Students, families, staff and volunteers from Ted Wragg schools across Plymouth had a brilliant time at the Ted Wragg Awards on Thursday the 12th of October at Sandy Park in Exeter. 

The awards were particularly auspicious as they also marked ten years since the creation of the Ted Wragg Trust and were an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of students, staff members and volunteers from across school communities.

The evening kicked off with a performance from the talented Lipson Co-operative Academy Band who were also nominated in the Student Teamwork category. Guests were also treated to performances by the Ted Wragg Choir between the three different award categories, Ambition Awards, Collaboration Awards and Selflessness Awards in line with Trust values. The choir which included primary school, secondary school and sixth form students from schools across the Trust came together for the first time to perform at this event. Their performances were a special part of the celebration evening and they received a well-deserved standing ovation at the end of the night.

Winners from Plymouth schools included,

• Lily-Ann Brockman, Marine Academy Primary, Student of the Year
• Julia Mes, Marine Academy Plymouth, Teacher of the Year
• Yvonne Rowe, All Saints Academy Plymouth, Co-Professional of the Year
• Student Services team, Lipson Co-Operative Academy, Staff teamwork of the Year
• Peter Friend, Lipson Co-Operative Academy, Student Community Leadership award

The awards were kindly sponsored by a range of organisations and businesses including, the University of Exeter, City College Plymouth, Bromcom, Pinnacle Group, South West Metal Finishing, Exeter College, Steplab, COREUS, Sam Hatton-Brown Creative Content, Plymouth City Bus and PHP Law LLP.

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“It is a huge honour and privilege to be the CEO of the Ted Wragg trust and I am so proud of what we have achieved and the remarkable journey that we have been on in the last ten years. 

“It was only fitting to mark this momentous occasion by celebrating the achievements of our wonderful students and the unwavering impact and service of our colleagues, volunteers and community members. 

“Everyday in my job I witness the incredible power of collaboration, compassion and commitment in transforming education and the lives of children and it was great to take an evening to celebrate this. 

“I would also like to thank our sponsors, the many generous local businesses and educational institutions that made the awards possible, everyone at the trust is very grateful to them for their kindness.”

Dame Rachel de Souza in the South West to talk about The Big Ambition

Whipton Barton Federation, made up of an Infants and Nursery School and Junior School, are starting the year off with a celebration: Good ratings from their recent Ofsted inspections.

Students from across our schools celebrated impressive post-16 results this morning, with the majority of our students securing their first choice destinations and schools surpassing national averages of 79% (UCAS 2023). Students from

All Saints Academy in Plymouth celebrates an exceptional year!

The school received its best ever Year 11 outcomes, is significantly over subscribed with Year 7 applications and has now been recognised as ‘Good’ by Ofsted for the first time in the school’s history.

The report, published today, is incredibly positive. Inspectors recognised the school’s rich and interesting curriculum and its “relentless drive to establish a culture in which everyone can fulfil their potential”, reflecting their deep commitment to serving the local community and its families. This Ofsted grading is the culmination of years of hard work and the school are keen to recognise the debt of gratitude to all who have been part of our legacy over the years, in particular the local community in Honicknowle and Ham who have supported the changes the school has made in recent years.

Having joined the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust in January 2021, All Saints Academy, the only Church of England secondary academy in Plymouth, has been supported in its journey of school improvement with investment and advocacy. It works in partnership with 13 partner schools in the Trust to share best practice across all aspects of school life for the benefit of students across the region. In alignment with Trust values, staff were commended by Ofsted for their commitment to social justice and their belief that no child’s future should be limited by economic status. The 2022 results were the best ever for the school, placing it in the top 3 most improved schools in the South West since 2019 when it was last inspected by Ofsted as ‘requiring improvement’.

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said “This report is a testament to the work the amazing team at All Saints has done for several years now. I could not be prouder of this wonderful school and its community, and we know that All Saints will continue to go from strength to strength. We are so excited for the future and All Saints' outstanding partnership with its local schools and across Plymouth.”

Ofsted inspectors who visited the school in March 2023 noted the school’s values of ‘Love, Legacy, and Bravery’ shone through interactions with students, who were described as “bold” and being able to “strike up conversation confidently”. Students also talked about the support they get moving into post-16 destinations, especially around careers and it is clear from the report that pupils “think about the legacy they are building for themselves”.

This ambitious School is already making plans to be ‘Outstanding’.  Headteacher Scott Simpson-Horne notes “This Ofsted result is the culmination of an incredible amount of hard work from our students, staff and partners. At All Saints we believe in the transformational power of education and are committed to helping our students achieve their dreams, whether it’s to be the first in their family to go to university or the first to own their own business. I am incredibly proud to lead this school, and look forward to our continued success”.

West Exe School have gained a national anti-bullying silver award from the Anti-Bullying Quality Mark UK (ABQM-UK)  to recognise that anti-bullying has been embedded in life at school. The remarkable efforts of the school team, made up of students, staff, parents and governors, meant their application for a bronze award was upgraded to silver during the review process.

The ABQM-UK award challenges schools to demonstrate their effectiveness in anti-bullying and the prevention of harassment. School communities that gain the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards can show that:

• Children and young people come to school without the fear of being bullied or harassed
• Staff members respond to all aspects of bullying behaviour and harassment with confidence
• Families are confident that they know who to approach about bullying and harassment and that it will be dealt with efficiently and effectively.

Julie Fossey, Headteacher comments “We are so proud of our anti-bullying ambassadors for being fundamental in achieving The Anti-Bullying Quality Mark - Silver award. This award is testament to the caring and nurturing environment the staff work so hard to create each and every day, and the support from parent and carer advocates.”

At their last inspection in June 2022, Ofsted stated: ‘At West Exe Pupils’ mental health and wellbeing is a priority and pupils know how to stay safe and keep safe online’. 

West Exe School, which is part of the Ted Wragg Trust, has embedded a school Anti-Bullying Strategy.  The team at West-Exe will now be looking to share best practice and advice with partner schools across the Trust, as they do across all aspects of school life for the benefit of students across the region.

Students, parent and carers have been actively involved in the development of positive relationships in the school, supported by staff who tailor bullying prevention to individuals and their circumstances. Together they have embedded this into the culture of the school and its routinely reinforced through assemblies and flagship events like anti-bullying week.

Student anti-bullying ambassadors have received accredited Diana Award training so that they are prepare and equip with the skills they need to support students who had been bullied or were experiencing friendship difficulties.

A year 10 student from West Exe said; “I have enjoyed my role as a student anti-bullying ambassador; the training we have been given on how to support others and avoid being a bystander has been very helpful.”

Parent advocates have worked closely with us and the community to support the school, parents and students. We are particularly grateful to Paula Northway for her work with us triangulating communication with the wider community, the creation of a range of advice leaflets as well as for running the ‘You are not alone Café’.

Staff anti-bullying champions who meet with students on a regular basis, ensure student voices are listened to and that areas raised as a concern are reviewed, revised and developed to mitigate/minimise future occurrence.   

Emma Gulliver, Senior leader at West Exe comments; “Many of our children will not experience bullying, nor will they know the full story behind the actions we take and the work going on. This award helps us to celebrate all the great work we do that will be unnoticed to most. The ABQM-UK's support has helped us with our self-evaluation and will continue to be instrumental in our efforts, as we work towards the Gold award!” 

This award is a recognition of the inclusive school culture developed by staff, students, parents and governors. It has been an exceptional year for West Exe, who were awarded a ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted in their last visit in June 2022. 7 out of 10 students left West Exe last year with a grade 5 or above in both English and Maths, achieving some of the highest progress score in the South West. We could not be prouder of them.