6 June 2025 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back from half term. I do hope you had some well-deserved opportunities for rest and relaxation.

Headteacher briefings 

The first of the summer term briefings took place at the Inn on the lake on Wednesday. Thank you to the many who have contributed in a variety of ways to the development of the new Education strategy which is being disseminated through the briefings. You will know the strategy really promotes collaborative working because there is a very strong evidence base of the benefits to schools (and so pupils) of working in that way. I was delighted to have education sector colleagues lead four presentations about very different collaborations.

Did you know that Kent is leading one of only 18 national Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs? Kent had one of only two EY Stronger Practice Hubs in the SE region providing practical evidence-based advice, support and guidance on best practice through Northfleet Nursery school. More information on the Stronger Practice Hubs website

A big thank you to headteacher Neerasha Singh and hub co-ordinator Julie Miles for telling us more about how this large, formal, nationally-backed collaboration works.

The leadership team at Westmeads Community Infants school is committed to supporting improvement in other schools using a strengths based model which was of mutual benefit because of the opportunities of 'magpie-ing' and to creating resilient professional networks. A big thank you to headteacher Kirsty White and assistant head Jamie Sonnex for talking us through the ingredients for successful improvement collaborations which I thought were equally applicable outside of a school setting.

I was fascinated to regularly see brilliant events reported on LinkedIn about the East Kent Schools Together partnership and a big thank you to David Elliott, headteacher of The Archbishop's School Canterbury and chair of the EKST partnership for telling us about this unique and long-standing collaboration between state funded and independent sector schools providing amazing opportunities for pupils.

Finally, Charlie Guthrie, Chief Executive of Endeavour Schools Trust spoke powerfully about his work as Chair of the Kent Pathways for All post 16 reform programme together with Sarah Webb, Senior Assistant HT and KS5 Leader, at The Sittingbourne School, who is the co-ordinator of the Sittingbourne and Sheppey Local Collaborative Partnership Area. Charlie shared his previously hidden poetic skills, but if you want to find out more about those come to the next HT breifing where he is presenting!

So, some very different examples of collaborations - what united them was the focus on getting a great deal for children and young people and the passion of the professionals to give of their best.

School visit

I was delighted to visit ECK Sheppey Secondary school on the Isle of Sheppey this week with my colleague Siobhan Price. The school is in it's very first year and we were really encouraged to hear about the impact of the work of the leadership and staff team including developing a challenging curriculum, which has resulted in pupil attendance levels soaring. We met with Tammy Mitchell, Chief Executive of the EKC Trust whose motto of 'Serving Communities' is clearly at the heart of all their work. A big thank you to Tammy and her leadership team for the generous amount of time they gave us to provide an insight into the triumphs and challenges of working in this particular part of Kent.

And finally...

Though I didn't take leave over half term, I did take the opportunity of a quieter work week to visit the Sienna exhibition at the newly vamped National Gallery at the weekend. I was fortunate to spend a few days in Sienna last summer so was particularly interested to find out more about the remarkably creative and productive fifty years the exhibition focuses on. It you like this type of art, then it's a must see, it is amazing and includes a number of artefacts too. One painting in particular stood out for me which is of the Annunciation, to Mary with the angel, commissioned by (and presumably then exhibited in) the Sienna tax office! Imagine! Would that pass today's value for money tests?? It has certainly appreciated in monetary value over the years and still just a beautiful as when it was first painted

Have a great weekend all

Christine McInnes
Director of Education and SEN