Community First Academy Trust

Teaching Excellence

03 Vision, Ethos and Values

05 Development

07 Delivering the vision

09 Support

10 Kingsbridge Teacher Training

11 Westbridge Teaching School Alliance

12 Our Management Services

14 The Future

CONTENTS

“WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT

LEARNING AND WANT TO WORK

CLOSELY WITH OTHER EDUCATORS

WHO SHARE OUR PASSION TO GIVE

THE BEST EDUCATIONAL

EXPERIENCE TO ALL.”

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VISION, ETHOS AND VALUES Community First Academy Trust consists of like-minded individuals and educational establishments who want the best for all pupils, staff, families and communities that we serve.

“Educational Excellence Everywhere” has stated this government’s intention with respect to the academy programme.

We all recognise that schools on their own will face increasing challenges as resources get tighter and the demands upon us continue to increase. By working together we will not only be able to release resources we already have but,

within Community First Academy Trust, we will be able to access an existing back office support structure that will enable us to concentrate on delivering excellence in

education.

Delivering excellence is our overriding focus. Our family of academies – working together – will strategically deliver long term sustainability through efficiencies and

savings that release resources to improve the rate of progress for all students. This will enable us to deliver the excellence in education that our communities deserve,

through the sharing of best practice and the delivery of continuous and sustained

improvement.

The thought of change can often be a worry for pupils, staff, families and

communities which is why Community First Academy Trust recognises the importance of engaging with all stakeholders as soon as possible to remove that

worry. Before becoming a partner in Community First Academy Trust, it is of the

utmost importance that we can allay any fears and concerns that pupils, staff, parents and the community may have about the future of their school. Working

together is of paramount importance from day one.

“Delivering excellence is our focus.”

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Our strategy begins with strengthening academic excellence. This includes embedding a culture of mutual respect which nurtures

and encourages all pupils to become polite, honest, trustworthy, independent, tolerant, determined, responsible and resilient. This

will give them firm foundations to experience success in whichever

form they choose.

In addition, devolving accountability as far as possible and at

every level within each partner organisation, enables us to focus the energy of our combined staff to deliver appropriate challenges

that will lead to improved standards for all. A constant focus on

teaching and learning will ensure all our students are engaged and challenged in a safe, innovative learning environment.

Community First Academy Trust believes strongly in sustained engagement and involvement with the local community in order to

establish a wider responsibility of delivering academic excellence.

Our mission is to ensure that every pupil develops as a confident and competent person with the highest aspirations to be the best they possibly can be.

Further reading will show how joining Community First Academy

Trust will ensure we all deliver the improvements we all want to

see. We hope that you will be inspired to join us on the next stage of our journey.

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DEVELOPMENT Working in partnership will ensure that we can deliver the change needed in order to build excellence in education.

We plan to become a family of high performing academies who, by working together, will make a significant impact on the life chances of young people in our communities. We have been working hard to ensure that other like-minded schools and academies will want to work with us as they share our aims and aspirations. So far we have developed a strong focus on education whilst not losing sight of the individual pupil, alongside a range of back office developments that deliver a robust infrastructure for the future. This includes central finance, IT and HR management. Whether you are a good or outstanding school or a school that requires improvement, Community First Academy Trust wants to develop a partnership with you that will be beneficial to all.

“We want to work with partner schools and academies who can bring fresh ideas to the Trust.”

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It is becoming more and more important in educational practice to access a wide level of educational expertise, knowledge and practice.

We believe that an enlarged group of schools and academies working together, sharing expertise, knowledge and resources is the best way to deliver long term sustainability and improvement.

If you are a school that requires improvement, we will work together to formulate and implement improvement and development plans with the support, expertise and knowledge of the wider group. If you are a good or outstanding school we would truly welcome the opportunity to learn from your strengths within our Trust, building upon our joint expertise to deliver outstanding education to the whole group.

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DELIVERING THE VISION Community First Academy Trust has the education of all at the heart of everything that it does. We focus on excellence in teaching and the highest standards of student behaviour as the basis of our success.

However we also ensure that our pupils are encouraged to be independent learners, contributing to their own educational journey. We know that our educational approach is successful as we have seen the transformation of Platt Bridge Community School.

• There is a minimum expectation that all lessons are

good or better.

• Platt Bridge has delivered results that are way above the national expectations for all children at KS2 year on

year.

• We have the highest expectations of the pupils and

ourselves.

• We are actively involved in developing our own practice and supporting other schools and academies to make

improvements.

• We are a National Support School and Teaching School

which recognises the expertise within the school.

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EACH ACADEMY IN COMMUNITY FIRST ACADEMY TRUST WILL THEREFORE HAVE ACCESS TO:

• Westbridge Teaching School Alliance support and resources.

• Teachers who have been trained within the Trust through Kingsbridge SCITT.

• The full range of resources within the Community First Academy Trust.

• The skills and leadership necessary to provide excellent teaching and learning.

• The tools necessary to deliver raised aspirations and achievement of its pupils.

Through this and working together we will be able to ensure across the group that:

• No individual or group of learners is left behind.

• Everyone contributes to the drive for continuous improvement across the Trust.

• Everyone actively promotes the core values of the Trust.

• We prepare all pupils to be responsible citizens who contribute positively to the local, national and global community.

• We provide all pupils with the tools to engage fully with their learning and the world after education.

• We are fully committed to the needs of our local communities.

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SUPPORT Community First Academy Trust has access to a considerable number of excellent resources that can support both good and outstanding schools as well as those that require improvement.

We want to share this bank of resources as widely as possible and we believe that working together will facilitate this. This is why

we are offering a package of support that will help us all continuously improve.

