Latest News
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UCL Institute of Education collaboration brings new innovation for CPET schools on language learning
Thu 03 Feb 2022Four Cambridge Primary Education Trust (CPET) schools have been involved in new learning on Supporting Spoken Language in the Classroom (SSLiC) following a successful Knowledge Exchange Programme with UCL Institute of Education.
The project, funded by Research England’s Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), saw Hatton Park, Histon and Impington Park, Somersham and Trumpington Park primary schools and UCL academics “exchange ideas, evidence and expertise” through the established SSLiC programme that aims to improve communication and learning outcomes for all children.
Over a four-month period, and with the support of SSLiC facilitator Dr Roberto Filippi, CPET participants identified changes they considered relevant for their settings. Self-assessment audits, and the use of a Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool to pinpoint strengths and areas for development, led to action plans around the language learning environment, opportunities and interactions.
“There is a growing evidence base in the area of speech, language and communication needs, but there still major gaps in our understanding of how to apply this in practice in schools and the best ways to support practitioners to embed communication in their school’s policy and practice,” explained Dr Filippi, Associate Professor in Psychology and Director of the Multilanguage and Cognition Lab at UCL Institute of Education. “If we wish to see greater improvements in outcomes for all children starting in school and beyond, it is critical that we come together to investigate how the existing evidence base related to communication and oral language can be applied to settings and then how this collective knowledge might be used to inform the wider community of ‘what works’ in schools for children. The CPET schools’ commitment in collaborating with us was key to the success of this project and, on behalf of the SSLiC team, I would like thank all the staff who contributed their energy to the case studies summarised below and detailed in our final report.”
Hatton Park Primary School
Working more collaboratively with parents/carers to foster their involvement in promoting language opportunities, supported by resources made available to families, was the primary area of focus. A survey demonstrated that parents/carers wanted information and guidance on effective strategies to use at home with their children to build opportunities for language learning. Greater active collaboration and partnerships with parents were to be the focus of the School’s action plans. In response, the School now provides weekly activities for parents/carers to undertake at home with their children. A bank of learning resources has been developed to give families access to a range of creative, engaging activities that promote spoken interactions between parents and children. A new area has been created on the School’s website, Supporting Language at Home.
Histon and Impington Park Primary School
The main priority for change was to support all staff in developing effective communication strategies with children, with focus on the use of open-ended questions, modelling new language and quality interactions. The School felt it was important to ensure that all adults are confident in knowing how to support children’s communication and language within the context of a reception classroom. Development in language leadership and staff professional development, especially for teaching assistants (TAs), were identified. A TA training programme was created consisting of six sessions centred on developing a particular effective communication and language skills strategy, as well as the opportunity to share and reflect on their observations and interactions with a ‘focus child’.
Somersham Primary School
A whole-school approach to improving language and vocabulary saw the appointment of Language Leaders to support the leadership team. A Philosophy of Language Learning was created and shared with staff to ensure collective understanding and commitment to embedding the philosophy in practice. Staff were supported in operationalising these aims through examples of good practice that the leadership team and Language Leaders should see during learning walks and classroom observations. The leadership team felt the inconsistencies in language learning was related to knowledge and understanding of good practice, but also (as confirmed by a staff questionnaire) to levels of staff confidence in developing children’s language. This highlighted the need for support from the Language Leaders and ongoing monitoring of staff confidence.
Trumpington Park Primary School
Similar to Hatton Park, helping parents/carers to better understand language learning strategies in early years, and raising the importance of providing language learning opportunities at home, was the primary focus. A questionnaire found the majority of parents/carers were aware of the issues related to challenges of poor language development, especially if they knew that their children fell behind the age-related learning stage, but did not know how to encourage, support and enhance their child’s development. Dedicated workshops to raise awareness and provide them with more support were welcomed, and the School is putting in place a new bank of resources (e.g. games/books) that can be used by parents at home to support all pupils’ language development.
CPET CEO/Executive Principal Lesley Birch added: “Although this has been a relatively short project, we have already seen some excellent outcomes. For example, the TA training programme led to constructive feedback and collaborative interaction, as well as observations on the impact on children’s learning. There is also evidence of higher levels of confidence among parents/carers in how to support children with language learning at home with parents now beginning to engage more fully in partnerships. Elsewhere, there is greater staff awareness of how to create stimulating language-rich classroom environments. To have the ability to partner with UCL Institute of Education is a wonderful professional development opportunity for our staff, and for our schools’ development.”
