An ambitious new education trust which includes Sutton Coldfield schools is promising to further raise standards through collaboration and shared expertise.

The newly-launched Broadleaf Partnership Trust, which includes Plantsbrook School and Town Junior School, aims to combine best educational practice with a strong financial foundation for partners, while ensuring that it schools retain their own individual character.

Now the partnership, which welcomed Perryfields Academy in Oldbury in May, is planning to grow further with discussions with more schools already underway.

Chief Executive Officer Claire Pritchard said that Broadleaf’s name aimed to reflect the organic growth the Partnership hoped to see, as well as the diversity of the schools it included.

“The Broadleaf name is perfect,” she said, “because it captures the idea of a protective environment, where all of our schools can work together as a family.

“At the same time, in nature every leaf is different – much like our schools – and Broadleaf won’t be standardising everything about our schools because they each have their own strengths and serve unique communities.

“It’s about celebrating and recognising what is great about each school, and then utilising those areas of expertise to share best practice across our family.”

Mum-of-three Claire is originally from Walsall, where she began her career in education at a federation of two local schools, before moving to the Academy Transformation Trust, a large academy trust with 21 sites, as chief operating officer, eventually becoming deputy CEO.

 “I learned so much from that experience, working across 10 local authorities with 12,000 pupils – and really just seeing the benefits of schools coming together and having a uniform approach to what they do in some areas of school life,” she said.

Claire, 47, had been chair of the trustees of the existing Plantsbrook Learning Trust before being persuaded to take the helm as it was relaunched under the Broadleaf name.

She explained: “The Plantsbrook Learning Trust was very successful in terms of academic achievement, but it was felt there was a need for a new identity for the academy trust itself. We want to create our own destiny and retain our independence, by moving forward through collaboration and growth.”

Broadleaf’s schools are already benefitting from a close working relationship, with staff exploring how staff can work together at junior and secondary schools to better support students as they transition from one to another.

Claire said: “We’re looking closely at the expertise we’ve got in each education phase, and how that can best support others – for instance not many primary teachers are specialists in Modern Foreign Languages, but we’ve got a wealth of knowledge in our secondary schools that can be shared.  Equally, our primary colleagues are well placed to guide us with secondary aged pupils who need extra support in that tricky transition stage between years 6 and 7.”

The Broadleaf Partnership Trust has been launched after months of preparations.

“We’ve overhauled our governance structures, putting the right people in the right places to provide the support and leadership we need to grow,” Claire said. 

“We are also lucky to be in a strong financial position, with significant reserves. I, along with the trustees have been very clear to our academy leaders that we are not going to continue to create any additional financial surplus – every penny that comes in, every year, needs to be spent on education.

“I’ve also made a commitment that whatever we can save by centralising contracts and better buying power will go straight back into the frontline school budgets.

“Building this Trust isn’t about some huge corporate enterprise coming in, it’s about a group of people who have a real passion for doing the right things for children – it’s about liberating the talent in the organisation and giving them the tools they need to provide an even better education to our students than they already do.”

“At the heart of every decision we make, we also go back to the question: what’s best for the children?”

“With our new identity in place, I think we have a huge opportunity to deliver our vision to build a partnership that will benefit all of our schools and communities.” 

Wednesday 21st July, 2021

MP visits after children write to PM

Sutton Coldfield youngsters have taken their concerns over climate change to the very top of the UK Government.

Year 5 children at Hill West Primary School felt so strongly about the issues, that they wrote to the Prime Minister, asking him to uphold his responsibilities as a Duty Bearer to take positive action to support the rights of children around the world.

The school has since received a letter of thanks from Number 10 Downing Street.

As a result, pupils and staff welcomed Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell to the school in response to children’s handwritten letters to Boris Johnson.

Mr Mitchell visited the school after he passed on the letters – which focused on climate change and the impact on children’s rights globally – to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The MP joined pupils and staff at the school on Friday 16 July to talk about a range of topics, including the UNICEF Outright campaign, which looks at how climate change can impact negatively on children’s rights, and supports children to voice their views.

The letters were initially sent to Mr Mitchell, as he is both their constituency MP and also has a strong record of campaigning for the rights of people around the world, with pupils asking him if he would consider forwarding them to the Prime Minister.