For good and outstanding schools:

• You will automatically become part of our support network. You will have opportunities to provide leadership, inspiration

and support to other members of the Trust.

• You will have access to the central services, enabling you to concentrate on delivering

educational excellence.

• You will retain your own unique attributes that make your school successful.

For schools requiring improvement:

We will identify areas for development and provide levels of leadership, support and appropriate intervention in order to ensure the school and its pupils make rapid progress.

For all schools:

• Advice and training for teachers, leaders, managers, support staff, governors.

• Access to Kingsbridge SCITT Trainees.

• Access to a NQT training programme.

• Access to a RQT training programme.

• Membership of Westbridge Teaching School Alliance and the training, support, research and resources it provides.

• Access to central finance, IT and HR support services.

“Helping us all to continuously improve.”

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“The Kingsbridge partnership has a clear vision for “growing our own

outstanding teachers”; it demonstrates a strong commitment to recruiting and

training those who have a strong aptitude for teaching, who matriculate to become excellent teachers and who

are employed in the local area and region.”

Ofsted January 2016

Kingsbridge is the only primary and secondary SCITT in the north west to have been judged outstanding

twice by Ofsted. On January 1st 2016, Kingsbridge migrated to become part of

Community First Academy Trust. Kingsbridge was developed with the aim of training

outstanding teachers for schools in Wigan. The partnership provides early years, primary and

secondary school centred initial teacher training for graduates. There are five secondary schools and eleven primary schools in the partnership across

Wigan. In addition, associate schools are brought into the partnership as hosts for trainees on their

placements. Our trainees are of the highest calibre and have

impacted greatly on the standard of education within our schools. As part of Community First Academy Trust

you would have the opportunity to host a trainee and more importantly have the opportunity of employing

the trainees at the end of the programme.

“Our trainees are of the highest calibre.”

KINGSBRIDGE TEACHER TRAINING

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WESTBRIDGE TEACHING SCHOOL ALLIANCE Westbridge Teaching School Alliance is led by two outstanding primary schools based in Wigan; Platt Bridge Community School and Westfield Community School.

The Alliance aims to improve the quality of professional practice to

promote high achievement for pupils and staff with a particular focus on schools/academies in challenging circumstances. Partners within the

alliance are from early years, primary, secondary, special and HEI

providers.

Westbridge offers a programme of support based around the “Big 6”

areas; CPD/Professional Development, Succession Planning and Talent Management, School to School Support, Specialist Leaders of Education

and Research and Development.

As a partner in Community First Academy Trust you will automatically become a Westbridge Teaching School Alliance partner and be able to

access the support and network opportunities that brings with it.

“As a partner in Community First Academy Trust you will automatically become a Westbridge Teaching School.”

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OUR MANAGEMENT SERVICES

ACADEMY AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Community First Academy Trust recognises the need to ensure that excellent teaching and learning is at

the heart of each school’s focus and delivery. In order to maintain our high expectations and drive

continuous improvement we provide access to the

following:

• Self-evaluation and improvement planning.

• Primary School Improvement Team sourced from North West England and nationally.

• Secondary School Improvement Team sourced

from North West England and nationally.

• Leadership/Management advice and consultancy.

• Curriculum development.

• CPD and Professional learning support.

• Appraisal programme linked to a reflective

coaching programme.

FINANCE

With financial responsibility being devolved from the

local authority, there is a need to ensure that

effective financial management is maintained. Community First Academy Trust offers a range of

services that can ease that burden, including:

• A comprehensive programme of financial

management and reporting.

• A detailed budgeting and forecasting process.

• Developing and implementing excellent internal

controls.

• Contract negotiation, procurement advice and

tendering.

• Payroll administration.

ADMINISTRATION

Benefits can be gained from working together to

streamline common administration activities. Back

office support can be offered across the Trust that will help to release much needed resources back into

teaching and learning. This would include:

• A comprehensive package of support for pupil

attendance.

• A robust programme of data monitoring at both primary and secondary level to enhance pupil

performance.

• Maintenance of complete and accurate pupil

records.

• Providing a structure for the recording of assessment data and the upkeep of its effectiveness

at both primary and secondary level.

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HR

HR issues and particularly those around employment law, continue to play an increasingly important part in

academy life. With access to a team of HR professionals, who understand the educational

environment, not only can savings be made but we

can also help you with areas such as the following:

• A full recruitment process including

developing job descriptions and formulating contracts.

• Developing programmes to increase staff

retention.

• Access to HR advice, arbitration and

occupational health services.

• Access to a library of existing policies and

the development of new ones.

• DBS administration.

ICT

ICT support can, for many, be an expensive luxury and often the level of service that is affordable does

not meet the needs of the school. Community First Academy Trust has access to a team of dedicated ICT

professionals who can assist schools with a variety of

needs, including:

• Infrastructure support.

• Technical advice and support.

• Solution design and network management.

• Website management.

“Community First Academy Trust has access to a team of dedicated ICT professionals who can assist schools.”

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THE FUTURE IS OURS! We are all excited at the prospect of working in true partnership to achieve an excellent education for all pupils within Community First Academy Trust. We will continue to build the capacity within the Trust at both primary and secondary level to ensure that we can realise our vision.

THE FUTURE IS YOURS… We would like to invite you to join us on our journey to make our vision a reality. Please take the time to talk to us about what joining Community First Academy Trust could mean for you. Together we can provide a better future!

The Future

Community First Academy Trust

Platt Bridge Community School,

Rivington Avenue,

Platt Bridge,

Wigan,

WN2 5NG

www.plattbridge.wigan.sch.uk

01942 487999

enquiries@admin.plattbridge.wigan.sch.uk

company number: 08359889