Leigh Academies Trust

NEWSSummer 2016 | issue six

Shaping lives, transforming communities

A new Education Innovation Hub opened on Wednesday 22nd June at The Leigh UTC, under the Fujitsu Education Ambassador Programme, supported by Intel, Brocade and Kyocera. The hub is situated at the centre of The Leigh UTC and follows the announcement at Bett 2016 of the growth of the Ambassador Programme and The Leigh UTC as the first educational institution to open its Innovation Hub in the second phase of the programme.

The Ambassador Programme is a national engagement initiative led by the four global IT leaders that aims to highlight the use of computing power to underpin knowledge in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects and drive forward innovation and digital skills development at The Leigh UTC as well as within its wider community.

The Innovation Hub will form the centrepiece of an on-going partnership between The Leigh UTC, Fujitsu, Intel, Brocade and Kyocera. The Hub will be equipped with a range of the latest computing technology and will be used to promote the use of technology and development of digital skills.

Fujitsu, Intel, Brocade and Kyocera launch Education Innovation Hub at The Leigh UTC

The first of the new wave of educational institutions to join Fujitsu’s Ambassador Programme

The Leigh UTC is committed to being actively involved in the economic, social and cultural development of the people and businesses that surround it. Once opened, one example of how the Innovation Hub will be used is to support the training of local primary students as they prepare to access the STEM-related programmes at secondary level. (continued on page 3)

from l to r:

Stephen Leahey, Principal, The Leigh UTC

Keith Ellis, Managing Director, Kenard Engineering

Simon Beamish, Chief Executive, Leigh Academies Trust

Tom Roche, Vice President, Fujitsu

www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk2

A message from the Chief Executive

www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk

Simon Beamish Chief Executive

In our last newsletter, we celebrated two ‘outstanding’ Ofsted judgements at Hartley Primary Academy and Milestone Academy. Since then, Leigh Academies Trust has been recognised by Ofsted as one of the country’s top seven

high-performing multi-academy trusts. In June, one of Her Majesty’s Senior Inspectors came to visit our head office in Dartford to meet with senior staff and governors in order to research best practice. A summary of key findings on the visit is given below:

• The overriding message from everyone was that it’s all about people. The work of all aspects of the Trust is about making sure children, who very often come from significantly-disadvantaged backgrounds, get a great start in life;

• The Trust has a clear all-through vision. LAT is addressing the full educational experience and this is a real strength. Our integrated governance structure, with primary and secondary academies under one board, strengthens this;

• There is a great deal going on and the Trust and its academies are doing many difficult things that others find too challenging;

• Real economies of scale have been created through the structure and operation of the Trust;

• The Trust encourages businesses to play a strong role, particularly through The Leigh UTC, governors and the work of the Education-Business Partnership Manager;

• The Trust contains very passionate and convincing people;

• LAT allows academies to develop their own ethos and character, drawn partly from the communities they serve, and this is a real strength within a strong, supportive trust;

• LAT provides excellent leadership development opportunities; and

• The Trust has systems and structures which deliver very strong accountability.

We are proud to have been recognised in this way, but do not rest on our laurels.

In September, we open Langley Park Primary Academy in South East Maidstone. Next year, building work starts on a third college at Wilmington Academy, an age 11-14 extension to The Leigh UTC called Inspiration Academy, a wide-ranging rebuilding and refurbishment programme at Dartford Primary Academy and our new primary academy at Castle Hill in the Ebbsfleet Valley called Cherry Orchard Primary Academy. The Regional Schools’ Commissioner has given approval for the Star Centre, which is based at Dartford Primary, to come under the leadership of Milestone.

Our academies are forecasting excellent academic outcomes this summer. You will see from this newsletter that there is much else that has been going on. My thanks to all staff, students, parents and governors for their tireless efforts over the last twelve months. I wish you all a restful summer holiday and look forward to another successful year beginning in September.

