In 2015, Archway built on its success as a well-established and high performing Multi-Academy Trust to open its first 420 place Primary Academy, Nursery and Focus Provision. Since then, our primary element of the Trust has grown from strength to strength and built a strong reputation for innovation and inclusion.
We are clear that we exist to ‘work together’ and ‘transform lives’ and put children and staff first in our efforts, and this is reflected here in our Primary Education Offer.
Some of the reasons for our success to date are because we are clear that:
- Schools will maintain their own identity.
- Collaboration is the key to maintaining a successful partnership.
- All schools will have the opportunity to determine the direction of the Trust.
- There is a balance between autonomy and standardisation within the Trust for each school.
Our Primary offer is both broad and deep; there are a host of services and expertise to call upon for whatever needs a school has.
Educational Excellence
At Archway, we have an unwavering commitment to the highest standards of teaching and learning and keep this at the heart of all that we do.
We do not believe sustainable school improvement is about a top-down, one size-fits-all approach; our role is to help enable progress through providing additional capacity to support school leaders in implementing their improvement strategy.
By working alongside schools, we can help support any areas that require
improvement whilst identifying key strengths that could be shared across our Trust and primary networks.
- Regular contact with the CEO, Regional Director and Primary Director to share, plan and improve Trust-wide and school working.
- A shared framework for teaching and learning.
- An evidence based shared framework for reading development.
- Preparation for Ofsted and SIAMs Inspections.
- Specialist Trust Leads for key areas. We can offer a range of bespoke support in line with the school’s improvement plan.
- Curriculum sharing across the Trust and collaboration opportunities for subjects and subject experts.
- Training and support to implement an instructional coaching programme to support staff development.
- A Trust Central Assessment & Data Team ensure that assessment and feedback is meaningful and schools can learn from and share best practice. Every academy is assigned a data manager.
- Support to coordinate and direct local governance at school level.
- Access to our own Primary SCITT programme with opportunity to train, retain and recruit talented ECTs.
- Access to our National Leaders of Education, Local Leader of Education, Specialist Leaders of Education and Evidence Leaders in Education.
- A superior Year 6 transition package.
- Connections and networks both within Archway, across schools and beyond the Trust.
Courageously Inclusive
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive academy trust and have a strong reputation for supporting children with additional needs. In shared working and pooling of efforts and expertise, we have been able to support schools in helping to transform lives.
- A well-established primary specific pathway for SEN and behaviour. Schools joining Archway are free to adopt or adapt this system to suit their individual context.
- A Trust SEND lead who support SENDcos and all academy leaders in the development of a culture of inclusion and best practice.
- A wealth of SEN knowledge and expertise across the trust, including a primary school with specialist Focus Provision unit for autism.
- Strong links with the Local Authority SEN teams.
- ALT central safeguarding team comprises the Director of Safeguarding, Strategic Safeguarding Lead and Trust Mental Health Lead who all support DSLs and all academy leaders in the development of a secure culture of safeguarding.
- Trust Lead for Inclusion and Behaviour.
- Primary expertise in curriculum design to ensure your curriculum is engaging and accessible to all children.
- High quality training of staff delivered by our Trust leads.
- An annual SEN review to support SLT and SENDco to evaluate, shape and improve practice.
Investing in Our People
At Archway we ensure that all staff are involved in a continuing process of improvement and given every opportunity to grow and thrive professionally.
- Primary specific CPL programmes which schools can adopt or adapt to suit their needs. Access to Trust CPL packages and delivery can support and complement your internal ‘in house’ CPL offer.
- Autonomy to design a bespoke ‘in-house’ CPL programme based on your school improvement plans with support from our primary teaching and learning leads.
- Connections and networks both within Archway, across schools and beyond the Trust.
- Our networks include: subject specialists; pastoral leads; and expertise in areas such as safeguarding, SEN and behaviour. These networks bring together the best evidence, ideas and practice in order to develop staff expertise, knowledge and reduce workload.
- Our Teaching Institute is a Trust-wide CPL offer that has personalised programmes for training at every level.
- Experienced ECT co-ordinators and mentors with a bespoke programme fully aligned to the Early Careers Framework.
- We operate a large range of NPQs (as well as other qualifications) in the Trust so that staff can work toward these with their peers.
- Support and systems for effective staff appraisal.
Strong Governance & Services
It is widely recognised that strong effective governance helps maintain and improve standards. Our governance team is dedicated to enabling effective governance at every level through working closely with Members, Trustees and Academy Advisory Boards, Clerks and school leaders establishing an effective system of governance.
- Opportunities for Chairs of Local Boards to participate in the termly Trust Chairs’ Forum.
- Opportunities for Chairs of Local Boards and Headteachers/Principals and other senior leaders to attend the Trust’s annual leadership conference.
- Bespoke training sessions offered as required, per academic year. Content will be decided in conjunction with each academy.
- New governor induction and on boarding.
- Access to the Governor Hub, online training modules through Learning Links and copies of training materials, and other useful documents.
- Opportunities for governors to access the National Governors’ Association.
- An annual governance work plan, templates and resources to support meaningful meeting content.
- Provision of effective clerking supported by guidance, training and information on procedural matters and best practice.
Get in touch for more information
Contact Chris Smith at primary@archwaytrust.co.uk