UCL Institute of Education, in collaboration with CPET and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub, has now launched a ‘Bridging Educational Sciences with Practice in Education’ online seminar series. To register your interest in these free events, and for more information, please go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bridging-educational-sciences-with-practice-in-education-tickets-169625282787.
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“Strong start” for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub, as 800 teachers and school leaders are supported in opening quarter
Tue 07 Dec 2021Nearly 800 Early Career Teachers (ECTs), mentors and school leaders have already been supported by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub, one of 87 Hubs designated by the Department for Education (DfE), in its first three months of operation.
The Hub officially opened on 1st September to provide high-quality training and professional development to support teachers and leaders at every stage of their career, with the objective of raising teaching standards and contributing significantly to school improvement.
It supports schools in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough – primary, secondary and alternative provision – with the Early Career Framework (ECF), National Professional Qualifications (NPQ), Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
360 ECTs and 341 mentors (school teachers overseeing the ECTs) have attended local group sessions on the ECF, which gives all new teachers a funded entitlement to a structured two-year package of high-quality professional development at the start of their careers, and feedback from delegates has been hugely positive.
93% of ECTs and 89% of mentors rated the quality of their training as ‘good’ or ‘very good’ and 92% and 89% (respectively) ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that they would be able to apply their learning to their practice. These sessions have been undertaken by ECT lead provider partner, Education Development Trust (EDT), and now plans for ECT and mentor regional conferences in January 2022 are being finalised.
The Hub is also offering all six NPQs for teachers and leaders via its lead provider partners Teach First and the Church of England, and 43 school professionals having signed up to programmes beginning in November. And with the DfE’s confirmation on 1st December of reforms to ITT courses, including the role of Teaching School Hubs "to support training providers, especially locally and in disadvantaged communities", Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub will step up its work with the three School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) providers in the area.
Meanwhile, a range of wider DfE and Hub approved CPD opportunities, including those with specialist Curriculum Hubs around subject-specific knowledge, have been accessed by around 40 primary and secondary school teachers.
“Our first quarter supporting teacher development from EYFS to Key Stage 5 has brought a strong start for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub," said Hub Lead Lynne Birch. “We have had a high level of engagement with schools in the area and actually exceeded the number of ECTs and mentors we were anticipating to support by around 160. Initial Teacher Training has been provided by our partners: the CTSN SCITT, The Cambridge Partnership SCITT and Teach East SCITT, which is a wonderful example of expertise being drawn together through the Hub model. Recruitment to NPQs has also been very pleasing indeed and we are moving forward with all other areas. Our children deserve high-quality education and by being a centre of excellence, working collaboratively through strong, supportive partnerships which promote and value fairness, equality, inclusion and diversity, we can achieve our stated objectives."
The Cam Academy Trust has engaged with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub on several levels. “We hope and expect that both the support for ECTs and the access to NPQs will be important and significant professional development for many of our staff,” explained Chief Executive Stephen Munday CBE. “All our ECTs are registered with the EDT, the named provider for ECF support for ECTs, which has been sorted out through Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub and is a crucial area of teacher support for us. Many of our staff will be registering for NPQs through Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub, as well as other Teaching School Hub providers. These are an important source of leadership development.”
Mr Munday added that he was looking forward to exploring other opportunities with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub. “We hope that we will be able to engage with further and wider areas of staff professional development, including contributing to the delivery and even design of these,” he said. “These would go beyond NPQs and ECT support. We will also continue to play a central role in overseeing a major SCITT that will provide much ITT in the area. Positive working relationships with key people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub mean that we can work well and appropriately with seeking to move forward with the Hub.”
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub, which was awarded to Histon and Impington Junior School (now Histon and Impington Brook Primary School) in January, is part of a strategic partnership called Iceni Teaching School Hubs alongside Saffron Teaching School Hub (Braintree, Chelmsford, Epping Forest, Harlow, Uttlesford) and Unity Teaching School (Forest Heath, Mid Suffolk, St Edmundsbury, Suffolk Coastal). It also works with Alpha Teaching School Hub, Chafford Hundred Teaching School Hub, Inspiration Teaching School Hub and Julian Teaching School Hub, as well as local authority partners Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council.
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Proposed Voluntary Merger With CMAT
Wed 20 Oct 2021Dear Parents/Carers,
PROPOSED VOLUNTARY MERGER OF CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY EDUCATION TRUST WITH CAMBRIDGE MERIDIAN ACADEMIES TRUST
I am writing to you about the future of Cambridge Primary Education Trust (CPET) and a proposal for the Trust to voluntarily merge with another successful multi-academy trust, Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT).
