We are delighted to have appointed a new and permanent headteacher for Windwhistle Primary School in Weston-super-Mare. Robyn-Lee Gibb will officially be joining us at the start of the new school year in September 2023.  

 

During a rigorous selection process involving staff, pupils, school governors, trustees and ELAN representatives, Miss Gibb proved herself an excellent candidate with a strong and consistent performance over the challenging two-day selection process. 

Miss Gibb is committed to doing the best for the children of Windwhistle School and brings significant leadership and teaching experience, including Mathematics, special education needs (SEN) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) specialisms.  

 

The ELAN board of trustees are confident that this appointment will enable the school to build on its many strengths and further develop its excellent child centred provision. Miss Gibb is very much looking forward to meeting, sharing and building her vision for the future with the school’s community. 

 

Following the retirement of long serving headteacher Mrs Hunt at the end of December 2022, Interim Headteacher, Jo Walkden has successfully led Windwhistle and will continue to do so until the end of the current school year. One of her key priorities will be to provide a comprehensive handover to Miss Gibb. On behalf of everyone in the school and trust, we’d like to thank Jo for all of her hard work to date.  

 

We are entering a truly exciting time on the Windwhistle Primary School journey!

Teachers in ELAN had their first training day on Wednesday 19 April 2023 for the Opening Worlds curriculum. Introducing Opening Worlds’ curriculums for history, geography and religion, is the next step in our pursuit to ensure an extraordinary curriculum entitlement for all pupils in Extend Learning Academies Network.

 ‘It was a really inspiring session.’ Headteacher

‘I was really motivated by Christine’s passion and I am really looking forward to teaching it.’ Teacher

‘Opening Worlds has powerfully secured the curriculum as the progression. The way that children’s vocabulary is developed through the curriculum is very powerful.’ School Effectiveness Lead

‘Christine exemplified our first, second and fifth pedagogy principles perfectly! She absolutely has a clear picture of beautiful and intricate learning; she knows it - the whole curriculum and she delivered the training with masses of passion.
Steve's storytelling had me hooked! I hung on his every word and I know our pupils will be the same with our teachers using this effective pedagogical approach when they deliver the Opening Worlds curriculum.’ Innovation & development lead


Opening Worlds is a knowledge-rich humanities programme for teaching history, geography and religion in Years 3 to 6. We provide curriculum resources together with training, support and ongoing programme-related professional development for primary school teachers. Because of its rapidly discernible effects on literacy and highly inclusive approach, Opening Worlds quickly gained appeal in schools tackling under-achievement in areas of social disadvantage.