Unity Day 2024
Unity Day 2024 was our biggest and best staff development day yet with more than 1,500 people joining us at Thomas Gainsborough School.
We welcomed some amazing keynote speakers, session leaders, exhibitors and wonderful staff from across our schools and Trust.
We would like to thank everyone who supported and attended the day.
You can relive Unity Day 2024 in this special video…
Staff and students at Felixstowe School are celebrating after achieving a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating – the first one in its history.
The school achieved a ‘Good’ rating in every category with students described as “happy, safe and cared for” following the inspection last month.
Headteacher Emma Wilson-Downes said: “As a school, we are delighted with the outcome of the inspection where the overall effectiveness of Felixstowe School was seen to be good.
“In all five areas, the school was judged to be good, including in our Sixth Form, which was particularly praised for its nurturing atmosphere and excellent support.
“Personal development was also highly praised, with students in receipt of a well-planned programme of study and careers education throughout the school.
“We are excited to continue our work to ensure that we continue to drive all areas further over the next months and years to come.”
Felixstowe School, which is run by Unity Schools Partnership, was previously graded as ‘requires improvement’ by the education watchdog in 2021.
The latest full inspection said pupils enjoy an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum, which means they are well placed for a range of future study or career options.
This includes in the sixth form, where students benefit from the strong subject knowledge of teachers, and teaching that focuses on individual needs.
Inspectors commented that sixth form students are consistently positive in their behaviour and attitude and are highly supportive of one another.
The curriculum also came in for praise for how it supports students with special educational needs.
Students themselves were also praised for their behaviour and their high expectations for both future achievements and making a positive contribution to society.
Tim Coulson, Chief Executive of Unity Schools Partnership, said: “Families in Felixstowe for too long did not have a secondary school graded ‘good’ in their town.
“We are proud to be associated with staff that now provide the education children should receive.”
The inspection report said the trust has provided highly effective support to the school, including adding capacity in terms of leadership which has helped to accelerate the pace of improvement.
The school was also recognised for the consideration it gives to staff wellbeing when making decisions and this has resulted in the school attracting and retaining great teachers.
We all know the importance of reading.
It can open up a world of new ideas, stories and opportunities. It can broaden horizons and education and increase development and communication and social skills.
Promoting a love for reading at a young age can help children become readers for life – something that should never be underestimated.
We might know all the benefits. But that doesn’t stop worrying statistics from the National Literacy Trust.
Did you know that only one in two children and young people said they enjoy reading or that one in 15 children and young people aged eight to 18 do not have a book of their own at home?
At Unity Schools Partnership, we place literacy among our top priorities as we know there is a clear correlation between promoting a love of reading at a young age and success as you go through education and then post-education employability skills.
Of course, it is easy to write this in a newspaper column.
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But our schools are also constantly putting this into practice, as seen by a number of examples recently (photos above).
One senior staff member at Tollgate Primary School in Bury St Edmunds recently instigated a literacy fundraiser that encouraged pupils to become ‘book millionaires’.
They wanted pupils to read for 10,000,000 seconds over a month and also turned the event into a sponsored one to raise money for more school reading books.
Even better, they encouraged staff members, governors and families to take part in pursuit of the grand total – something that was impressively surpassed before the month was out.
It was a great way to engender a love of reading and also promote reading in both the classroom and at home.
In keeping with one of the key aspects of our trust – supporting each other – one primary school has seen such a surge in reading among pupils that they have imparted lessons learned to other schools within our Trust.
And just last week, County High School in Bury held a Book Mastermind and invited six feeder primary schools, in and out of the Trust, to compete in an event that I know impressed all.
I’m also reminded of one of our headteachers who spends his lunchtime reading with a few younger pupils who perhaps need that extra support.
It is about going the extra mile to ensure our young minds have a love of learning that helps them for the rest of their lives.
By Tim Coulson, Chief Executive, Unity Schools Partnership
A brand new Norfolk primary school has begun the search for its first ever headteacher.
Silfield Primary Academy, near Wymondham, is due to open in September 2025 and will have an expected capacity of 420 pupils once full.
Alongside recruiting a new headteacher, which is now being advertised, the building tender for the school has also gone out with work expected to start on site in late July.
