Notable dates
leading schools where children thrive
Bulletin
Week Commencing
13 November 2023
Challenging conversations - primary
20 November 13,30 - 15.30
ECT network group - primary
20 November 14.30 - 16.30
Remuneration committee meeting
21 November 08.30 - 10.00
Maths network - primary
21 November 09.00 - 12.00
Premises management meeting
21 November 09.30 - 11.30
Trustee visit to SCITT
22 November 09.30 - 11.00
E.P Consultations for SENDCos
Dial in sessions throughout the day
Supporting students with panic attacks & anxiety disorders
22 November 10.00 - 12.00
Computing network
23 November 15.30 - 17.00
EYFS network
23 November 16.00 - 17.30
We all need to belong
Following open days in our secondary schools earlier this term, many of our primary schools have been in the thick of open mornings and afternoons recently, busy showing groups of eager parents around our schools in the hope that they will apply for places to start next September. I know how much time and effort this takes across our schools in both sectors.
Interestingly, I was starkly reminded by one group of parents that the children who will enter our Reception classrooms in September 2024 are our ‘covid time’ babies. It will be interesting - and no doubt challenging - to see how this generation of young children cope with the huge social step up that school entails. We have already seen a change in the dialogue coming from parents; we’ve had enquiries about flexible schooling and whether this is an option, and how will we prepare for home learning?
I wonder whether the changing nature of society will continue?
The attitudes of the workforce have significantly changed, with many of us having friends and family who work from home or have much more flexible working options. Those of us working in education still struggle with this notion, yet we can’t sit back and ignore the fact that society is changing and so, as educational employers and establishments, we will need to shift our thinking and practices to be more flexible.
Our core business in schools is teaching and learning yet when you truly evaluate a school, it does so much more. Our schools are at the heart of our communities, providing warm, safe spaces. Every one of our schools demonstrates inclusion in its truest sense and that’s why working on site with our young people is so important. For some, coming to school every day and being greeted with a warm smile and an understanding nod is everything to make them feel like they belong.
I truly believe that belonging is a human right; belonging shows that someone cares for us and believes in us. Whether we are children or adults, the culture across Learning Partners is one of belonging.
I hope that in the coming weeks, as the challenges of the term lie ahead, you anchor yourself knowing that you belong in your school. Remind yourself of the difference you make to the young people you support and the colleagues and families you work alongside.
Kathryn Krynicki, Director of Primary Education
HEADS, GOVERNANCE & STAFF INFORMATION
Governor Training
Bitesize Learning Series
Thank you to those governors who have joined us on our trust-led training sessions so far. We have really 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 2 sessions are coming up soon; School Improvement on 18 January and SEND on 7 February. These sessions will be led by our trust experts in each area, and are being designed to really support you in your role.
As always, we can only run these sessions if we have sufficient attendees to make them viable. Bookings are open now!
To book onto the School Improvement session, please click here
To book onto the SEND session,
please click here
Excel is excellent for ‘sensing’ patterns and the Flash Fill function can automatically fill your data for you when it does. It’s another simple tool that can help you increase your efficiency whilst maintaining accuracy.
Click here to access it:
Christmas card competition
The Christmas card competition is still open and we have had some delightful designs submitted already. The submissions can be in pencil, felt tip, photographs, painted or multi media. We will collect the designs from your school on the deadline day of Tuesday 28 November, from noon onwards. Should pupils or schools wish to keep the original artwork, please email over to Jodie a good quality photograph or pdf of each entry by the deadline date. Please ensure that the name and year of the pupil is clearly marked on each entry!
We will have four categories:
- EYFS and KS1
- KS2
- KS3
- KS 4 & 5
The winning designs will be used on the trust’s digital Christmas card and a prize will be presented by Jack to each winner and a mention and photo (if permission given) in trust communications (website, staff bulletin, parent/carer newsletter and social media).
The timeline for the competition is:
28.11.23 - Deadline for entries
01.12.23 - Judging & announcement of winners
06.12.23 - Christmas cards to be emailed out
Interested in a career in teaching?
Join the George Abbot SCITT team for our next online information event to find out more and have your questions answered.
Please join us on Tuesday 5th December at 6pm on Zoom; places are bookable via Eventbrite.