This proposal would see CPET and its five primary schools – Hatton Park Primary School, Histon & Impington Brook Primary School, Histon & Impington Park Primary School, Somersham Primary School and Trumpington Park Primary School – merge with CMAT.
If accepted, a new Trust (comprising CPET and CMAT) with a new name would be created. This would be a significant step for CPET.
Within the proposals, I would be Deputy CEO, with responsibility for all aspects of Primary Education and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub. The Headteachers and staff at our schools will remain the same. This is an opportunity to share our excellent practice more widely, as well as learning from our colleagues in the newly-formed Trust.
What the proposed merger would mean is the end of CPET as a standalone organisation and I therefore want to take the opportunity to outline to you why this proposal has arisen and what it will mean for CPET schools.
CPET’s Board of Trustees made the decision earlier this year to explore the voluntary merger with CMAT. Our Board agreed that it would be beneficial to explore the merger as an option to ensure a successful future for the Trust and its schools. This decision also arrived at a time when our Chair of Trustees, John Frost, announced that he would be retiring from the role. We all thank John for his tremendous input to the growth and development of CPET.
Both I and CPET’s Trustee Board believe this voluntary merger would bring excellent benefits to both Trusts and be a real recipe for further success. We strongly believe that there is a great amount of common ground between CPET and CMAT both in terms of values and ethos and our ambitions for our children, students and staff. Both Trusts have a clear commitment to providing an outstanding education in the heart of their local community. This would be a merger where both Trusts are equally successful at what they do and collectively bring improved opportunities for children and communities.
CMAT is currently made up of 23 schools including 9 primary, 2 special and 12 secondary across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. The schools educate approximately 14,000 pupils which would be reinforced by the 1,733 pupils within CPET schools. The proposal would allow CMAT to strengthen their primary leadership base within the new Trust, thanks to the huge amount of expertise we have within CPET.
There would also be increased opportunities for our staff, who would transfer over to the new entity and be able to benefit from wider career development opportunities and the sharing of best practice, all in the best interests of our children.
Both Trusts already have a long-standing collaboration; Mark Woods, CEO of CMAT, and I sit on each other’s Board of Trustees. CPET’s primary schools enjoy a strong relationship with CMAT’s secondary schools in Cambridgeshire, including North Cambridge Academy and Northstowe Secondary College, with pupils moving up from primary into these schools.
Other aspects of the merger include the transfer of the Teaching School Hub for Cambridge and Peterborough schools based at Histon & Impington Brook Primary School to the new Trust. In
essence, we strongly believe the proposed merger would strengthen our provision of high-quality education for our children.
The proposal is for the merger of CPET and CMAT to be fully completed by the end of the Spring Term 2022 following a thorough and comprehensive period of consultation and due diligence. We will shortly be opening a period of public consultation, to end on Wednesday 1st December, through which we would really value your views.
Existing schools across the trusts:
CMAT: https://www.cmatrust.co.uk/cmat-academies/
CPET: https://www.cpetrust.co.uk/topic/our-schools
Virtual Live Events
There will be two virtual live events where you will have the opportunity to hear from both CPET and CMAT, and to raise any questions. The links to these events are below:
- Wednesday 10th November from 6:30 – 7:30pm – JOIN HERE
- Thursday 11th November from 6:30 – 7:30pm – JOIN HERE
In-Person Events
If you would like a more personal discussion regarding the above proposal please do get in touch via consultations@cpetrust.co.uk or book a space at one of the three smaller in-person consultation meetings detailed below. Please note spaces will be limited at these in-person consultation meetings due to Covid-19 measures.
- 15th November via Microsoft Teams (Find link on EventBrite page) at 4pm (Has been moved online, was originally at Histon & Impington Park Primary School) – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/192215410467
- 19th November at Hatton Park at 9:15am – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/192355669987
- 29th November at Northstowe Secondary College at 6pm (Has been rescheduled, was originally 24th November) – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/192357104277
Online Survey
We have set up a survey to formally gather your views and we would really value your time in completing this by 1st December. Please click on the following link to access the survey https://forms.office.com/r/aTwpNq5aEP
We understand the significance of what is proposed and will continue to keep you informed and offer the opportunity for you to speak to senior leaders from both CPET and CMAT to answer any questions you may have.
