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
Oct

The World Reimagined

                                                             Bristol Brunel Academy            Summerhill Academy

The World Reimagined is a ground-breaking, mass participation art education project to transform how we understand the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact.

Created with artists, teachers and educationalists, The World Reimagined Learning Programme is an experiential and transformative journey that empowers students, teachers and school communities to create a future for racial justice.

Two Cabot Learning Federation academies are taking part in the project, Bristol Brunel Academy and Summerhill Academy.

At Bristol Brunel Academy, the design is centred around the theme of Mother Africa. Each portrait represents a small visual glimpse of the African journey. The first depicts its rich, cultural heritage prior to the transatlantic slave trade and leads on to the journey during which so many Africans suffered. The story unfolds into a world reimagined where there is racial justice and differences are unifying rather than divisive.

Within the design, the African and British flowers symbolise hope and understanding and the artwork is underpinned by a calm but often turbulent sea and a vibrant sky that contains a new constellation. The stars follow the path of the transatlantic slave trade triangle to recognise the suffering, impact and legacy of slavery.

Rachel Taylor-Evans, Curriculum Leader for Art at BBA, said: “Students really embraced this project, and a lot of thought and passion went into the design. I feel it is important to bring issues that are happening around the world into the classroom so we can educate and debate with our students the importance of these matters.”

 At Summerhill Academy they followed the theme of ‘Threads of Africa weaving around the world’. The children designed and painted the Summerhill globe with words and fabric patterns inspired by the colours and proverbs relating to traditional fabrics.

One of the children who took part, Ahmed aged 10, said: “I am really proud to be able to show off some of our history and culture to other children in school and in Bristol.”

Chris Barrett, Principal at SA, said: “Summerhill Academy prides itself on the way it embraces its community’s heritage and traditions and weaves them into its Personal Development curriculum, something which OFSTED rated as ‘Outstanding’ in a visit earlier this year.”

The globes also featured as part of our CLF Arts Festival in July and were hugely admired by students, teachers, families, and members of the community.

06
Oct

Macmillan Coffee Morning

Macmillan’s Coffee Morning is an annual event dedicated to bringing people together over a cuppa to raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. People all over the UK host their own coffee event and donations raised on the day are made to Macmillan.

At three academies within the Cabot Learning Federation coffee mornings were held on Friday 29th September to raise money for this very worthy cause.

Bristol Metropolitan Academy’s Macmillan cake morning, raised over £60 with donations still flooding in. A particular thank you to Terry head chef of their Aspens catering team for donating four trays of cakes. And, to the following staff who donated cakes – Helen Harman, the admin team, Bethan Jones and the Humanities team. Thank you also to Jennie Britton for making it happen!

Natasha Martin, Associate Assistant Principal said, “Macmillan give comfort to patients and families when they need it most. The work they do is amazing. We thank everyone that attended for their kind donations.

Wallscourt Farm Academy also staged a Coffee Morning. The venue was beautifully set up by two members of their team, Celia Monte and Dominque Palmer. Staff from across the academy contributed towards the cakes and treats on offer. So far they have raised £96 but they are continuing to raise funds by leaving the donation box out for people to donate.

Hannah McDonnell, Vice Principal, SENCo and Designated Safeguarding Lead said,

“In recent years Macmillan have supported one of our much loved members of the team so we wanted to give a little back for the huge support and care they gave during such a difficult time.”

At John Cabot Academy they held their coffee morning on Wednesday 28th as part of their termly “Cake Wednesday” scheme to raise money for different charities! Payment is made using an honour system, where staff drop their bakes off in the staff room in the morning and they put out a donations pot which gets emptied periodically throughout the day.

Connie Dunnill, Y8 Student Support Lead said, “We managed to raise £95.02 for Macmillan which we were really pleased with, especially given the honour systems in place and nothing being specifically priced. Lots of our staff got involved and baked and we’re looking forward to next terms Cake Wednesday!”

