West Exe School, part of our Trust have welcomed representatives from Devon Diversity Education (DDE) to the school this month as part of their Black History month celebrations.  This year’s theme, ‘Reclaiming Narratives’, is a powerful call to recognise and correct the stories of Black history and culture.

The DDE group came to teach students about the local Devon Windrush Group and enrich their knowledge and presentation skills.  The Devon Windrush Group aims to foster connections between Caribbean people in the South West.

One of the guest speakers was Dave Samuels whose father was the first Black bus driver in Bristol and took part in the Bristol Bus Boycott.  The Bristol Bus Boycott of 1963 arose from the refusal of the Bristol Omnibus Company to employ black or Asian bus crews in the city of Bristol.  Some students also raised their own links to Windrush and shared their own stories with their classmates later in the week.   

The ‘Windrush’ generation are those who arrived in the UK from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1973.  The name ‘Windrush’ derives from the ‘HMT Empire Windrush’ ship which brought one of the first large groups of Caribbean people to the UK.  The Windrush scandal began to surface in 2017 after it emerged that hundreds of Commonwealth citizens, many of whom were from the ‘Windrush’ generation, had been wrongly detained, deported and denied legal rights. 

Later in the month the school also held an amazing art workshop in their library run by B-HUGs which is led by academics at the University of Exeter and local artist Jedidah Chick with a focus on lived experiences.  Jedidah Chick  is a Black British artist who was born in Zimbabwe and is based in Devon. Her original paintings fuse African modern art and the lush landscapes and coastal scenes of the local Devon and Cornwall countryside.

She grew up in post-colonial Zimbabwe at a time when the history of African culture was not celebrated or accurately taught in schools. Jedidah’s knowledge of her African heritage, especially the untold stories of her female ancestors, has become the driving force behind her art.  Through her paintings she celebrates the African female figure, her struggle, and her history, often focusing on Afro hair and the message of resilience and self empowerment.

The workshop was part of an ongoing B-HUGs project founded by Dr. Safi Darden and Dr, Melody Kuziwa Jombe supported by the University of Exeter to offer opportunities to engage with black educators and enable improved representation and aspiration raising.  It is wider Race Equality work being undertaken at the University which aims to tackle the fact that historically, Black students have faced numerous barriers in higher education, from systemic racism and discrimination to a lack of representation among faculty and staff. 

The visibility of Black role models in academic settings can help counteract these challenges by demonstrating the possibilities of academic and professional success. 

Julie Fossey, Headteacher at West Exe School said:

“I am so grateful for the work our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Co-ordinator Rosie Salter has done in arranging these important visits and workshops this Black History Month.  It’s vital that schools work to reclaim and amplify narratives that have been overlooked.  I especially want to thank the team at Devon Diversity and Jedidah Chick for being so generous with their time and their stories, and for connecting our students to really important black narratives and events. We look forward to continuing their great work here in school, to educate all young people about EDI but also to celebrate the rich diversity of our wonderful student body.

“At West Exe School we are committed to providing our students with an understanding of history, which honours the rich and diverse contributions of Black people.  Black History Month is about more than reflecting on the past, it’s about inspiring young people to create an inclusive future.”

 

  

Queen Elizabeth’s School, (QE) part of our Trust, has held its first official Eco Club meeting this term.

The club has been set up by Science teachers Miss Mercer and Miss Owen, who both specialise in biology.  They are both passionate about the environment and sustainability and want to use the club to share knowledge, inspire a love of the natural world, and empower pupils with the skills and understanding on how to tackle important issues such as climate change.  

Pupils from all different year groups have signed up to be part of the club and planning is now underway for  projects for the club members to run.

Talks from external speakers about the natural world, biodiversity and possibly even future careers and being organised for later in the academic year.  Miss Mercer and Miss Owen are also hoping to take the group to the Eden project, where they can not only learn more about the natural world but also create links with the curriculum in both Geography and Biology. 

The Eco Club’s main focus this year will be taking part in the Eco-schools programme. Eco-schools is a charity that aims to empower pupils to make a difference in their school and local communities.  