It will be run by Unity Schools Partnership which currently has 35 primary, secondary and special schools and will increase this to include seven schools across Norfolk by the end of the year.
Tim Coulson, chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be opening a new primary school for the growing community of Silfield and we can’t wait to recruit a headteacher who shares this excitement.
“As with all our family of schools, we will provide a highly ambitious curriculum and use the experience and knowledge of opening five previous new schools to ensure Silfield Primary School is a school of choice.
“We look forward to working with other local schools and Norfolk County Council to ensure the area is a beacon for education.”
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The new school will benefit from the highly respected and evidence-led CUSP Curriculum, designed by Unity and used by more than 450 schools across the country.
Unity Schools Partnership currently runs three Norfolk-based schools – Robert Kett Primary in Wymondham and Colman Infant and Colman Junior schools in Eaton – and is due to lead a new special school being built in Great Yarmouth.
Later this year, it will also add Heartsease Primary Academy, Lingwood Primary Academy, Valley Primary Academy and Henderson Green Primary Academy after the HEART Education Trust was granted permission to join the Unity Schools Partnership.
It is envisaged that the new headteacher would start in January with parent and community consultations also planned.
When asked what makes a great school, I always answer that we want it all for our children – high standards, great joy and every opportunity. A holistic approach is the secret.
Therefore, we strive to ensure so much good work goes on – in and outside the classroom. This is never more true than when we start exam season and, often at the same time, the sun shines bright on our corner of the world and staff and pupils are able to enjoy the great outdoors.
I write this just days before students prepare to begin their GCSE examinations. It is always an important time in any child’s education, but I know every effort has been made to ensure they are ready, both in terms of their learning and also their preparation.
It can be a stressful time, but talking to peers, family members and school staff can help, as well as planning breaks in between revision.
I wish everyone starting their GCSEs and A-level examinations all the very best and know that their hard work will be rewarded.
Alongside this, we want to give as many opportunities as possible to take learning outside – something that should never be underestimated.
Over the Easter holidays, Unity Schools Partnership were delighted to fund two new outdoor learning spaces for the youngest children at Steeple Bumpstead Primary School and West Row Primary Academy.
Both areas were in desperate need of work and the difference a new outdoor space has made to both schools is fantastic to see.
One staff member said: “Our new learning environment is engaging, enabling, stimulating and challenging. There are opportunities for turn-taking, risk-taking, communication and resilience and plenty of scope for investigation and enquiry.”
It is a fantastic explanation as to why these areas are so important for all pupils, and in this case, those in early years.
For anyone living and working in Suffolk, there was a rather big celebration across the county over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Whether you enjoy football or not, regardless of who you may support, we have all been Ipswich Town supporters over the last few days. The whole of Suffolk should enjoy being associated with a club that has defied the odds to win back-to-back promotions and now prepare for life in the Premier League of English football.
And even if you don’t like football, it is still a fantastic achievement which will give such a boost across all areas of Suffolk.
It was a triumph of teamwork, leadership, the whole being greater than the sum and for everyone pulling in the same direction.
It is a great lesson for us all and I would like to congratulate everyone involved in Ipswich Town.
The newly-appointed nursery manager of a brand new childcare facility in Haverhill has spoken of her excitement about the new role.
Unity Stars will open in June and will be headed by Karen Thompson, who has 17 years experience in early years provision.
While the building is on the grounds of Coupals Primary Academy, the nursery will be open to all families from Haverhill and surrounding areas.
Karen said: “We want to build something the whole town can be proud of.
“I have always been hugely passionate about childcare and the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of young children.
“I am excited about the challenge of starting a nursery from scratch and offering the best possible childcare.
“Haverhill remains a growing town and I think more childcare provision is great news for the whole community.”
Karen was formerly manager of Linton Granta Preschool, which achieved an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted grade and deputy manager of Castle Fields Preschool in Haverhill.
Having lived in the town for more than 20 years, Karen has also been a parent governor, a Haverhill Show committee member and a volunteer for Reach.
The nursery will be run by Unity Education, an arm of Unity Schools Partnership.
Unity Stars will offer provision for children aged 0-3 years, between 7.30am to 6pm, 51 weeks of the year.
