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Tilian - A strong track record of success
Every Ofsted inspection has demonstrated that our schools have improved since joining the Trust.
Strategy Day for Heads and Chairs
Heads and Governors came together for the October Strategy Day.
Although all schools are autonomous and make the decisions on their strategies,working together in a spirit of partnership ensures that effective practice and ideas can be shared and explored in a mutually supportive environment.
Enabling leaders to work together is crucial to the success of our schools and one of the key benefits of joining Tilian.
Guest speaker, Nigel Helliwell, who also provides half termly coaching sessions for all Headteachers, supported the session with his insight in successful strategy planning.
"Great to be in the room with everyone across Tilian, a boost to feel part of the collective." Chair of Governors, Palgrave.
"I found the morning very useful in having Nigel clarify the goals and hearing from the other Heads who had practical advice. More importantly, being away from school to think, without interruption and concentrate on one thing" Headteacher, Bardwell.
"Thank you for a very helpful morning. Good to meet some other heads and chairs too", Chair of Governors.
Old Newton Ofsted
Pupils, parents and carers, and staff are proud to be part of the Old Newton family.
The school is a warm, welcoming and respectful community.
Pupils are well cared for and supported.
Pupils enjoy coming to school to learn and be with their friends.
Children in the Reception Year get off to a good start.
Staff have high expectations.
Classrooms are busy learning environments.
Pupils say that learning is fun.
Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well from their various starting points.
Pupils relish the chance to take on roles and responsibilities.
Pupils also enjoy a range of clubs, including dance and dodgeball.
Educational visits to places such as an air museum and animal sanctuaries enrich pupils’ learning experiences.
Highly effective teaching starts as soon as children start in the early years.
In phonics, there is clear and systematic teaching, which is precisely matched to pupils’ needs.
Staff set clear expectations about learning and behaviour.
Staff prioritise developing children’s talking, listening and explaining skills. As a result, children are well prepared to enter Year 1.
Pupils behave well.
Pupils’ attendance is high.
The parents who shared their views during the inspection were overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school team.
Ofsted grades Kersey as outstanding in two areas
Kersey has made amazing progress since joining Tilian and has moved from Requires Improvement to Good with Outstanding judgements for Personal Development and Behaviour and Attitudes.
The leadership of Jess Damant, Headteacher of Kersey, and Claire Dunnell Paley, co-head was praised by the inspector.
Here are some of the highlights from the report:
Pupils are proud of their school and being part of the ‘Kersey family’.
They have many opportunities to become more confident and resilient.
They form positive friendships and show respect to others.
Pupils thrive as part of a caring community.
High expectations support pupils to do their best.
They study an ambitious curriculum that ensures they achieve well.
Behaviour is exemplary.
Pupils enjoy learning.
Pupils have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills and influence school decisions.
Many pupils attend creative and academic clubs to develop their interests and talents
The school is well led and managed.
Governors and the trust are ambitious for the school to succeed.
Effective action has been taken to improve the school.
Rougham Celebrates Excellent Ofsted
Rougham has finally received the recognition it deserves! After a truly appalling inspection two years ago staff, governors and pupils have demonstrated outstanding practice in Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development and Early Years Provision and the school narrowly missed an overall outstanding grading, with only one minor area for development.
Here are some of the fantastic comments made by inspectors:
Pupils at Rougham Primary School thrive because of their teachers very high expectations The school is a happy and welcoming place to learn.
From Reception, pupils learn to be curious, confident independent learners. They are sensible, kind and respectful. They are extremely well behaved.
Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. This ensures pupils develop a love for reading from the start of Reception.
Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning, and they achieve well.
Pupils' voice is celebrated. School councillors and play and digital leaders respectfully share their opinions on how to improve their school. Their teachers listen and make changes.
The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that allows pupils to build on what they already know. From Reception, staff support pupils to learn more, do more and remember more.
Older pupils benefit from the updated curriculum. The impact of this is seen in pupils deep understanding of what they have learned as they grasp more complex ideas.
Staff are highly trained. They know pupils well and ask questions to check and deepen pupils understanding.
Those responsible for governance are knowledgeable and committed to the school's improvement. Governors provide effective challenge and support to school leaders.
The school's curriculum for the personal development of pupils is exceptional. It centres around the school s core values for life, which permeate every aspect of school life. The school hones well rounded citizens as well as successful learners.
Pupils understand the importance of respect and tolerance. They celebrate different faiths and cultures. Pupils know that being yourself is important.