Vision and valuesTrust Directors have simplified and refreshed our core mission statements.

Shaping lives, transforming communities

What we stand for:• High ideals, strong moral values

and boundless ambition to achieve excellence for all;

• Strong collaboration and teamwork so that we are much greater than the sum of our parts.

What we value:• A ‘can-do’ attitude towards

continuous improvement and innovation;

• Creating confident young adults with high levels of resilience and integrity.

What makes us distinctive:• Small-school, ‘human-scale’ education

to personalise the educational experience;

• An enterprising culture to create close partnerships with industry and other educators.

WHAT’S INSIDE• Fujitsu, Intel, Brocade and Kyocera launch

Education Innovation Hub at The Leigh UTC

• A message from the Chief Executive

• Vision and values

• The Inspiration Academy @ The Leigh UTC

• 2016/17 sees new and expanding academies across the Trust

• Business breakfast mentoring

• Purple Pinkie fund-raising event

• Leigh Academies Trust sports day 2016

• Students push Lashings all the way

• Wilmington Academy named Kent literacy champions!

• Outstanding students, teachers, apprenticeships and leavers 2016

• The Leigh UTC and SEMTA apprenticeship partnership

• Our success at the very first Green School Awards

• Students bloom at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

• Careers Convention hosted by Longfield Academy

• Hartley Primary Academy visit Holland

Did you know...We have been putting lots of work into our staff portal! More information will be available in the staff rooms from September.

3Shaping lives, transforming communities

Ash Merchant, Director of Education at Fujitsu, said: “The Leigh UTC is passionate towards digital transformation and the role of digital media in supporting its students – and we’re excited to be a part of that with the launch of the Innovation Hub. A recent survey by Fujitsu revealed that around a fifth (22%) of consumers believe that digital education should be part of the modern education curriculum, which points towards a real need to see educational establishments focusing on the digital journey. Educational institutions like The Leigh UTC will play a crucial role in making this happen – and Fujitsu, supported by our partners, is committed to supporting them in bringing their vision to life.”

Tracey Rawling Church, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at KYOCERA Document Solutions UK, said: “We’re proud to have been selected by Fujitsu as one of only three partners for this initiative and to support it in meeting its goal to establish 20 new hubs in Ambassador organisations this year to inspire students and equip them with the practical skills and knowledge for the digital future ahead.”

Amit Samani, Education Manager at Brocade, said: “Brocade is dedicated to cultivating innovation and harvesting creative potential within students as a conduit to the changing network requirements and the new IOT era. Through this programme we look forward to creating a platform for students to continue their journey through technology while creating ambassadors for the digital future.”

Councillor John Burrell, Mayor of Dartford, and Mrs Eija Burrell were guests at The Leigh UTC for the first

time and were given a guided tour by some of the students. Councillor Burrell commented that he had not realised that such a fabulous facility existed in Dartford and that it was working so closely with not only local but also international businesses.

Steve Leahey, Principal of The Leigh UTC, said: “The students are extremely excited by the opportunities this programme will provide; development of their digital skills is fundamental to their future career pathways. This partnership will be central to our future plans in igniting a STEM passion amongst the younger students across the area”.

The main objectives of the Ambassador Programme are to support greater collaboration between industry and education, aid career skills development and provide expertise in personalised technology in teaching and learning.

... Fujitsu, Intel, Brocade and Kyocera launch Education Innovation Hub at The Leigh UTC

Leigh Academies Trust has been granted approval to extend the current age range of The Leigh UTC to admit students aged between 11 and 14, by developing a provision known as The Inspiration Academy @ The Leigh UTC.

The first students will be admitted in September 2017, to follow a broad and balanced curriculum, with enhanced provision for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)-based subjects.