Yours sincerely,
Lesley Birch
CEO, Cambridge Primary Education Trust
John Frost
Member/Chair, Cambridge Primary Education Trust
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Teaching computing research project uncovers methods for increasing engagement in blended learning
Thu 23 Sep 2021A research project undertaken by colleagues at Cambridge Primary Education Trust (CPET) around the teaching of computing has provided important insight into how both school-based and home-based learning might evolve in the future.
James Course, a Year 3/4 teacher at Somersham Primary School, and Jon Windsor, a Year 3 teacher at Trumpington Park Primary School, analysed the impact of focused teaching of computing across the curriculum – delivered over a half-term – on pupil and parent engagement with online homework. They also explored the potential of blended learning and recovering gaps in education following lockdown.
The project, which was completed in July 2021, has brought valuable understanding of engagement with homework and pupils’ wider learning. “We wanted to discover if one of the barriers to engagement with blended styles of learning was a lack of computing skills,” Jon explained. “We taught a sequence of bespoke lessons to develop these skills, but the impact on engagement was limited. We therefore reinforced that other factors are more significant barriers. Going forward we will continue to evaluate how we can engage parents and families in supporting pupils in their learning, including with homework. We did learn that there appear to be more accessible types of task, especially ones that can be accessed on a phone or tablet. Tasks such as quizzes using Microsoft Forms will therefore be our starting point if and when we look to expand the use of blended learning.”
James said the objective was to ensure that home learning in any guise is meaningful, and reinforces teacher-led learning, and also make related tasks achievable and accessible to all. “While our project has not revealed some perfect solution for home learning, we can definitely take away aspects that can be used in future to create more robust routines and expectations for home learning, which could then form a basis for any expansion into wider blended learning,” he revealed. “Meanwhile, we delivered a sequence of lessons to build a strong platform of core computing skills. We took opportunities across the curriculum to modelling the daily IT skills which we use and take for granted. We saw the children becoming more confident, efficient and capable with their use of laptops and key software such as Microsoft Word. The children also evidently improved transferable skills such as using search engines safely and efficiently, as well as making their own evaluations and comparisons between the different formats of technology available to them.”
The CPET colleagues will now evaluate the Trust’s approach to teaching computing, ensuring that it is developing the kinds of skills that the children will need in future, and aiming for the skills to be both transferable and adaptable to the changes in technology that they will face along the way. A further next step will be to consider how computing skills can be developed more broadly across the curriculum. “We have been able to explore some of the potential barriers that children face, and our findings will influence our future approach and recommendations for setting homework, as well as the potential continued use of blended learning,” Jon said. “The project also helped us as reflective practitioners, questioning some assumptions which we might otherwise have made.”
The research, which included a range of wider reading, was funded and supported by Cambridge Teaching Schools Network (CTSN). “It has been empowering to be trusted to deliver this project,” James added. “We were asked to make a difference by looking into the issue in-depth, ensuring that robust conclusions can be reached, albeit we recognise this is a small-scale project rather than a big change programme. We have already shared our findings with CPET’s senior leadership team and look forward to supporting next steps, both at Trust-level, and directly within our own schools.”
CPET Executive Principal/CEO Lesley Birch said: “As a Trust we are committed to encouraging staff to develop their skills and experience. Colleagues from all our schools work together to share best practice and resources as well as supporting each other in planning and evaluation activities. In this case it is great to see teachers embracing research to support the learning of our children and other staff members. Often small adaptations make a huge difference to our children accessing learning.”
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New Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub officially opens to support teacher professional development
Wed 08 Sep 2021Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub, one of 87 Hubs selected by the Government in a £65 million investment to provide high-quality professional development to teachers and leaders in England, has officially opened.
Back in February it was announced by the Department for Education (DfE) that Histon and Impington Junior School, part of Cambridge Primary Education Trust (CPET), would be the designated Teaching School Hub for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough schools from 1st September. Now the Hub is set to support 336 schools, making it the third largest Hub in the country, with a range of professional development for teachers at all stages of their careers.
Initial priorities in the next 12 months are implementation of the Early Career Framework for all new teachers, delivery of National Professional Qualifications for school leadership, and providing initial teacher training with partner organisations locally. It will also undertake collaborative working with curriculum hubs and signposting professional development for DfE approved and partner training programmes in the region.
“We want every teacher, school leader and wider school staff to have the best professional development they can,” said Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub Lead Lynne Birch, formerly Schools Engagement Adviser at Cambridgeshire County Council. “We are committed to facilitating this through delivery partner providers, signposting, and commissioning development opportunities where there are gaps in the region. We have a long track record of working together in our area which has brought us to the creation of this Hub. Integral to the success of the Hub will be the continuation of that approach and deepening our relationships with schools, Trusts and partners in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. We strongly believe that this Hub belongs to them.”
