A Critical Friend

By Sadie Wiles, Chief Financial Officer, OWN Trust Central Office

In our daily life, we all have our friends that we call upon for a chat, for a get-together, and for advice. A good friend may sometimes give us advice that we may not want to hear but if we are honest, it is what we need, and they are being supportive.

In my role as CFO for the Trust, I also have acquaintances that are my ‘critical’ friends. They are supportive, challenging, champion best practice, and strive to be a catalyst for improvement so that our Trust can achieve our strategic objectives.

One of the important things, since we started the OWN Trust journey, is to ensure that we balance our books! The Trust leaders work together to target our monies towards the best outcomes for our children and ensure they are in a nurturing environment. Balancing the books is not always easy with funding becoming tighter and currently within the press we hear, on a daily basis, how costs are spiralling upwards.

We are managing taxpayers’ money and have a legal obligation to ensure that this is spent correctly to give the best opportunities for our children to make them the best adults for the future.

Unfortunately, some academies are in the press for the wrong reasons when it comes to spending public money, and we don’t always hear about the good practice and the processes Trusts go through to ensure they meet their legal obligations.

For OWN Trust to meet its legal obligations, we must have a regular internal audit process and an annual external audit. These are our ‘critical’ friends. The internal audit looks at not only all aspects of our financial controls but also non-financial controls for example our IT, buildings' maintenance, Governance, and organisational culture. We then have a stringent external audit which looks through our accounts at year-end and completes the Trust accounts to return to the Education and Skills Funding Authority (ESFA).

Our auditors look at everything with a critical eye and will report back to the Trust and our Trustees on any areas where they feel we can improve our processes. I look forward to the audit reports as I want to ensure that I am doing my best for the Trust and the children within it, and if I can change any of my processes to improve this then that is what I do.

I do relish the challenge to lead the Trust through these turbulent times of late (first Covid and now cost of living challenges), and am proud of all the staff involved in our Trust for striving for the very best outcomes for our children. I, for one, look forward to the opportunities that the Trust will bring each and every one.

^{Photo by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova on Unsplash}

OWN Trust Strategy Group Meeting

By Stuart Mansell, CEO, OWN Trust

On 21st March 2023, we held the half-termly meeting of the Trust Strategy Group, comprising the CEO, Chair and Vice-Chair of Trustees, and Governance & Compliance Manager. Prior to discussing the priorities for the future, the actions from the previous meeting were considered.

The Headteacher report template had been developed and used at the last Governance meeting, but it was felt it still needed further work to be smart and efficient in achieving its aims. Additional governance capacity has been secured with the addition of a Trust Governor at Orton Wistow and likely Members/Trustees in the pipeline. Further recruitment of governors remains a challenge, as it does for the majority of schools and academies. Parent elections are currently underway for a post in each school, but additional Trust governors are needed to support capacity. It was decided to create an incentive scheme for staff members to recruit new governors.

A main priority was to select a strategic focus for the coming year, and in a change of approach, it was confirmed that the Trust focus will be ‘Our Family’ for the entire year, including how we support both staff and children. Previously the focus had changed at different meetings, and this felt too disparate in its approach. By maintaining one focus, we can build meetings at various levels of governance around this one focus and include elements within both of the Trust development sessions in the autumn and spring.

An area of development that we have identified that has a direct impact on the children, is attendance by governance at school events. It is hoped that by extending open invitations to governors and Trustees to school performances, meetings and other such events, they can have a greater presence with a range of stakeholders and a more public profile with parents.

OWN Trust Board Meeting

By Mary Foreman, Chair of OWN Trustees

OWN Trust board meetings are held at Woodston Primary School and on a cold night at the end of March, the Trustees, CEO, and Governance Lead met for our most recent meeting. Trustees tend to have very busy professional lives, so it is with gratitude we welcome their involvement and commitment to the trust.

We were delighted to welcome our newest trustee, Sally Williams, to her first board meeting having previously attended our AGM. Sally is an experienced and highly qualified education professional who offers a wealth of experience to our board.

The bulk of our business is contained within the CEO’s report – which does not come solely from Stuart Mansell, but also has major contributions from other members of the trust team.

