• LATEST ON PAXMAN ACADEMY• TWO SCHOOLS JOIN SIGMA FAMILY• TEACHING AWARDS NOMINATIONS• UPDATE ON SCIENCE

IN THIS ISSUE:

For the Staff and Stakeholders of The Sigma Trust

SIGMA NEWSAutumn 2018 - Issue 5

Greater than the sum of its parts

Welcome... I would like to offer awarm welcome to colleagues fromColne Community and PhilipMorant schools and thosecolleagues who have already beenappointed to Paxman Academy.

Colne and Philip Morant joined The Sigma Truston January 1, following the successful transferfrom Thrive Partnership Academy Trust. I hopethe transition has been made easier by the factwe have been working closely with both schoolsfor many months. I was very pleased to be ableto confirm the appointment of Neil Gallagherand Scott Holder into their executive headshiproles at Colne and Philip Morant respectively.Both have created stability in the leadership ofthe schools and have ensured effectivecommunication and consultation is in place for allstakeholders. We now very much look forward toworking in close collaboration with all staff fromboth schools and this will begin with the annualjoint CPD day on February 25. The work on completing Paxman Academy isprogressing well. I had the pleasure of walkingaround the building recently and it really isimpressive. Headteacher Carol Anne Moffat is inthe process of recruiting colleagues for the

school. Senior colleagues have now beenappointed and a number of teaching posts havebeen filled. The building is due to be handedover to Sigma on June 24.We are once again coming up to the annualEssex Teaching Awards and we have listed in theparent/pupil edition of Sigma News the largenumber of colleagues who have been nominatedby colleagues and students at each school. It isgreat to see so many colleagues have had theirhard work and dedication recognised by others.Last year, we had tremendous success withwinners in the Headteacher of the Year,Secondary Teacher of the Year and LifetimeAchievement categories, so it will be interestingto see if we can match this in 2019.Over the last two and half years, Sigma hasestablished itself as a leading example ofcollaborative partnership between schools.School to school support and sharing goodpractice has ensured all schools have benefittedfrom that collaboration. Congratulations to allcolleagues for working together so effectively toensure our shared vision has been fullyimplemented. Jeff Brindle, CEO The Sigma Trust

The Colne Community School and PhilipMorant School have been transferred to TheSigma Trust.The two schools previouslyformed the Thrive PartnershipAcademy Trust.Neil Gallagher, principal at ClactonCounty High School, became interimexecutive headteacher at The ColneCommunity School and will continue the roleuntil a permanent headteacher is appointed.At Philip Morant, Scott Holder, former co-

headteacher at The Stanway School, wasappointed as executive headteacher.

Jeff Brindle, The Sigma Trust CEO,said: “We are proud and excited to benamed as the new sponsors of theacademies that previously formed theThrive Partnership Academy Trust. “The five secondary schools within

The Sigma Trust have a long history ofpartnership working with both The ColneCommunity School and Philip Morant School.We very much welcome the opportunity toestablish these formal links.”

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You can now follow The Sigma Trust on social media.The science Twitter account - @ScienceSigma - has links to sciencerelated activities, news and competitions from schools across the Trust. You can also now follow @sigmatandl for teaching and learning updates.

s s sTwo schools join The Sigma Trust

Brand-new school taking shape

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Extra seating capacity will enable morestudents to eat their lunch together in future.Building work at St Helena School will bring awhole new kitchen area, with new modernequipment and extra indoor and outdoorseating areas for students.Headteacher Fiona Pierson said: “This work willenable the kitchen to run more efficiently and forstudents to have access to a wider range of mealoptions. There will be healthy food options, aswell as an opportunity to sample foods from

around the world. It is a huge project.”The work, funded by The Sigma Trust, is due tobe completed over the summer break. Corridorsand toilet areas are to also be overhauled.Ms Pierson said: “The fabric of the building isso important to how young people want tolearn and the attitude they have to theirlearning. These improvements will help currentstudents and parents and those of the futurefeel even more positive about the learningspaces we are providing.”