The Hub is committed to working in collaboration with early years’ providers, primary, secondary, alternative provision, special schools, further and higher education providers and other regional stakeholders. These include Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex Teaching School Hubs, local authorities, Ely and Peterborough Dioceses, Anglia Ruskin University, the University of Cambridge, curriculum hubs and research schools.
CPET Executive Principal/CEO Lesley Birch, one of just 12 school leaders to have been appointed by the DfE to the new national Teaching School Hubs Council last month, added: “The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub is a significant development for the region because it forms part of the Government’s plans for the implementation of the recruitment and retention strategy to raise teacher quality and effectiveness. We exist ultimately to support Cambridgeshire and Peterborough schools and Trusts in having the best professional development offer from the moment someone decides they want to train as a teacher and throughout their career. It is privileged responsibility, and one that we embrace.”
For more information about the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub, please visit the interim website at https://www.cpetrust.co.uk/topic/teaching-school-hub.
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“Loyal, caring and inspiring” Janet retires after 32 years at Histon & Impington Junior School
Wed 01 Sep 2021A teacher who has given over 30 years “dedication and commitment” to Histon & Impington Junior School has left the classroom for the last time.
Janet Jenkins, who first walked through the school doors as a supply teacher in November 1988 before landing a full-time role, has retired at the age of 65 having served as Assistant Headteacher, Head of Year 6 and SENDCo lead. A Histon resident herself, Janet’s children both attended Histon & Impington Juniors, and she even taught her eldest daughter in Year 5. The school, which from September will be called Histon & Impington Brook Primary, is a place she poignantly refers to as “my second home”.
“I’ve absolutely loved working with everyone,” Janet said. “My colleagues have been amazing and the children have always been really charming to work with. The school has only had four Headteachers since the school was opened in the 1970s, and I’ve been at other schools where there hasn’t been that stability and leadership. I’ve always been looked after and seen the school as a safe haven. I can still recall my first day and feeling grateful for the opportunity as I didn’t get a job in teaching straight after leaving college. I’ve always been really happy. I have been asked to go to other schools, but loyalty and the challenge here meant I stayed.”
Originally from Lincoln, Janet trained to be a teacher at the College of Ripon and York St John, but unable to land a job in Nottingham (where she moved to after graduation) she took up a role at Boots Head Office and stayed for five years. When Janet’s second daughter was born the family moved to Cambridge and she became a stay-at-home Mum for eight years. She later began working as a supply teacher across several schools in Cambridge, before being asked to join Histon & Impington Junior School full-time by then Headteacher Derek Anderson.
“As well as being a class teacher my subject responsibility was at first PE and, later on, I was asked to take on a SENDCo role alongside my teaching responsibilities,” Janet recalled. “When I first started a lot of children with special educational needs would go to a special school and I only worked for half a day a fortnight as SENDCo. Today, most children with special educational needs are catered for in mainstream education and there is a lot more training and support. We have Teaching Assistants (there were no TAs 30 years ago) to help the children, I line managed at least 20 TAs at Histon & Impington Junior School. For the last ten years, I was also the SENDCo for Hatton Park Primary school which I really enjoyed, especially as it was a primary school, so I got to know the children when they came into their Reception classes. I provided special educational needs school-to-school support for Somersham Primary School, also part of Cambridge Primary Education Trust, and other schools in the area. There is much more professionalism in the SENDCo role these days and across the sector we’re trying to find a consistent and effective way of doing things.”
As Assistant Headteacher and Head of Year 6, Janet admitted that teaching is a different profession to the one she joined. “When I started teaching, I used to help run Cubs and Guides and make my own and friends and family’s curtains, as well as looking after my young family and I’m not sure how I found time for it all,” she said. “Today, accountability has changed: it’s a lovely job, but it’s now a full-on job. Talking to each other and working as a team has been so important. For teachers joining the profession, my advice is to get to know your children really well, in and out of the classroom, ensure there is a good transition between their last teacher and yourself and communicate with parents. Seek help because you should never be on your own – discuss your priorities with your mentor. The support I’ve had from the school, and the Trust, over the years has been huge.”
Speaking about her retirement, Janet has now identified some priorities: “I’m looking forward to spending time with family and friends. I have eight grandchildren, including two in Australia. I’m also looking forward to taking some holidays as soon as we can. I was so lucky to be able to enjoy visiting the Galapagos Islands, one of my lifetime dreams, South America, the Seychelles and Australia and am keen to explore the rest of the world and also revisit the many lovely parts of the UK.”
