From discussing the importance of communication to launching our new teacher training programme, the last few weeks have been both busy and positive at Unity Schools Partnership.

We started the month with the fantastic news that we have been shortlisted as a finalist in the MAT Excellence Awards.

Over the last few years, we have created 650 specialist places across our special schools and also our SEND hubs in our primary and secondary schools.

This commitment to enhancing our provision would not have been possible without the dedication of our Trust and school staff and this recognition is a fitting tribute to that.

This month also saw the launch of our ‘Keep Safe’ month. The annual event includes talks, workshops and classroom activities running throughout all our trust schools in Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex.

Last Friday, pupils from across our family of schools once again joined together to reflect on the importance of keeping safe, both in school and in the community.

Geographically-speaking, it’s not always possible for our schools to come together but it is always wonderful when they do and to see pupils working so well together.

Thanks to the hard work of a small team that has coordinated Keep Safe month, the event has become an important part of the trust calendar. It has also been made possible thanks to a grant from the Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner’s Fund, which is managed by Suffolk Community Foundation, and we thank them for their generosity.

The grant was facilitated by our newly-formed Unity Schools Partnership Charitable Foundation, set up to further enhance the lives of children attending Unity schools.

Another first this month was our first open event to promote our teacher training programme, as we start to sign up trainees for September.

We will also be involved in a wider drop-in event – hosted by University of Suffolk on Wednesday 19th March – in collaboration with Unity Teaching School Hub, Suffolk Couty Council and local ITT providers on Wednesday 19th March.

We look forward to working with partners and utilising all our experience within Unity Schools Partnership to provide the best possible teacher training.

Finally, to conclude what has been a whistlestop few weeks since the last newspaper column, I was delighted to be asked to be a guest speaker at last week’s education communication conference, run by the Confederation of School Trusts.

The theme for the talk was how the Trust implemented a two-week half term and how this was communicated before, during and after. As with any good networking and sector event, it was an insightful and engaging day with lots to takeaway and learn from.