Following discussions which initially began before the pandemic with our Chief Executive, Chiquita Henson, and Graham Russell, Chair of Trustees, the governors at St Mary’s C of E Primary School in Tetbury launched a consultation process on Thursday 24 June 2021. This followed a decision, taken by the governing body in April 2021 to explore the feasibility of their school joining The Corinium Education Trust.

 

Headteacher, Jo Woolley, set out the rationale for doing so in her letters to St Mary’s stakeholders: 'We want to join a small, local multi-academy trust. The Corinium Education Trust is made up of schools who are already within our South Cotswolds School Partnership and with whom we already have a  relationship. The members of the Trust are committed to improving the life chances and learning outcomes for all children through collaborative work. In a smaller multi-academy trust St Mary's will be in a position to contribute fully to the work of the trust and The Corinium Education Trust equally are committed to ensuring each of its school retain their own identities. CEO, Chiquita Henson, understands that primary schools first and foremost serve their communities and our responsibility is to serve the familites of Tetbury. The Corinium Education Trust aims to inspire, challenge and transform - values that sit alongside our aim to develop caring, curious and courageous young people.'

 

The trustees of The Corinium Education Trust welcome this approach and, while it is still very early days in St Mary’s journey, our Chief Executive, Chiquita Henson, is working closely with Jo Woolley and her team to achieve a smooth transition. This includes meticulous due diligence on each side.

 

‘We are delighted with the expression interest from St Mary’s C of E Primary School. We recognise this public consultation is just the first step towards their conversion to academy status, but we share a similar vision and feel the school will add value to our multi-academy trust. We fully appreciate there are more steps to take and we are liaising closely with the school, Diocese and the Regional Schools’ Commissioner’s Office to ensure we can take them together.’ Chiquita Henson, Chief Executive

 

For more information about St Mary’s C of E Primary School’s consultation please go to Multi Academy Trust Consultation (stmarystetbury.com).

As pupils returned to our schools after the half term break they noted a few changes. In line with our own and the Government’s roadmaps out of lockdown, we were all able to make some adjustments.

 

Pupils saw the return of whole school playtimes at Kemble Primary School as school leaders made the decision to relax our class bubbles and reunite pupils while outside. There was great excitement as the children streamed onto the field in the sunshine for the first time in 15 months. The Reception class pupils got to meet their Year 6 buddies at last and a huge Key Stage 2 football game was soon taking place. Headteacher, Emma Morrogh-Ryan commented, ‘It was a magical moment to see the beginnings of normal school life returning as the Kemble family were able to play together again.’

 

Similar steps were taken at Siddington C of E Primary School where they have also formed a ‘whole school bubble’. This will ease some of the restrictions in the school so that the children from different classes can play together and do some activities as a whole school. Headteacher, Katie Cook, is keen to extend these changes: ‘We are already thinking of creative ways to invite parents for an outside activity before the end of term. We would all really like to see parents back in school before the end of the year.’

At Cirencester Deer Park School, all year groups were promoted and the new timetable provided everyone with a fresh start. While pupils essentially remain in their year group bubbles and continue to have staggered breaks and lunch times, their home bases have been disbanded. Consequently, pupils are now moving around the school again as all teachers have returned to their specialist classrooms after 15 months of moving to teach the pupils in their home bases or teaching remotely during the periods of lockdown.

 

Pupils previously in Year 7, quickly located their new tutor group bases on Tuesday 8 June and picked up their new Year 8 timetables first thing in the morning. There was a lot of excitement as this was the first time pupils who joined us in September 2020 had had the opportunity to move around the school fully. While familiar with specialist facilities in Expressive Arts, Design, Art and PE, they all enjoyed discovering new learning spaces.

Pupils moving from Year 8 into Year 9 were also a little apprehensive as they needed to re-familiarise themselves with the school site having been ‘isolated’ for much of the time over the last 15 months in their home base towards the rear of our school site.

Similarly, many pupils in other year groups were also curious, not least those in our new Year 10 who had their first lessons in their chosen GCSE subjects. Those on our new Year 11 experienced a greater sense of freedom having been released from their previous home base on our top floor!

It was evident that many pupils were a little disorientated as they had become accustomed to being in their home bases for most of the school day. Some complained about being very tired at the end of the day because of all the movement around the school! We are confident that they will soon get used to the changes

 

On Monday 7 June 2021, Katie Cook, Headteacher and teachers at Siddington C of E Primary School began working on a new curriculum that will be introduced in September 2021. To begin, teachers considered the interest and needs of the children at Siddington, the role of the school in the community, and the school’s role as a Church of England Primary School. It was important to the staff to ensure that the vision they share for the school was embedded in their curriculum, and that the drivers that structure the curriculum support that vision. Staff also looked at the core aims of The Corinium Education Trust, and how as a school, they could ensure the school’s curriculum incorporates these principles. Katie Cook and her team look forward to presenting this curriculum to the school’s stakeholders, gaining their views, and developing the learning further in the future.

 

INTENT

At Siddington C of E Primary School teachers recognise that their pupils need opportunities to develop their skills in Oracy, Resilience and Perseverance. They need both planned and incidental opportunities to develop their Spirituality and Curiosity using Big Questions. They  want their pupils to be Aspirational about what they can achieve and about their futures and their role in society. 

 

Many of the children at Siddington C of E Primary School need further opportunities to build on their cultural capital through First Hand Experience that may include Visitors who are specialists in their fields. Staff recognise that as a rural, broadly White British community some of their children need to have their perceptions about other Cultures challenged while developing an understanding of their own Heritage.

 

The community at Siddington are interested in Sustainability and their impact on the World. They are curious about their impact on the World around them.

 

IMPLEMENTATION

These concepts are therefore the Drivers of the school’s curriculum planning and run alongside The Corinium Education Trust’s aims to ‘Inspire, Challenge and Transform’. They also support the school's Vision ‘to have fun, do our very best and look after everyone in a caring Christian community’.

 

To have fun:

At Siddington C of E Primary School the Curriculum will Inspire pupils at the school.  Teachers will do this through using Big Questions, planning for Spirituality, and providing first-hand experiences.  They want to offer a curriculum that inspires pupils to have high aspirations for themselves and for their futures.

 

Do our very best:

Through Challenge teachers will ensure their pupils do their best.  They will challenge their perceptions, challenge their beliefs about other cultures, and challenge them to be resilient and to persevere.

 

Look after everyone in a Caring Christian Community:

Using sustainability as a driver for the school’s curriculum will help enable pupils to contribute to helping to Transform their World.  Staff will ensure the school’s curriculum enables them to understand about their place in the school, in the local community and in the World.  Caring for others can help transform other people’s lives in their school, community and the World.

 

School leaders across The Corinium Education Trust have been reviewing the curriculum in each of their schools with colleagues. Headteacher, Emma Morrough Ryan and her team at Kemble Primary School, are excited by their new programmes of study:

 

‘During the course of the year the staff and governors have considered the vision and values for Kemble Primary School. We worked together to identify the uniqueness of Kemble and our aspirations for the children who attend the school. Exploring diversity and equity were considered to be core and ensuring pupils were well equipped to be successful in the world of their future.

 

We have carefully considered the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals alongside the National Curriculum programmes of study and subject leaders have ensured that the planned curriculum is balanced, broad and sequenced through EYFS to end of KS2. Each term we will consider a ‘big question’ and hold a launch day where children have the opportunity to explore the theme and find out more.’