While we cannot know the future, the purpose of the CLF Strategy 2030 is to ensure the CLF is prepared and focused on meeting the challenges of this decade, while also providing hope and opportunities to our learners, our people and our communities; it is against the ideals of this narrative that work of the trust is monitored and its future success judged.

Steve Taylor, CEO - Cabot Learning Federation

Our Core Strategy

Equity Through Education is underpinned by three core strategies central to all trust activity. They guide decisions around development and improvement, while adhering to our commitment to create equity of opportunity, promote inclusion, remove disadvantage and reject discrimination.

  • Through the Lens of Disadvantage

    • Strategic emphasis on delivering excellence for disadvantaged learners even over other groups.
    • Benchmarking our impact through the lens of disadvantaged learners.
    • Developing best practice among CLF People to deliver for disadvantaged learners.
    • Working in tandem with others via CLF Partnerships to support our most disadvantaged families.

  • Investing in People

    • Sector-leading support, learning and professional development.
    • A welcoming, diverse and inclusive environment.
    • Resilient, empowered teams, with leaders at all levels.
    • Meaningful commitment to wellbeing and career progression.
    • High standards and ambitions for learners and their families.

  • Investing in Partnerships

    • Deep and collaborative connections throughout our communities.
    • Clear understanding of community issues and opportunities, and enthusiasm to engage.
    • Strong relationships with learners, parents, carers, volunteers and alumni.
    • Contribute to the educational and social landscape – locally, regionally and nationally.
    • Partner with other civic agencies to be a force for good in our local area

Our Sub-Strategies

Designed as enablers of our core pillars, these seven sub-strategies transcend teams and departments to resonate throughout the CLF. Driven by senior members of staff and reviewed annually, these ambitions will contribute to the sustainable development of the trust.

EDI
Wellbeing
Digital
Voice
Leadership
Operating at Scale
Environment
  • Unwavering commitment to advancing equal opportunities for all, eliminating discrimination, and upholding CLF values of equity, equality, diversity and inclusion.
  • Ensure the Trust remains a place where everyone feels they belong and supported to succeed.
  • Support the drive to diversify the CLF workforce to reflect the diverse communities we serve.
  • Grow EDI Networks which create safe spaces for children and adults to be themselves.
  • Provide resources to help staff and students positively and proactively manage their wellbeing.
  • Ensure support is signposted and easily available if people are struggling.
  • Further evolve a wellbeing curriculum which aligns with our goal of self-agency.
  • Play an active role in communities which supports equitable access to mental health services for all – particularly those experiencing disadvantage.
  • Enable all staff and pupils to safely and effectively work and learn anytime, anywhere.
  • Be future-seekers, equipped and ready to adopt technology which has ‘crossed the chasm’.
  • Give people the right tools to support their work, and train them to excel.
  • Embrace technology which supports partnership ambitions within the community and across clusters and wider education system.
  • Be a listening organisation which puts its people at the heart of strategic choices.
  • Nurture cohesive and coherent systems which gather and understand stakeholder views.
  • Maintain strong understanding of our trust and its impact through the eyes of our communities.
  • Be a model for CLF students, staff, families and communities to use to enact societal change
  • Utilise Trust experience to develop leadership to meet the challenges of this decade.
  • Raise standards by investing in capacity and expertise across the Trust.
  • Nurture a leadership culture which sustains a high-performing Trust which improves as it grows.
  • Empower leaders to take ownership of improvements which raise standards
  • Deploy the right resource at the right time to deliver maximum impact.
  • Establish efficient and effective systems which add value and support core priorities.
  • Build a scalable model which enables both standardised and empowered future growth.
  • Develop a new financial operating model, shaped by the above outputs, which delivers successful outcomes.
  • A shared commitment to reducing environmental impact which will see all schools hold Eco Schools Green Flag status.
  • An annual environmental conference where green champions can showcase positive action in schools.
  • Deep pupil engagement in environmental matters, supported by the CLF curriculum.
  • Provide data to help schools understand and reduce their impact through behaviour and technical change.

