking. At Ivybridge Community College, the U13 boys represented the college at the Devon Cricket Finals, and three rugby squads competed at the West of England Sevens, with the U14s taking home the plate. Ten Tors teams completed their longest training walk to date. At Coombe Dean, both the U14 and U15 Plymstock Oaks teams won the Devon Plate in rugby. Chaddlewood Primary's tag rugby club took part in a festival at Plympton Academy, showing great teamwork and sportsmanship. Plymstock School students travelled to Nottingham for an Easter netball experience at the Motorpoint Arena. These moments matter. They connect young people to ambition and to the wider world.
Creative and enrichment highlights
Plymstock's Year 9 students visited TR2 for a creative arts industry experience as part of their Silver Arts Award and and their LAMDA students achieved outstanding results, including one score of 97 out of 100. Ivybridge's open mic sessions continue to draw packed houses. At St Teath, the school took part in Schools Cricket Day marking 50 days until the Women's T20 World Cup, and new bikes and trikes for EYFS arrived thanks to a Tesco Stronger Starts win. Plympton St Maurice has a brand new school pond for wildlife learning.
Technology and finance
Behind the scenes, we continue to develop our technology partnerships, progressing solutions to strengthen our cybersecurity and exploring how to put tools, including AI into the hands of staff responsibly. Our approach remains cautious: data must be handled carefully, and we brief students on the limits of machine-generated outputs. Next week brings the third round of our budget-setting process, working closely with headteachers to ensure every school stays within its financial envelope. It's unglamorous but essential work. Every financial decision gets held up against one question: "Is this best and right for the children?"
Looking ahead
Next week will be largely given over to school finance meetings, particularly with our secondaries. I'll also be paying attention to how our reading interventions are landing. Coombe Dean's recent reading fluency programme saw some students make more than two years' progress in just eight weeks, which is the kind of quiet, determined work that changes lives. More of that, please.
Thank you, as always, for the thought, care and professionalism you bring to this work.
Warm regards,
Nat Parnell
CEO
