Three small schools working together to enhance the provision for our children.

It doesn’t seem possible that we are now in the forth year of our collaboration with Chrishall Primary School.  We have had many highlights - some of which have been captured in this update ...                                  

Pupils

Having experimented with live class collaborating sessions via Zoom, it was decided that as a result of technical hitches, that we move to sharing class updates with each other via recorded videos.  These have been great to watch and a wonderful showcase of what children across the collaboration are learning.                                               

Another highlight has been our trip to the Houses of Parliament with the Courageous Advocates from all three schools and our Chairs of Governors.  This was a lovely opportunity for the children to get to know each other.                        On another occasion, the Advocates got together for an afternoon workshop at Rickling Primary School.  Throughout this time, children brainstormed ideas about how they could organise and lead different community events. These will be further explored this year.

Chrishall children and some parents joined Rickling's Run Fest again in the Summer Term and children from Farnham, Rickling and Farnham decided the 1K, 5K and 10K medals.  

Year five and six children from Rickling, Farnham and Chrishall continue to come together for hockey training at JFAN every Friday.  Training sessions are led by Andy and Judy (parents and hockey coaches from Chrishall) and supported by JFAN students. It is great to see children across the three schools developing friendships with each other.  In the Spring Term matches are had against other schools.                                   

In the Autumn Terms, our year three and four girls from Chrishall and Rickling join forces for the annual girls’ football tournament at Chrishall. In between training, the children have the chance to chat with each other.  

At one of our Easter Services, it was lovely to have Courageous Advocates from each other schools attend to do readings and prayers.  Reception and Key Stage One children from all three schools loved coming together for the Rickling dance festival last term. 

A group of Rickling Courageous Advocates attended Chrishall's Harvest Festival and spoke about Uttlesford Foodbank to the congregation.  Courageous Advocates from Rickling and Chrishall joined forces to drop off their Harvest contributions to the Foodbank in Saffron Walden.  Whilst there, they were given a tour and found out about parcels are made up and given to families.

Most recently, the Courageous Advocates from Rickling and Chrishall have been working on the Uttlesford Net Zero Programme and have come together at both schools to work with Alice Peers from the programme.  They have been developing their knowledge and understanding about air pollution and have been exploring ways that we can all reduce pollution.  In one session, children took part in an idling workshop and took to the streets to talk to the public about the importance of not idling. Councillor Neil Reeve joined us as he is interested in the work we are doing about raising our awareness about air pollution and the steps we are taking to address it.

In another workshop, children used air monitors to explore the air quality in different areas around the school environment.   

Staff

For our senior leadership team, we continue to meet weekly. We work collaboratively on our School Development Plan and have been able to magpie activities/initiatives from each other schools, as well as share and develop ideas.          Mrs Thurgood Buss, the office manager at Chrishall meets regularly with the admin staff at Farnham and Rickling and together they discuss and share practice and procedures.  With some office staff being new to their office roles, it has been really useful for them to draw on Mrs Thurgood Buss's experience and expertise.                                                Mrs Dyer, the SIAMS and RE lead at Chrishall continues to work with Mrs Snelling, the lead at Farnham and Rickling and it has been useful for them to share what each school does, especially in relation to the Courageous Advocacy and Christian Aid work. With both Chrishall and Farnham having had wonderful SIAMS inspections in the last year, it has been so useful to be able to work together.  We are currently focusing on our Global Neighbours award and becoming UN Rights Respecting Schools.                                                                                                                 

The SENCOs at all three schools work together to share practice, policies, procedures and resources.  A SEND meeting with the Local Authority has been held to discuss and plan collaborative training sessions for all three schools. All three schools have been involved in the subject lead programme through the Uttlesford Partnership and have also attended writing moderations hosted at Elsenham Primary School.  Mrs Stratton continues to lead regular training sessions with Teaching Assistants from all three schools.                   

We have collaborative staff meetings at which we share and celebrate teaching successes.  At one meeting, we built on our metacognitive work in the classroom. We continue to work on integrating metacognitive 'Thinking Aloud' characters into our teaching and learning.  In addition to the termly meetings, staff often come together for virtual staff meetings throughout the term.  

At all three schools, we are passionate about our outdoor learning and came together for some 'Muddy Puddle' outdoor learning.  This is now being put into practice in our everyday teaching. 

All three schools are completing TPP (Trauma, Perceptive, Practice) training - Essex's approach to understanding behaviour and supporting emotional wellbeing.  This is being led by Mrs Bratley and Mrs Stratton who are the collaboration's TPP qualified trainers.

Governors

Whilst the Chair of Governors from the Federation and Chrishall meet regularly with the Executive Headteacher and termly with the Senior Leadership Team to review the Collaboration Action Plan, governors also meet and are currently exploring ways that they can work together.  At one of the Federation's Full Governing Body Meetings, Joanna, our Governors from Chrishall came along to share her experience of an Ofsted Inspection from a governor's perspective.