The Inspiration Academy @ The Leigh UTC will:• Provide additional secondary

school places within areas of high population growth in Dartford to meet rapidly-increasing demand;

• Extend access to a unique educational environment, thereby increasing educational choice for young people at age 11 and their parents;

• Significantly increase access to STEM-based education at age 11 and the proportion of female students choosing to take up such programmes;

• With employer engagement already at The Leigh UTC, increase awareness at a younger age of apprenticeships and work-related education beyond 16, as well as higher-education opportunities.

The Inspiration Academy @ The Leigh UTC

inspirationacademy @ THE LEIGH UTC

www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk

The scaffolding is down and the paint is nearly dry, ready for the children to arrive on Wednesday 7th September, when Langley Park Primary Academy opens its doors to our first pupils - our little VIPs. The staff are very excited to see the children in their new learning environment and have been busy planning the topics for the first term, with lots of exciting opportunities and activities.

Once the academy is fully open, we will be able to offer two multi-use games areas, one PE court, a multi-surfaced playground, an extensive grass area and a nature trail for the children to explore. We’ll have allotments, an outdoor classroom and the highest-quality IT inside the building, as well as a sprunghall floor and our community centre.

We want to nurture and develop well-rounded, capable and caring individuals, with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to lead a rich and fulfilling life. In order to achieve our aims, we need to ensure children:

• have firm foundations in terms of basic skills that they can use and apply;• have a broad range of exciting, creative opportunities;• understand the disciplines that enable an individual to become a

specialist in a particular area - e.g. an artist or historian;• develop a set of core human values that underpin their spiritual, moral,

social and cultural (SMSC) development and their sense of uniqueness and self-worth as individuals;

• have access and opportunity to achieve their potential; and• develop their thinking and questioning skills.

We know that Langley Park Primary Academy will be a truly outstanding facility for children, parents and the local community and we invite visitors to come and see what we have to offer.

4 www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk

2016/17 sees new and expanding academies across the Trust

Cherry Orchard Primary Academy, situated in Ebbsfleet Garden City, will provide an outstanding educational facility to support the Ebbsfleet development.

The Academy will have capacity for 420 pupils and will feature a new community centre. Once completed, the Academy will provide 26 nursery places as well as 15 for special-needs pupils. The Trust’s plans include a special centre for children with speech, communication and language needs.

The building will open out onto a new village square and the school will have green credentials, with a grassed roof studded with wildflowers.

Cherry Orchard Primary Academy will open in September 2017.

A new academy in the heart of the Ebbsfleet Valley

The Academy will:• Promote and achieve

excellence by inspiring the joy of learning in all children.

• Encourage creativity and innovation between children and teachers.

• Provide a caring, healthy environment where the success of every child is celebrated.

• Be an essential part of the Castle Hill Community, linked in particular through the adjacent community centre.

The Academy will open initially with places available in Years R, 1 and 2, and will develop into older year groups until it is fully open in 2020.

Opening in September 2017

SHAPING LIVESTRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES

Cherry Orchard Primary Academy will open on a purpose built site in September 2017. It will be part of the family of academies within the highly successful Leigh Academies Trust that delivers the very best educational outcomes though collaboration, for every young person.

To find out more, please visit: www.cherryorchardprimaryacademy.org.uk

• creating an environment of communication and aspiration

• an enjoyment of learning• a curriculum which is exciting,

active and meaningful

We want to become your local community hub and with our community centre are well placed to o� er classes and groups for all age groups, adults and children.

Opening - September 2016 for children in Years R, 1 and 2, building

each year until we are fully open in 2020.

For further information please email us on: contactus@langleyparkprimaryacademy.org.uk

Langley Park o� ers you and your family outstanding facilities and extended schools (7:30am Breakfast Club and until 6pm After-school Club).

Seedlings Nursery, based at Langley Park Primary Academy will open in September 2016 for those children 3 years+. We o� er funded hours (15 hours per week) and full daycare.

• Our rates are competitive. • Seedlings will open 7:30am- 6pm daily for 48 weeks of the year.

nurturing little ones at pre-school...