Lesley Birch, Executive Principal/CEO of Cambridge Primary Education Trust, said: “As a colleague, Janet has been loyal, caring and inspiring. In her roles as Assistant Headteacher, Head of Year 6 and SENDCo lead, Janet has been very much at the centre of teaching and learning in our Trust, and she worked with children, staff and families showing tremendous dedication and commitment. Every child mattered to her and she aimed to overcome barriers for all children to enable them to flourish. We’ll miss Janet greatly, but will continue to value her friendship and wish her well in retirement.”
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Building a coherent picture of learning loss
Wed 07 Jul 2021Children learning to adapt with lots of other children learning from home, being isolated from one another without the opportunity to talk and challenge each other, where they live and their parents’ circumstances: all this has limited what our children have been able to do this year.
This has also made us all think how much the school system contributes to the lives of the children and their families. However, colleagues across our schools have missed out on so much too. We have felt so disconnected from some children at times when they have not been physically in school, but we have endeavoured to find ways to support all children in different ways, and there is no doubt many have thrived either through smaller group working or through the opportunity for high-quality remote learning.
Our staff have been amazing. Some were anxious to begin with because none of us knew what hand we were going to be dealt. Staff now have greater confidence being in school and they are more confident to work with the children. We always make sure we talk with staff, ask them questions, and do not take things for granted. Supporting staff who have been on a massive rollercoaster – trying to teach in classrooms, trying to teach remotely – they have been immense.
Encouraging colleagues to work in teams has been absolutely vital. We have created pillars of support, with people who can manage external and internal provision, but also with each other and making sure they have others to talk to. Instead of a high-level focus on CPD, I have tried to facilitate a mindset of ‘let’s share experiences, what is and isn’t working, how can we help and what do we need to do to enable everybody to cope with this’. Open dialogue, for me, is key, but of course it is challenging with constantly changing government guidance.
What the pandemic has highlighted is the opportunity, with appropriate government funding, to have a social/emotional mentor on every school site – somebody who perhaps has that ability to link with the community and parents as well (and a good example of this is Angie Waterson at Trumpington Park Primary School) – but I would advocate that training and development is needed to go alongside that.
And in the discussion of learning loss and catch-up programmes this is a reminder that children and staff are at the centre of this. Whilst there are people we might have labelled as disadvantaged pre-pandemic because of data, we now have families that are disadvantaged who were not before because of job losses and health issues. We have to acknowledge that and regroup as we look ahead to the future.
Lesley Birch is CEO/Executive Principal of Cambridge Primary Education Trust (CPET)
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Resilience: how teamwork has helped us through this Covid-impacted year
Wed 07 Jul 2021As a relatively small Trust, there is no doubt that the culture we have created across our five primary schools has meant we have been in a really good position to respond to the challenges we have faced over these past 16 months.
You can talk about structures and systems, but you also have to trust, and at CPET we are very big on teamwork. The five headteachers and I work very closely, the core Trust team has supported us, and we have team leaders and subject leaders across the schools working together. So, I think we have been able to utilise those systems that we already had in place to enable us to be more resilient in this period.
Being able to respond to the crisis – and learning lessons as we go – has been a huge part of building resilience. But we have also worked collaboratively with other MATs and within the Cambridge Teaching School Network, for instance, as well as professional and technology partners with whom we have been able to develop together and learn from each other. We have made sure that we share what we are doing. As our expertise has grown, this has given colleagues across the Trust opportunities to show what they can do and unearthed some hidden talents we had not tapped into before.
As we had that structure and capacity to support, this assisted with aspects such as risk assessments, which would usually take somebody hours and hours to do, whereas if you work as a group of schools you can develop this together, populate it, and ultimately make it bespoke for each school so this is a lot quicker. Trustees have been very involved too, and so the confidence that came with their support, questions and challenge to all the Headteachers empowered them and senior leaders as well.
Relationships are so important to resilience. We did not want people to feel that we did not trust them and gave them the support and confidence to go and work with the children, families and communities, who actually at first were very anxious. This has not gone away completely, of course, and I know we still have a lot of work to do. But it is the way you work that is important, both through our ‘hero’ people and through the culture we have created, that supports sustainable resilience for the future.
