Latest News
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Notice of an annual general meeting
Mon 06 Jan 2025Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Extend Learning Academies Network will be held at Mendip Green Primary School on Tuesday 4 February 2025 at 5:00pm for the following purposes:
1 Elect Chair for the meeting
2 Welcome, apologies and quorum
3 Disclosure of interests
4 Approve minutes of the previous AGM 06.02.2024
5 To receive the annual accounts of the company for the period to 31 August 2024
6 Any proposed changes to the Articles of Association
7 Any changes to the Funding Agreement
8 Appointment/retirement of Members, Clerks or Directors since September 2023
9 Appointment of external auditors of the Company
10 Trust business update from the CEO
11 Any motions which the Members wish to debate
12 Any business which the Trustees have asked the Members to consider
13 Any business the community has asked the Members to consider
All associated documents will be available in advance of the meeting. If you would like the Members of the Multi Academy Trust to respond to questions at the AGM, please submit these in writing to the Company Secretary at least 4 days prior to the meeting
By order of the Board
Sarah Edwards
Company Secretary
Email: office@extendlearning.org
Extend Learning Academies Network
Registered Address: 13 Lime Close, Weston-super-Mare BS24 8BHPlease let the Company Secretary know if you will be attending by emailing office@extendlearning.org.
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Local MP visits Bournville and Locking
Wed 23 Oct 2024Today we were fortunate to welcome our newly elected Weston-super-Mare member of parliament, Daniel Aldridge MP and his Chief of Staff Jane Murch to the trust as they met with CEO Adam, Comms Lead Laura and headteachers Marie Berry and Roxanne Simpson.
We had a very productive morning talking about some serious issues, including lack of education funding and the impact that it has had, and continues to have across our region, disadvantage and deprivation, early years provision, the importance of early intervention and SEND (special educational needs and disabilities).
However, aside from the serious nature of the meeting, our morning was filled with much delight as we toured two of our schools; Bournville and Locking primary schools. We could have spent all week visiting all nine but sadly there wasn't time. Dan and Jane did have plenty of time however to enjoy playing with wooden blocks, talking to staff, chatting with children, looking at our indoor and outdoor learning environments, enjoying Hairy Maclary and generally immersing themselves into school life!
Dan and Jane have worked within the early years and SEND education worlds themselves and so it didn't take them long to get back into the swing of things!
We have a lot more to talk about and some more visits to make and are really looking forward to a positive working relationship with both Jane and Dan and working together towards instigating change and reform where needed.
Huge thank you to the amazing children and staff at both Bournville and Locking primary schools: you were all so welcoming and engaging and radiated warmth, positivity and pride.
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Cyber escape room with Avon and Somerset Police
Tue 22 Oct 2024On the evening of Monday 22 October, members of the central services team became temporary detectives and joined Avon and Somerset Police Cyber Protect Officers Felix Lester and Megan Haldane in trying to crack the codes needed to solve a high-profile cybercrime case.
This Cyber Escape Room put the team's investigative prowess to the test in a twist on the classic escape room experience, having just thirty minutes to clear the name of a colleague who had been targeted by cyber criminals.
It sounds like a lot of fun, and it was. Stressful against the clock but fun! But on the serious side, it showed just how easy it was to become the target of a criminal organisation by being careless with personal information and/or oversharing on social media and how difficult it could be to undo.
Along the way, the teams uncovered top-notch cyber security tips to safeguard themselves and the organisation from the ever-looming threat of cybercrime. Felix and Meg had some great advice around actions we could all take to protect ourselves and talked about reporting.
Thank you so much to the Avon and Somerset Police Cyber Protect Team. This was an extremely valuable learning exercise!
Thank you to Locking Primary School for lending us your school hall. -
Windwhistle scoop travel award
Wed 16 Oct 2024Windwhistle Primary School have received a very special visit from Labour Councillor for Weston-super-Mare South Ward James Clayton, and Active and Sustainable Travel Officer for Schools and Communities Abbie Edbrooke, who came to present students with the certificate for their National Modeshift STARS ‘Good Travel Plan’ award. The award recognises schools that do excellent work to encourage a reduction in car journeys to/from their site.