Anyone who would like to know more about childcare places or working at Unity Stars should email info@unitystars.org.uk.
Construction has officially begun at Sybil Andrews Academy in Bury St Edmunds to create a new SEND unit for 18 pupils.
Representatives from the school, Suffolk County Council, Unity Schools Partnership, Concertus and Barnes Construction gathered on-site to celebrate the start of work of ‘The Abbey’ – which is part of the county council’s £55million investment into creating more than 1,000 new SEND placements across the county.
Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND at Suffolk County Council, said: “It is always an exciting milestone for any school when the first spade goes into the ground. This unit will make a significant difference to SEND families in the community and will be a great asset to the school. We set out in 2019 to provide more than a thousand new specialist placements for SEND pupils across the county, with around 741 new places already created and another 84 to be ready by September. This investment of £55million continues to make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Joe Pointon, head of school at Sybil Andrews Academy, added: “We are delighted that building work has started on The Abbey, which is a cognition and learning Unit for pupils in Key Stages 3 and 4. The plans show that the unit will have bright and airy classrooms, an outdoor learning area and break-out spaces. Once it is completed, the unit will provide a broad curriculum which will prepare the pupils for life beyond school. We can’t wait to see the new building develop over the next few months and we look forward to welcoming our first pupils in September.”
The final phase of Sybil Andrews Academy was completed back in Summer 2020 and now the original design and property consultants and main contractor who delivered these works four years ago, have returned to create a new single-storey SEND unit.
New grass and asphalt areas will be created with external canopies, helping to elevate the learning environment for the children by encouraging outdoor learning. The unit location allows for new vehicular and pedestrian access to be created. Although separate access to the dedicated and discrete learning area will be provided, careful consideration went into the location of the unit to enable students to be included in mainstream school life when needed.
Steven Ryles, Associate for Concertus, said: “We are passionate about supporting Suffolk County Council in creating calming and inspiring environments to allow pupils to develop independence and self-confidence. A highly valued relationship has been created between the project team and the school over the past nine years so we are confident that the needs of the children will be met with the creation of the new unit. We are thrilled that the project has hit this fantastic milestone”.
Damien Kerry, Associate Divisional Director at Barnes Construction, said: “We are delighted to be back at Sybil Andrews Academy helping Suffolk County Council and Concertus to release this exciting new SEND facility.”
An ambitious commitment to sixth form education will see four schools join forces and provide free iPads to all post-16 students.
Under the ‘Unity Sixth’ umbrella, sixth form students at St Edward’s Academy in Romford, Thomas Gainsborough School in Great Cornard, Haverhill Community Sixth Form and Felixstowe School will benefit from a shared curriculum including presentation and lectures given by renowned speakers from business, politics and the arts.
The post-16 arm of Unity Schools Partnership will also offer all sixth form students and teachers an iPad from September 2024, for use at both school and home.
Stephen Astley, executive director of education at Unity, said: “We are hugely excited to launch Unity Sixth and its supra curriculum from September 2024.
“By the quartet of sixth forms joining forces, we believe we can offer an enhanced and enriched experience for our students as well as the very best of shared resources, teaching skills and assessment models to drive outcomes.”
The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Sousa, has enthusiastically committed to help launch these lectures.
Reaction to the partnership…
Jodie Hassan, headteacher at St Edward’s Academy, said, “We are incredibly proud to be launching this world class provision for our sixth form students.
“The use of iPads throughout the taught, extra and supra curriculum will ensure our students are upskilled to be future ready.
“The supra curriculum offer will ensure our young people have access to speakers and resources comparable to any of the top schools in the country.
“We are extremely grateful to be part of Unity Schools Partnership as our membership has enabled us to access this outstanding provision.”
Helen Yapp, headteacher at Thomas Gainsborough School, said, “As a growing and successful Sixth Form, we are eager to ensure that all our students receive every advantage and support we can give them to enable them to achieve their potential. I am proud that our Trust is committed to the use of technology to enhance and deepen the knowledge and the experience of our students and staff.”
Emma Wilson-Downes, Headteacher at Felixstowe School, said, “This will give our sixth forms the opportunity to take the very best from each setting and really capitalise on this for the benefit of us all as a family of sixth forms.