Strategy In Action

13
Mar

Community award for ‘ambitious’ and ‘inspiring’ Priorswood team

A glowing Ofsted report which praised Priorswood Primary School for its ‘strong team’ and ‘significant improvement’ has seen the school presented with an important community award.

Taunton’s Priorswood – which joined the CLF in January – was rated as ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted inspectors, who highlighted staff as ‘effective role models’ who make the school ‘a calm and purposeful place to learn’.

In assessing the school, inspectors spent two days meeting with leaders, teachers and pupils, scrutinising practice and policy, and monitoring pupil behaviour and teaching in key subject areas.

The report from lead inspector Leanne Thirlby offered positive feedback on Priorswood’s ‘ambitious’ curriculum, ‘clear and structured’ SEND provision, and ‘effective’ safeguarding.

The report said: “Pupils at Priorswood Primary are proud to be members of their school. They enjoy coming to school, feel safe and attend well.

“Pupils show positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. Pupils show a high level of respect for their peers and staff.

“The school has improved significantly in recent years. Staffing is now stable. As a result, there is greater consistency across the curriculum, including expectations of the pupils. Staff feel they are part of a strong team.”

And it is the team at Priorswood which was celebrated this week, with the presentation of a Civic Award by Taunton Town Council.

The award – which aims to recognise and celebrate Taunton organisations which ‘go above and beyond in their daily work for, and with, their community’ – was presented to Headteacher Carly Ellis and Priorswood staff in recognition of ‘the efforts made over the last year in achieving a significantly improved OFSTED report’.

At the presentation, councillor Nick O’Donnell heralded the Priorswood team and other award recipients for ‘their commitment to making Taunton a great place to live and work’.

He said: “It was a privilege to present certificates of thanks to so many of our inspiring residents, people who go the extra mile, with no expectation of recognition, but whom we should nevertheless acknowledge and applaud.”

Priorswood Head of School Carly Ellis said: “I am incredibly proud of the team at Priorswood, and it was a privilege to be asked to attend the Town Council meeting where the team’s dedication was recognised for its positive contribution to the community.

“We have been on quite a journey over the past five years, and I am looking forward to continuing the improvements to ensure that the children attending our school get the very best.

“As a team, we have moved the school forward and transformed Priorswood into a calm, safe and happy place to learn. I am very excited about the future.”

 

 

12
Mar

Broadoak stages Broadway smash hit musical comedy

Everyone’s favourite creepy and kooky family hit the stage in a frighteningly funny and fresh production of The Addams Family starring the talented students of Broadoak Academy.

Performed over two nights to packed houses, with additional matinee performances for pupils from Broadoak’s feeder primary schools, this magnificently macabre musical comedy was supported by a cast and crew of more than 30 students from Years 7-10.

Students worked extremely hard to produce this eccentric and unconventional family show, giving up hours of their own time and rehearsing since November.

Filled with wildly funny moments, the play focuses on a bizarre, macabre, aristocratic family who dance on the graves or their ancestors in order to raise them from the dead, intertwined with the love story of Wednesday Addams and a normal boy called Lucas.

 The ultimate princess of darkness, Wednesday – played by Eden Lee-Booker of Year 8 – has grown up and fallen in love with sweet, smart Lucas Beineke, played by Cooper Hodder of Year 8. She confides in her father Gomez and begs him not to tell her mother.

Gomez Addams (played by Oscar Smith of Year 9) must now do something he’s never done before – keep a secret from his beloved wife Morticia, played by Scarlett Davidson of Year 10. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents.

Naomi Aves, Head of Performing Arts at Broadoak, said: “We totally have the best job! Getting to work with these amazing young people every week is such a privilege, especially as we see them develop as performers from their nervous auditions, hard-working rehearsals, through to the final performance.

“The cast and crew of Addams Family are made up of students in Years 7-10 and whilst some of them may not have met before embarking on this journey, they have become more than just a team, they have become a family. Yes, that’s right…The Addams Family!”

08
Mar

World Book Day Across the Cabot Learning Federation

From Willy Wonka to Where’s Wally, with the odd superhero thrown in, the magic that is World Book Day was celebrated across the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) by staff and students alike.