The children were very proud of their achievement and spoke enthusiastically about how walking, cycling, scooting (and even roller-skating!) helps to keep them active, and gets their hearts and brains healthy and ready for learning.
To achieve this fantastic award, the school has done lots of work to find out how it’s community are travelling. They are working to encourage more walking wheeling scooting and cycling by completing challenges like the Living Streets ‘WOW Challenge’ where children self-report on how they get to school and win badges by walking to school at least once a week every week for a month.
Headteacher Heidi Hudd and Pastoral Lead Nicole Vinton explained how last academic year Windwhistle worked with the community and North Somerset Council to introduce the School Street scheme, a proactive solution for school communities to tackle air pollution, poor health and road safety outside schools. A School Street is a road outside a school with a temporary restriction on motorised traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times. The restriction applies to school traffic and through traffic. The result is a safer, healthier and pleasant environment for everyone. At Windwhistle, this is designated by eye-catching pencil bollards at each end of Kingsley Road that mark the School Street zone.
Traffic is reduced for an hour before and after school, preventing the danger and frustration that can accompany school pick-up and drop-off. In addition, Windwhistle has introduced ‘Park and Stride scheme’, where cars are parked further away in the local area and children walk the remaining distance to school, diffusing the traffic outside of the school. Windwhistle discussed their introduction of #WalkToSchoolWednesdays, which they hope to build into an even bigger initiative by using it to engage even more with the community in the future.
Abbie Edbrooke introduced the children to ‘Joan’, her bicycle, and talked about how proud she was of all the children, and how walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling to school each day can make a big difference to how we feel and help their minds and bodies just as much as it helps the environment. Councillor James Clayton was very enthusiastic about how much the children had achieved, and mentioned how walking to school in their school uniforms helps children show how proud they are to be pupils at Windwhistle. Councillor Clayton’s links to the local community run very deep, having seen his own children through the local school system and working with Windwhistle and Bournville primary schools for many years.
ELAN Communications Lead Laura Latham talked about how Windwhistle is making its mark in the community with local engagement such as these walk to school initiatives. James emphasised this, and described both Windwhistle and Bournville as ‘pinnacles of their community’, an ‘oasis’ in the area which needs these ‘vibrant schools’ to effectively tackle inequalities through education. Teaching children independence and self-belief by encouraging walking to school is just one of the steps Windwhistle is taking in building their reputation for extraordinary provision for the whole community, with children’s wellbeing and safety always at the forefront.
Congratulations to the community of Windwhistle Primary School.
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The Cottage Nurture Hub complete and open at Mead Vale Primary School
Mon 14 Oct 2024This autumn, Mead Vale Primary School have opened a brand new nurture hub, The Cottage. A nurture hub is a tried and tested way of relating to children that helps them develop vital social skills, confidence and self-esteem, and become ready to learn.
The nurturing approach to education offers a range of opportunities for children and young people to engage with missing early nurturing experiences, giving them the social and emotional skills to do well at school and with peers, and to develop their resilience and self-confidence. It encourages pupils to take pride in achieving - addressing the social and emotional needs that can hamper learning.
The Cottage provides a nurturing environment where children can develop essential skills and overcome barriers to learning whilst feeling emotionally safe. It provides space for up to eight children aged 4 to 11 years old and offers a bespoke learning curriculum based on the six principles of nurture.
- We learn to grow together
- Our classrooms are always safe spaces
- We listen and support each other
- We have words to communicate our feelings and ideas
- Our behaviour tells our story
- We talk and prepare for change in our lives
At Mead Vale, play and learning go hand-in-hand and children and staff have fully embraced OPAL Play (outdoor play and learning) to create more teaching time, improve behaviour and attendance, develop faster core skills development, support inclusion and improve happiness and wellbeing.
