Elizabeth Hudson
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Post-16 Special School For Scunthorpe Hits New Milestone
The creation of a new special school for 16-19 year olds in Scunthorpe is gathering pace ahead of its scheduled open date in September 2023.
As well as the build work being well underway, Trent View College has also moved on to a key milestone in the school’s development – recruiting the people who will get the school off to a successful start.
Sarah Parker, Trent View College’s Principal Designate, said: “This is a really exciting time in the Trent View College story. Not only are we seeing real physical progress on the site of the new school, but we are now in a position to start putting together the leadership team that will make the Trent View College ambition a reality. We’re inviting people interested in joining us to come along to one of two events at Holiday Inn, Doncaster this month to discover more about the new school and how they can be involved.
“We’re eager to hear from talented, dynamic and committed education leaders (and aspiring leaders) who want to help us build something incredibly special in Scunthorpe for 16-19 year olds. This is a once-in-a-career opportunity to be right there at the start of the creation of a new post-16 special school. People joining the team will be able to put their mark on something that will be a fantastic resource for the local community for years to come.”
The recruitment events will be held on Tuesday 11th October at 4.30pm- 6pm and Saturday 15th October at 9am – 11am at Holiday Inn Doncaster. Trent View College is part of Wellspring Academy Trust and leaders from across the Trust will be on hand at the events to also discuss leadership opportunities within Wellspring as a whole and at the 28 schools the Trust manages across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Wellspring schools comprise a mix of mainstream primary and secondary alongside special and alternative provision schools, offering a range of career opportunities both at school and at trust-level.
Dave Whitaker, Director of Learning at Wellspring, added: “We are always interested in meeting with education professionals who share our values and ethos. Our approach is focused on empathy and understanding, and putting our children and young people’s needs at the very heart of everything we do. As a fast growing multi-academy trust operating in a range of settings, we can help people to develop a career that really works for them. As well as Trent View College, we have a further two free schools in progress in Selby and Sheffield. There has never been a better time to join Wellspring.”
For more information, people can register their interest here
New Scheme Launched to Develop and Support Wellspring Teachers
A new initiative to share knowledge, and upskill and support teachers has been launched by the Josie Thirkill Institute of Education, part of Wellspring.
The Subject Networks enable teachers to learn from experts, share best practice, discuss challenges and successes and support each other in delivering the very best teaching across the curriculum.
Each network focuses on a particular element of teaching such as science, SEND or Early Years, and is led by a Lead Practitioner who will facilitate the network and offer guidance and support to ensure members of the network get the most out of the scheme. Lead Practitioners are all Wellspring education professionals appointed for their expertise in their subject area. Members of the networks are teachers from Wellspring schools who are either experts in that Subject Network discipline or individuals who want to develop their skills and knowledge in that network’s particular area. Schools can send one representative to each Subject Network, with the idea being that they then share the knowledge they acquire through the network more widely across their own schools.
Every Subject Network will hold six meetings each year where members identify challenges, decide on priorities for the group, share the latest information around pedagogy, and support each other. Each Subject Network will also provide three online training sessions via our online platform JosieTV which will be available for all teachers across the Trust to view and learn from.
Phase 1 of the scheme is already up and running, with the Science network kicking things off and holding its first session, led by Waheed Khan, last week. The Reading Network, led by Mia Sneyd and Adele Thackeray, gets up and running today (29 Sept 2022).Other networks in phase 1 include SEND, Early Years, PE and Design and Technology. Phase 2, which will include the humanities, art, performing arts and more, is scheduled for launch in November.
Joanna Kempston, Associate Principal with responsibility for the Subject Networks, said: “Professional generosity is a key part of Wellspring’s ethos and nowhere is that better displayed than through the Josie Thirkell Institute of Education, and particularly its new Subject Networks.
“With 28 schools spanning primary, secondary, special and alternative provision settings, we have a wealth of valuable experience and expertise contained within Wellspring and this new scheme enables us to share that with colleagues and develop best practice. We have a full schedule of activity lined up for this academic year and we’re all looking forward to seeing how we can support each other in delivering the highest quality teaching for our pupils.”
Our MAT Makeover – The Story of our Rebrand
By Elizabeth Hudson
Getting a rebrand right is about much more than simply developing a shiny new logo. The right logo conveys what an organisation is about, communicating its personality as much as its function.