For further information please email us on: contactus@langleyparkprimaryacademy.org.uk

Seedlings nursery

Wilmington Academy creates third collegeIn September 2016, Wilmington Academy will welcome 240 students into Year 7. This has increased from 150 in 2010, when we first joined the Trust, and is a huge vote of confidence in the education we provide.

We believe in the Trust model of human-scale education and small schools within a school to ensure that every student has the opportunity to flourish and succeed.

The expansion of the Academy, which involves a new building funded by Kent County Council, has prompted us to create a third college – Jupiter – to join the existing Minerva and Apollo colleges.

Rebecca Roberts, Assistant Principal, has been promoted to Head of College. The college colour is red, its symbol is the eagle and the college motto is:

“Don’t just fly – soar!”

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0500139.2. 10.14.3.20.7. 1. 15.

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Materials Key for Elevations & Plans

1). Ibstock Holbrook Smooth Red, stretcher bond with raked joints.2). Pre-fabricated PPC aluminium coping with preformed corners - Finish : RAL 70043). Proprietary PPC aluminium thermally broken curtain wall system with sealed doubleglazed units, outer leaf heat soaked toughened, inner leaf laminated with solar coating tocavity face to meet M&E engineers requirements, with fixed lights and opening lights/glasslouvres operated via BMS or manually, Note: any window opening within 0-1500mm fromFFL to have restrictors limiting the opening to 100mm.Spandrel glass panels to be light greyceramic backed insulated glass unit. Finish : RAL 70044). Proprietary thermally broken PPC aluminium windows, with fixed and opening lights withsealed double glazing, outer leaf heat-soaked toughened, inner leaf laminated with solarcoating to cavity face to meet M&E engineers requirements. South elevation windows are tobe able to be cleaned from the inside. Note: any window opening within 0-1500mm from FFLto have restrictors limiting the opening to 100mm. Spandrel glass panels to be light greyceramic backed insulated glass unit. Finish : RAL 70045). Proprietary PPC aluminium louvre panel, within window framing system with insulatedactuator and rear low level 'mixed mode' input unit to provide secure night time purgeventilation and cooling. Finish : RAL 70046). Proprietary PPC aluminium pressed metal flashing to window reveals and matchingcoloured PPC aluminium ventilation grill above window heads to the rainscreen cladding.Finish: Red RAL 30287). Variable micro fin PPC aluminium brise-soleil with frame on PPC aluminium bracket fixedback to the window framing system. Bespoke design product by Contrasol or similarapproved. Aluminium framework, brackets and fins to be: RAL 70048). Proprietary external doorset with PPC aluminium thermally broken frame and sealeddouble-glazed unit, outer leaf heat-soakedtoughened, inner leaf laminated with solar coating to cavity face to meet M&E engineersrequirements; stainless steel ironmongery; film-applied manifestation to comply with BuildingRegulations Part M. PPC to the same colour as curtain walling system it is integrated with orwith the adjacent windows.9). PPC aluminium hopper and rainwater pipe. RAL 700410). External non maintained circular bulkhead light to meet the required luminance levels forentry and exits.11). Bauder Pro F System - warm roof construction minimum fall 1:60. Thermal performanceto meet M&E engineers requirements. Natural slate cap sheet colour.12). Double glazed openable rooflight, outer leaf heat-soaked toughened, inner leaf laminatedwith low-E coating to cavity face andfitted solar control, in polyester powder coated thermally broken aluminium frame withintegrated rainsensors.13). Proprietary thermally-enhanced roof access hatch 915 x 915mm with handholdextensions as continuation of roof access ladder below.14). Proprietary hot dipped galvanised steel double-line ball-type balustrade and handrail assurround to roof; handrail height 1100mm.15). Natural ventilation cowls - PPC to RAL 700416). Ventilation cowls / pipes.17). PV panels, final number to be confirmed by M&E Engineer.18). Proprietary thermally broken PPC aluminium windows, with fixed and opening lights withsealed double glazing, outer leaf heat-soaked toughened, inner leaf laminated with solarcoating to cavity face to meet M&E engineers requirements. Satin glass to fixed and openinglights to allow natural daylight as well as privacy. Note: any window opening within 0-1500mmfrom FFL to have restrictors limiting the opening to 100mm. Spandrel glass panels to be lightgrey ceramic backed insulated glass unit. Finish : RAL 700419). Smoke vents connected to fire alarm system. Exact size and operation TBC by FireOfficer20). Rockpanel Woods Xtreme cladding panels in three heights (150mm, 200mm & 250mm)using a combination of Rhinestone Oak, Ceramic Oak and Carbon Oak effect panels.Panels to be secret fixed with matching corner trims. Panels are to be ’Xtreme’ grade forgreater robustness with ProtectPlus finish to assist with cleaning, graffiti removal and reducedmaintenance costs.