The Cottage is the latest addition to the academy-trusts growing portfolio of SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) bases which includes:
- The Cove, (Autistic hub) at Mendip Green Primary School,
- Hearing and Language Resource Base (HLRB) at Mendip Green Primary School,
- The Nest Nurture Hub at Bournville Primary School,
- The Den (autism resource base) at Milton Park Primary School
- Treetops Resource Hub (Moderate Learning Difficulty MLD) at Locking Primary School.
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Mead Vale Primary School awarded OPAL Platinum status
Thu 12 Sep 2024Playtimes at Mead Vale are extraordinary. Children really know how to play! They know how to assess and take risks, working together or alone to have the best playtimes. And this is all thanks to Outdoor Learning and Play, known as OPAL for short.
On 17 October 2024, Mead Vale Primary School opened its doors to the community for the afternoon in honour of its latest achievement with OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning).
The school have now achieved the OPAL Platinum Award status, which means playtimes are rated in the top 1% in the UK for the quality of play. In reality, this means that the children (and staff play team) have the most fun, every single school day, come rain or shine.
Helen Easton from OPAL came to present children with their award, of which they were extremely proud, and quite rightly so. The afternoon began with a whole school and community assembly led by headteacher Jo Jaloszynski, where the audience were treated to a high-energy taster of what OPAL looked like at Mead Vale. A special video featuring the school's story was shown, much to the excitement of the children, who loved watching themselves on the big screen, before Helen presented the award, flowers and two wooden walking sticks, which are known to Mead Vale as loose parts!
Following the celebration, a huge stay and play event took place outside for the rest of the afternoon where children’s creativity, inclusivity and confidence shone as they showed their families what life at Mead Vale is actually like.
A huge congratulations once again to Mead Vale. This award is a culmination of hard work, perseverance, learning and bravery from very member of staff, every pupil and the families and community that create the magic that is Mead Vale Primary School.
Guest of honour, Claire Sheils, Director of Children's Services North Somerset Council said:
“Thank you so much for inviting to me to the fantastic school assembly and to share the celebration of the Platinum accreditation status. It was an absolute joy and a privilege to hear from the children, the school staff and the parents and carers the difference that it has made – in terms of everyone’s wellbeing, improved attendance and improved relationships. To hear the children talk about the difference it has made for them, to see their confidence and the level of responsibility they take for enduring that activities are ‘safe enough’ was a credit to the bravery and commitment of your leadership as headteacher and the whole school community to listening to and working with their children. It was an absolute pleasure and the highlight of my week – your children were an absolute credit to the school. Please do pass on my thanks on to your team for allowing me to join your celebrations.”
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What does it mean for parents to be in a MAT?
Thu 12 Sep 2024Today, the admissions window opens for those children due to start school in September 2025.
But what does it mean if your primary school is part of a multi-academy trust such as ELAN?
For parents, being part of a multi-academy trust (MAT) means your child's school is part of a larger group of schools working together under a single organisational structure.
Day-to-day operations of individual schools generally remain the same, with minimal changes to the school routine for children. Our schools are very much individuals with their own characters and diverse communities.
MATs such as ELAN share best practices, resources, and expertise across member schools, which can enhance educational quality.
MATs can offer more opportunities for teacher development and career progression, potentially improving teaching quality.
There is a more consistent approach to curriculum, assessment, and behaviour policies across our schools.
Parents still apply for school places through the usual local processes, even if schools are part of a MAT.
Individual schools within MATs still receive Ofsted inspections and performance ratings.
Improved support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through pooled resources and expertise.
Enhanced opportunities for children through shared facilities and initiatives across MAT schools.
While being part of a MAT can bring changes to how a school is managed and governed, for most parents and children, the day-to-day experience of school life remains largely unchanged.
The main differences are often behind the scenes in terms of administration, resource sharing, and strategic planning across the group of schools.
