Bulletin

Week Commencing

02 September 2024

Preparing to succeed

Shiny shoes. Roomy blazer. New folders and dividers with nothing in ​yet. Colour coded timetable. We are all set for the new academic year ​at Learning Partners. As staff, governors, trustees and children alike ​prepare for the new academic year there is a crackle of excitement ​and belief in the year ahead. Part of that excitement is the opportunity ​to transform lives. Our own, and others’. Whether a keen Y7, a teacher ​of 15 years, a receptionist dealing with new parents, or a sparkly new ​deputy headteacher new to a leadership team, we are preparing for ​the new year ahead. Learning is a journey, and the opportunity to ​support others and learn awaits us all. It is part of the human spirit to ​look to 'better ourselves', improve our lot, understand our world and ​support each other. Education provides this opportunity, and it is never ​more keenly felt than at the start of the new academic year.

As part of this excitement and preparation I am sure that during the ​last few days of the holidays, or the first INSET days of term we have ​all been preparing. I myself am currently breaking in new 'school ​shoes'. Black, of course, polished to a high shine, and killing my feet. ​Beach sandals or flip flops of summer feel a long time ago. Whether in ​things, (new folders and highlighters), in establishing routines ​(timetables, class lists and setting the alarm clock again) or mentally ​preparing, we have all been getting ourselves ready. We do this ​because we want to be successful. Nobody wants to come to work or ​school and do badly. We do not set out to fail - we travel with hope and ​renewed optimism.

At Learning Partners it is our job to foster this hope, support everybody ​across our 18 schools and maintain our belief in each other and our ​achievements. Fostering hope is one of my personal preferences in ​defining what education means to people. With a vibrant, holistic ​inclusive education, everyone is hopeful of their future; feels accepted, ​worthwhile and known; accepts that they have the tools within their ​own grasp to improve themselves and their lot. Hope is a powerful ​thing. Education sustains hope.

Nowhere else is the excitement of a new term more keenly felt than at ​our Surrey Maths School. New faces, new buildings and a new school. ​We are delighted to open our Maths School, a regional centre in a ​series of national schools promoting Maths teaching excellence. I pay ​tribute to the huge amount of work colleagues, trustees, leaders, ​governors and staff have played to get us to this point. Seeing children ​walk through our doors and begin this journey with us, gives me the ​same hope I see in children entering reception, twitching in their new ​uniform at secondary school or enjoying wearing their own clothes for ​the first time at school as their sixth form study begins. The hope I see ​in the new ECT, the retrained LSA and the site staff colleague starting ​a new role.

We spend our time preparing to succeed, to offer to our communities ​support and encouragement. But most of all, to offer hope.