2.20.5.1. 14. 9.7.15.

Project

Client

Drawing Title

Scale @ A1

Drawn Checked Approved

Date

Status

© Bailey Partnership

Print

Date

:

Revision

Lyster Court, Queen Alexandra square. The Millfields, Plymouth, Devon. PL1 3JB www.baileypartnership.co.ukReply to :

Exeter 01392 433241 Plymouth 01752 229259 Sevenoaks 01732 885835 Truro 01872 561686Bristol 01179 474380

Purpose of Issue

A1 Drawing Identifier BS1192:2007 / Avanti Compliant

Project No.

Notes

This drawing is copyright and owned by Bailey Partnership, and is for use on this projectand site only unless contractually stated otherwise.

DO NOT SCALE this drawing (printed or electronic versions). Contractors must checkall dimensions from site.

All other design team elements, where indicated, have been imported from theconsultant's drawings and reference should be made to the individual consultant'sdrawings for exact setting out, size and type of component.

Discrepancies and / or ambiguities within this drawing, between it and information givenelsewhere, must be reported immediately to the architect for clarification beforeproceeding.

All works are to be carried out in accordance with the latest British Standards and Codesof Practice unless specifically directed otherwise in the specification.

Responsibility for the reproduction of this drawing in paper form, or if issued inelectronic format, lies with the recipient to check that all information has been replicatedin full and is correct when compared to the original paper or electronic image. Graphicalrepresentations of equipment on this drawing have been co-ordinated, but areapproximations only. Please refer to the Specifications and / or Details for actual sizesand / or specific contractor construction information. Ordnance Survey Paper MapCopying License number: 40006119

This original document is issued for the purpose indicated below and containsinformation of confidential nature. Further copies and circulation will be strictly inaccordance with the confidentiality agreement under the contract.

SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATIONRefer to the relevant Construction (Design and Management) documentation whereapplicable.

It is assumed that all works on this drawing will be carried out by a competentcontractor, working where appropriate to an approved method statement.

Rev DateDescription / By / Chk'd / App'd

project origin zone level file type role number

01/04

/2016

17:17

:59

1

1 : 100

New 3 Storey Science Block

Wilmington AcademyCommon Lane, WilmingtonKent DA2 7DR

Planning Application - Elevations

DF MAF

S2

CRH

PLANNING

26000

WA BP 01 XX DR A 050012

1 : 100North East Elevation1

1 : 100North West Elevation2 1 : 100

South East Elevation3

1 : 100South West Elevation4

1 Planning Issue CRH/DV/MAF 01/04/2016

Opening in September...

5Shaping lives, transforming communities

Business-breakfast mentoring Wed 6 July 2016 8.00-10.00am

The Leigh UTCBrunel Way, The Bridge, Dartford, Kent DA1 5TF

(for sat nav purposes use DA1 5FW)

Enjoy the opportunity to network with your peers.