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Learning environments
Thu 12 Sep 2024Huge, massive thank you to Mendip Green School for illustrating and showcasing some of the very best learning environments and shared spaces you’ll see with this gorgeous video.
This highlights beautifully, the almighty care, effort, time, love, research, research, research, more love, and hours spent around the clock transforming our schools into truly inclusive, calm and inviting spaces for all children and their families to be welcomed into.
We’ve heard things along this journey, such as “where’s all the colour”, “where is all the children’s work”, “that doesn’t look like a classroom”, but we’re sure you’ll agree that once you understand the evidence-based process, and the care and consideration behind such brave and non-traditional classrooms, you can understand how clutter free, distraction free spaces actually really do enhance a child’s learning and contribute to a better experience for all, inclusively.
We’re so proud of all of you for making this happen and come to life.
Thank you.
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Mr Oakley and BBC Radio 5 Live
Wed 11 Sep 2024“Every child has the right to attend their local school. – James Oakley”
If you caught the Nicky Campbell with Chris Warburton show on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning you would have caught our incredible headteacher Mr James Oakley from Mendip Green School talking about the lack of education funding for SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) provision.
According to the most recent BBC Radio 5 Live commissioned Teacher Tapp survey, 44% of state primary school headteachers reported SEN funding as their top financial concern. ELAN primary schools have high ratios of support staff to ensure they can be as fully inclusive as possible for all children, but budgets have been heavily affected by the lack of funding to meet support staff pay rises. Our support staff deserve pay increases because they do a superb job. They are the lifeblood of our schools and we could not provide such a high standard of care, inclusivity, and education that we do without them. As an employer, we must remain competitive too to attract and retain the best staff.
Headteachers and their teams work tirelessly to work in an efficient and effective way, and as a trust, we do everything to save money such as pooling resources and bulk-buying utilities, services, and essentials through central services and drawing on excellent links with local agencies. Despite financial constraints, we've maintained an exceptional educational offer for our students. This is a testament to the creativity, commitment, and resourcefulness of our staff. In the meantime, we continue to fight for government funding that aligns with their stated educational priorities.
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Volunteer awards
Fri 19 Jul 2024To mark the end of the 2023/24 academic year, Extend Learning Academies Network (ELAN) launched a new annual initiative that celebrates volunteer’s outstanding contributions to schools within the academy trust.
A whole host of nominations were made including:
Paul who has been volunteering for Mendip Green Primary School’s PTA since 2008 and has raised over £10,000 with his famous BBQ.
Mark who chairs the governing body at both Bournville and Mead Vale primary schools and supports the whole trust with his extraordinary commitment to pupil and staff wellbeing.
Richard who has committed 17 years to school governance at Banwell Primary School.
Sandra who has committed countless years to pupils at Locking Primary School to support their reading and tend to the school’s gardens.
David who steps down this year as Chair of Governors at Oldmixon Primary School where he has been a constant figure of support for over ten years.
Steve who has not only been governor at Walliscote Primary School for many years, but also pivotal in the formation of the academy trust and supporting all of our schools for over 19 years.
John who has provided years of incredible staff and pupil support as Chair of Governors at Windwhistle Primary School.
Vikki, a very committed Chair of Governors, who is sadly stepping down from governance at Locking Primary School after 10 years.
School Crossing Guard (who prefers to stay anonymous) for volunteering to keep children safe on the roads and in all weathers, twice a day in Banwell.
Marcus who has supported every Mendip Green summer fete with his learner-driver car so that children can experience getting behind the wheel for over 24 years!
Lara who has chaired the Locking Primary School PTA for over four years, raising an extraordinary amount of money and who is sadly stepping down this year.
Every year, an extraordinary amount of kind-hearted people offer their time and resources to support children and staff in our schools. Whether it is for one-day a year or a regular commitment, without this dedication and care, many experiences and activities could not take place. On behalf of all 3134 children, 540 staff, governors, trustees and members of ELAN, we whole-heartedly thank you all for your service. It is priceless and we could not do it without you.