Students and staff from Ted Wragg Trust schools across Devon have been celebrating their GCSE results today (22nd Aug.)  

Our year 11 students achieved a fantastic set of Key Stage 4 outcomes, with 7 in 10 students achieving a Grade 4 or above in both English and Maths.  All Saints Academy, Lipson Academy and Tor Bridge High all celebrated their best ever results.

Moira Marder, Chief Executive Officer of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“Many congratulations to everyone collecting results today.  I am incredibly proud of our students' GCSE results this year.  Their achievements are a testament to their hard work, resilience, and commitment. 

“I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated teachers and supportive parents, whose unwavering encouragement has been instrumental in these achievements. I am excited to see what our students will accomplish next."

“It’s such a privilege to provide ongoing education to the young people of Devon and I hope this Year 11 cohort has a wonderful time celebrating their well-earned success today. They have a bright future ahead and I wish them all the very best in their chosen next steps!"

Schools from our Trust in Exeter, Plymouth and across Devon have taken part in the annual Ted Wragg Innovation Competition at the Exeter College Future Skills Centre. Students from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4 could take part in the contest which was sponsored by NOCN and Willmott Dixon.

The competition organised in collaboration with Exeter College and the South West Green Construction Advisory Panel (GCAP) had this year’s themes as green living and home decarbonisation or creating a new airport or college campus from scratch.  

Participants got to grips with learning about sustainable lifestyle choices and actions to reduce carbon emissions in homes or integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations into the planning, design, construction, and operation phases of their designs, supported by masterclasses from the sponsors.

16 teams from 15 schools were in attendance at the competition’s celebration event which comprised of the opening of the exhibition of students’ work,  keynote speakers and 5-minute presentations from each team followed by Q&A from the judging panel. This was followed by lunch and the award ceremony and prize giving presentation. 

The Innovation Competition seeks to discover students who demonstrate an aptitude to solve complex problems in innovative ways. The competition required students to research, investigate and create an innovative solution to one of these problems. The teams’ ideas needed to be about using technology to make the world a better place. 

To assist and support teams throughout their work, a series of industry sector experts hosted live virtual discussions and masterclasses ahead of the contest, in order to help support students’ development of their idea or concept from an industry perspective. 

The judging panel was made up of industry experts from the technology sector and the judges looked at how well the teams could demonstrate their understanding of the criteria by developing their idea into a final proposal. 

The full judging panel included:

• Daffne Aguilar - Social Value Manager at Willmott Dixon Construction Limited
• Rosie Buckley - Head of Operational Strategy and Performance Management at Centrica New Business & Net Zero
• Nicola Hollands - Sector Manager (Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, and Green) at NOCN Group
• Kerry Lane - Business Developer Manager at EX2 Group
• Sarah Lee - Senior Associate Architect at Stride Treglown

Jade Otty, the Vice Principal at Exeter College was also in attendance and announced the winners and handed out the medals.

Primary Category Winner:

Exwick Heights - The Take Off Team with their Sustainable Airport
Judges Comments:

• So much information and details provided
• Amazing presentation
• Really interactive and good technical knowledge

Secondary Category Winner:

 Honiton Community College with their Sustainable College Campus plans
Judges Comments:

• Great innovation and collaboration of technologies
• A clear and well-spoken presentation  
• An impressive shopping list of ways to improve sustainability  

Highly Commended Teamwork:

Matford Brook Academy - The Ground Crew with an environmentally sustainable Airport
Judges comments:

• Great details for team collaboration
• Great insights shared on how the team worked to their strengths
• Brilliant team structure, roles and working methods

Highly Commended Final Presentation:

Marine Academy Primary - Team Green Marine with their ambitious solutions for the future – there is no planet B!
Judges Comments:

• Very Clear & thorough explanations
• Polished presentation  
• Great understanding of issues affecting the Earth & plans for the future

A full list of the schools that participated is below:

All Saints Academy Plymouth, Cranbrook Education Campus, Exwick Heights Primary, Honiton Community College, Isca Academy, Marine Academy Primary, Marine Academy Plymouth, Queen Elizabeth’s School, St James School, St Luke’s Church of England School, Sidmouth College, West Exe School, Tor Bridge High and Whipton Barton Federation.

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“A huge congratulations to all the students who took part in the Innovation Competition.  It was brilliant to see so many young people coming up with such inspired and positive ideas and I was so impressed by the creativity and thoughtfulness students displayed in their presentations.  

“I also want to say a big thank you to all the judges, sponsors and special guests, as well as Exeter College, the Exeter College Future Skills Centre and the South West Green Construction Advisory Panel - it’s great for everyone to come together for the benefit of Devon’s young people.”

Nicola Hollands, Sector Manager (Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, and Green) at NOCN Group said:

“Ted Wragg Trust a truly inspirational event with such brilliance in one room! Thank you for inviting me to sit on the panel with fellow judges. I am truly lost for words to express how inspiring and moving everything about it was!

“Huge round of applause and congratulations to all participants and the winners. Well done all.