Hear about our students’ successes.

by invitation...Spaces allocated on an apply-to-attend basis RSVP: info@theleighutc.org.uk

Come and celebrate with us...

Exclusively for engineering and technology based businesses.

Open to the business sector and offered at no cost, Breakfast Briefings Series is held six times during the academic year.

Business Breakfast

Longfield Academy were presented with a national Rotary Award in April 2016, in recognition of the fundraising activities the Academy has led in support of the Purple Pinkie Fund.

All monies raised at the Academy over the last five years for Purple Pinkie have been donated to the Rotarians in their bid to eradicate polio from the world.

The award was presented to Rotarian Stewart Grainger of the Darenth Rotary Club at the national conference in Bournemouth. Stewart kindly presented it to our principal students at Longfield and praised everyone within our Academy community for their efforts and support.

We are delighted to continue working with the Darenth Rotarians. We do this in a variety of ways, including several competitions that they organise for students and collaboration through the business-mentor programme.

Purple Pinkie fund-raising event

Having excellent links with businesses underpins Leigh Academies Trust’s aim to equip every student with an enhanced range of skills and awareness of the world of work that will prepare them for a successful transition into employment. Our valued business partnerships can take many forms...

Leigh Academies Trust sports day 2016

For the first time in the history of Leigh Academies Trust’s sports day, DaVinci were crowned champions. The Trust’s sports day encompassed six academies within the Trust, all of which had their own colleges, 12 in total on the day, with over 400 students competing. It was a fantastic effort by DaVinci College from The Leigh Academy, who consistently performed to a high standard.

There was a sea of yellow at every event, reflecting the College’s amazing team effort. Many records were broken on the day, some by DaVinci College. The most outstanding athletes (pictured below) were Ethan Brown (Chaucer) and Debbie Osivaya (Brunel). A huge thank you must go to the PE learning team from The Leigh Academy, who organised this fantastic event.

Longfield Academy hosts its first mentoring business breakfast On Tuesday, 10th May, Longfield Academy was pleased to host its first mentoring business breakfast. The business-mentoring scheme at the Academy has been running, with great success, for four years now and the event was held to enlighten guests from the business community on the value of becoming a business mentor.

Businesses were given a full overview of the logistics of how this worthwhile scheme operates and listened to reflections from a current business mentor and two current mentees. Guests were also given a guided tour of the Academy.

www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk

On Friday 1st July, Leigh Academies Trust hosted the Lashings All Stars for the 10th consecutive annual charity cricket match. A crowd in excess of 1,000 people at Bexley Cricket Club were once again royally entertained and the students came remarkably close to becoming the first team in history to win back-to-back victories against the All Stars.

A rather overcast morning soon gave way to glorious Kent sunshine, and the afternoon began with 400 people, mostly from local businesses, enjoying a fabulous three-course lunch prepared by the Trust’s catering team, Cucina.

A charity auction helped raise thousands of pounds to support the many charities involved in the event and a thoroughly enjoyable few hours was had in the company of cricketing greats such as Gordon Greenidge, Adam Hollioake, Owais Shah and Monty Panesar.

Chelsey Rowson, the first female player to appear in Leigh Academies Trust XI and a Year 10 student at The Leigh Academy, started proceedings with a very tight first over, which set the tone for the rest of the innings.

There was some really dynamic fielding and accurate bowling from the students.

At the end of their 30 overs, Lashings had amassed a score of 226. An excellent spin-bowling spell from Thomas Glass-Burgess of Longfield Academy provided the highlight of the innings. This was 60 runs fewer than last year, so we knew we had a chance.

The Lashings All Stars opened the bowling with England legends Devon Malcolm and Martin Bicknell – a formidable partnership with over 1,000 first-class wickets between them! However, this didn’t faze the students, who slowly but surely started to chip away at the 226 target.

