The Parents Group met earlier today via Zoom to hear about the TEAM Education Trust and how it was already showing ‘added value’ to Stubbin Wood.  Mrs Sarah Baker, Executive Principal and CEO of the Trust, shared detailed and clear information about the Trust including its vision and values and the pledges that it has made to each child, to their families and to the school staff.

Mrs Baker outlined to parents how Stubbin Wood is sharing the expertise held within Stubbin Wood with other schools within the Trust and in the wider community.  In turn, Stubbin Wood is benefiting from new insight and experience from staff in our partner schools.

Last week all schools were externally ’quality assured’ to review their current achievements in line with the Ofsted criteria; all schools have maintained (if not improved) on their Ofsted ratings.  This is a huge credit to the school principals, their teams and the wider Trust staff.

Mrs Baker outlined the ambition the new Trust and the pledge for students, families and the staff to provide a supportive and nurturing environment where each child achieves their best possible outcomes.

Parents will notice that there have been some additional Inset Days set into the calendar for this year.  This is a response to the cancelled training events that were not possible for staff to attend during Lockdown.  These additional Inset days will be intensive training programmes to ensure that all staff are up to speed with educational, medical, behavioural and pastoral developments.

As the Covid transmission rates lurch higher, parents were reassured by the extensive plans in place at school. The plans were so good that they were given to Derbyshire County Councils to share with their schools.  This has included full risk assessments, extra cleaning routines, strict hand hygiene expectations for both staff and students as well as the purchase of a ‘fogging machine’ to disinfect all areas of a classroom if a suspected case of Covid-19 is reported.

It is great to know that children have been responding really well to school since their return.  Mrs Baker likened them to ‘little sponges’ who are desperate to start learning again.  Our students are comfortable to be able to share their learning and produce excellent work to include fabulous poetry, autumn displays and they are now looking at how they can communicate with their friends in other classes – we feel that Zoom chats are on their way for our students too.

Plans are now being considered as to how the forthcoming Christmas period can be a time of shared joy and excitement despite the limitations placed upon us.

Finally, we would like to welcome two new parent Governors to our Governing Body, Lisa Bassington and Katie Head.  We look forward to working with them and thank them for sharing your voice with our school.