“Thank you for hosting and preparing for a great day Future Skills Centre Exeter! NOCN Group were truly proud to be one of the sponsors for today. Thank you all.”

Daffne Aguilar, Social Value Manager at Willmott Dixon Construction Limited said:

“Thank you to Exeter College and the Ted Wragg Trust for organising such an inspiring event. Willmott Dixon proudly sponsored the Innovation Competition along with NOCN Group, it was a pleasure to be part of the panel of judges of such amazing women including Sarah Lee RIBA, Rosie Buckley MBE, Kerry Lane and Nicola Hollands.

“All the students were incredible, there were 16 schools with so much talent and potential, their ideas towards sustainability and making our world a better place were impressive and it inspired us to continue doing what we do as professionals. I am very grateful for having the opportunity to meet some of them and to be part of such an inspiring day. Well done to all.”

 

 

Tor Bridge High in Plymouth has officially joined our family of schools this week (1st July.)

The Estover school has been working with our trust for some time and their governing body voted unanimously to become part of the Ted Wragg Trust.

The governors and school leadership team at Tor Bridge High believe that joining the Trust will bring numerous benefits and opportunities for staff and students.

Collaboration opportunities have already begun. Staff at Tor Bridge High have connected with colleagues in other schools across the Trust through various networks, sharing best practice and strengthening their collective commitment to educational excellence.

On their first day as part of the Trust, a team of students from Tor Bridge High participated in the Trust’s Innovation Competition at the Future Skills Centre in Exeter. They joined 15 other teams from across other Trust schools to share their ideas on decarbonization and achieving net zero.

The Ted Wragg Trust is an ambitious and inclusive trust of schools which aims to strengthen communities through excellent education.  Since being established in 2013, they have now grown to 17 schools located in Plymouth, Exeter, Crediton and East Devon.

Their CEO, Moira Marder, was recently awarded an OBE for her outstanding services to education.  She has been the CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust since it was established out of a desire to find local solutions for Devon schools rather than relying on a national trust from further afield. A passionate advocate for disadvantaged students, Moira was instrumental in the Trust's expansion into Plymouth in 2020 to support schools in some of the most deprived areas. One such school, All Saints Academy Plymouth, achieved a 'Good' rating from Ofsted for the first time ever in its history last year.

Tracy Stephenson, Headteacher at Tor Bridge High said:

“We have already developed a positive relationship with the Ted Wragg Trust and I am delighted that Tor Bridge High has now officially joined as part of our Trust.  I absolutely think this is the right decision for our school community; the support the trust has already provided us has been of huge value to our staff and students.  I am excited to see the other benefits I know being part of our Trust will bring to Tor Bridge.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“A big welcome to all the students, staff, parents, and carers at Tor Bridge High from everyone at the Ted Wragg Trust.  We are all so pleased that you have chosen to join our family of schools across Devon - we already have a strong presence in Plymouth and know the needs of families in the city well.  I am looking forward to getting to know you all better and maximising the benefits of working together.”

Cranbrook Education Campus, (CEC) part of our Trust, has been rated "Good" by Ofsted following an inspection in May. The all-through school received "Good" ratings in all areas evaluated by the school watchdog, including the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Ofsted inspectors noted in their new report that “pupils are happy and safe; they know the school's ‘PERKS of being Crantastic’ values well, which include being kind and safe and that the school has a positive atmosphere and learning is rarely disturbed. 

Inspectors highlighted that pupils benefit from a range of clubs and activities, for instance, primary age pupils participate in the mini Dukes programme, which helps to prepare them for secondary school events such as the Exe Valley and Jurassic Coast challenges.  

The school’s ambitious curriculum was also acknowledged in the report, with inspectors noting that CEC also successfully promotes the importance of reading. Ofsted inspectors further commented on the school's relentless work to remove barriers to pupils participation and success.

Ofsted concluded that the school accurately identifies the needs of SEND pupils and that appropriate adaptations are made, which helps pupils to learn the curriculum and build their independence. 

How welcoming CEC is to pupils from families seeking asylum was also commended by the inspectors who said that their actions exemplify the school's vision to extend opportunity to its community. You can find out more about this work in the recent TES article here: https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/secondary/how-we-helped-settle-over-100-refugee-pupils

CEC’s careers programme was also acknowledged, with inspectors stating that pupils in the secondary phase benefit from an effective careers education programme; they have meaningful encounters with employers and receive impartial advice about next steps in their education. 

Other comments from Ofsted included: 

• Recently appointed anti-bullying ambassadors help to promote the school's culture of respecting and celebrating difference.
• Pupils have a strong voice in the school; through the pupil parliament, for example, they represent each other's views and make positive contributions to the school community. 
• The school provides an intelligently designed curriculum for pupils' personal development; the programme covers an appropriate range of topics such as online safety, mental health, and relationships.

To read the full report click here. 