26
Aug

Academies celebrate exceptional GCSE results in 2022

On Thursday, August 25, hundreds of Cabot Learning Federation Year 11 students at schools across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, celebrated exceptional 2022 GCSE results.

Steve Taylor, CEO of Cabot Learning Federation, said: “There is a strong mood of celebration across the Cabot Learning Federation. After two and a half years of disrupted external examinations and high uncertainty, under the stewardship of our dedicated team, our students have shown remarkable resilience and are being rewarded with some very positive results. They have secured excellent destinations and I sincerely hope they can now move on into the next stage of their learning journey, confident in the knowledge that there will be few barriers they won’t be able to overcome in their bight futures. Well done to all.”

Here are our 2022 GCSE results from across Cabot Learning Federation:

Broadoak Academy

At Broadoak Academy we are delighted to announce that students have achieved very strong exam results as our improvement journey continues. 61% percent of our students achieved grades 9-4 in English and Maths, and 40% of our students achieved grades 9-5 in English and Maths, a significant increase from 2019.

This is down to the hard work, dedication, and resilience of our wonderful students, as well as the unwavering support of our parents/carers, and the formidable work of our staff in doing everything they can to support our students to these outcomes. A huge thank you to everyone – our hard work, our togetherness and community spirit are bearing fruit!

Danny McGilloway, Principal of Broadoak Academy, said: “I could not be prouder of the way in which our students have conducted themselves throughout the whole examination season. Our results today are the end product of two years of challenging times, but five years of hard work and dedication. Our young people truly are amazing, and I take my hat off to them, to their families for their ongoing support, and to our staff for their endless endeavours to support our young people to achieve the best they can, setting them up for the next stage of their journeys. This truly is a wonderful community to be part of and today we can share and celebrate success across our community.”

We are proud of all our students; however, these particular students deserve a special mention due to their exceptional outcomes:

Joe Browse – 9,9,9,9,8,8,8,8,8,8

Kara Coulthard – 9,9,9,8,8,7,7,5,P2

Tom Crundwell – 9,9,9,9,9,8,8,8,7

Harry Mamman – 9,9,8,8,7,7,7,6,6,M2

Hans Price Academy

Tony Searle, Principal at Hans Price Academy, said: “The students and staff at Hans Price Academy have worked phenomenally hard during the past two years.

“As a result, we are celebrating another great set of results this year. We are thrilled that 55% of students achieved at least one top grade (9-7, Distinction* – Distinction).

“This cohort of students have always engaged fully with their learning during lockdown and taken advantage of the additional sessions on offer at the Academy, before school, during holidays and in the lead up to the exams.

“Whilst battling to ensure they achieved their potential, they managed to remain fantastic role-models for the rest of our academy community, setting a very high standard of behaviour, effort and engagement in all aspects of academy life.

“I am extremely grateful to all staff at the academy, who have been tenacious in supporting students to achieve their best and have access to fantastic pastoral care alongside a wealth of extra-curricular opportunities.”

City Academy Bristol

City Academy Bristol are pleased to announce that we have achieved excellent GCSE results as our improvement journey continues. Students and staff have worked extremely hard throughout the pandemic and as we have returned to schools to achieve a set of results that we are all proud of.

Ben Tucker, Principal, said: “I am incredibly excited by this set of results and what it means for our students, their families and our community. It has been a pleasure to see the students open their results knowing that they have achieved what they need for the next steps in their lives. I would like to thank all the students, staff and their families for their commitment and determination and congratulate them for their excellent results.”

59% of students achieved a 9-4 in English and Maths, an increase from 47.2% in 2019. 36% achieved 9-5 compared to 20.4% in 2019.

Hanham Woods Academy

Hanham Woods has been on an improving journey since 2017 as the Academy continually strives to provide a world class education for the students and the community it serves. Today the

Academy is celebrating excellent exam results, with 65% of students achieving 9-4 in English and Maths (an increase of 19% from 2019) and 47% of students achieving 9-5 in English and Maths (an increase of 17% from 2019). Students have also enjoyed success across a broad range of subjects such as Computing, History, PE, Drama and Sociology.

