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Press Release Image Carrie Green

Carrie wins big at National Teaching Awards

Carrie Green, Executive Principal of Bramley Park Academy and Elements Primary School has been honoured for her exceptional contributions to education through commendation at the Pearson National Teaching Awards.

Since taking the helm at Bramley Park Academy in 2018, Carrie has led an extraordinary turnaround. The school, in special measures at the point of conversion, went on to achieve ‘Outstanding’ in a single inspection cycle. Her visionary approach and compassionate leadership have created a nurturing environment where students now thrive.

Carrie’s impact extends far beyond the classroom. She is deeply committed to supporting her community: implementing initiatives such as providing free school uniforms and partnering with the Greggs Foundation to offer essential support to families in need. Her dedication to her students and their families is truly inspiring.

Mark Wilson, CEO of Wellspring Academy Trust added, “We are immensely proud of Carrie’s accomplishments and her recognition as a finalist in the National Teaching Awards. Her exceptional leadership, strategic vision and tireless dedication have been instrumental in transforming the provision available for young people in Leeds. Carrie’s achievement is a testament to her hard work and passion for transforming education. It is a great privilege to work with such a talented group of professionals who are committed to providing exceptional education to our students.”

The Teaching Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of educators across the UK. Mary Palmer, CEO of the Teaching Awards Trust, stated, ‘Every educator deserves acknowledgement for the exceptional impact they have in both their classrooms and the wider community, every day. The awards evening is a chance to take a moment to reflect on the incredible work happening in early years, schools and colleges across the UK, and celebrate all who make it happen.’

Whilst the communities Carrie serves may experience socio-economic pressures, it is her refusal to allow that to limit the aspirations of her pupils that is her extraordinary quality. Progress at all stages is impressive and phonics outcomes consistently top national averages. This has prompted an inundation of visitors from around the country, looking to learn from her distinct approach and develop their own teaching practices.

When asked about the honour, Carrie said, “I am truly honoured to have been awarded silver winner at the 2024 Teaching Awards. Teaching is in my blood, I never wanted to do anything else. Making a difference has been my driving passion right from my first days teaching in an outside classroom in Morley to now running two inspirational provisions in Leeds. I certainly would not be here without the support and dedication of the teams around me at Bramley, Elements and Wellspring. They, along with our remarkable pupils, drive me every single day to make our schools even better and provide a truly world class education, which inspires everyone to be a world changer.”

Want to see Carrie’s schools in action? Contact admin@positiveregard.co.uk to arrange a visit.

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Wellspring Welcomes Scartho Infants’ School & Nursery

Scartho Infants’ School and Nursery is proud to announce its official membership with Wellspring Academy Trust, marking a significant milestone for both the school and the Trust. This latest addition brings the total number of academies under the Wellspring umbrella to an impressive 32.

Catering to nearly two hundred pupils across seven vibrant classes, Scartho Infants’ School and Nursery is proudly the thirteenth mainstream primary school to join the Wellspring community. 

Headteacher Glyn Rushton of Scartho Infants’ School and Nursery expressed his enthusiasm about the new partnership. “Joining Wellspring Academy Trust is a very exciting step forward for our school. We look forward to the collaborative opportunities and shared resources that will undoubtedly benefit our pupils and staff.”  Rushton’s sentiment reflects the optimism and forward-thinking approach that characterises the leadership at Scartho.

Scartho Infants’ School and Nursery now becomes the sixth Wellspring academy within the North East Lincolnshire local authority area, joining the ranks of Littlecoates Primary Academy, Coomb Briggs Primary Academy, Beacon Academy, Phoenix Park and Sevenhills Academy. This regional expansion reflects Wellspring’s dedication to supporting local communities and enhancing educational opportunities across North East Lincolnshire.

“We are delighted to welcome Scartho Infants’ School and Nursery into the Wellspring family,” said Mark Wilson, CEO of Wellspring Academy Trust. “Our shared vision and values will ensure that every child at Scartho receives the highest quality education, support, and care. Together, we aim to inspire and empower our pupils to reach their fullest potential.” A statement which represents the Trust’s mission to foster an inclusive and high-achieving educational environment.