A key feature of our debates and discussions was how we can recruit more members to our local governing bodies. Sadly, the lack of public-spirited citizens offering their services to schools is a national problem, but we aim to be creative in our approach by providing staff with the opportunity to aid us in the recruitment process with rewards for any governors they attract to our schools. We were delighted to be informed that several new governors have been appointed to trust schools as well as confirming the re-appointment of 6 governors.

OWN is a small trust of three schools. One of our priorities is to grow. Through our school-to-school support model, we are already closely engaging with several local schools, providing a wide-ranging offer of support and challenge. Trustees discussed how this work can be translated into these schools seeing the benefit of becoming members of an innovative trust where individuality and high moral purpose alongside high-quality school improvement support provides better outcomes for children. OWN Trust has many areas of strength and expertise that other schools are already benefitting from such as finance, IT, and Special Educational Needs.

A focus for trustee discussions was around SEND provision in our schools. The most recent round of my visits to our schools was on Special Needs, where I met with the Senco from each school and was presented with case studies of a number of children. Trustees expressed concern about the increasing level of additional needs we are seeing within our schools and how this is impacting the provision we make for these children. My first-hand experience from these visits allowed me to confirm there is a high degree of specialist support as well as adapted provision for children with lots of excellent practice being shared across the trust.

Trustees provided challenge to the CEO over academic standards in our schools and how forecasts for the end of Key Stage 2 for the current year 6 children were on track. This proved to be a very interesting discussion where trustees were able to ask questions about the attainment gaps between different groups of children.

OWN trustees continue to be diligent, careful and well-informed through our board meetings.

Local Governance Committees

By Jan Neish, Governance and Compliance Manager, OWN Trust

All Local Governance Committees met in March and unsurprisingly a key focus was preparing for Ofsted inspection which schools expect to happen any time from the summer term onwards.

Portfolio local governors reported on SEND, Safeguarding, Finance, Premia, and Quality of Education. This round of meetings led to a referral to the trust about exploiting opportunities for developing and retaining staff talent – which is already a priority for trustees – and the possibility of setting up a trust-wide girls' football team. 

Gordon (Chair at Woodston LGC) attended the NVPS meeting as a guest, sparking some very useful discussions, and by the end of the meeting they wanted to keep him! Meanwhile, David, NVPS Vice-Chair, did a terrific job of chairing the meeting and steering the lively debates.

Sadly, we say goodbye to two valued local governors – Amanda, our long-serving SEND governor at Woodston, and parent governor, Anne-Rose, at NVPS. We thank them for their work and commitment to their schools and recognise their valuable contributions to our work. We say hello to two new local governors – Rachel and Bobby – both at OWPS and are pleased to welcome them aboard.

Find out what's been happening across the OWN Trust at Orton Wistow, Woodston and Nene Valley Primary Schools.

King's Coronation 2023

By Holly Ellis, OWN Trust Art and Culture Impact Champion and Class Teacher at Orton Wistow Primary School

During May 2023, to celebrate the King's Coronation, the OWN Trust schools collaborated to complete a special arts and culture project.

Our focus question for the project was 'Who will be celebrating the Coronation alongside the UK?'. Every class across the Trust was given a different Commonwealth Country.

As part of the project, each class created a representation of their country's national flower and immersed themselves in an aspect of their country's art and culture.

The King's Coronation Arts & Culture project was a success across the Trust. The Coronation artwork is now on display at each school.

Here is a sample of what each school created. Please enjoy looking at the full selection of Coronation artwork from across the Trust in our virtual gallery.

Field of Colours Flower Painting Workshop

By Holly Ellis, OWN Trust Art and Culture Impact Champion and Class Teacher at Orton Wistow Primary School

In April, children from Orton Wistow Primary School, Nene Valley Primary School & Woodston Primary School took part in the Field of Flowers Painting Workshops.

The activity was part of the Peterborough Celebrates Festival, which took place on the 20th and 21st May 2023 at Nene Park. 

Nene Park Trust delivered flower painting workshops at all the OWN Trust Schools. Children across OWN Trust took part in the workshops and painted beautiful flowers out of a recycled bottle in the Trust colours. It was a great success!

The flowers were displayed in the Peterborough Celebrates Festival at Ferry Meadows on the 20th & 21st May, and looked fantastic!