Fabric of school to be enhanced

The next phase of building work at TheStanway School will take place this year.After a two-year project, students now haveaccess to new rooms in A block, includingscience labs, DT rooms, new changing roomsand large art and music classrooms, as well asextra practice rooms and a new multi-usesports area.With two year groups full to an increasedintake capacity, there is now the need toexpand the kitchen and catering facilities.Designs are under way to begin an £850,000refurbishment of the school hall and kitchen

area, including new servicing facilities to copewith the increase in student and staff numbers.The split-level hall will also be levelled tocreate additional room for students to stayinside and eat with their friends. Headteacher Jonathan Bland said: “Once therefurbishment is finished, the kitchen will providemore food and choice for all students to enjoyand the new hall will provide a very pleasantspace for students to take their breaks in.”It is hoped the work will be completed forSeptember when the third increased yeargroup joins the school.

£850k hall and kitchen refurb

Paxman Academy is beingbuilt by The Sigma Trust on thesite of the former AldermanBlaxill School.The 900-place school opens inSeptember 2019 - with 180Year 7 students - to cope with the anticipated increase in demand for secondaryschool places.Innovations include lockersbuilt into the walls so they donot restrict corridor width anda community entrance whichenables part of the school tobe hired out without giving

visitors access to the rest ofthe building.A large special educationalneeds (SEN) area was also a priority when planning the school.Headteacher Carol AnneMoffat, appointed in May, said:“It is really exciting. I feelprivileged to be the firstheadteacher at a brand-newschool and want to do my best for the students and the community.“I have felt very supported byThe Sigma Trust in everything

we have done so far.”The building is due to behanded over to the Trust inJune.

An educational ideas initiative broughttogether Year 6 and 7 students fromacross Sigma Trust schools.The Sigma Ideas Project challengesstudents to create an idea which could change the world, beforepresenting their designs andprototypes. Each school held its owninternal competition before puttingforward their winning teams to thegrand final, at The Stanway School.

Project organisers 7Billion Ideasquestioned teams on their developmentand future plans for their ideas.Year 7 students from Clacton CountyHigh School came out the overallwinners, with their idea for the FoodSaver – a smartphone app which alertsusers when food in the fridge is goingout of date to avoid waste. The designwill now be developed and made into abook, available to buy on Amazon.

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A long list of Sigma Trust colleagues havebeen nominated in this year’s Essex Teaching Awards.The annual awards are an opportunity to giverecognition and to celebrate and share bestpractice. Over the last five years, the awardshave acknowledged outstanding teachers andheadteachers, teaching assistants, governingbodies and school teams who work in Essex.

Jeff Brindle, CEO, said: “It is fantastic to see so many colleagues nominated for awards this year. “This demonstrates the strength that existsamong both teaching and non-teaching staffacross The Sigma Trust. It would be great tosee Sigma matching the success we achievedat last year’s awards and I wish all of thosenominated every success.”

Sigma staff nominated for Essex Teaching Awards

A range of inspirational talks have been given tostudents at Harwich and Dovercourt High Schoolthrough the Speakers for Schools initiative. Visitorshave included Joanna Prior, managing director atPenguin books, and Ian Twinley, chairman andmajority shareholder in John Grose (Ford).

Simon Garnham, assistant headteacher, said:“We have found the speakers to be verygenerous with their time and resources. Joannagave away a wide selection of books andencouraged students in their writing by offeringto read and critique their work. Ian has loaned

the school a carto strip downand reassemble.

“The sessionsincreasestudents’awareness ofcareers and offervery helpfuladvice and guidance for them. Any Sigma schoolsnot already enrolled on the Speakers for Schoolsmailing list, I would suggest it is worth doing so.”

Sigma students have big ideas!

Inspirational talks from the world of work

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TRAINING OUR PEOPLE...

150 join Trust ThursdayMore than 150 colleagues came together for Trust Thursday in November.Meeting in specialist subject groups, teachers worked together on marking and moderation inEnglish, memory and recall in maths,supporting students with dyslexiaand sharing great practice inscience, humanities and MFL. The next Trust Thursdays are onmoderation on Thursday March 7and SigmaEd on Thursday June 27.English teachers from across theTrust met at The Thomas LordAudley School in November toexplore AQA examiner guidancewith Sigma’s strategic lead forEnglish, Fiona Cook.

