Last week, staff from across the Vine Schools Trust came together at the Central Baptist Church in Chelmsford to attend the Trust’s annual conference.
A beautiful performance by the choir at Orsett Church of England Primary School kicked off the day, which saw the children share a special welcome hymn and prayer with all the staff. The children had been practising hard over the last term and everyone was very impressed with their performance.
Emma Wigmore, CEO of the Vine Schools Trust, welcomed all of the staff to the conference by sharing an insight into the Trust’s journey over the last few years and how it has grown into a supportive family network. The topic of ‘Family’ was a recurring theme throughout the day, with staff sharing what it meant to them both as an individual and as a member of the Vine Schools Trust.
A presentation on the Trust’s new vision and values was then delivered by Mike Ferguson, Chair of the Board, who talked about the importance of sharing our values as a family and a community.
After a short break, staff were invited to split into groups and attend a workshop of their choice, each focusing on a different area of education. Ranging from ‘Subject Improvement’ to ‘Forest School’, the workshops were a great opportunity for staff to gain valuable insight into areas they felt were most relevant to their school.
Mark Carter-Tufnell, Headteacher at St Osyth and Mistley Norman Church of England Primary Schools delivered a fascinating workshop on ‘Writing an Effective Subject Improvement Plan’, which challenged teaching staff to evaluate where their subjects are now and where they’d like it to be in future.
Those who attended the specialised SIAMS workshop were treated to a talk by Karen Jones, Executive Headteacher of Great Clacton Church of England Junior School and Rolph Church of England Primary School and Nursery. Karen shared some very useful tips about understanding the SIAMS inspection process and the importance of having a clear Christian vision for each school.
A workshop on ‘Equity, Diversity and Justice’, run by Aleisha Lewis from St Mary’s Prittlewell Church of England Primary School, introduced attendees to the concept of reconciliation in a school environment. Aleisha spoke about how schools can create a culture that celebrates and values difference through a diverse curriculum and inclusive teaching.
With outdoor learning becoming a key part of learning in several schools across the Vine Schools Trust, Emma Sweeney and Hannah Barber came to speak to some of the Headteachers about Forest School and the many benefits it can have for a child’s learning process.
To end the day, staff gathered together to listen to an inspiring talk from Darrell Woodman from the Art of Brilliance, who spoke about the power of positivity and the huge impact it can have on your well-being.
Thank you to everyone who attended the conference. It was great to see many staff members from the Vine Schools Trust come together for the day to reflect on the Trust’s values and how we can all work together as a family to keep delivering a high standard of education to our children.
