Making Memories

As the spring term comes to an end, it is surprising to note how quickly the chill of winter has passed to the warmth of spring... the only challenge has been the never ending rain in between! The Easter holidays await, and these are always a personal favourite of mine. The spring term passes so quickly, and it reminds me that time ticks on so regularly in the school year and this caused me to reflect upon what it is we do in schools. Sometimes we blink and another term passes, years tick by and it can feel like a conveyor belt of education. At Learning Partners, we strive to ensure this isn't the experience of our children. What phrase best encapsulates this? 'Making memories'.

As adults, and those as long in the tooth as I, think back to our school days - it is the memories and friendships that we remember most thoroughly. Of course the lessons are vital, the exams important as the keys to our next steps however, we know that school is so much more than this.

It is the friendships we form, the school trips we participate in, the sports fixtures, school plays and foreign exchange trips. It is these examples of school experiences that form long in the memory. It is our staff that give up the hours, form the relationships and believe in the wider purpose of education that makes our schools special. Throughout the term, I have found my heart gladdened by catching up with the award winners, the artists, the musicians, the athletes. However, it is those who have formed their own groups, their own communities and sense of belonging that encourage me most. It is these groups within our schools that indicate children who are thriving. We are empowering our young people to set up gardening clubs, chess groups, Uno societies and the like. If education teaches us anything, it is the skills and drive to become the change we wish to see in the world. Our children achieving this for themselves is a sign of us delivering on our vision: 'leading schools where children thrive'.

I could provide a never-ending list of opportunities that our children have engaged in this term. The grand, the prestigious and the all-encompassing to the small scale, the virtuoso and bespoke. All of this matters. It is these 'making of memories' that mark us apart. That is our calling and makes us think of spring.

Jack Mayhew

CEO

Governor Training

CPD sessions for A level Physics teachers

There is still time to book your space on next week’s Governor training which will look at:

Budgeting

This session will be held at George Abbot on 26th March, starting at 7pm.

The session aims to provide an overview for governors on how to support school budgets.

To book onto the Budgeting session,

please click on the image below

Bitesize Learning Series

There are many tools within Microsoft Outlook that work to facilitate you being more strategic and considered in your approach to your workload. It is not always easy to imbed these into your work practices; research denotes that it takes ten weeks of daily repetition to form a new ’habit’ but rest assured that when you find a technique that works for you, it will only get progressively easier the more you use it, so you only need to maintain your motivation in the meantime!

You can create Tasks and To Do lists within Outlook (and MS Teams) to help keep you on track and focus your approach and Categories are an often under-utilised facility that enables you to align your priorities both visually and in practice. More information is in this weeks links.

Online Excel Training

Patrick kindly ran an online Excel session this week that looked at conditional formatting, sorting & filtering.

This session was recorded to be used as a training resource that you can peruse at a time that is convenient to you.

Next Wednesday’s session, at 4pm, will be looking at COUNTIF, SUMIF & Pivot Tables. If you would like to attend, please contact Jodie - jfarrellgray@learningpartners.org

IT Update

Helpdesk Update

In the last month, the Network Team have received 1356 new tickets to our helpdesk with a total of 1210 tickets being closed so far. With Easter break around the corner, the Network Team will take time to catch-up on any tickets, so please send in any requests as soon as possible and we will happily work on these for you.

The following ticket categories were the most submitted to the helpdesk over the last month:

• SIMS – Update: This layout is an example of one of our new ticket categories (detailed below), instead of just having “Classroom System”. This has shown us that with the implementation of the Sims Spring update, we encountered several issues with upgrading Sims within our schools.
  

• Staff PC – Desktop: Staff devices are a key aspect to ensuring a lesson can run smoothly. By refining this category, we were able to see tickets specified to the desktops themselves. These tickets are in large part due to the new upgrades we have been doing to staff devices across our schools and booking in suitable times to swap older computers with newer devices.
  

We thank you for your support and as always, we please ask that you log any issues or queries on the helpdesk by emailing: networkhelpdesk@learningpartners.org.

Network Team Update

Over the past 2 weeks, the Network Team have implemented new ticket categories into the helpdesk. With the growth of the Trust and taking on new schools, more hardware, systems, software and online services have developed.

The more detailed categories will enable us to pinpoint trending issues which require additional attention. For example, Online Services now splits into services such as ClassCharts, ParentPay, Outlook, CPOMS and many more. This refinement will allow us to review reoccurring issues and ensure we are providing a complete solution.

In addition to supporting the day to day needs of our schools & classrooms, we have been working on a number of different projects. The biggest project is reviewing how we use Sims & Integris within our schools, what other Management Information Systems (MIS) are on the market and undertaking a thorough procurement process to ensure our schools have the right MIS system for our needs. Working with a panel of staff from across our schools, we have now officially entered a procurement framework with EverythingICT to review MIS systems on the market.