Scartho’s partnership with Wellspring will bring numerous benefits, including access to a broad network of educational resources, professional development opportunities for staff, and a collaborative approach to school improvement. Wellspring continues to lead with a vision of innovation, inclusion, and excellence in education. As the school embarks on this new chapter, the Trust is committed to supporting Scartho Infants’ School and Nursery, ensuring that every child receives the highest quality education.

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Bramley Park Pupils Welcome Rachel Reeves MP

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Just before the Easter break, staff and students at Bramley Park Academy proudly showed Leeds West MP and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves around their recently rated outstanding school.

Bramley Park pupils were eager to meet Rachel and Bramley & Stanningley councillors Caroline Gruen, Tom Hinchcliffe and Kevin Ritchie. The visitors spent time in every key stage and learnt about the positive impact that Bramley’s 12 place specialist resource provision, LaunchPad, is having on pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition and communication needs.

Rachel spent time speaking with teachers and getting to know pupils, who made her day by revealing their favourite thing to do at school was maths!

Carrie Green, Executive Principal at Bramley Park Academy, said: “Bramley Park Academy has been on an incredible journey of improvement over the past few years. To go from special measures to outstanding in just five years is a phenomenal achievement. Pupils and staff alike are very proud of Bramley Park and they were thrilled to be able to showcase what a special place our school is to Rachel Reeves and the local councillors. It’s important to us to share our success story and show what’s possible with determination, ambition and a talented team which believes every child deserves the very best.”

Rachel Reeves MP, added: “It was wonderful to be shown around Bramley Park Academy and see how far it has come in recent years. From excellent teachers to engaged pupils, there is so much Bramley Park Academy can be proud of.”

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Ebor Gardens Volunteers Create Outdoor Oasis

Staff at Ebor Gardens Primary in Leeds pulled on their wellies and gloves and gave up their own time to transform a run down area of the school grounds into a green oasis perfect for outdoor learning.

Nestled within the grounds of Ebor Gardens is Dylan’s Wood, a small wooded area named in memory of a former pupil. It had fallen into disrepair over time and staff and students were unable to use it.  Recognising the importance of outdoor education in a city location where green spaces are scarce, staff members at Ebor Gardens stepped up to the challenge of breathing new life into this neglected area.

A passionate team of staff, along with some family members, rolled up their sleeves and embarked on a day-long mission to transform Dylan’s Wood. With a combination of expertise, creativity, and sheer determination, the wooded area underwent a remarkable makeover. What was once an unused space has now been transformed into a vibrant learning environment complete with digging areas, seated spaces, teepee dens, planters crafted from recycled wood, a bug high-rise hotel, and a den-building corner.

Lee Spink. Vice Principal at Ebor Gardens, said: “The commitment and dedication of the staff who volunteered their own time to deliver this woodland makeover will make a huge difference to the learning experience for our pupils. They worked together brilliantly and demonstrated their dedication to the children of Ebor Gardens.  Many of them do not have the luxury of gardens or green spaces. The great outdoors provides a unique and enriching environment that fosters holistic development, creativity, and a deeper understanding of the world around us, and it’s important that we can provide that in school.

“This is just the beginning of an exciting journey at Ebor Gardens as further grants and opportunities are in the making to develop our wood further. We can’t wait to see this come to fruition – so watch this space!”

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Baking A Difference! Wellspring Takes Catering In-house

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After months of careful planning and a successful trial, Wellspring has taken the strategic decision to move its school catering services in-house.

The move reflects the Trust’s commitment to both staff and students. For students, the new service promises greater quality and choice, whereas staff will benefit from greater support and increased training and career development opportunities.

After completing a successful pilot at The Forest School in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, Wellspring has begun the process of moving its other schools’ catering services over. So far, 21 out of Wellspring’s 31-strong school community now enjoy in-house arrangements. The move enables Wellspring to have greater control over menu planning, ingredient sourcing and meal preparation. 

