14 February 2025 weekly update

Dear Colleagues

After a bit of a break due to flu I am pleased to be back. Thank you to my team who have done a sterling job in my absence.

SCHOOL VISITS
Things are definitely looking up as I have four school visits to report back on.

Just before Christmas I visited East Stour Primary School, Ashford https://www.east-stour.kent.sch.uk/ part of the EKCG Trust https://ekcschoolstrust.org/. It was delightful to see the pupil in this vibrant school still very much on task at the end of an exhausting term. I had a very strong sense of ‘values in action’ at the school and the evidence of this was clear to see.  A big thank you to Emma and headteacher Mrs Sadler for the tour and the helpful discussion. Emma is a KCC Inclusion Champion as well as a serving Ofsted inspector, so a particular thank you to Emma for her work across the Kent education community .

Last week my colleague Siobhan Price, Assistant Director for Inclusion, and I visited Borden CEP school just outside Sittingbourne https://www.borden.kent.sch.uk/ part of the Our Community Multi- Academy Trust https://www.ocmat.org.uk/ .  Miss Ingham, the headteacher took us on a tour around the charming flint-built building which is situated in a former chalk pit. The school has a very strong Christian ethos and again we could see the values very much embedded into school life.  We also met with CEO David Whitehead, whom many of you will know through his work on KALE, School Funding Forum and generally as an advocate for headteachers in Kent, along with Trust Inclusion Lead Cassie Young for a very helpful session discussing SEND reforms in Kent and further fine tuning to improve what we are doing.  There is a short update on SEND below and you will know that we are in the midst of a huge change programme.  I have been so grateful and humbled by the time you all have taken to engage and feedback to help us shape the SEND system.  Alongside the feedback, we were very much encouraged by David updating us on the work he is doing including with the Diocese on ensuring colleagues in small schools are fully up to speed with developments and able to contribute.  A big thank you to David, Cassie and Georgina for your time.

This week I accompanied Assistant Director for Education North Ian Watts to visit two schools which are part of the Pioneer Trust https://thepioneeracademy.co.uk/our-academies/ with the CEO Lee Mason-Ellis.  We started at Edenbridge Primary  School https://edenbridge.kent.sch.uk/ where headteacher Mary showed us around and discussed future development plans.  It was fabulous to have an opportunity to talk to some of the children about their work. We then went on to Halstead Community Primary http://halstead.kent.sch.uk/ where headteacher Sue Saheed took us on a tour and we talked about their SRP.  The Trust is very values focused and again this was clear throughout the schools.  A big thank you to Lee, Mary and Sue as well as the schools’ staff for their time.

Finally just a brief mention about Westmeads Infants which recently received an ‘outstanding’ judgement in all areas, from a previous RI judgement under the leadership of Kirsty White.  Well done to the whole school team.

I really appreciate the diversity of schools in Kent and how they reflect the various communities.  What all these schools have in common is the relentless focus on what is best for children and outstanding inclusive practice, so a big thank you for the great work you are doing.

SEND UPDATE
At the end of last month we had our regular assessment event with the DfE and NHS England.  They are testing our evidence of progress and impact against the 116 projects in the Accelerated Progress Plan, so we submit a range of data and narrative against each project and on the 31^st officers from KCC and health are asked questions and stakeholders including school/education representatives and parents are asked for their views. Thank you to all who contributed.  It usually takes a while to receive the response , but we will publish it in full when we receive it.

Setting up the Communities of Schools is progressing according to plan. Membership, Terms of Reference and Standard Operation Procedures have been agreed and the chairs appointed and information will be sent out in March.

Kent’s new SEND strategy has been approved following a lot of engagement with families and professionals and a public consultation. This will be published in the near future.

Internally we have started preparation for the next SEND area inspection, developing our Self Evaluation and evidence base. As the inspection is of the whole system and schools are a key part of the provision we will be sharing the SEF and supporting evidence with you for your feedback and views.

AND FINALLY…

Have a great half term break

Best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education