With the Easter break fast approaching the team are planning out all their tasks. Some of the tasks that we have planned are:

· Server updates to increase speed

· Trust wide security improvements

· New digital sign board at Kings gym

· Upgrading and testing computers across our schools

· George Abbot Audio Visual upgrade in science classrooms

· Rollout of staff laptops at Boxgrove

· Setting up newly created office space at Fullbrook, including a number of office moves.

· Broadband switchover at Guildford County, including a dramatic saving on cost

· New iPads for staff and students at Northmead

These are just some of the projects we will be working on, over the Easter break, please let us know if you require any additional work done before Wednesday 27th and we will book this in for you.

I hope you have a much deserved restful Easter break and I look forward to another successful term with you all

Ben Sayers

IT Director

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued

27 June 2024

09.30-13.00

Guildford Book Festival Schools Programme

A message from Alex Andrews - Director of Guildford Book Festival

Through our Schools Programme, we take authors and illustrators into local schools, working with teachers and school librarians to help inspire a love of reading and writing, and to encourage creativity. Research by the National Literacy Trust shows the positive impact on children’s reading after an author visit to school, and this is particularly significant for children living in areas of disadvantage where more than half of children leaving Primary School have not reached the expected standard of reading.

Last year, over 4,000 children took part in our Schools Programme, but we know that there are many more who could benefit. This year, we have set ourselves a target of reaching 5,000 children – and we are asking for your help to make this happen.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

By donating to our Big Give Arts for Impact campaign from midday tomorrow to midday on 26 March, you can help us raise £5,000 so that 5,000 children and young people can access our Schools Programme in 2024.

YOUR DONATION COULD PAY FOR...

£5 buys a new book for a child so they can take it home to share with their family and friends.

£30 pays for a place in one of our illustration workshops with a professional artist or illustrator.

£100 pays for an author or illustrator to visit a whole class or school year group.

Thanks to the Big Give and New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture, this is a match-funded campaign. For every £1 we raise over the next week, the Big Give will also donate £1, up to a maximum of £2,500.

Find out more by visiting http://www.guildfordbookfestival.co.uk/arts-for-impact-bid and we would be so grateful for support.

Together, we can bring more opportunities to young people living in our area.

Many kind regards,

Alex

@gfordbookfest

Discounts for Teachers

& Ode Cashback Card

Free Will Writing Service

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

Click here to sign up now

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

Click here for further information on Discounts for Teachers

Click here for further information on Ode Cashback Card

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

Kings Community Sports Hub Gym

Click here to sign up for discounted membership

Learning Partners staff can access the new Kings Community Sports Hub Gym (at Kings College Guildford) at a discounted rate of £14.99 per month (direct debit). Opening hours:

Monday to Friday 5.00pm to 10.00pm Weekends 9.00am to 5.00pm

Click here for further information

Click here to sign up for discounted membership

Octopus Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme

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.

2. 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.

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

Click here for further information

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

Horizon Guildford

Surrey Sports Park

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.

Find out more here

Horizon Guildford are delighted to offer all Learning Partners staff a discounted rate of £35 per month (usually £42 per month) for a 12-month membership commitment, along with a £10 administration fee.

If you would like to join Horizon, please contact Anita Kidgell.

akidgell@horizonic.com

07547 103933

Surrey Sports Park, continued

Octopus Referral Scheme

• 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.
  

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).

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.

Click here to find out how

an EV salary sacrifice

can affect your pension

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

Boxgrove

Guildford Grove

Premises Manager

No current vacancies

Northmead

Loseley Fields

No current vacancies

Assistant Headteacher

Sandfield

Pirbright

Learning Support Assistant

No current vacancies

Shalford Infant & Nursery School

No current vacancies

George Abbot

Fullbrook

Teacher of PE

Teacher of Chemistry

Teacher of History/Politics

Teacher of Business Studies

Teacher of MFL

Vice Principal

Teacher of PE

Assistant SENDCo

Guildford County

Kings College

Teacher of Maths

Teacher of PE

Office Manager

Glebelands School

Moss Lane Infant School

Teacher of Boys’ PE

No current vacancies

Tillingbourne Junior School

Burpham Primary School

No current vacancies

Classroom Teacher

Learning Support Assistant P/T or F/T

Surrey Maths School

Learning Partners Academy Trust

No current vacancies

Teacher Apprentice

25.03.24 09.00-10.00

25.03.24 10.30-12.30

25.03.24 15.00-16.00

27.03.24 10.00-11.00

28.03.24 08.30-09.30