Leigh Academies Trust’s guest player for the day was Aryan Jain, and, supported by James Fox from The Leigh Academy among others, the students reached 176-3 after 22 overs and the match was on a knife-edge.

It took a moment of magic from West Indies’ international Kirk Edwards to tip the match in Lashings’ favour, with a superb running catch on the boundary to dismiss Aryan for an excellent 89 runs. Lashings kept their bowling and fielding tight for the next eight overs and Leigh Academies Trust finished their innings on 198-6, just 28 runs short of their victory target.

Despite the result, the event once again proved to be a huge success and continues to be the major sport and charity event hosted by Leigh Academies Trust.

Thanks go to our sponsors, David Mewes Plant and Building Services, Charlotte Brandon and the team at Central Hire and Cucina, our caterers, for a world-class three-course meal.

6 www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk

On Tuesday, 21st June, Wilmington Academy was represented at the Kent Literacy Awards at Hempstead House Hotel in Sittingbourne. This was the Academy’s second year at the ceremony, after winning the District Award for Best Book Week Theme last year for the Hunger Games Festival.

Head of Apollo, Pete Devlin, Director of Literacy, Nadia Marken, and Librarian, Debbie Kennedy, were there to receive the Dartford Area Award for Best

Book Week Theme for the Tri-Wizard Tournament that took place at the Academy for World Book Day 2016.

With over 27 district winners, Wilmington Academy was further rewarded with the Kent Literacy Book Week Champion Award. Thank you to all members of our Academy community who voted for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. We can’t wait to see what exciting theme will be chosen next year for World Book Day!

Wilmington Academy named Kent literacy champions!

Students push Lashings all the way

7Shaping lives, transforming communities

Paul Blake, nominated by his Year 12 students at The Leigh UTC, was awarded the prestigious title of Science, IT and Technology Teacher of the Year, Dartford and Gravesham, at the Kent Teacher of the Year Awards 2016.

Principal of The Leigh UTC, Steve Leahey, commented: “A deserved award for Paul’s outstanding contribution during his first year at The Leigh UTC. It’s encouraging for all of us to receive teacher recognition as we strive to deliver student career-defining pathways.”

Paul commented: “I worked as a computer engineer for over 20 years before I even considered teaching, so to say I’m an older NQT would be an understatement!”

Teacher of the year 2016

Outstanding students, teachers, apprenticeships and leavers 2016...

Wilmington student receives British Empire Medal

On the 12th May, Jonjo Heuerman, a student at Wilmington Academy, received the British Empire Medal from the Lord Lieutenant of Kent at Penshurst Place.

Jonjo has become the youngest recipient of this honour in recognition of his outstanding efforts in raising more that £250,000 for Cancer Research UK’s Bobby Moore Fund with a series of walks and bike rides. He received the award while wearing a waistcoat covered in the names of family, friends and supporters who had died from cancer.

Our success at the very first Green School Awards

Thirteen schools from Kent, Medway and Bexley were recognised for their commitment to eco-friendly behaviour at the very first Green School Awards.

Maidstone champions, Tree Tops Primary Academy, celebrated their success with Richard Langshaw of LoopCR at the inaugural KM Green

School Awards, staged at Rowhill Grange Hotel and Spa on Thursday, 16th June.

Starting in September 2016, SEMTA and The Leigh UTC are pleased to announce a partnership to offer advanced apprenticeship programmes, including HNC at Level 4 for manufacturing engineering.

A number of local SMEs attended a briefing at the UTC, where we discussed Trailblazers, the proposed apprenticeship levy and the associated benefits to business of taking on an apprentice. There is a real appetite from our business partners to be part of this programme, ideally by recruiting UTC students to take up the vacancies.

Principal, Steve Leahey, and Director of Apprenticeships, Jay Wright, spoke about the technical qualifications and added pastoral support that trainees would receive at the UTC. Malcolm Healy from SEMTA explained how the partnership would work and the active roles that each party would play. SEMTA are visiting all businesses that have expressed an interest to discuss their specific requirements.