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

“I am so proud that CEC has been rated Good in all areas by Ofsted. This judgement is a testament to the hard work of all our dedicated staff, to the attitude of our pupils and the support of their families. We are a school entirely rooted in our community and we hope the opportunities we offer to our young people will transform, not just their lives but the local area.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“Congratulations to everyone at Cranbrook Education Campus. It’s clear how hard Mr Farmer, Ms Gandhi and the whole CEC team work and how much the pupils value their education. Everyone at the trust was particularly pleased to see the amazing work CEC have done to support families seeking asylum was recognised by Ofsted.”

 

Students at Ted Wragg schools across Devon have been celebrating Thank a Teacher Day this week (19^th June) by honouring their teachers.

Thank a Teacher Day is an annual day of celebration to acknowledge the amazing work that teachers do.  It’s an opportunity to reflect and appreciate the hard work of every single member of school staff.

Headteachers and colleagues from the Trust Executive sent out a video messages to all staff members to say thank you for their incredible efforts, teachers and co-professionals across schools received messages of thanks from students, families and colleagues via personalised postcards and via the online National Thank a Teacher Day portal.

At Isca Academy in Exeter they put on a special breakfast for all staff to celebrate the day and students also nominated a member of staff that they feel has gone above and beyond to help them.

At Marine Academy Primary in Plymouth, there was a whole school celebration assembly where the children had the opportunity to thank the teachers, certificates were also awarded to staff who had been recognised in the Pearson National Teaching Awards and the entire school found out they had received a Silver Award in the Primary School of the Year category. 

Over at Isca Academy in Exeter Ms Dean, the school’s Lead Academic Mentor was also being celebrated after being honoured with a Pearson National Teaching Award for being an Unsung Hero due to her excellence in Special Needs Education.

At Exwick Heights another tasty breakfast was put on for staff and many parents and children sent in postcards of gratitude, as did those at the Whipton Barton Federation. 

At Sidmouth College students even made personalised video messages thanking the teachers that have helped them throughout their school journey. 

Moria Marder OBE, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“Few professions allow people more of a chance to shape the lives and futures of so many young people.  Teaching is a noble profession and it’s brilliant to shine a light on the hard work that is carried out in the classroom every day.

“I hope every teacher knows how vital the work they do is. Every time I visit one of our schools I am always touched by the determination and joy that our teachers bring to their roles, and I hope they feel they have been celebrated this Thank a Teacher Day.”

 

Today (20th June) is World Refugee Day, an event organised by The UN Refugee Agency to champion the rights of refugees to seek safety, build support for their economic and social inclusion, and advocate for solutions to their plight.

A big part of this is the role education can play in helping children not only have the chance to learn and succeed in their future but to feel safe and secure in a new environment – something which helps their parents settle too.

This is something that Cranbrook Education Campus (CEC), with support from the Ted Wragg Trust have been actively involved in over the last seven months working to support 104 families seeking asylum who were originally relocated to a hotel in East Devon. 

While we don’t claim to have all the answers, Stephen Farmer, Head of Campus at Cranbrook Education Campus, part of the Ted Wragg Trust explains some of the ways in which we have worked with these pupils and their families and where we have seen a positive impact.

1. An integrated hub

CEC has a community support hub called EX5 Alive that works alongside the school to help improve the quality of life for children, young people and families in Cranbrook and East Devon.

As such when families seeking asylum started arriving in the area, both the school and the hub leapt into action to provide them with integrated community support. 

For example, working with the hub and East Devon District Council (EDDC), we appointed an English as an Additional Language (EAL) Refugee Coordinator as a liaison for all pupils and their families seeking asylum. 

The role has given pupils a familiar adult to liaise with and provided them with someone they feel supports and listens to them.  

While not every school will have a community hub on site, what it shows is that having close connections with other agencies such as the local council, is vital to provide an integrated support approach, rather than operating in silos.

2. Uniform needs

It’s so important these children feel they are part of the school and the local community so we ordered and distributed uniforms on their behalf. 

We made sure that all pupils had all the uniform and equipment they needed before starting school.  

3. Teacher training and translation

We have also trained 28 teachers so far on the impact of having an EAL friendly classroom and also given them support on how best to help EAL learners.  

Furthermore, translating documents for pupils and their families has also been important, we have translated over 1000 documents, including classroom materials and documents for parents evenings.

4. Health support

Ensuring refugee children get the health and wellbeing support they need is also key. 

From sexual health matters to vaccines, we have supported pupils with whatever they need.  We have even arranged for pupils to be transported to and from medical appointments with a translator. 

5. A welcoming home

Of course settling refugees from diverse communities into a rural setting can generate particular challenges and we made efforts to ensure that pupils’ religious requirements were supported by providing a place for prayer. 

We also worked with local places of worship who provide donations for the refugee families so they can build connections in the local community.

We also run cooking activities after school giving our pupils seeking asylum the opportunity to cook meals of their choosing with the ingredients provided. 

We have also worked to welcome them to Britain too and introduce them to our culture, such a school trip to the pantomime and taking part in events like sports days. 

You can find further information on this as reported by TES Magazine here.