Celebrating the achievements of women

Thank you to everyone at Learning Partners who has welcomed us so warmly – we are delighted to be part of this network of schools and are looking forward to working with you all.

International Women's Day is a time to celebrate the achievements of women across the globe. As women in STEM and Co-Heads of a Maths School, we’d like to highlight the wonderful people after whom we have named our School Houses, three of whom are remarkable women who have made significant contributions in their respective STEM fields.

Margaret Hamilton, a computer scientist, is a true pioneer in the field of software engineering. Hamilton led the team at MIT that developed the onboard flight software for NASA's Apollo missions and her work was instrumental in ensuring the successful landing of the Apollo 11 lunar module on the moon in 1969. Hamilton's achievements earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, highlighting her role as a trailblazer in STEM and an inspiration to future generations of women in technology.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell is an astrophysicist whose discovery of pulsars – a highly magnetised type of rotating start - revolutionised our understanding of the universe. This was one of the most significant astronomical discoveries of the 20th century, which Burnell achieved despite facing scepticism and challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field - indeed, the Nobel Prize for this work was awarded to her PhD supervisor without any recognition to Burnell. Her legacy serves as a testament to the importance of diversity and inclusion in scientific inquiry, inspiring generations of scientists to explore the mysteries of the cosmos.

Emmy Murphy, a distinguished mathematician at the University of Toronto, is known for her research in the field of algebraic geometry and representation theory. Murphy has hugely advanced our understanding of geometric structures and their applications in diverse areas of mathematics and theoretical physics. Murphy is also deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the mathematical community, serving as a mentor and advocate for underrepresented groups in STEM. Her leadership and contributions continue to inspire and empower mathematicians worldwide.

Caucher Birkar is a mathematician whose contributions to algebraic geometry earned him the Fields Medal in 2018. Born in a Kurdish village in Iran, Birkar's journey to mathematical excellence is nothing short of remarkable. Despite facing numerous obstacles, including fleeing his home country as a refugee and enduring personal hardships, Birkar's passion for mathematics remained undeterred. His pioneering work in the Minimal Model Program has significantly advanced our understanding of geometric structures and their applications in mathematics and theoretical physics. Birkar serves as an inspiration to countless individuals around the world, demonstrating the power of resilience, determination, and intellect in overcoming adversity.

It is no secret that women have historically been underrepresented in STEM, despite their invaluable contributions to scientific progress and technological innovation.

Gender diversity in STEM is not just a matter of equality; it is essential for fostering creativity, driving innovation, and solving complex challenges that affect us all.

As educators, we play a crucial role in encouraging girls to pursue their interests in STEM. By providing access to resources, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to diverse role models, we can empower the next generation of female mathematical scientists. We are committed to promoting gender diversity and equality at Surrey Maths School and we welcome the opportunity to work with other LPAT schools to achieve this goal.

Nora Kettleborough & Sahar Shillabeer

Head Teachers - Surrey Maths School

Governor Training

Bitesize Learning Series

Thank you to those governors who have joined us on our trust-led training sessions so far. We have enjoyed seeing you and we hope that you found the sessions valuable and informative.

We really appreciate any feedback that you can share with us, and will use it to inform our planning for future sessions; if you have attended a session and not yet submitted your evaluation form, please do so!

The next session is coming up soon;

Budgeting,

which will be held at George Abbot on 26th March - 7pm.

This session will provide an overview for governors on how to support school budgets.

Bookings are open now!

Microsoft Teams is so much more than a video conferencing tool and the best way to find out more about it’s capabilities is to explore it a little. If you don’t know where to start, the training videos this week will give you an overview of some of the things that Teams can do / help you with!

If you’re interested in implementing it in your team but would like some guidance on how to go about it, please do contact Jodie Farrell-Gray, who will be more than happy to help.

jfarrellgray@learningpartners.org or

01483 977 592

Click on the images to access this week’s videos

To book onto the Budgeting session,

please click here

Level 2 Excel Training

Further to the Excel Level 2 workshop on the Support Staff Inset Day, there will be two additional online sessions held on 20th & 27th March at 4pm. If you would be interested in attending, please contact Jodie Farrell-Gray.

Finance Update

2024/25 Budget & 3 Year Plan Cycle

As schools will be aware, we have now commenced the 24/25 budget cycle, prior to half term, the first set of budget assumptions were issued to schools, the trust will refine and re-issue these as information becomes available.

To aid planning within the budget cycle, the diagram below sets out the key elements of the process over the spring and summer terms.

We are inviting finance teams to two drop-in budgeting sessions, on Teams during March as detailed below. These are open to all finance colleagues, and we would encourage teams from any new schools, as well as any team members where this is their first budgeting cycle, to join us.

Session 1 - Monday 18th March 11am

1. Creating a scenario in the new budget year
   
2. Applying the central pay scales
   
3. Income – GAG pupil numbers, other income.
   

Session 2 – Tuesday 26th March 1pm

1. Profiling
   
2. Capital income/expenditure - including revenue contribution to capital
   
3. Completing the budget template
   

Spring Term Financial Reviews:

As shown in the timetable above, the spring term financial review meetings are scheduled with schools from week commencing 11th March.

These meetings provide an opportunity for the central team to meet with headteachers and school business managers, along with a member of their LGB to collectively work together. During these meetings we will look at the latest in-year financial position, discuss 23/24 budget preparation, and any project related expenditure plans.

Sarah Allen

Head of Finance

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued

We are delighted to announce that our annual Showcase Gala for 2024 "Sound Intent" will be taking place in the prestigious G Live venue and

It will be a wonderful celebration of our musically talented students and it is particularly impressive that around 300 of our students will be involved in this event.

The concert starts at 7pm on the 24th of April.

Click HERE to book now

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

No current vacancies

SEN Teaching Assistant

SEN Teaching Assistant

Loseley Fields

Northmead

No current vacancies

No current vacancies

Pirbright

Sandfield

No current vacancies

No current vacancies

Shalford Infant & Nursery School

HR & Premises Manager

Fullbrook

George Abbot

Premises Manager

Teacher of PE

Science Curriculum Lead - KS3

Teacher of Art

Guildford County

Kings College

Office Manager

No current vacancies

Director of Science

Director of Maths

Teaching Assistant

Glebelands School

Moss Lane Infant School

Lead Teacher of Science

No current vacancies

Teacher of Boys’ PE

Burpham Primary School

Tillingbourne Junior School

No current vacancies

No current vacancies

Learning Partners Academy Trust

Surrey Maths School

Lead Teacher of Year 12

No current vacancies

Teacher of Economics

Teacher of Chemistry

Teacher of Computer Science

Teacher of Physics

11.03.24 09.00-10.00

12.03.24 08.30-10.00

13.03.24 08.30-12.00

13.03.24 09.00-10.00

15.03.24 12.00-13.00

18.03.24 09.00-13.00

19.03.24 10.30-13.00

20.03.24 09.00-10.00

21.03.24 08.30-10.30

21.03.24 11.00-15.30

22.03.24 09.00-10.00

22.03.24 10.00-12.00