We are very excited by this opportunity, which will provide our students with through routes into employment across the North Kent area.

The L eigh UTC and SEMTA apprenticeship partnership

Michael Murphy, Principal of Stationers’ Crown WoodsAcademy

Michael Murphy also retires this summer, having spent 15 years at Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy. Michael has been instrumental in the development of the small-school structure at the Academy, overseeing the new building and leading it to become part of Leigh Academies Trust.

We wish him a very happy retirement!

Sadly, this season will be my last at Longfield. Whilst not the longest-serving member of staff, I am certainly one of the veterans and so, after 24 years, I have many fond memories that I will take with me. It has been an honour and privilege to have worked with so many outstanding individuals within Longfield and the Trust and I now move on from Longfield to be Principal of Dartford Science and Technology College from September.

I wish everyone the very best going forward and I do hope our paths will cross again.

Anne Davis, Co-Principal of Longfield Academy

www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk

Year 10 students at Wilmington Academy are celebrating another successful year at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show by winning a silver gilt award.

Horticulture students, Beth Carter-Hart and Oscar Shell, took part in

a competition run by company Miracle-Gro. They planted carrot seeds in ordinary garden soil, peat-free compost and Miracle-Gro multi-purpose compost. Over the next three months, the carrots were monitored and photographed as they grew.

Beth Carter-Hart said: “Our visit to the Chelsea Flower Show was an incredible experience. The flowers were beautifully displayed, with such a large variety of vibrant colours. The members of the public were so polite and friendly; I enjoyed talking to them about the work that we have done and we were so lucky to have won another silver gilt award for our Miracle-Gro display.”

Oscar Shell commented:

“My visit to the Chelsea Flower show was definitely a memorable and exciting day out. I had heard that it was a big place but never expected it to be as big as it was. The crowds were friendly, which made my job of explaining our Miracle-Gro experiment a lot less daunting. It was definitely worth getting through the crowds of people on the train and in London.”

Please contact us: t: 01322 626 609e: graphicdesign@latrust.org.uk

© 2016 Leigh Academies Trust Green Street Green Road, Dartford, Kent DA1 1QE t: 01322 620 586e: info@latrust.org.ukw: www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk

Leigh Academies Trust is a registered company, company no 2336587. An exempt charity.

www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk8

In May, Hartley Primary Academy’s Year 6 students travelled to the beautiful coastal resort of Noordwijk, in the Netherlands, for their residential trip, where they were given the chance to experience a different culture, landscape and language.

The students visited the Clara Maria Cheese and Clog Farm, where they made cheese, saw how clogs are made and let off some energy in the hay barn.

A visit to the Aalsmeer flower auction enabled them to see the busiest floral market in the world, where about

20 million flowers are traded daily. Students visited Amsterdam, with its historic canals, and took in the cultural experience of the Rijksmuseum, with famous works of art including Rembrandt’s ‘Night Watch’. They also visited Delft, the beautiful, historic home of the famous blue and white pottery artist, Johannes Vermeer.

It was the most fantastic trip, with 53 extremely well-behaved, polite children, praised by the public, the Rijksmuseum, the manager of the Hollandica Ferry and many more. They were a credit to the Academy, to their parents and to themselves.

Prim

ary Academy

Har t ley

Hartley Primary Academy visit Holland

Students bloom at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Careers Convention hosted by Longfield Academy

Shaping Lives, transforming communities

15th July 2016

hosted by

Careers ConventionYear 10

Shaping Lives, Transforming Communities

This event was put together to help students gain a better understanding of what they might like to consider for their future careers, whether they intend to leave us at 16 or 18, are looking to go on to university or to undertake an apprenticeship.

We were fortunate enough to have a number of businesses, service providers, universities and other organisations gathered under one roof to give students the benefit of their advice and expertise.