Clare Stevens, Director of Operations at Wellspring, said: “This is a significant shift in operations for our large, growing, multi-academy trust. Our catering offer varied widely in both quality and choice across our community of schools and we were keen to ensure that all our pupils could enjoy the same high quality, nutritious meals. It has taken significant investment, both in terms of equipment and staffing, but we all agree the benefits far outweigh the costs. 

“Many Wellspring schools operate in areas of high socio-economic deprivation and school dinners are incredibly important for their health and wellbeing. Having greater control over what we offer means we can be sure they are receiving the very best.

“It’s proving transformational for our catering teams too. The creativity and innovation that they are demonstrating is a joy to see – one team delivered a fantastic Egyptian-themed menu to support the school’s work on ancient Egypt. It was also wonderful to be able to welcome our catering staff into our Trust’s annual Festival of Learning training day for the very first time this month. Catering teams make such an important contribution to school life and it’s great that they are now Wellspring employees alongside their other school colleagues.”

The catering team at Springwell Leeds East celebrate being named ‘team of the week’

Josh Greaves, Deputy Chief Executive at Wellspring, added: “This initiative was born of our shared determination that every Wellspring child, wherever they are educated, should have access to a delicious and nutritious meal, every day.  This has been an enormous ask of the team yet they’ve risen to the challenge brilliantly. We envisaged a school meal offer that was of the highest quality across the Trust, offering variety, choice and supporting health and vitality. The team has delivered that and more. 

“The move to in-house is also allowing us to explore how we can be greener in our choices, looking at food waste and local suppliers. Our environmental credentials are something we take very seriously at Wellspring and food production is a clear area where we can have a positive impact. I’m excited to see how we can develop the service over the coming months and years.’

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Green Light for New Multi-million Pound School in Cleethorpes

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It’s all systems go for Beacon Academy’s new school after the scheme was granted planning permission this week.

Work will start shortly on the new cutting edge building, which will increase the popular school’s capacity from 625 to 750. The multi-million pound investment, which has been granted under the Department for Education’s school rebuilding programme, will provide a much improved learning environment for all.

The new building will be constructed on existing playing fields before the old buildings are demolished and new outdoor areas remodelled, meaning students will be able to stay in their classrooms throughout the build process.

Jason Thurley, Headteacher at Beacon Academy, said: “This is incredibly exciting news for everyone at Beacon. The new building will transform the school experience for our students and provide fantastic, state-of-the-art facilities to support their learning.

“The investment will also enable us to increase pupil numbers from 625 to 750. As the most oversubscribed school in North East Lincolnshire, this extra capacity is very much welcome. However, we will remain a smaller than average secondary school, enabling us to stay true to our ethos of being a school where all children are known and understood, valued and given opportunities to excel. 

“Thanks to careful design and planning, pupils will be able to continue their lessons in our existing school building throughout the construction without disruption. The new building is scheduled for completion in summer 2025, and will create a superb resource for the whole community. We can’t wait for the work to get started and see our new school start to take shape!”

Josh Greaves, Deputy CEO at Wellspring, added: “At Wellspring, we firmly believe that all children and young people have the right to learn in the highest quality, inspiring, engaging environments. Jason and the team have done amazing work in turning around Beacon’s fortunes from a school previously earmarked for closure, to now the area’s most popular. The Department for Education’s decision to invest in this rebuild and the school is testament to all that work. 

“More students than ever will be able to benefit from the supportive, child-focused approach that Beacon has become known for, and in a building that can provide the resources and opportunities that all children deserve. This is a transformational project for the local community and one that the Wellspring team are thoroughly looking forward to working on.” 

Work is expected to be complete in summer 2025.

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Insights and Inspiration at Wellspring’s Fifth Festival of Learning

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Earlier this month, on Friday 9th February, Wellspring’s thriving community of 2041 colleagues came together online for the Trust’s fifth annual Festival of Learning. This eagerly anticipated event, meticulously crafted to ignite inspiration, foster collaboration, and enhance skills across Wellspring, proved as impactful as ever.