We hold these events once a month, further details can be found on our website: www.georgeabbottraining.co.uk
If you can't join us online, please give us a call on 01483 888048 or email us at: contactscitt@georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk
leading schools where children thrive
HEADS, GOVERNANCE & STAFF INFORMATION
Governors - how to review your school’s sustainability policy
BBC Children in Need
BBC Children in Need believes that every child should have the chance to
By 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) aims for all schools to have a sustainability lead and a climate action plan in place. Having a sustainability policy now can help your school to prepare for this.
Do you know how to review your school’s sustainability policy? Are you confident about ‘what good looks like’?
This short, easy-to-read article on The Key offers some invaluable guidance, helping you to understand what questions to ask, what areas your school’s policy should cover, and what long-term and short-term goals in this area could look like.
Find out more here
thrive and be the best that they can be.
They fund grassroots organisations and project workers across the UK that provide the vital positive relationships children need to help them navigate the challenges in their lives. Their project workers support, inspire and champion them to ensure they have opportunities and can reach their goals.
They fund thousands of charities and projects in every corner of the UK, supporting children and young people to feel and be safer, have improved mental health and wellbeing, form better, more positive relationships and be given more equal opportunities to flourish.
The Appeal Show will be on BBC1 on Friday 17 November, and if you are able to, you can donate here
Join bestselling and multi award-winning author of Adventures on Trains, Beetle Boy and The Twitchers, M.G. Leonard to hear about her new book The Ice Children, a modern fairytale celebrating the magic and wonder of winter.
At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling serenely, but no one can wake him.
Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects that the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Does the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn know more than they will admit?
Each day, more children are found frozen and Bianca realizes she’s running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger, where all is not as it seems.
Can Bianca save her brother and the other Ice Children before they are forever lost?
Click here to book your tickets
leading schools where children thrive
OPERATIONS
Top Tips for Winter Maintenance
4) Check water tanks, pipes and outside taps. Problems with water tanks and pipes tend to come to light at the most inconvenient moments, and with the temperature dropping there’s an increased risk of pipes freezing and even bursting. Lagging all water tanks and pipes is a cost-effective way of preventing this, and also reducing heat loss, which can in turn save money on your utility bills as you are heating water more quickly and enabling hot water to stay hot for longer. As far as outside taps are concerned, we’d suggest turning these off for the winter, as they are also prone to freezing and bursting.
5) Service your boiler. It’s good practice to have this done regularly in any case, and we’d recommend booking a service in as you head into winter. An inefficient boiler can be expensive to run and is liable to break down when you most need it, so we believe that investing in a thorough service is a wise idea. It’s worth noting that many modern boilers are equipped with an anti-frost setting and that can be beneficial if you’d prefer not to have the heating on regularly.
This week’s update is brought to you by the Governance and Estates Team.
As the temperature starts to drop (and Storm Debbie rages!) all of the school premises teams have been working hard to make sure our buildings are in tip-top condition going into the winter months. We’ve put together our top tips to winter proof your home ahead of the winter months:
1) Draught proof your home. Stop cold draughts entering your home and hot air escaping by sealing all doors and windows. Check that your seals are still in good condition and fill in cracks that have appeared. Don’t forget to fit a proprietary draught excluder to your letterbox too!
2) Clear drains and gutters of debris and plant matter to prevent blockages in winter rainstorms. Check that your gutters are in good condition and fix or replace those with cracks – this prevents your walls from being soaked if water flow is restricted and reduces the likelihood of damp inside your house.
3) Roofs – check your roofs for any cracked or slipped tiles which can provide an easy route for water to enter a home.
What are your top tips?
We’d love to hear how you prepare your home for the winter months, and we wish everyone a safe and cosy time over the coming season.
Sam Crosby
Head of Governance and Estates
leading schools where children thrive
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT - CPLD OFFERING
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued
Thinking ahead
Spring into the NEXT TERM (yes Spring1)
with a place on one of these CPLD courses.
Great to set yourself up ready for the start of term!
EAL Session - Strategies to support EAL
pupils within the classroom - 09 Jan 2024
Supporting Students With Self Harm -
10 Jan 2024
Improving Writing Immersion
15 Jan 2024
MFL
Primary Network - 23 Jan 2024
EYFS Network - 16 Jan 2024
SCAN THE QR CODE TO SIGN UP
For help or advice contact CPLD@learningpartners.org
leading schools where children thrive
Geography Network - 17 Oct
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT - CPLD OFFERING
leading schools where children thrive
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued
If the answer is YES ... you will shortly be receiving a questionnaire to gather
your feedback on the CPLD course/s you have attended.