Acting deputy headteacher, Rhian Warrack said: “We were thrilled to learn that Mr Mitchell did support the rights of the children at Hill West to express their views and opinions, and to have their voices listened to, as he forwarded their letters to the Prime Minister in early July.

“We were absolutely delighted to then be contacted by Mr Mitchell, asking if he could come to Hill West and meet some of the children who had written letters, and we welcomed him in school on a beautiful sunny afternoon.”

Hill West Primary School, part of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, is working towards the UNICEF Rights Respecting School Gold Award. Mr Mitchell spoke to the children about a range of subjects, sharing some of his experience of supporting human rights during his career.

The children asked insightful questions on matters including climate change and how Mr Mitchell has been supporting those living in poverty in the UK, especially during the pandemic. Pupils also asked how the MP and the government are supporting children’s right to a high quality education now and moving forwards after COVID.

The children were interested in why and how Mr Mitchell became a Member of Parliament. They heard about the work he has been doing to try and prevent the government from reducing the International Development Budget, and his decision to keep Sutton Park open during the pandemic.

Dr Warrack added: “The children relished their opportunity to express their views and feelings in all matters affecting them to their Member of Parliament and to have Mr Mitchell take them seriously. They are also extremely grateful for his support in putting their views forward to our Prime Minister and sincerely hope that they are taken seriously by Boris Johnson, as they have been by Mr Mitchell, so that they can have a positive impact on children’s rights, both here in Sutton Coldfield, the UK, and around the world.”

Mr Mitchell said: “It was wonderful to meet the pupils and staff at Hill West and to learn more about their work with UNICEF’s ‘Rights Respecting Schools’ and ‘Outright’ campaigns. I was very impressed with their letters – huge congratulations to the children for all their hard work and tenacity. These future citizens care about the rights of all children globally and are empowered to instigate change by using their collective voice.

“The pupils are politically and environmentally aware, so it was an excellent opportunity to talk to them about politics, the world they live in and the issues that impact them and others across the world. There is no doubt that we have some young leaders in our midst.”

Arthur Terry teacher’s work wins silver award

A Sutton Coldfield teacher has received a second top award for her services to children and education.

Selected from thousands of nominations, Arthur Terry School/Arthur Terry Learning Partnership teacher Sue Bailey MBE has been honoured as one of 102 Pearson National Teaching Silver Award winners across the country.

Sue was honoured with a Silver Award in The Award for Lifetime Achievement for their outstanding commitment to changing the lives of the children they work with every day. 

Sue has devoted her career to the educational, social, and emotional welfare of children, transforming many lives, and in 2017 she received an MBE for services to the community and vulnerable children.

She was the Strategic Lead for the Four Oaks Children’s Centres, providing a ‘lifeline’ to families, by organising transition days, community choirs and partnership events.

A Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award holder, recognised by the Outward Bound Trust for her long service, Sue has headed up visits to partner schools in South Africa through ‘Aspire for Africa Trust’. In 2016, Sue’s dynamic leadership became headline news when she led students and colleagues to safety during a military coup at Istanbul Airport.

Sue has now been shortlisted to win one of just 15 Gold Awards later in the year, in a programme which will be broadcast on the BBC. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the exceptional school staff who have worked wonders during an incredibly challenging time for educators across the country. 

She said: “I’m really honoured, humbled and proud to have received this Pearson Silver Award. Thank you to all the colleagues I have worked with over the years, who have supported me, inspired me, challenged me, laughed with me, cried with me and been part of this incredible journey. On this national ‘Thank a Teacher Day’ I would like to congratulate all schools and everybody who works in education for the incredible work they do.”

Richard Gill CBE, CEO of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership and Chair of the National Teaching Schools Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see Sue win this Silver award. She is an inspirational and dedicated teacher and leader, who has transformed the lives of so many children and young people, both at the Arthur Terry School and across our family of schools. It’s a privilege to work alongside Sue, and we all look forward to congratulating her on this ‘National Thank a Teacher Day’ when we will also be celebrating and thanking all colleagues across all schools for their incredible work, every single day.”

Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell said: “Congratulations to Sue on such a phenomenal achievement. Her outstanding service to education and safeguarding across Arthur Terry School, ATLP and the wider community, has helped to shape so many lives over the years. This Silver Pearson Award is richly deserved!

“Every child matters to Sue, and this was never more apparent than when she helped to secure the safe return of her students and colleagues following a military coup in Istanbul. Sue was calm, caring and courageous – exactly what we need in great teachers and leaders, and it is an honour and a privilege to work with her.

“It is befitting that she receives this accolade on ‘National Thank a Teacher Day’ when we celebrate the valuable contribution that all school staff make to our schools and communities. We are very fortunate to have such wonderful schools here in the Royal Town, filled with exceptional individuals like Sue Bailey, and I am very proud of their incredible work.”

The Silver Award winners are being honoured as part of the wider celebrations for ‘Thank a Teacher Day’, a national campaign to honour and recognise school staff for their incredible work. The celebrations follow new data which shows how the previous year’s lockdowns have significantly changed how families across the country view the role of teachers. 

New research from Parentkind and The Teaching Awards Trust highlights that three in four parents and carers have a newfound respect hold for the teaching profession following their experiences of remote learning during lockdown. 74.9% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they had more respect for the work that teachers do following their family’s experiences of remote learning.

The last year has seen a wealth of stories of teachers making care visits to vulnerable families, coming up with innovative ways of remote teaching, keeping their pupils settled by regularly checking in and even using their school sites for Covid-19 testing when classes did return to school. There has never been a better time to appreciate them and the vital work they do. 

The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of excellence in education, founded in 1998 by Lord Puttnam to recognise the life-changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on the lives of the young people they work with. This year marks its 22^ndyear of celebrating, award-winning teachers, teaching assistants, headteachers and lecturers across the UK 

Sharon Hague, Senior Vice President of Schools at Pearson UK, said:  “After a year like no other we want to take today to say thank you to all the incredible school staff who have kept children and young people learning despite unprecedented challenges. We hope the celebrations today show how much you are appreciated, and that your hard work has not gone unnoticed nor unrecognised.” 

• 

ST GILES HOSPICE HELPS SCHOOL STAFF TO SUPPORT STUDENTS

A Sutton Coldfield school has been leading the way in training teaching staff from 14 schools to help students cope with the terrible loss of bereavement, writes Bill McCarthy.

Teachers from across Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield and Tamworth have received vital training to help young people facing loss and living with bereavement.
Phoenix, the children and young people’s bereavement service for St Giles Hospice, has been working with staff from schools from the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP), which include Arthur Terry School, John Willmott School, Stockland Green School, Brookvale Primary School, Curdworth Primary School, Hill West Primary School, Mere Green Primary School and Slade Primary School in Birmingham.
The session covered the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on young people as well as issues around bereavement and facing loss.
Sue Bailey, Assistant Head at Arthur Terry, said: “We are very much aware that many families within our community of schools have lost loved ones during these difficult times.
“Our aim as a partnership is to offer as much support to these families as we can and the training we received from St Giles will further enable our staff to do this.
“The training was of a very high quality and left us feeling better equipped to support families and also how to access the expert support available from St Giles.

We look forward to further partnership working and would recommend this training to others.” 
Phoenix lead Jodie Phillips said the right support in schools for young people who had experienced the death of someone close to them was essential, particularly in the current circumstances.
“Schools can be a safe space for young people, providing normality and consistency at times of extreme pressure and change, which is often the case when someone dies,” she said.
“Working with ATLP to help their staff to support young people facing the death of a loved one or living with that loss is an important part of creating a safety net for those young people.
“Given the right support, most grieving children and young people will not need professional help, but what they do need is the care of adults they trust who are familiar to them such as a teacher.”
The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership is a growing multi-academy trust of 14 schools and one teaching school in Birmingham, North Warwickshire and Staffordshire.
Phoenix offers support for any child or young person under the age of 18 who is facing loss or who has been bereaved, in the St Giles Hospice catchment area.

Referrals can come from parents, teachers, healthcare professionals or young people. To find out more, please call 01543 434536.