As Unity Sixth, we know we are stronger together and this is an exciting phase in the development of this provision for our post-16 students.
“By providing iPads to students both at school and at home, Unity Sixth is ensuring that learning continues beyond the classroom, fostering independent and flexible learning environments.
“With access to cutting-edge technology and a collaborative network, students will be well-prepared to excel academically and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.
“Alongside the supra curricular offer, which will allow students to network and link with those outside our town and the wider world, this will encourage them to explore new avenues of knowledge and personal growth and inspire them to influence others as they take that step into adult life.”
Andy Hunter, headteacher at Samuel Ward Academy, said: “We have had a record number of applications to the sixth form this year and we are still interviewing prospective students this week.
“We have never had so much interest from students at other schools and we are delighted that they will be benefitting from a shared curriculum and resources as part of Unity Sixth.”
Vanessa Whitcombe, headteacher at Castle Manor Academy, said: “This is an exciting development for Haverhill Community Sixth Form and our students.
“The opportunities to learn better by learning together are enormous and we are very excited about the future for our students.”
Unity Schools Partnership can today announce that it will be extending the Autumn half term break to a fortnight – across all of its member schools.
Following a trial last year, the trust carried out a second round of consultation in January and found that the majority of staff and parents were in favour of the two-week half term which this year will run from Monday 28th October to Friday 8th November.
Tim Coulson, chief executive of Unity Schools Partnership, said: “We would like to thank every person who took part in the two consultations and have given us their feedback and comments since we trialled the initial two-week half term in October.
“While a majority of staff and parents were in favour of the two-week half term, we acknowledge and take seriously all those comments from individuals not in favour of the proposal.
“Although there are various views, the two most significant are the cost of childcare and how learning time is made up.
“We plan again to organise additional childcare during the second week of this half-term break and individual school headteachers will explain how the learning time will be effectively addressed.”
The second round of consultation, which was launched last month, saw the trust receive 2,929 responses from parents with 58% in favour of a two-week break and 42% against the proposal.
In addition, 1,079 responses were received from staff with 89% in favour of the two-week break.
One of the main reasons behind trialling the extended October half term was to try and reduce staff and student absence during a time in the school year when figures are quite high.
The review of the trial two-week half term found that, between the half-term break and Christmas:
- Pupil absence due to illness was less in every trust school in 2023 than in 2022, and overall reduced by 25%
- Staff absence reduced by 50%.
Plans to offer more holiday activities during the two-week break in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket, Sudbury and Haverhill are being finalised with the potential for this to be extended into other towns covered by the trust.
In March last year, the two-week Autumn half term break was originally proposed to combat high absence and also recruitment challenges for both teaching and classroom support staff.
Mr Coulson added: “As with every trust and school across the country, staff recruitment and retention is a challenge.
“We are constantly looking at ways to address this issue and highlight why a career in education remains as important and valued as ever.”
Please click here to view the responses from parents and staff, school-by-school
Staff at a Norfolk school are putting their best feet forward to help raise money for new class libraries.
The Robert Kett Primary School in Wymondham is entering a team in next month’s Marriott’s Way Trail half marathon to further enhance literacy opportunities for their pupils.
For many of the dozen staff preparing to take part, it will be their first experience of running at distance.
But deputy headteacher Janine Salter, who has led the fundraising effort alongside Lianne Rees, phase leader for Year 3 and 4, said the thought of raising thousands of pounds for their school will spur them on.
She explained: “We have always wanted a library at Robert Kett, but due to the relocation of classes across the school, we have been considering alternative spaces filled with amazing books.
“We thought individual class libraries was the next best thing and so we have started raising money for those additional rich texts that will enhance our reading experience even more.
“While most of us are not experienced runners, we have all started training hard – which included Christmas Day runs and a group festive jog over the holidays.
“We are looking forward to the event and we would like to thank everyone who has supported us, and donated money to the cause, so far.”
The team, self-titled ‘I’d Rather Be Reading’, is a mix of staff members from across the school who will be running or walking the distance on Sunday 11th February.
To sponsor the team, please visit their Just Giving page – https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/robertkettprimary-school.