Thank you to everyone who donated recycled plastic bottles.

Discover more about how those within the OWN Trust got involved in education and what inspires them to do the job they do!

This week, we learn more about Wiz Hobday, Year Six Class Teacher & Maths Lead at Woodston Primary School and OWN Trust Mathematics Impact Network Champion.

Beginnings...

I grew up in Peterborough! I first got involved with working in education during sixth form. I decided that I was set on becoming a primary school teacher and applied to university to study BA Primary Education. Within 6 weeks of enrolling on the course, I was already on a teaching placement. I was an 18-year-old teaching 30 lively Year 4 children in a school in Scunthorpe!

Current Role...

Since embarking on teaching, I have been shocked at how entrenched and polarised individuals’ views of maths can be. I became a maths leader at a previous school and chose to further my knowledge by studying for a part-time Masters in Mathematics Education at the University of Cambridge. The opportunity to lead maths at Woodston was an exciting next step, where I am also a Year 6 class teacher.

Working within the Trust...

Earlier this year, I took on a new role: OWN Trust Mathematics Impact Network Champion. An aim within this role is to develop the collaboration within the Trust. All three schools use the same maths mastery approaches in addition to resources such as White Rose Maths! I am keen to share the vast knowledge and excellent practices between the three schools.

In the future, I am also keen to foster the collaboration and celebration of mathematics across the schools and hope to organise interschool competitions for various groups of learners and child-led maths projects.

Catch up on what's been happening within the OWN Trust community.

If you'd like to make any suggestions or comments about community activities within the OWN Trust, please have a chat with the OWN Trust Community Representative in your school:

Carly Pearson (NVPS), Joanne Simmons (OWPS) and Kelly Fenton-Bradshaw (WPS).

Recent Events...

OWN Trust Park Run (or Walk!)

On 22nd April 2023, a small group of colleagues from the OWN Trust took part in the Park Run at Ferry Meadows.

Those who were brave enough to face the early start and brisk weather included Sarah and Michelle from Orton Wistow Primary School, Nick from Nene Valley Primary School, Esther, and Helen from Woodston Primary School, and Fiona from the OWN Trust Central Office.

Everyone successfully completed the 5km course (at their own pace!) and afterwards enjoyed a catchup and a drink in the café.

We are planning to organise more social events as the year progresses, with a walk in the summer term to which all OWN Trust staff will also be invited.

Coming Up...

OWN Trust Summer Quiz - 16th June 2023 6.30pm

There's still time to book for the FREE OWN Trust Quiz on Friday 16th June 2023. We currently have seven teams and would love to have more!

We're really grateful to Bethan Strike, Year 3 Class Teacher at Orton Wistow Primary School, who is working hard to prepare the quiz and who will host it for us on the night!

Please click on the link below for more details and to book: OWN Trust Quiz Night

OWN Trust Charity Fundraising Day - 7th July 2023

On Friday 7th July 2023, the OWN Trust Schools will be combining their efforts to raise money for charity. This year the charity, Macmillan Cancer Support, has been chosen by Woodston Primary School. More details will follow after half-term.

Staff News

OWN Trust would like to bid farewell to the following staff members who have left since the last newsletter:

Nene Valley Primary School

• Kate Hill - Teacher

Woodston Primary School

• Sarah Boylan – Teaching Assistant
• Kay Gaston – Teaching Assistant

We would also like to say a warm welcome to the following staff member who has joined us:

Orton Wistow Primary School

• Manisha Summan - Digital Lead

^{Photo by Niklas Ohlrogge on Unsplash}

Each half-term, we learn more about the daily life of those who work in the OWN Trust.

This week it's the turn of Jackie Johnson, Learning Mentor at Orton Wistow Primary School.

Specific times will be announced to those attending.

If you have any queries or questions about the OWN Trust, please get in touch...

• For information about the OWN Trust, please email info@own-trust.education or visit https://www.own-trust.education/
   
• For queries about the newsletter, please email marketing-communications@own-trust.education
   
• For questions relating to governance and compliance, please email governance@own-trust.education
   
• For information about OWN Trust policies, please visit the policies' area of the OWN Trust website.

You can also visit our website www.own-trust.education.