An environmental review of our school site has already been conducted to determine what topics the club should focus on and once one has been chosen the team will come up with projects that they will run to improve the selected focus area which might be waste, energy or biodiversity.  

At the end of the school year QE can then apply for the Eco-schools Green Flag, applying for the accreditation is the perfect way to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the ecological achievements of young people.

Ms Paula Smith, Headteacher at Queen Elizabeth’s School said:

“I want to say a big thank you to Miss Mercer and Miss Owen for setting up QE’s new Eco Club.  They have done a brilliant job and I know they are now keen for pupils to now take the lead when it comes to running the eco projects they are planning.  It’s great that environmentally minded pupils now have a chance to make a real difference to the ecological footprint of the school.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“Everyone at the Ted Wragg Trust wishes the new Eco Club members at QE all the best regarding their aim of securing an Eco-schools Green Flag.  At the trust one of our central missions is to make the world a better place and by embarking on this venture this group of pupils are doing exactly that.”

EX5-Alive, the community hub based at Cranbrook Education Campus, (CEC) part of our Trust, has been awarded an amazing £102,258 from the National Lottery Community Fund. The National Lottery Community Fund distributes over £600m a year to communities across the UK, raised by players of The National Lottery. 

The hub worked in partnership with Inspiring Communities CIC to secure the funding. Inspiring connections CIC aims to support groups and individuals who are working within their local communities to deliver much-needed volunteer-led and co-produced support, which in turn will benefit community members to feel as if they are active participants in theirs and others’ daily lives.  

The funding will be used to develop a resident-led social entity which will deliver community initiatives to increase a sense of connection. The project will nurture and guide existing and new resident groups through capacity building, facilitating access to information, strengthening opportunities and developing a wider community engagement processes.

The aim of the EX5-Alive community hub is to support the people of Cranbrook to be happier, healthier and more connected to their community. It offers a cradle to career model and they work with a wide range of external partners, including the Live and Move Sport England fund (Move More Cranbrook), Exeter Foodbank, Action for Children, Parental Minds, Cranbrook Medical for social prescribing and Reach Academy in Feltham.  

The newly funded project will complement EX5-Alive’s aim of engaging Cranbrook residents in shaping their future. The community will connect through community-led activities where residents' voices are heard, represented and community action delivered.

If you would like to know more, be part of this exciting new project or have something amazing to offer then please contact community@ex5alive.com or visit www.ex5alive.com to see what they have been doing in and around the Cranbrook community.

 The Cranbrook Action Group said:

“We are so pleased to be sharing this fantastic news! Well done team EX5 Alive and especially Aynsley Jones. A lot of hard work has been going on behind the scenes to achieve this result. Time to celebrate. It's good to see the Cranbrook Community being recognised in this way.”

 Sharon Thorne, Director at Inspiring Connections South West CIC said:

“I am delighted, over the moon and thrilled that EX5-Alive has been awarded over £100k by the National Lottery Community Fund! This fantastic opportunity for Cranbrook means we will have an independent organisation owned and governed by Cranbrook residents. Your voice, your choice in what happens within your community.”

Stephen Farmer, Head of Campus at Cranbrook Education Campus said:

“Born from a collaborative discussion with colleagues at the Reach Foundation through the Cradle to Career network, the EX5 Alive Community Hub has grown into a thriving centre of support, facilitating over 13,000 connections in just 18 months. This Lottery funding will enable EX5 Alive to continue expanding its impact, providing vital services to both new and existing residents of Cranbrook and East Devon.”

West Exe School, part of our Trust, welcomed Steve Race MP for a visit to see the school in action on Friday the 4th of October.

Mr Race was elected as the MP for the Exeter constituency at the last general election, prior to that he had worked for Ben Bradshaw MP.  He stated during the election campaign that one of his priorities was fighting for the best start in life for Exeter’s children.

Headteacher Julie Fossey and Deputy Headteacher for Community and Education Joe Bispham, welcomed Mr Race to West Exe School and they had a meeting to discuss how the school is developing their community relationships. 

The school’s head prefects, Stanley and Ella and two other prefects Mia and Harry, then acted as Mr Race’s tour guides. They showed him all around the school site whilst discussing topics from how social media impacts young people to cooking.