Sigma INSET day - FebruaryThe Sigma Trust will hold its second annual Trust INSET day onFebruary 25.High quality CPD is at the heart ofall thriving schools and the Trust iskeen to support each academy todevelop the very best provision andoutcomes for young people. The aim of the day is to provide anopportunity for colleagues to meet,share professional dialogue andensure best practice becomesshared practice. Sigma has a great pool of talentedstaff and it is wonderful to see anumber of colleagues have agreedto run sessions during the day. National speakers, including Martin

Robinson, Mary Myatt, Chris Runeckles, Rob Eastaway and Gianfranco Conti, will joincolleagues on the day. The event runs from 9am to 3.30pm in various venues.

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Placements begin for trainee teachersNETT trainee teachers are starting their first block placements in school andhave completed their first assignments on SEND as part of their PGCE. Some trainees have already secured themselves posts on completion of theircourse. Programmes are under way with interviewing for the next intake inSeptember 2019.NETT held a Behaviour and Differentiation conference at TheStanway School, led by Sue Cowley. Trainees, NQTs, internshiptrainees and a range of teachers attended, taking away withthem some ideas to put into practice in the classroom.Programme directors Dr Sarah Alix, John Morgan and JaneAdamson have received the prestigious award of FoundingFellows of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Research and professional developmentprogramme Challenge For All is now in itssecond year.Participants from across Sigma schools met inOctober and December as they embarked ontheir year of lesson study and action-basedresearch on the theme of Challenge For All. Working in a triad or pair of colleagues from other Sigma schools, they plan,teach/observe and analyse a series of

research lessons.Research topics this year include: modellingthe process and celebrating excellence;mastery and the principles of instruction;memory matters; questioning and makinglinks; SEND and challenge. Case studies and presentations with a focuson student progress will be shared byparticipants throughout the year and at theSigmaEd event on Thursday June 27.

Challenge For All – researching what works for Sigma

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John Knights, strategic science lead, givesan update on what has been happening inscience across Sigma Trust schools…

Focus on…science

A science technicians’ support network has been set upacross the Trust with science technicians from eachschool meeting regularly to share ideas and resources.Discussions include the development of new practicalsand how to make equipment on a budget.

The Faraday Challenge event was hosted by Clacton CountyHigh School in October.

Teams from across the Trust competed to design and build anidea linked to the James Webb telescope Project. The Harwichand Dovercourt High School team won the event.

Teachers from across the Trustpresented at the SigmaScience Show and Tellafternoon CPD.

The event, in November atThe Stanway School, saw 49

colleagues hear suggestions for developing science teaching,including using new software ideas to challenge students’understanding, a demonstration on how to create a simpleripple tank and feedback from examiners involved withmarking the summer exams.

The Airgineers dronecompetition and VEX roboticsregional final took place at StHelena School.

The regional VEX IQ roboticsevent in December included

four teams from Moscow, Russia, who travelled especially forthe competition.

Will James, senior science technician at St Helena School, wasawarded the Jack Petchey Outstanding Leadership Award forhis work with the VEX robotics club in the school.

Sigma inset day – February The Sigma inset day on February 25 will involve opportunitiesto develop teaching and learning.

The keynote session for teachers will be from Mary Myatt, aleading educationalist, on developing teaching and learning,as well as sessions on the principles of learning in science.

Science technicians will also get a chance to develop theirpractical skills in making resources for use in scienceexperiments.

Science Week – March A science-related challenge will be developed for each schoolduring Science Week in March.

Finalists from the event will attend an event at The StanwaySchool in the summer.

It is hoped the event will engage students in applying theirscience - as well as technology, engineering and maths -knowledge to real-world situations. The popular sciencephotography competition will also take place again.

Developing curriculum forPaxman AcademyCreating the science and STEM provision for the new PaxmanAcademy will take place early in 2019.

The school is to have a STEM focus throughout its curriculum,so this offers an exciting challenge in developing a curriculumfrom scratch. The new-build will offer state-of-the-art sciencefacilities and resources and will be welcoming students fromSeptember 2019.

Science faculty leads are developing the KS3 curriculumand assessment to consider knowledge trackers tohighlight what students need to know at each stage oftheir science education.

Using online revision tools as well as links with mathsdepartments will develop key skills consistently.

We also plan to develop our work with feeder primaryschools in supporting the science provision at KS2.