The day began with a thought-provoking and inspiring keynote speech from Leeds Rhinos’ legend Jamie Jones-Buchanan MBE, who gave a fascinating insight into life at the top of professional sport. Jamie also discussed the importance of shared values and shared destinations, teamwork, wellbeing, and treating success and adversity just the same. 

71 different workshops were held throughout the course of the day, and participants delved into everything from behaviour management and subject-specific teaching techniques to stress management and mastering spreadsheets. Notably, this year marked a milestone as catering staff were also able to participate in the day for the very first time. As catering operations have now been moved in-house, school catering employees are now a direct part of the Wellspring workforce and able to benefit from the Trust’s commitment to professional development for all.

Attendees headed to social media to express how much they enjoyed the day, describing it as ‘an incredible learning experience’ and declaring that the ‘workshops were incredibly inspiring.’

Natalie Hardman, Chief Administration Officer at Wellspring, said: “Our Festival of Learning has become a real highlight in the Wellspring calendar, and something colleagues from across the Trust look forward to each year.

“Sharing knowledge and professional generosity is a key part of who we are at Wellspring. It was wonderful to see so many of our colleagues giving up their time and sharing their expertise to support others and ensure there really was something for everyone, whether based in our schools, or part of the central or estates teams.

“It takes a huge amount of hard work and commitment to successfully host an event of this size and scope, and I am very proud of the team who put so much effort into ensuring the day went off without a hitch. We’re now looking forward to next year!”

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£1.3m Investment Boosts School Experience For Barnsley Students

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Students who attend Springwell Learning Community’s Kendray site are set to benefit from a transformed learning environment when they head back to their classrooms this week.

Springwell Learning Community comprises both Springwell Special Academy, for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, and Springwell Alternative Academy, for pupils excluded from mainstream settings. It operates a number of satellite settings around Barnsley, including the site at Kendray.

Funding of £1.3m was provided by Barnsley Council for a full refurbishment of the site, including the introduction of a new food technology room and multi-purpose design technology space. The building has also been remodelled, with several walls removed and replaced, and works including replacement of windows, doors, ceilings and flooring. Energy saving systems such as solar panels and a low carbon heat system have also been installed.

Sarah Wilson, Executive Principal at Springwell Learning Community, said: “We’re all incredibly excited to welcome students back to the much-improved Kendray site. The new building will be transformational for both students and staff, and provides the high quality teaching environment that every child deserves. 

“The refurbishment also enables us to provide 16 additional special school places, which means more students can access specialist provision closer to their homes. We’re really looking forward to seeing the new facilities being used.”

Shaun Kiernan, Director of Capital and IT at Wellspring Academy Trust, which Springwell Learning Community is part of, added: “At Wellspring, we firmly believe that all children are entitled to high quality, engaging, vibrant spaces in which to learn. The quality of school environments matters, and it has a real, tangible impact on the outcomes for children. Thanks to funding from BMBC, students at Springwell Learning Community’s Kendray site will benefit from a transformed building that is fit for purpose and can meet their needs. The whole team, including Triton Construction, Gate & Bar Ltd and LHL Group, have done an excellent job on this project and their work really will make a difference.”

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Outstanding First-time Result for Springwell Spalding

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Staff and students at a Spalding school are celebrating after being rated Outstanding by inspectors in their first Ofsted inspection.

In the Ofsted report, released on 10th November, Springwell Spalding Alternative Academy was praised for its deep understanding of its pupils and ability to get the very best from them. The school opened in 2019 and caters for pupils who have been, or are at risk of being, excluded from mainstream school.

Inspectors reported that: “Staff at Springwell Alternative Academy make a difference to pupils’ lives. Pupils receive care, guidance and support in a warm and nurturing environment. Pupils who attend this school often have difficult previous school experiences, or have significant challenges in their lives. Staff understand this and have created a positive, supportive environment where pupils do well. There are kind, professional relationships between staff and pupils.”

They also highlighted the quality of the curriculum and teaching, stating: “The curriculum is carefully considered so that all pupils can maximise their learning whether they are at the school for a short period of time or longer… Pupils rapidly broaden their knowledge during their time here. The vast majority of pupils successfully reintegrate into a mainstream school or move on to suitable specialist provision. Year 11 pupils follow a highly personalised curriculum, which is broad and ambitious.”