Mr Race spoke to the students about the curriculum and their thoughts on it and in turn they informed him about everything that is on offer at West Exe School.  He was particularly interested to hear about the school’s literary canon offer, where by the time they leave students will have read 25 thought-provoking and hopefully, life changing books during tutor time that will bring depth, colour and culture to their lives.

He also heard all about the school’s electives programme, which takes place once a week as part of their curriculum. Students select courses that interest them and then have the opportunity to learn different skills which will help them in their career and employment journey.

Julie Fossey, Headteacher at West Exe School said:

“It was a pleasure to welcome Steve Race MP to West Exe School; we always had a warm relationship with his predecessor, Ben, and look forward to seeing more of Mr Race in the future. I am so proud of the prefects that showed him around; he mentioned how impressed he was with them and how articulate and passionate they were about their school community.”  

Steve Race MP said:

“Thanks to the West Exe staff and particularly the four student prefects who took the time to show me around the school. The students were exceptionally articulate and knowledgeable about the school, and clearly enjoyed their time learning. I’m absolutely convinced that all of them will go on to great things. Ensuring that every young person in Exeter had the opportunity to reach their potential is really important to me, and we’re fortunate to have brilliant schools and teaching staff in the city, like at West Exe, to help make that possible.”

 

Marine Academy Primary, part of the Ted Wragg Trust, has elected its new Members of Academy Parliament this month.

Each candidate delivered a presentation to their class, explaining why they would be the best representative for their peers. Following this, classes took turns visiting the school’s polling station in the hall to cast their votes for the new representatives.

The Academy Parliament will play a vital role in canvassing opinions across the school, gathering feedback from pupils, and presenting ideas that represent the student voice and vision for the school’s future.

The newly elected Academy Parliament members were then treated to a special trip to London, where they visited the Houses of Parliament. The group toured the House of Commons and Westminster Hall, learning all about the workings of the parliamentary system and the important role MPs play in shaping legislation—a valuable lesson that will inspire them in their new roles as student representatives.

The trip was booked through Parliament Education UK and a travel subsidy to make it possible was provided by Fred Thomas MP.

In addition to MAP’s Academy Parliament, children from Ernesettle and Tor Bridge Primary’s Pupil Parliaments attended.

The trip wasn’t all business, though. The pupils also managed to squeeze in some sightseeing, including a ride on the London Eye and a visit to Trafalgar Square.

Georgina Reid, Headteacher at Marine Academy Primary, commented:

“I am so proud of our Members of Academy Parliament—it was fantastic to witness democracy in action across the school, and it was wonderful to hear their classmates sharing the joy in their success! A huge thank you to Miss Widdison and Mrs Green for their hard work in organizing the election, and to Mr Druce and Miss Widdison for accompanying the group on their parliamentary adventure to London.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust, added:

“Many congratulations to all the pupils elected to MAP’s new Members of Academy Parliament. This is an absolutely brilliant initiative that not only gets children thinking about how our democracy works, but also gives them a genuine voice in the running of the school.”

   

 

Cranbrook Education Campus, (CEC) part of our Trust, has welcomed a new Reception cohort this month.

 CEC pupils have been busy over the summer completing some Ready for Reception challenges including:

• Reading one of their "Recommended Reads" (books to enjoy before starting big school) with their Cranbrook Bear!

Opening food packets themselves and trying to cut up their own food at meal times.  

• Communicating how they are feeling and calmly expressing their needs.
• Practising getting dressed and putting on shoes and zipping up coats.
• Sounding out letters and playing some games with words. 
• Talking about all the things they are excited to do in school.

Krisha Gandhi, Head of Primary & Senior Deputy Head of Campus, at Cranbrook Education Campus said:

“I am delighted to welcome everyone back to school this month, but it’s always particularly special to welcome our newest members of our CEC family. I know many children and families feel nervous about starting school and I hope that the challenges we set over the summer will have made them feel more confident about the start of term.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“It’s lovely to see how much thought the staff at Cranbrook have put in to support families who are starting their school journey. Helping children develop their skills before they begin in Reception means they will feel more confident on their first day, giving them the best start to their education.”