Latest News
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Latest News moves to Twitter
Thu 30 Jul 2020From 2020 all our latest news will appear on our Twitter feed @thedsat and on our academy Twitter feeds. You can see our social media wall on the left hand side of our homepage or by clicking this link to go to it directly. -
Easter message from the CEO to our staff
Fri 03 Apr 2020I don’t know whether you have even noticed, but today is the last day of term and the start of the Easter holiday! For all of us, this will be an Easter holiday like no other. A day trip might involve an adventure all the way to the end of Our Street. A flight will likely only be the flight of a bumble bee or butterfly as we spend time in the garden. The first opportunity of the year for sunbathing...well, who knows? If there is a deckchair in the shed, scrub it down and set it in your garden in hope. For many of you, the holiday will involve at least some time on duty as you provide for your pupils like never before – to you I say a special ‘thank you’. Please know how much it means to those for whom you are providing – the clap for the NHS on Thursday evening was a round of applause for you as well as you keep these critical people working.
Of paramount importance over the next two weeks is that you find some quality time for rest and recuperation. This has been an unbelievable few weeks and we have got ourselves through on reserves of energy we never knew we had. The next term promises to be different and challenging as well, so it is essential that we are all refreshed as we move into this period. Within our DSAT team, we will continue to be on duty to serve you this Easter as needed but equally, we are ensuring that everyone on our team takes time out for rest.Easter, of course, is all about the death and resurrection of Jesus. I am reminded of those who lovingly cared for him as he made his way towards the cross. Mary, Martha and Lazarus, for example, in their home in Bethany showed Jesus unusual kindness at his most challenging time. I am sure you have all been showing kindness to so many but how good are you at receiving it from others? Consider then, the body of Jesus as it was taken from the cross – the physical challenges of all that he had endured, now culminating in his body being laid to rest. Think what that rest accomplished – just a few days later, he rose again in what the Bible refers to as ‘the power of an endless life’, so that he could give life to others. My point is this – rest now for a while. In order to face the challenges and excitement that the next term will bring; you need to be replenished so that you will ‘rise again’ to achieve even greater things. Easter is filled with despair but hope and life triumph over it all!
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Marden Vale - Improving school has 'a great team'.
Thu 13 Jun 2019We are delighted to share the recent press coverage regarding Marden Vale's recent Ofsted Inspection here. -
Marden Vale praised by inspectors
Fri 10 May 2019Marden Vale Church of England Academy has been praised by Ofsted for the effective action leaders and managers have taken towards the removal of special measures.
In the first monitoring inspection, Inspector Julie Carrington noted that “significant changes in staffing have taken place” since the school was placed in a category of concern in June 2018.”
The Monitoring Report praised current leaders for taking rapid action to respond to the “many actions that are required and had made a good start in implementing the recommendations of the previous inspection”
The Inspector particularly praised new Headteacher Gareth Thomas for being “successful in bringing stability to the leadership of the school”. She added that he had “gained the confidence of staff and pupils quickly and had been “instrumental in enabling the school to better safeguard pupils and improve pupils’ behaviour and attitudes”
“As a result, the pace of improvement is quickening and bringing about sustained improvement. Leaders are working determinedly to raise expectations of what staff and pupils are capable of.”
The report noted that pupils now accessed a curriculum that was “much better planned and organised” and that “the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is improving steadily”.
Mr Thomas said: “We cannot thank Parents and Staff enough for their support.
“We are delighted that Ofsted recognises the work we have done so far and that we are continuing to drive improvement at a rapid pace.
“It was also really good to know that our pupils told the inspectors that behaviour at lunchtimes and around the school has improved markedly because teachers are consistent in applying the school’s behaviour systems.”
Mark Lacey, Chief Executive of the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, of which Marden Vale is a part, said:
“This monitoring inspection report is good news. Ofsted clearly recognise the hard work undertaken by Gareth and his team. We have a way to go, but we are improving all the time.
“As a Trust, we were very pleased that the inspectors found that the published pupil performance at the end of key stage 1 and 2 showed some improvement in 2018, while at the end of key stage 2, pupils’ progress was much improved. Ofsted recognised the help which the Trust has given the school. We are continuing to work closely with Gareth, his staff team, and parents, to ensure that the school is rated ‘good’ at its next full inspection.”
Other key findings of the report included that:
*The Report said that the range of support that has been brokered by DSAT for the school was comprehensive and successful.
*The multi-academy trust has also provided internal support through its academy improvement director and hub improvement leader. This support is proving increasingly effective in enabling leaders to build momentum in improving the quality of teaching. “
*The trust’s statement of action is fit for purpose
*The school’s action plan is fit for purpose
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Followers open "wonderful" Community Café in school
Wed 13 Mar 2019"Whose great idea was this? It is just wonderful!" was the response of one young mum to the launch of a new Community Café in Salisbury's newest Church School as part of a joint venture between the school and local churches.
A group of Christians from the local churches, calling themselves the “Followers of St Peter’s”, set about launching the pop-up café in one of the spare classrooms at St Peter’s C of E Primary Academy with the support of the Headteacher, Mr Ollie Martindale.
