Transforming Futures Trust Parent Portal - End of Term Newsletter March 2021

Welcome

Firstly, welcome to the first edition of Transforming Futures Trusts' new staff newsletter.

As mentioned within my previous updates via email, we are keen to continually improve our communications across the Trust. As part of that it is hoped that this newsletter will become a regular feature and strengthen our ability to share information across the Trust and between each of our Academies.

It is with great sadness that I am starting this first digital newsletter with reference to the tragic and unexpected death of one of our colleagues, Elizabeth Foregard. Elizabeth as many of you will know, was based at Courtland’s where she worked with our younger pupils. She was very well loved by all at the school. She ran the arts and crafts club and was a superb teacher. The school community is devastated and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this tragic and incredibly difficult time. Thank you to all our staff at Courtlands who while dealing with their own grief have given such strong guidance and support to their pupils. If you or any of your colleagues are struggling at this time, please do reach out and access the Trust's support in which more information is provided within the 'Wellbeing' article below.

Turning to other matters and further to my communication to colleagues back in March, I wanted to provide a business update on key items in which the Trust is involved as follows:-

The government's roadmap out of lockdown: As you may be aware there are many changes coming out from the DfE that will affect us over the next 12 months or so. Examples include new frameworks covering NQTs and a first draft policy paper for discussion on SEND and AP schools. There is also encouragement for trusts to work more collegiately in certain areas. After the Easter break we will therefore be undertaking project working with other trusts in the Plymouth area and have been invited to join similar panels in Cornwall. Tiverton are already working with Devon regarding the SEN100 framework with exciting developments that will help us to address children's needs in different ways.
As the national lockdown eases and over the warmer months we will need to keep sight of our corporate and social responsibilities around preventing the spread of Covid-19. While we emerge with a far greater sense of hope that the vaccine roll out will put an end to the pandemic, we are far from that currently. As such, we need to ensure our tight Covid-19 controls remain in place across our schools for some months to come to keep ourselves and our school community safe.
Delt TUPE proposal: At the time of last writing, we announced that formal consultation with colleagues directly affected had commenced. This period of consultation will end no earlier than Friday 16 April 2021 and it may be extended if required dependent on items that arise from consulting with those employees who are part of the 'transfer group'. We can report that 121 meetings are well underway and we are on track to deliver all of those meetings over the next couple of weeks. Colleagues directly affected have been supported by receiving regular FAQs to questions that arise during their individual meetings as well as accessing their elected representatives and Delt Change Champions where required. If you have a question on any issues related to the Delt TUPE proposal then please email our dedicated mailbox consultation@transformingfutures.org.uk.

Finally, as we look to the end of the spring term, I would like to reflect on what has been a year of immense upheaval. May I take this opportunity to thank you for your continued resilience and passion for delivering great education to our children across the Trust. Your individual efforts and support are hugely appreciated.

Turning to the future, the Trust now has focussed plans. Our staff have risen to the challenge in terms of offering remote learning and as a result enhanced their skills sets. This has not only benefited pupils but is being recognised by the wider education community in terms of our specialist skills.

Thank you once again and enjoy the Easter break,

Best wishes

Gavin Gracie, CEO

Headteacher's Blog

As a regular feature for the trust's newsletter, this week's spotlight falls on Hannah Smart, Headteacher at ACE, Tiverton who shares with us what the Recovery Curriculum means to the Trust and in a local sense at ACE Tiverton.

Recovery Curriculum: The TFT Way

Supporting students to re-engage at school with a focus on relationships

“The loss the children experienced during this pandemic will have caused issues around attachment – in their relationships in school that they have forged over years; these will be some of the strongest relationships the young people have, but bereft of the investment of those daily interactions, will have become fragile.” (Barry Carpenter 2020)

From 20th March 2020, schools were closed for all except a few students because of a worldwide pandemic. The UK went into lockdown, meaning that people could only leave their homes to buy food, exercise and carry out critical work. This left parents and carers home educating their children with the support of their school. Children have experienced loss of social interaction with their friends, extended family and their teachers. They have lost their usual structure and routines as they are not able to attend school and extracurricular activities. They have been without their usual freedoms, playing outside and visiting leisure areas. Some may have experienced bereavement of friends or family. All of our students have suffered some form of loss.

All our staff are asked to share information that helps put the best support in place as quickly as possible. If you are seeing common themes of behaviour or anxieties with your class, speak up so we can share supportive resources to help you with this and signpost you in the right direction. Remember: getting to know your students as much as possible will allow us to support them and re-engage them as active learners as soon as possible. Please reach out if you personally need support. This has been, and continues to be, a challenging time and we are here to support you as well.

Our trust-wide approach focuses on restoring mental health and rebuilding the resilience of our students to allow them to become learners again by:

Recognising the experiences had by individuals
Restoring trust and relationships
Re-establishing friendships and social interactions
Regaining structure and routine
Rebuilding our sense of community
Regulating emotions and managing behaviours
Re-engaging students in their learning
Preparation for transition

At ACE Tiverton we have addressed these areas of need through the development of a recovery curriculum that enhances student’s learning, development and reconnection with adults and their peers. Our priority is to support students to re-engage with school and develop the confidence to be active learners again. Irrelevant of the needs, anxieties and challenges that students presented prior to the pandemic, all students will be experiencing some uncertainty about their experiences this year, our recovery curriculum supports them to understand and recognise these feelings, speak up and share them in a way that is healthy, safe and appropriate as well as develop their capacity for empathy and understanding of others’ experiences during this time.

With best wishes

Hannah Smart
Headteacher

Welcome

Recruitment Update

Keep an eye on the Trust's vacancy page as the following role will be out to advertise soon....

Headteacher's Blog

Wellbeing update

HR Update

Covid-19 - latest guidance:

New MIS System - Arbor

Cyber Security - Important information....

Other News......

Letter from Gavin Williamson MP and Secretary of State for Education