Bardwell's refreshed Christian vision accurately captures the ethos of the school. It makes significant links with, and a contribution to, the community it serves. The associated values, including resilience, courage and aspiration are known by pupils and adults as 'cogs'. These are longstanding, understood, and entrenched in school life. Committed staff promote many chances for all to 'grow together' and 'reach for the sky'. They provide a stimulating learning environment where individuals, from their unique starting points, can achieve their best. This means pupils are confident, inquisitive and enjoy their learning. They actively participate in the extensive opportunities provided. Guided by the vision, leaders, including governors, provide clear direction. Governors are very active in the life of the school, giving well-considered support and guidance, with the welfare of all at the centre of decision making. As a result of this, every choice the school makes reflects the needs of the pupils and adults.
Bardwell SIAMS
The SIAMS inspection of Bardwell took place on 21st May 2024 and demonstrated how wonderful the school is. Here are some of the Inpsector's comments:
Nurture and warmth are a striking feature of this caring school
Leadership of this small village school is inspiring.
Dedicated staff provide a stimulating, active and engaging education for all.
Pupils' various talents are celebrated as they are encouraged to 'reach for the sky' and achieve their best.
Inspired by the Christian vision, pupils make a difference to peoples' lives through fundraising and helping others.
An active and engaging curriculum, including for religious education (RE), is carefully planned and refined.
Moments of awe and wonder abound in the curriculum and in the beautiful school environment.
This is a very warm, welcoming and friendly school. The deeply caring ethos means everyone is nurtured, so all are treated well.
Gislingham Ofsted
Inspectors were particularly impressed by the behaviour and attitudes of pupils. Some of the wonderful comments by the inspectors include:
Pupils at this school thrive and achieve well. They make strong progress during their time at the school.
It is a very happy and inclusive school.
The school has high expectations for what they can achieve; many pupils achieve a high standard academically by the time they leave.
Their academic learning is supported by lots of other activities, such as learning the guitar and acting in Shakespeare’s plays at a local theatre.
Behaviour is excellent.
Pupils genuinely value each and every member of their community. They celebrate successes with great enthusiasm.
Pupils are motivated to work hard and keep going, even when the task is difficult.
Vocabulary is a core theme in all lessons. Adults in the early years expertly weave new words and those they have covered in teaching into children’s play.
This is a very positive report for the school. Well done to Mr Benstock and the staff team for demonstrating how good the school is.
Building an Inclusive SEND Strategy for The Tilian Partnership
At The Tilian Partnership, we believe in the power of collaboration to create a robust and effective SEND strategy for our Trust. Our vision and values centre around inclusivity, high-quality education, and empowering every individual to reach their full potential.
Key Points:
Collaborative Approach:
SENDCos within our partnership have joined forces to develop a comprehensive SEND strategy. We understand the importance of working together to enhance inclusion and support for all our children. By pooling our expertise and resources, we aim to create a strategy that reflects the unique strengths and needs of each school while maintaining a cohesive approach to SEND provision.Leadership:
In January, we enlisted the expertise of Rebecca Gonyora, Deputy Regional SEND Lead for NASEN, to lead this important project. With over 15 years of experience in education, including roles as a SENCO and Deputy Head teacher, Rebecca brings a wealth of knowledge in SEND, inclusive teaching practises, and school improvement.Process of Review:
Rebecca has guided us through a thorough review process, ensuring that our strategy is grounded in the daily realities of our schools. By fostering a shared understanding and language around SEND, we have developed a clear and agreed-upon process for identification and support. This collaborative effort has led to the creation of the Tilian Universal Offer for inclusion, emphasising that every teacher is a teacher of SEND.Consistent Principles:
Our strategy focuses on sharing best practises and building consistent principles that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each school within our Trust. We leverage expert guidance to support and challenge our approach, ensuring that we continuously improve and adapt to provide the best possible support for all our children.
Wilby Church of England Primary School joined us in 2023
Joining Tilian and becoming part of a tight-knit network has meant that support is never far away, whether that be from other like-minded schools or the Trust’s central school Improvement services.
The dedicated School Improvement team, who have a wealth of experience, have worked directly with and supported the headteacher and staff, providing high-quality and individualised training and support.
The Trust models excellence, so that we are supported to challenge good current practice and aspire for outstanding provision.
A common misconception about becoming a Multi-Academy Trust member is the fear that you will lose autonomy over your school. This is certainly not our experience of joining Tilian. While the Trust offer operational guidance and advice, we will still maintain the integrity and independence of our school—we feel that our unique identity is highly valued and encouraged.
Against a rapidly changing educational background, where bespoke and sustained support is increasingly difficult to procure, it’s such a relief to feel that we are no longer alone. Being part of Tilian we now feel protected and strengthened and even more excited for the future.
Roisin Wiseman, Headteacher
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