The young mum and her son, one of the first through the door, echoed the view of many who came along to the Community Café, part of former vicar of St Michael’s Bemerton, the Revd Simon Woodley’s vision for the new housing estate of St Peter's Place on the north-west edge of Salisbury. The café is open to parents and children, as well as for the residents of the St Peter’s Place housing development.
Picking up on the purple colour theme within the academy, the Followers converted the classroom into a beautiful and welcoming place for parents, children and residents, providing fresh coffee, tea and plenty of cakes, as well as more healthy fruit juices, snacks and fruit.
Richard Chitty, Lay Chair of the Salisbury Deanery said:
"It provided a lovely space for the Followers to chat with the parents and residents and to find out what was going on."The Followers were only able to launch the Community Café through the generosity of the Headteacher, the advice and support from Mrs Christine Fordham, the Outreach Worker from Bemerton Methodist Church, and a generous grant from the Aldhelm Mission Fund to help cover the set-up costs."
It is planned to open again during on Friday 29 March, and then on a more regular basis on Friday afternoons during the summer term.
As the community grows, it is hoped to see the establishment of a Pioneer Minister living on the estate and a School and Family Worker for both the Primary Academy and Sarum Secondary Academy, and that the Pioneer Minister will be able to use Academy Hall as a church and hold regular services throughout the year.
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A Little bit of Pie
Mon 11 Feb 2019On Tuesday 5th Feb the staff at St Mary’s Beaminster welcomed the fantastic Pie Corbett and his colleague Maria Richards to school. The children in years 1 and 2 were treated to story time with this superb author and teachers were inspired by the reading sessions they watched in school. The children were a real credit to the school, contributing confidently and offering their ideas enthusiastically.
28 visiting teachers from around Dorset joined staff from St Mary’s for an inspiring day of book talk, exploring poetry, discussing how children learn to read confidently and enjoyed a really good opportunity to share ideas about reading with their colleagues.
The training day is the first of 6 planned for teachers in EYFS and KS1 and will enable all participating schools a genuine opportunity to evaluate their reading provision and build on what they currently do in their schools.
We can’t wait for the next session and are excited to see the impact of the new ideas when we implement them in school. We were a little star-struck by knowing we were hosting this special visitor and having met him will definitely be saving space for another piece of Pie!
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Faith & Fitness
Tue 22 Jan 2019Chris Andrew from Project Touchline, who has been working with St Bartholomew Primary Academy, Royal Wootton Bassett and part of the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust will appear on the ‘Faith and Fitness’ programme.
Chris is a professional sports coach and a Licensed Lay Minister with the Diocese of Gloucester. He has been invited to coach rugby at the schools, and he uses various Bible stories in his work. In addition, during the school holidays, the Vicar and PCC of the Benefice of Shaw and Atworth have been working with Chris to deliver four days of multi-sports at Shaw C of E Primary School, with a regular attendance of 50 children.
Chris said:
“This week it is Luke chapter 11 verses 5-13, 'The Persistent Friend'. Students were encouraged to ask, seek and knock before, during and after rugby training and beyond. PE lessons started with reflection and prayer on scripture and through the school’s value of Perseverance.“PT gives children real confidence through encouraging students on how their Christian faith can help them to succeed in sport. It is designed to develop students’ understanding of the Christian faith in the world outside formal collective worship, counterbalancing all the negative role models in sport, and most significantly it helps teachers see how Christian values can be taught through the curriculum.”
Dan Oakes, Headteacher of St Bartholomew’s Primary Academy said by email:
“We are really excited to welcome Project Touchline into our school. We are one of the first schools to access this pioneering way of linking Christian values with sport.“Chris provides professional sports coaching in gymnastics, rugby, football, hockey, cricket, dodgeball, netball and athletics. He also teaches four Christian values linked to scripture through each of the sports each day.
“The children live out the values through prayer/faith. Perseverance - “Let us run with perseverance the race that lies before us. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end” Hebrews 12.1-2 Courage - "Perfect love casts out all fear” 1 John 4.18 Friendship - “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” Matthew 7.12 Respect - “Encourage one another and build each other up” 1 Thessalonians 5.1.”
For any more information please contact Chris Andrew, Project Touchline on 07867 317206 or chris.andrew@touchline.org.uk.
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Wilton progress
Fri 04 Jan 2019It was great to welcome the school to the Trust in the Summer after what had been a challenging year for the school. Mr Boase and the team are working so hard on so many things with their staff and I am really enjoying seeing the progress they are making. It has been brilliant to see them playing such an important role in developing the Spire Hub along with St Peter’s and Shrewton – thank you for all you are doing.
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Apple Regional Training Centre
Fri 04 Jan 2019There are so many exciting things taking place at St Bartholomew’s as they develop the Apple Regional Training Centre . Mr Oakes and Mrs Bristow have been able to share so many positive things about digital learning. The use of digital monitors, iPads and the green screen are really making technology central to the learning and supporting children in making progress.