Jack Mayhew, CEO, Learning Partners Academy Trust

HT Meeting

12 September

SBM meeting

18 September

Trustee Board meeting

26 September

HR meeting

01 October

Resources Committee

15 October

Trust Premises Staff ​meeting

17 October

Education Committee

22 October

HT meeting

07 November

Heads’ conference

14 & 15 November

Trust Action Committee

26 November

Education Committee

03 December

Notable dates and meetings

leading schools where children thrive

School lmprovement

your

2024/25

cpld

awaits

book now

CPLD@learningpartners.org

leading schools where children thrive

VACANCIES

central team contact list and CEO’s diary

Jack Mayhew

Patrick Overy

Andrew Roach

Kathryn Krynicki

Helen Gregory

Rachel Hughlock

Olivia Wernick

Holly Wise

Ben Sayers

Nicola Riley

Sarah Allen

Anne Benson

Sally Busby

Douglas Dalgleish

Sally Cave

Julia Mason

Gaby Sutton

Tanya Marchetti

Jodie Farrell-Gray

Shaun Fishburn

Dominique Morris

Holly Donnithorne-Doughty

CEO

COO

Director of Education

Director of Education

Director of Education

Primary Senior Leader

Trust Inclusion Lead

Safeguarding & Mental Health Lead

IT Director & Deputy DPO

Head of HR

Head of Finance

Head of Operations

Head of Projects & Operational Strategy

Capital Projects Lead

Estates Manager

Clerk to the Board of Trustees

Senior Administrator & PA to CEO

School Improvement Coordinator

Operations Coordinator

Data Officer

Compliance Manager

Compliance Administrator

jmayhew@learningpartners.org

povery@learningpartners.org

aroach@learningpartners.org

kkrynicki@learningpartners.org

hgregory@learningpartners.org

rhughlock@learningpartners.org

owernick@learningpartners.org

hwise@learningpartners.org

bsayers@learningpartners.org

nriley@learningpartners.org

sallen@learningpartners.org

abenson@learningpartners.org

sbusby@learningpartners.org

ddalgleish@learningpartners.org

scave@learningpartners.org

jmason@learningpartners.org

gsutton@learningpartners.org

tmarchetti@learningpartners.org

jfarrellgray@learningpartners.org

sfishburn@learningpartners.org

dmorris@learningpartners.org

hdonnithornedoughty@learningpartners.org

leading schools where children thrive

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued

LEARNING PARTNERS Staff Benefits

Cycle To Work Scheme

This operates as a “salary sacrifice” employee benefit, in this instance the benefit is a bike and/or accessories). The salary sacrifice is taken from your gross salary, therefore you will make savings on income tax and national insurance. The bike can also be used for general use, so you don’t actually have to use it to cycle to work!

Click here for further information and to sign up

A 12-month direct debit membership of £50 per ​month (instead of £72) and can be cancelled ​within the 12-month commitment period (with a ​calendar months’ notice) if there is a change in ​circumstances that falls within the terms and ​conditions. This includes a health issue or ​injury, redundancy, pregnancy, relocation, etc.

Additionally, there is a 20% partner discount ​available for anyone who joins alongside ​Learning Partners members providing they link ​their membership payments together.

Access to Wisdom a health and mental wellbeing app

This app is linked to our employee assistance programme,Health Assured, and gives you access to a dedicated wellbeing counsellor using live messaging and vido calls. The health hub can track your mood, help you set health plans, give mini health checks and support with breathing techniques.

Click here for further information and our unique code to sign up

Nuffield Health Discounted Membership

Learning Partners Academy Trust and Nuffield Health have teamed up to offer a 30% discount to all Learning Partner employees at Guildford Nuffield.

There are two membership options available with the 30% discount. The pricing for these options is as follows:

1. A monthly rolling membership of £61 per month (instead of £87) and can be cancelled with a calendar months’ notice at any time during the membership.

Click here for further information

Octopus Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme

Supporting the UK government’s push towards an electric vehicle revolution, we are operating the Learning Partners Academy Trust Electric Car Scheme, in partnership with Octopus Electric Vehicles (OEV).

You can drive a brand-new electric car* using part of your gross salary, making savings on income tax and national insurance. You will pay some company car tax (Benefit in Kind) but the rates for electric cars are extremely low until 2025.

*Subject to eligibility and you signing the Learning Partners Academy Trust Driver Handbook.

You can save up to 40% on driving a brand-new electric car with maintenance, tyres and more included, plus insurance. There are some added extras too, including a home charger, funded with a standard installation, and 4,000 miles of free home charge or 4,000 miles public charge on the Electroverse + £50 home credit, if you switch to Octopus Energy at home. T&Cs can be found here.

Click here for further information

leading schools where children thrive

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued

Free Will Writing Service

Discounts for Teachers

& Ode Cashback Card

Learning Partners Academy Trust and Estate Planning and Will Writing specialists Dunham McCarthy are able to offer you a free will writing service to help you plan for your future, protecting your family and loved ones. The free service is provided remotely, either by telephone or video call, at a time to suit you. You will have an adviser to help you complete each step from start to finish.

All Learning Partners staff, in any role (not just teachers), can access exclusive discounts, cashback and vouchers when they join the scheme. There are over 1200 of the biggest brands on their website and thousands of deals. Save on holidays, fashion, homeware, days out, mobiles, finance, insurance, TV and broadband and more. It’s free to join and free to use, it only takes a couple of minutes to register, and you can start saving on your purchases right away.

Click here to watch a short webinar with advice on what can be included in a will

For more information and to book your initial appointment, click here

Freedom leisure - discounted membership

Freedom Leisure and Learning Partners Academy Trust can offer you discounted membership at Freedom Leisure sites in and around Surrey. There are three different packages to choose from offering various entitlements.