For a long time, Wellspring branding was classic red and grey, with a formal typeface – smart and professional, but perhaps a little too corporate. As we approached our 10 year anniversary, it seemed right to look again at things and see if our image matched the organisation as it is in 2022. The verdict? It was time for a change.
At Wellspring, our aim is to enable schools to be joyful, inspiring and vibrant places. Yes, of course we take our professionalism seriously (the books still need to balance, legislation needs to be understood and followed, and buildings need to be properly managed) but ultimately we’re about children. We’re about improving children’s lives and life chances, and making them feel safe and valued whilst also helping them have plenty of fun along the way.
With this in mind, we knew the new branding had to reflect that we are primarily an organisation focused on children and their wellbeing. We needed something that conveyed creativity, playfulness and fun whilst not detracting from the professionalism of Wellspring. We also wanted to communicate the fact that Wellspring is a community of schools, not a top down management organisation.
Our designer took that all on board brilliantly and created our fabulous new logo and branding. The familiar Wellspring logo shape stayed but a bright, colourful mosaic tile effect was introduced to bring it right up to date. The different colours comprising the mosaic are taken from the individual logos of our schools, ensuring that we represent everyone who, when combined, make up the Wellspring community. A more modern, simple typeface completes the new look.
We reckon the brand refresh now much better reflects the dynamic, forward-thinking nature of Wellspring in 2022, and gives us a brand identity perfect for pushing forward to the next 10 years. We’d love to hear what you think…
Wellspring Celebrates 10 Years of Making A Difference!
Wellspring, the multi-academy trust that prides itself on doing things differently, recently celebrated a decade of transforming schools, communities and lives with a special event held at the school where it all started – The Forest Academy in Barnsley.
The celebration event was attended by around 100 guests and staff from across the Trust on Thursday 30th June, with attendees being treated to a performance by The Forest Academy pupils, catering provided by students at Greenacre School, another Wellspring school, and the premiere of the Wellspring at 10! film, which tells the Wellspring story so far.
As well as the celebration event, Wellspring marked this special anniversary with a host of celebrations, including providing a one-off birthday fund to each of its schools to spend on its outdoor space in line with its Greener Spaces initiative, a commitment to managing the public realm in a manner most beneficial to people, to the local environment, and to the planet.
Wellspring Academy Trust, based in Barnsley, began life in late June 2012 with one school – The Forest Academy. Today, it has 28 schools across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and several more new-build schools in development, manages a number of successful community-based schemes and was named MAT of the Year at the latest National Schools Awards.
Envisaged as a Trust with integrity and a commitment to inclusive practice above all else, Wellspring has stayed true to its original ethos and values. With settings in mainstream primary and secondary alongside special and alternative provision schools, Wellspring is proud to have never permanently excluded a pupil in its 10 years. Its focus on a relational approach towards behaviour and commitment to treating all pupils with unconditional positive regard has made Wellspring a leader in empathetic, trauma-informed teaching.
Determined to extend its reach beyond the classroom into the wider community and deliver on its wider aim of increasing social equity, Wellspring has also developed a number of community-based schemes. Most recently, its Communicolour initiative has seen forgotten grey spaces transformed into outstanding vibrant artwork by acclaimed artists, bringing art and a sense of pride in their surroundings to underprivileged communities.
Mark Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, explains: “From the very beginning, Wellspring has always been about doing things differently. We wanted to focus on supporting every single child in our care, however challenging their behaviour, and supporting communities that faced many difficulties. We know MATs have the potential to deliver huge amounts of good within the classroom and beyond, and we set out to prove that.
“After 10 years of staying values-driven and committed to our ethos of making a difference, I am incredibly proud of the collective achievements of everyone in the Wellspring family. We consistently strive to do more, acting innovatively and creatively to find solutions to the many challenges facing our pupils and communities. We are dedicated to the concept of professional generosity and share our knowledge and expertise with schools across the country, supporting a huge number of schools in being able to offer inclusive, compassionate environments for all children.
“The progress since 2012 is remarkable. Not only have we grown significantly to become a trust which is now in the top 1% in the country by size, but we have developed sector-leading services such as our Josie Thirkell Institute – an education training and knowledge sharing resource offering initial teacher training, research, leadership training and JosieTV, our online broadcast channel offering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing for education professionals.
“As we all take some time to celebrate the incredible successes of this very special organisation and look forward to the next decade, I would like to acknowledge everyone who has played a part, past and present, in enabling Wellspring to make a difference to thousands of people over the last 10 years.”