With an array of exciting, engaging, and fun activities put on by CLF academies there was plenty for pupils and students to get involved it throughout the day and immerse themselves in the transformative world of literature.

Generous donations of book tokens by various companies allowed pupils to go out and purchase a book of their own choice.

World Book Day provides a fantastic opportunity for pupils and students to focus on reading for pleasure, supporting children’s autonomy in book choice, and embedding a habit of reading that brings a wide range of benefits. Taking pupils and students to new worlds and faraway destinations.

07
Mar

Waycroft Academy on BBC Radio Bristol

BBC Radio Bristol Breakfast Show Presenter, Joe Sims visited Waycroft Primary Academy to find out how they would be celebrating World Book Day. Without giving too much away Joe was presented with his own chocolate bar with the chance of winning a star prize!

Find out how Joe got on by listening to the three interviews below!

Interview one

Audio Playerhttps://clf.uk/wp-content/uploads/RB-Interview-one-FE.mp3

interview two

Audio Player

Interview three

Audio Player
07
Mar

Broadoak students visit Hinckley Point C

A group of 14 Year 9 students from Broadoak Academy recently embarked on an educational journey to the Hinkley Point C construction and visitor centre.

Students were encouraged to explore how electricity is created in a fun and interactive way.

Students learnt why there is an overwhelming need to produce low carbon energy and how EDF is helping Britain achieve net zero through the construction of Hinkley Point C and the use of other renewable sources such as wind and solar power.

They then embarked on a virtual tour, gaining a unique perspective of the construction site – including ‘Big Carl’, the world’s largest crane – through awe-inspiring drone footage.

Students then enjoyed a sealed tour of the whole site, where they got to see the workers live in action.

Georgia Wilde, Broadoak’s Careers and Aspirations Co-ordinator, said: “This experience has been eye-opening for our students. Not only did they learn about the importance of sustainable energy, but they also witnessed firsthand the monumental efforts involved in projects like Hinkley Point C and got to learn about the vast amount of career paths available to them within the world of engineering, and their wonderful apprenticeship schemes.

“It’s inspiring to see young minds engaged and empowered with knowledge about shaping a greener future.”

05
Mar

DfE Permanent Secretary’s praise for ‘passionate’ CLF teachers and students

The Permanent Secretary of the Department for Education paid a visit to two CLF schools this week – and heaped praise upon the trust’s ‘passionate and dedicated’ staff and ‘articulate’ students.

Susan Acland-Hood, the DfE’s Permanent Secretary, visited Wallscourt Farm Academy, Bristol Metropolitan Academy, and the CLF Institute alongside her team on Thursday.

At Wallscourt, Ms Acland-Hood met Principal Charlotte Black and a group of pupils who were keen to talk to their visitor about their curriculum and learning that is progressive, purposeful, and inspiring. The main vehicle for their learning at Wallscourt is enquiry-led learning, which sees pupils absorb important lessons by becoming authors, mathematicians, engineers, and artists.

A meeting with Cameron Shaw, Principal at Bristol Metropolitan, was the next stop on this whistlestop tour. The visit began with Cameron explaining the transformative history of Bristol Met and the journey the academy has been on. Next, Year 7 students led visitors on a tour of the academy, answering questions articulately and eloquently as they showcased some students’ work.

The visit culminated at the CLF Institute, where CLF CEO Steve Taylor guided Ms Acland-Hood through a comprehensive tour, introducing her to key members of staff and providing deeper insights into the CLF’s vision and initiatives.

Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education, said: “It was a pleasure to meet all the teachers and leaders at Wallscourt Academy and Bristol Metropolitan Academy, who are a credit to their schools and the CLF.

“The dedication and passion you all share for your students was clear in everyone I met, and it was wonderful to meet so many articulate children across both schools.”

Steve Taylor, Chief Executive of the Cabot Learning Federation, said: “Thank you to Susan Acland-Hood for visiting us an engaging so openly in discussion with pupils and colleagues. It was a pleasure to host Susan and her team.”

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