• Classic Corporate Plus (Peak) - £46 per month on direct debit or £460 annually (discount of 2 months free)
  
• Classic Corporate (Off Peak) - £37 per month on direct debit or £407 annually (discount of 1 month free)
• Connected Corporate - £51 per month or £510 annually (discount of 2 months free)
  

Employee Assistance Programme

The EAP is a confidential employee benefit designed to help you deal with personal and professional problems that could be affecting your home life or work life, health and general wellbeing. The helpline is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Click here for further information

Headspace for Educators

Click here to sign up for discounted membership

Click here for further information

Headspace offers free access to its service ​to anyone who works in education, all ​teachers and support staff.

Click here to sign up

leading schools where children thrive

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued

LEARNING PARTNERS STAFF BENEFITS

Horizon Guildford

Horizon Guildford (in Merrow), part of Horizon Leisure, is a newly refurbished state-of-the-art not-for-profit charitable trust with over 25 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. With established locations in Havant and Waterlooville, Horizon Guildford marks the exciting expansion into the Guildford community. The mission is simple: to inspire more people to live healthier, happier lives. Alongside the gym, swimming facilities and classes, Horizon are passionate about promoting overall health and wellness. By becoming a corporate member, you will gain access to exceptional facilities, including a gym equipped with high-specification equipment, public swimming, sauna and steam room and over 100 weekly classes, including Les Mills experiences.

Surrey Sports Park

Learning Partners Academy Trust have teamed up with Surrey Sports Park to offer staff a Full Access Concession Membership Costing £47 per month (normally £60 per month) or £507.60 if paid upfront annually, a saving of £56.40.

This membership includes access to:

• Gym
• Exercise Technique Workshops
• Fitness Induction and Personalised Exercise Program
• Group Fitness & Wellbeing Classes
• Aqua Fitness Classes
• Olympic Sized Swimming Pool, Steam and Sauna
• Squash Court Bookings
• Bouldering at the Surrey Summit Climbing Centre
• Tennis Court Bookings
• Off-Peak Badminton Court Bookings

This membership type also includes the following perks, at no extra cost!

• The Treatment Room
  

10% discount on your first treatment and a free 10 minute consutation with one of the specialists.

• Free Weights Induction
  

This session is aimed at improving confidence within the free weights area. One of the fitness team will go through different equipment, demonstrating and guiding you on how to use it.

• Barbell Club
  

A technical session aimed at improving confidence in performing the 3 key compound movements: bench press, squat and deadlift. The session is 30 minutes long and is delivered with a maximum of 3 members to ensure that each participant gets plenty of hands-on time to go through each lift with the observation of the fitness team.

thetreatmentroom@surrey.ac.uk

leading schools where children thrive

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued

LEARNING PARTNERS STAFF BENEFITS

Surrey Sports Park, continued

• Member Journey
• An initial appointment to find out about your goals and what you're looking to achieve
  
• The fitness team will then provide you with a 3-day programme and go through this with you
  
• Your next meeting they will go through day 2 of the programme
  
• After 4 weeks, you will be booked in again to find out how you're finding your membership and make any adjustments to your programme
  
• This is repeated once more after
  
• They will then check in with you after 4, 8 and 12 weeks to see how you're progressing and here you'll be offered programme reviews.
  

If you are interested in this membership option or are just looking to have a tour around the amazing facilities, then please visit the sales team between 10am and 5pm Monday – Friday. You just need to provide proof of your workplace.

01483 682662

sales@surreysportspark.co.uk

www.surreysportspark.co.uk

Sports Massage and Injury Rehabilitation at Kings

A sports therapist who rents a room at Kings College is offering all Learning Partners staff a discount for various services including:

• Sports massage
  
• Injury assessment and rehab
• Postural correction
• Corrective exercise

Click here for further information

Octopus Referral Scheme

Octopus have also just launched a referral scheme where staff who sign up for an electric vehicle receive a referral code which they can pass on to any colleague(s) ordering car. When the car arrives both parties receive £50 credit to their account. There is no limit to how many times someone can share their code.

Click here for further information

Octopus EV

Salary sacrifice and pension impact

While salary sacrifice schemes can be really beneficial and help you save money, it's important to understand the potential impact they can have on your pension, especially if you’re part of a defined benefit pension scheme like the Teachers Pension Scheme (TPS) or Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

Click here to find out how

an EV salary sacrifice

can affect your pension

All employees have access to the Learning ​Partners Sharepoint folder "Learning ​Partners Benefits" where all the information ​regarding the benefits above is filed.

Click here to ​access the folder

leading schools where children thrive