The way Springwell Spalding engages pupils was also commended with inspectors reporting that: “Pupils enjoy attending this school. They value the opportunity to gain an education and benefit from the rich experiences offered to them, for example visiting authors, cooking meals to enjoy together and taking part in adventurous outdoor activities.”

Lisa Ashcroft-Day, Executive Principal at Springwell Spalding, said: “Since opening in 2019, the Springwell Spalding team has worked tirelessly to create something exceptional for our pupils and community. We’re incredibly proud to now have that recognised externally in this fantastic first Ofsted report.

“Our students often have had difficult experiences with education and we work hard to ensure that we turn that around when they come to us. We focus on developing a deep understanding of each student and giving them the support and compassion they need to thrive. We’re particularly proud that inspectors underlined our ‘positive regard for all’ approach and our high ambitions for our students. We want all our young people to have the skills and resources to move on to productive, successful lives and we’ll continue to work hard to make that happen.”

Mark Wilson, CEO at Wellspring Academy Trust, added: “Lisa and the team at Springwell Spalding have created something truly special. The school is warm, supportive, highly effective and provides its young people with the foundations they need for success. Inspectors were absolutely right to state that staff ‘make a difference to pupils’ lives.’ The Springwell Spalding team are changing lives every day and we’re all very proud to have them as part of the Wellspring community.”

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New Pool for Penny Field Pupils

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A new hydrotherapy pool for pupils at Penny Field Special School in Leeds has officially opened today, thanks to a generous donation of £220,000 from PhysCap and Wooden Spoon.

Penny Field School in Meanwood, Leeds is a special school that supports children from 2 – 19 years of age. Due to the complex physical challenges that many of the children face, a hydrotherapy pool plays an essential role in delivering the care Penny Field pupils need.

The new pool, which replaces an old pool that was no longer fit for purpose, has been made possible thanks to a private donation to PhysCap, and also a donation by Wooden Spoon. The building contractor for the project was Whitaker & Leach, with the sensory install provided via Premier Solutions. Bespoke joinery was completed by MJA Joinery.

The pool was formally opened at 10am today, with special guests gathering to see it for the first time. Parents are delighted with the new provision, with Helen Burns, mum of Emily, saying: “The new hydrotherapy pool and sensory lighting is fantastic news for the entire school. My daughter loves spending time in the pool. It is both relaxing and stimulating. Being in the water enables her to move her limbs in different ways and gives a sense of freedom she doesn’t get in her wheelchair.

“The staff at Penny Field School work brilliantly with the children in a range of activities and knowing the Hydrotherapy Pool will benefit pupils for years to come is just brilliant. Thanks so much to Physcap and Wooden Spoon for their kind donations.”

Hannah Duffey, Headteacher at Penny Field School, added: “We can’t express enough how grateful we are to PhysCap, Wooden Spoon and the private donor. Our old pool was in dire need of renovation and repair. We didn’t have a functional changing area, tiles were coming off and it was getting to the point where it was becoming unusable. We use the pool every day and it’s an incredibly important part of the care that we offer to our children. This new pool will be transformational for our school and we can’t wait to see Penny Field pupils enjoying it.”

PhysCap Children’s Charity is 100% volunteer run and aims to help improve the lives of children across the Yorkshire region who suffer with both physical and mental disabilities. The charity has had a long standing relationship with Penny Field School, dating back to providing funding to enable children to participate in Snaps swimming club classes. More recently, PhysCap funded a £24,000 outdoor sensory area at Penny Field thanks to a kind donation from Martin Greenhow of Mojo Bars.

Speaking about the funding for this latest pool project at Penny Field School, Daniel Grey, PhysCap Chairman, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see how fantastic it looks and we are thrilled at how much pleasure this will give the children at Pennyfield school, the teachers, the care workers and the wider community for many years to come.

“Seeing everyone here today gives us so much joy in the knowledge that we have helped improve the lives of so many people across the Yorkshire region, both now and in the future. Long may our relationship with Pennyfield school continue.”

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