Welcome to our three new schools who joined the Trust on 1 February. Long Eaton, Lees Brook and Merrill Academy, three large secondary academies in Derby and Derbyshire, joined us this month. I want to welcome all the staff, parents and young people that attend those academies and just say we are incredibly excited to have you as part of our ‘family’. Thank you to all of you who have been involved in updating IT systems, redesigning websites, looking at policy documents and finding time to talk to colleagues from other schools. I know that this is a busy time and we really value your help and positive desire to work with us.
Over the last couple of weeks I have visited all of our new schools and tried to meet as many staff and students as possible during these Covid ridden times. It has been lovely to find out more about each community and start to build those relationships that will be so important into the future.
As we approach World Book Day it was great hearing about a Trust wide reading competition which is already underway with all the librarians from across the Trust working together (via Teams) to come up with a short list of books and get the word out to the students about what is going on. It has also been great hearing feedback from Key Stage 3 students who have all received a reading book for home, telling us how much they have enjoyed having something to read that is not on a screen!
Thank you to everyone for your positivity and support during what have been a difficult few weeks. I know there is anxiety about Covid and school changes. Whilst I can’t make that anxiety go away I can reassure you that we are all working together to achieve the same things and we very much want to listen and understand.
“Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
Written: February 2021