Lesley Birch is CEO/Executive Principal of Cambridge Primary Education Trust (CPET)
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Teaching for Mastery: changing mindset in maths
Wed 30 Jun 2021Our schools teach mathematics through a mastery approach, which develops in children a deep understanding of key maths concepts and allows them to make links across the different strands. This means they acquire a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. Here we catch up with John Canavan, Assistant Headteacher and Year 5/6 teacher at Hatton Park Primary School; and Malcolm Watson, Year 4 teacher at Histon and Impington Junior School, about the development of Teaching for Mastery across the Trust, the impact on children, and their support for other schools.
How did teaching for mastery begin for you?
JC: “It goes back to when I was at Histon and Impington Junior School with Lesley Birch as Headteacher. Through Lesley I was encouraged to complete a maths course at the University of Northampton, and I was offered the opportunity to go on a Department for Education (DfE) exchange programme to Shanghai as only one of two teachers from Cambridgeshire. I went over to Shanghai for two weeks, observed maths lessons and attended lectures at the local university; and Shanghai teachers then came here. I encouraged Histon and Impington Juniors to change to the maths mastery approach and it went from there. I have been supported all the way by some fantastic colleagues.”
MW: “I joined Histon and Impington Junior School in 2015 from a school in Kent, where I was previously maths leader. Not long after I became a trained maths mastery specialist through the Cambridge Maths Hub, which is also operating in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. Mastery is championed by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, and there are five big ideas in Teaching for Mastery. All schools in the Trust have been through the mastery programme. Smaller steps in lessons was key: from an education system perspective we could not replicate exactly what was delivered in China.”
What has been the biggest change in approach?
JC: “Before we did a range of different things, including taking children outside the classroom to work at a slower pace, but basically this only increased the gap. Our approach was clearly not working for all pupils. We want everyone to learn together, everyone has access to the same learning, fluency, problem-solving and reasoning, and we also looked carefully at our use of language. This really helped lower attaining children feel part of the class rather than being separate and working outside away from their peers. We have tailored these principles to the needs of our children and it has worked in terms of attainment and progress.”
What other factors have supported the success?
MW: “Looking at other schools I have worked with I can honestly say that turnover of staff is a huge issue. You can find that schools we supported a few years ago now have different teams in place, so staff leave and they can go backwards. CPET does not have a high turnover of staff, so we have that consistency, and one of the reasons for that is the professional development opportunities we are given and the support we have to take that learning forward. Retention of NQTs is a big thing. I know lots of people who have come a long way here, colleagues who now lead the training themselves.”
Tell us more about the school-to-school support.
MW: “Through the Cambridge Maths Hub I have taken on a role to develop training on maths in other schools. I have six schools under my wing – each school visits Histon and Impington Juniors every half-term and we take one of the five mastery ideas and look at how that is working in practice. I have undertaken bespoke visits to schools to watch teaching and provide advice, for example around lesson planning, too. I am also delivering some school-to-school support through the Fenland and East Cambridgeshire Opportunity Area, funded by the DfE, as is John. These projects span 18 months to two years.”
JC: “I will go into schools and sit and listen to their approach to maths, ask what they are doing and how they are finding it; a mutually professional dialogue which is also a learning process for me. Support can include lesson design, or other areas they feel they need help with, and all this has been delivered in Zoom during the pandemic. It takes years to bring about change. I will have conversations with the Head and senior leaders. They then take this knowledge into planning, in class scrutiny, but training is one thing and they need to make sure it happens and is continually maintained. Then they need to continually monitor and support teachers.”
What advice would you give to other schools embarking on the mastery journey?
MW: “The Teaching for Mastery should be seen as a continuum. It is not happening every day in the classroom perfectly, but there has been real progression and ordinary classroom teachers are now assistant heads/maths leads. In opportunity area schools, especially, it is about changing mindsets. Primary schools are obviously measured on SATs, but it is at what point and how the emphasis on preparing pupils for tests is replaced by developing a deeper understanding through the teaching of maths.”
JC: “Firstly, there needs to be whole-school approach and you have to bring staff along with you. A little every now and then, which allows people to see the potential of mastery. Secondly, be realistic on timescales – this is not a year-long piece of work, it takes two, three or four years to see the impact. Again, small steps, starting at fluency for knowledge and developing teachers’ understanding of effective use of language. This way it becomes less onerous and you see the benefit straight away. Thirdly, give ownership – hear colleagues’ ideas, you cannot be regimented, but you need to be realistic in terms of not diluting the mastery approach.”
How do you reflect on your impact?