This will help shape our future CPLD offering.
We would appreciate just a few moments of your time to complete it.
Basic Safeguarding - 1 Nov
Primary & Secondary
Aspiring to Senior Leadership - 02 Nov
Primary
ATTENDED a CPLD COURSE this term?
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued
LEARNING PARTNERS Staff Benefits
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
leading schools where children thrive
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued
LEARNING PARTNERS Staff Benefits
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
leading schools where children thrive
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued
LEARNING PARTNERS STAFF BENEFITS
Horizon Guildford
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.
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 contact Anita Kidgell.
akidgell@horizonic.com
leading schools where children thrive
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT continued
LEARNING PARTNERS STAFF BENEFITS
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
Please make the most of these fabulous benefits!
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
leading schools where children thrive
VACANCIES
Boxgrove
Guildford Grove
No current vacancies
Northmead
Loseley Fields
Pirbright
Sandfield
No current vacancies
Stoughton Infant
& Nursery School
No current vacancies
Shalford Infant & Nursery School
George Abbot
Fullbrook
Guildford County
Kings College
Glebelands School
Moss Lane Infant School
No current vacancies
No current vacancies
Tillingbourne Junior School
Burpham Primary School
No current vacancies
Surrey Maths School
Learning Partners Academy Trust
leading schools where children thrive
Jack Mayhew
Patrick Overy
Andrew Roach
Jo Jones
Michele Miller
Kathryn Krynicki
Rachel Hughlock
Hannah Cover
Anna Wallis
Matt Goulborn
Carol Pearce
Olivia Wernick
Ben Sayers
Nicola Riley
Sarah Allen
Sam Crosby
Douglas Dalgleish
Julia Mason
Ashley Stapledon
Gaby Sutton
Shelly Masso
Tanya Marchetti
Jodie Farrell-Gray
CEO
COO
Director of Education
Director of ITT
Director of Education Secondary
Director of Education Primary
Primary Senior Leader
Primary Senior Leader
Trust Lead Practitioner (Pedagogy)
Trust Lead Practitioner (Pedagogy)
Primary SIP
Trust Inclusion Lead
IT Director & Deputy DPO
Head of HR
Head of Finance
Head of Governance & Estates
Capital Projects Lead
Clerk to the Board of Trustees
Compliance & Projects Officer
Senior Administrator and PA to CEO
PA to CEO
School Improvement Coordinator
Operations Coordinator
jmayhew@learningpartners.org
povery@learningpartners.org
aroach@learningpartners.org
jjones@georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk
kkrynicki@learningpartners.org
mmiller@learningpartners.org
rhughlock@learningpartners.org
hcover@learningpartners.org
wallisa@fullbrook.surrey.sch.uk
mgoulborn@georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk
cpearce@learningpartners.org
owernick@learningpartners.org
bsayers@learningpartners.org
nriley@learningpartners.org
sallen@learningpartners.org
scrosby@learningpartners.org
ddalgleish@learningpartners.org
jmason@learningpartners.org
astapledon@learningpartners.org
gsutton@learningpartners.org
smasso@learningpartners.org
tmarchetti@learningpartners.org
jfarrellgray@learningpartners.org
01483 977230
01483 977256
01483 977241
01483 888048
01483 977246
01483 977230
01483 977264
01483 977230
01932 349301
01483 888000
01483 977230
01483 977683
01483 977231
01483 977248
01483 977262
01483 977245
01483 977257
01483 977942
01483 977255
01483 977805
01483 977946
01483 977230
01483 977230
leading schools where children thrive
Jack's upcoming visits and meetings
1:1 Director of Education (AKR)
SuMS steering group
Remuneration committee
Audit completion
Secondary Phase council conference committee
Schools & Academies show
1:1 COO (PAJO)
Inclusion & Innovation working group meeting
Education Team meeting
Surrey Additional Needs & Disabilities Partnership workshop
Pirbright visit
Trust strategy meeting
Fullbrook visit
1:1 Director of Education (KK)
Glebelands visit
20.11.23
20.11.23
21.11.23
21.11.23
21.11.23
22.11.23
22.11.23
22.11.23
23.11.23
23.11.23
23.11.23
23.11.23
24.11.23
24.11.23
24.11.23
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