Changes in leadership at Paradigm schools
Paradigm Trust has a significant track record of delivering high-quality initial teaching training, professional/leadership development and school-to-school support. To that end, we are letting you know about two leadership changes in our schools.
At Ipswich Academy, Samuel Fox has been appointed Interim Principal while current Principal, Abbie Thorrington, is on maternity leave. Samuel is a very experienced leader who has worked as an Assistant Principal for many years at Ipswich Academy, and formerly held the positions of Head of Maths and Head of Year. To support Samuel in taking up his responsibilities, Samuel will work closely with our Director of School Improvement, Ben Carter.
Ben has had a joint role as Principal of Culloden Primary Academy and Director of School Improvement across the whole of Paradigm Trust. As Ben’s school improvement role is increasing, he will have less capacity to effectively manage Culloden. So we are pleased to announce that, after a rigorous recruitment process, Thareena Ward has been appointed Principal of Culloden.
Tahreena is a very experienced leader who has worked as an Assistant Principal for many years at our other Trust London schools and is currently the Assistant Principal of our Nursery and Reception year groups at Culloden.
Please visit our careers section if you aspire to become part of the Paradigm family.
Coronavirus update
Our schools will be open to all pupils as planned from September 2021. Following the government guidelines, Paradigm Trust revised its arrangements again in May 2022. Our arrangements are available here.
Parent Director role (London)
The Board of Directors is seeking to recruit a Parent Director in London to join the Board.
What does the Board of Directors do?
The Board of Directors is responsible for both the conduct of the Trust and for promoting the high standards that we expect for, and from, our pupils. The Board carries out its role by setting the vision for the Trust and then ensuring that the schools across the Trust work efficiently and effectively towards achieving its vision. It does this by both supporting and constructively challenging each of the schools within the Trust and by ensuring accountability and compliance.
The Board is permitted to exercise all the powers of the Trust. The Board is responsible for the appointment, removal and remuneration of the CEO. The Board will delegate to the CEO responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Trust. The directors can determine whether to delegate any governance functions.
Who are the Directors?
Currently the Board is made up of eleven Directors who have been elected by Members, co-opted by other Directors or are a Parent Director. The CEO is a Director of the Board.
Why become a Parent Director?
Being a Parent Director is a challenging but hugely rewarding role. It will give you the chance to make a real difference to young people, give something back to the local community and to use and develop your skills in a board-level environment.
What qualifications do I need to have?
There are no formal qualifications needed, however, the one essential requirement is an interest in, and commitment to, the education of our pupils.
How much time will I have to commit?
A Director serves for a term of four years. In each academic year the Board of Directors currently meets nine times, with meetings starting at 18:00 and usually lasting for two hours. There is also a commitment to complete training particularly in the area of safeguarding and child protection. The Company Secretary will provide you with a structured induction and will support and guide you through the first few months.
Finally….
Parent Directors must be prepared to adopt the Trust Directors code of conduct and the Nolan principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. The role of a Director is voluntary and is not paid.
Interested?
All parents/carers are able to nominate themselves for the role providing that they have a child currently attending one of the London schools in the Trust. If you would like to find out more about the role of the Parent Director and/or request a nomination form, please feel free to contact Emma Vehit, Company Secretary by email: emma.vehit@paradigmtrust.org. Nomination forms should be returned no later than Monday 25 April 2022.
Admissions Consultation
Paradigm Trust is consulting on the admissions arrangements for all the schools across the Trust for the academy year 2023/24 in line with the School Admissions Code 2021.
The consultation is taking place for a period of six weeks, between 17 December 2021 and 28 January 2022.
Why are we consulting?
The Trust must set (‘determine’) admission arrangements annually. Where changes are proposed to admission arrangements, the Trust must first publicly consult on those arrangements. If no changes are made to admission arrangements, they must be consulted at least once every 7 years.
We have a statutory duty to consult on admission arrangements if we intend to make a change.
The changes being proposed are as follows:
Solebay Primary Academy – Nursery admissions to be coordinated by the school and no longer by the Local Authority as part of the nursery coordinated admissions process.
You are invited to review the admission arrangements (linked below) and any questions or responses should be sent to consultation@paradigmtrust.org
On conclusion of the consultation on Friday 28 January 2022, all responses will be collated and presented to the Trust Education Committee for full consideration.
The outcome of the Consultation will be posted on the Academy’s website along with the final admissions policies for 2023.
Proposed Admission Arrangements
RSHE engagement results
Please click on the following documents to view the RSHE engagement results:
Free School Meal vouchers – update
Current government guidance is that vouchers for pupils who are eligible for free school meals will not be issued for the half term break. Given this, we will not be issuing vouchers next week. If government guidance changes we will issue vouchers as soon as we can.
Celebrating Values within Paradigm Trust
This week, Paradigm Trust celebrated pupils who have been awarded all three values awards and have become the first values champions in the Trust. Paradigm shares the same core values throughout all of its schools:
- Integrity – doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
- Excellence – enabling everyone to achieve more through education.
- Community – working together; learning from, and supporting, others.
Each week, pupils are nominated for positive behaviours that link to a value and each half term winners are chosen to receive a values award. Once a pupil has received an award for all three values s/he receives a values award. This week, 12 pupils from Culloden Primary Academy, 5 from Murrayfield Primary Academy and 4 from Piper’s Vale Primary Academy were recognised for receiving all three values awards and becoming values champions. Here are a few examples:
- Integrity – for always doing the right thing and being a role model for the rest of the class
- Community – for being kind and helpful to all and offering to help out around the classroom
- Excellence – for completing work to the highest standards and responding to feedback given.
Pupils were presented with a certificate and values champion badge by Bill Holledge, CEO, Paradigm Trust and enjoyed a festive afternoon tea with their families.
Girls Active Leadership at Culloden Primary
Six Year 5 Girls from Culloden Primary Academy attended a leadership course with the aspiration to become leaders and role models to other girls in promoting physical activity. There is a stereotype in education that girls become less physically active than boys during their school lives. Our Year 5 girls set out to prove this is not the case!
Lee Valley Park Visit
Year 1 pupils from Culloden Primary Academy were lucky enough to visit Lee Valley Park, where they learnt about a variety of different animals and birds.