JC: “I have always had a passion for maths. I love to see children grow and develop, and foster a love for the subject, and we have always sought to counter the national picture of ‘can’t do’ maths. Before maths mastery, children did not have a deep understanding, the knowledge and the big ideas behind it, and were procedural mathematicians. This was impacting on GCSE results and beyond, because the understanding was not there. We want to create critical thinkers, rigorous learners, and build deep understanding of concepts. Every school is judged by results of course. You always need to respond to the children in the building, you cannot shirk that, but there is a bigger picture. If the children are happy, if they are enjoying themselves, the learning comes.”
MW: “I have delivered Headteacher training on what a mastery strategy and lessons might look like, and my thought is that building from foundation up to Year 6 develops confidence and efficiency, and a by-product of that is results come. But actually changing mindset on approach to the teaching of maths can have a deeper impact on children than one that simply seeks to prepare them for national tests.”
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Children’s wellbeing at the forefront of everything
Wed 23 Jun 2021Angie Waterson is Welfare Officer at Trumpington Park Primary School, the first CPET school to have this dedicated role. Here we talk to Angie about her passion for the job, the underpinning principles, and her future plans.
How did the Welfare Officer role come about?
“I started out as a parent helper at Histon and Impington Junior School and then moved into a teaching assistant role and undertook my Higher Level Teaching Assistant qualification 11 years ago. Part of my role was to work with SEND children and behaviour children on a one-to-one basis, and I ran numerous intervention groups. When Mel Shute was assigned to Histon, I became responsible for extra support in her class, and I undertook CAMHS mental health training too. As a result, my intervention became more nurturing in approach and more holistic. It was underpinned by the principle that we needed to get things in place, and get in much sooner. When Mel became Head at Trumpington I was asked to help out here initially for a short time – and it has now been three years.”
Tell us about the role, and what this involves.
“The role itself is still in its infancy but, in an area of so much need, essentially it is about re-assuring children that coming to school is safe, building their confidence and relationships with their families. We start and end with a focus on their mental health and wellbeing, and putting in place steps to support both children’s academic abilities and abilities to deal with things beyond the classroom. My day begins and finishes with being a welcoming presence on the school gate. Parents appreciate the opportunity to talk to me about how their children are feeling and to understand whether there is anything I need to pass on to their teacher, or something I need to pick up myself by signposting to additional support or inviting the parent in to talk through concerns. I sympathise, empathise and try to diffuse anything before they go into school and, that way, we make sure everyone in our community feels valued and supported. This has paid dividends: attendance has significantly improved, and because the relationships are already there this helped during lockdown calls to vulnerable families.”
What types of interventions do you encourage?
“Before lockdown, I introduced a breakfast club (and hope to reinstate this once we are able to) which was aimed at low-income families, those who needed support for a limited time or some nurture time, to give children a good, healthy breakfast and a calm start to the day. We have also set up and ran a series of lunchtime groups e.g. art, lego and library, for certain children to build friendships, confidence and self-esteem. These are the ideal way for them to meet other children and importantly talk to each other, as well as modelling behaviour. I have a special designated room with games and distractions which provides a quiet, reflective space that enables me to be on call for any child that may need extra support away from class too. This helps to diffuse situations, and use time in a more positive way. We do not want children to suppress their feelings, we want to really understand them. In a world of mental health issues our approach is to teach children to be emotionally literate, and about resilience and how to cope with challenge.”
How would you like the role to develop?
“It actually runs alongside my other role as Designated Safeguarding Lead – keeping children safe and building relationships – so that is an effective synergy. We are now looking at early help with families and creating positive impact. Behaviour is about communication: understanding what children are trying to say, not judging their mental state, and having an arsenal of things to help e.g. Drawing and Talking, Sandplay. Therapeutic play – child-led/child-centred play – are non-invasive ways to help children to work through their challenges and we want to get in early so things do not escalate. Children have many different needs, and our approach is to let them be heard and show them they are valued and provide the support they need by building their resilience to cope and move forward. Again, we do not want to suppress feelings, and want to get the message across that how they feel is OK. I think there should be someone like me in every school, and it was interesting to read how the government is working on a funding allocation in order to train a Designated Mental Health Lead in every educational setting in England by 2025.”
In summary, just how important is the focus on mental health and wellbeing?
“Children’s wellbeing should be at the forefront of everything. It comes way before learning, and ultimately we need to look at mental health in exactly the same way as we do physical health. Children present with an array of problems and so much earlier. By building resilience, and giving them tools they need to live a fun and productive life, we can nurture them. The impact of this is seen in the development of children with behaviour problems, their attendance and academic achievement/ progress journey.”