Ipswich Academy delivers best ever GCSE results
With today’s news full of GCSE results, I am delighted to be able to tell you that the students at Ipswich Academy have delivered really great results. Of the 106 students who entered, 50.9% have achieved at least a grade four or above (the old A*-C) in English and mathematics – up from 48.6% last year.
The new exam formats and marking scheme make comparison with previous years difficult, but the general consensus is that the absence of course work and the exams themselves were significantly harder than before which makes these results even more impressive.
I know that I speak for everyone across the Trust when I say how pleased I am that the students’ hard work has paid off. The investment made by Helen and her team is clear evidence of the progress the school has been making since it came out of special measures earlier this year.
Bill Holledge
Chief Operating Officer
Memorial Event for Amanda Phillips CBE
Paradigm Trust would like to invite you to attend a Memorial Event to celebrate the professional life and achievements of Amanda Phillips CBE (invitation link below).
In planning the date and time, we have tried to accommodate the needs of people who have professional and family commitments and may be travelling some distance to attend. We have chosen a venue in Tower Hamlets since this is where Amanda spent the majority of her working life.
The memorial event has been confirmed for Saturday 9th September 2017.
Please extend this invitation to friends, colleagues and associates who would like to attend.
To confirm your attendance please RSVP by 11th August 2017 to emma.vehit@paradigmtrust.org.
Message from David Willis
I wanted to take this is opportunity to update you all on some of the decisions that have been taken during this difficult period to ensure our schools have the right support in place.
I am pleased to be able to tell you that Neil Winn has been appointed interim principal of Murrayfield Primary Academy and his appointment will run until December 2018.
Bill Holledge will continue to provide continuity and support but he has been promoted to the new role of Chief Operating Officer for Paradigm Trust. Bill has worked as a key part of the trust’s senior team since 2015, helping in many aspects of its management. His knowledge and experience will be of tremendous value during this time of transition.
This is the first time that the trust has had a chief operating officer. The creation of the role was something Amanda, Bill and I were working towards and, following Amanda’s tragic death, the board decided to accelerate this process.
Working closely with the board and the principals, Bill will assume responsibility for much of the trust’s day-to-day management while we go through the process of appointing a new CEO.
A number of Paradigm colleagues have also agreed to take on new/broader roles:
- Claire Brunning, systems and data support across the Trust
- Emma Vehit, interim company secretary
- Ian Arnold, premises support across the Trust
- Polly Jones, finance management across both Murrayfield and Ipswich Academy.
The Paradigm Board has also reflected carefully on the plans for Piper’s Vale Community Primary (Ipswich) to join the Trust as an academy. Paradigm’s strategy in Ipswich is to build a cluster of primary schools which will feed into Ipswich Academy. The regional schools commissioner/Department for Education asked Paradigm to take on Piper’s Vale some time ago and, since then, we have been working through the legal and other steps to enable Piper’s Vale Primary Academy to join Paradigm on 1 September 2017. The Board met last week and has agreed to proceed, notwithstanding Amanda passing away, in the light of a clear recommendation from Bill and the principals. We anticipate that Piper’s Vale will have its current headteacher, Paul Arch, in post when it joins the trust. The Board has asked Ben Carter to take on the role of executive principal over Piper’s Vale, working alongside Paul to ensure rapid improvements in outcomes and the quality of teaching. Ben will continue in his role as principal at Culloden, with members of his leadership team providing operational management on days when he is at Piper’s Vale.
Please join me in welcoming all the above staff to their new roles.
David Willis
Chair, Paradigm Trust
Mark Hydes – Director
Mark Hydes – Head of Field Services, Commercial and Industrial Metering
Mark was appointed to the Board as a parent director on 18th June 2020.
Following a career spanning over 23 years, Mark is the holder of various electrical and safety qualifications. For the first 8 years of his career, Mark undertook onsite electrical installation works in residential and commercial settings. He then successfully moved his career forward into managerial roles within the electricity metering industry. It was during this time that Mark developed a sound knowledge of authoring safe systems at work. This includes the authoring of risk assessments, project planning and delivery, and contract management, with due consideration to industry regulation and compliance, and HR processes. He stepped down as Director in September 2022.
Mark has a vested interest in Paradigm Trust as his family attend Ipswich Academy. Mark has watched this academy develop and evolve and looks forward, as a Parent Director, to support its future growth for the benefit of the community.
Vacancy for teaching assistants – London primary schools – closing date Monday 3 July 2017, 9am
An opportunity has arisen for teaching assistants to join Paradigm’s London primary schools.
Click here for more information.
Vacancy for lead science technician – Ipswich Academy – closing date Monday 26 June 2017, 9am
An opportunity has arisen for a lead science technician to join the science faculty at Ipswich Academy.
Click here for more information.
Update on plans to celebrate Amanda Phillips’ life
Amanda will be buried at a private, family only ceremony in the next few weeks. Before that, Paradigm Trust will compile all the messages of condolences that it has received and present them to her family.
We will also be organising events to remember Amanda and celebrate her life and achievements for the children and adults across all the schools. We will be able to update you further as these plans make progress.
David Willis
Chair
Update
As of Monday 5 June, there will be books of condolences in each of the Paradigm schools. It is also possible to send messages of condolences via email – condolences@paradigmtrust.org. All messages will be read and then collated to be passed back to Amanda’s family.
The directors of Paradigm Trust have decided that Bill Holledge will be in charge of Murrayfield Primary on an interim basis until further notice. Bill is an experienced primary headteacher with a strong track record of school improvement who has worked closely with Amanda for more than ten years. He has the full support of the Board. Bill will work closely with the existing senior team at Murrayfield, including experienced leaders from across Paradigm Trust.
The Board is very aware that there is a need for stability and consistency at Murrayfield and is working to ensure that this is delivered.
David Willis
Chair
1 June 2017 – News on Amanda Phillips
It is with tremendous sadness that I have to tell you that Amanda died yesterday. While on holiday in France earlier this week, Amanda suffered a fall incurring serious head injuries which proved fatal. I know I speak for us all when I say that our thoughts and prayers are with her husband and family.
Amanda’s death is a dreadful tragedy. She led Paradigm Trust with enormous energy, tremendous skill and most of all an enduring passion to give every child an outstanding education.
She will be missed so much by everyone and we understand you will have questions – many of which we will not be able to answer yet. We are working on contingency plans and further news will be published in the Paradigm Trust website as it is available.
David Willis
Chair