Steve O’Callaghan, Principal, said: “I’m absolutely delighted for the students and their families who have worked incredibly hard in order to achieve these results. The Academy is celebrating excellent results and this is a testament to the ambition, hard work and kindness of Academy staff, councillors and the local community. It’s a privilege to work and serve this community and today we celebrate the resilience and hard work of our remarkable students as they take the next steps in their lives. We wish all our departing students the very best success for the future and hope they continue to Dream BIG, Work Hard and Be Kind.”

We are proud of all our students; however, these students deserve a special mention due to their exceptional outcomes:

Emily Budd: 9,9,9,9,9,9,8,8,7

Eleanor Jardine: 9,9,9,9,9,8,8,8,6

Hayley Sparnon: 9,9,9,9,9,8,8,7,L2D*

Rozalia Pearce: 9,9,9,9,8,8,6,4

Bristol Futures Academy (BFA) at Snowdon Village

It has been an incredibly difficult time for the Snowdon Village students receiving their results today. We all know how much the pandemic has disrupted education but this hasn’t stopped our children showing extreme resilience and perseverance with their learning. Staff have been working hard with the students, families and post-16 providers to ensure every child has a positive destination. We are delighted to announce that 100% of children have got a post-16 placement in September.

Alex Davies, Principal of Snowdon Village, said: “I am incredibly proud of the students who will be collecting their exam results today. Many of the children we work with have been out of education for many months – sometimes years – and seeing the progress they have made both academically and emotionally is truly inspiring. Every child is leaving SV with a qualification and 100% of our children have secured a positive destination at Post-16. The journey our children have been on is incredible and I am proud of each and every one of them. I would also like to pay testament to the hard work of the staff who have supported the children to make such good progress during their short time with us at Snowdon Village. The staff have worked tirelessly during a very difficult period in education and should feel proud of what they have helped the children to achieve.”

Students who have notable academic achievements include Riyan and Corey, who celebrated strong passes in English and maths, Tyreke, Tyronne and Devonte who achieved well in Science, Art and maths respectively, and Hasan who made exceptional progress in English and maths.

Two of our students, David and Nicole, have been offered prestigious apprenticeships at HMRC which will be starting shortly, and every single student from Snowdon Village has secured a strong destination for the next academic year.

As an inclusive provision, working with young people who change school during their Key Stage 4 experience, we are particularly proud of the progress each of them has made in their time at Snowdon Village. There is a great deal to celebrate today.

John Cabot Academy

JCA has achieved outstanding exam results. We aspire for our students to thrive academically, flourish and grow as young people. Despite all the Covid disruption, our students have risen to that challenge with 83% achieving a grade 9-4 in English and Maths (up 14% from 2019) and 61% of students achieving a grade 9-5 (up 18% from 2019).

Kate Willis, Principal, said: “Today is a day to share the excitement and joy of our students here at JCA. We prioritise the wellbeing of students and are proud of the resilience and commitment they have shown in their GCSEs. They have risen to the unique challenge of Covid to their immense credit. However, they could not have done it without support and so today we also celebrate and thank parents and staff for their incredible efforts. We wish our students the very best today and in their next steps.”

Worthy of special mention at JCA are:

Jun Hao Chen who achieved 9 x grade 9
Max Buckingham who achieved 8 x grade 9 and 1 x grade 8 and 2 distinctions
Antoni Byczynski who achieved 6 x grade 9 and 2 x grade 8
Sekandar Wahidi who achieved 6 x grade 9, 1 x grade 8 and a distinction
Ruby May who achieved 5 x grade 9, 3 x grade 8 and a distinction

Bristol Brunel Academy

BBA students have achieved excellent exam results, as the academy continues its journey towards excellence. BBA have 8 years of consistent improvement across our exam outcomes with 67% of students achieving 9-4 in English and Maths (up 10% from 2019) and 48% of students achieving 9-5 in English and Maths (up 15% from 2019). Students have enjoyed considerable success across the exceptionally broad range of subjects offered at BBA in particular History, Technology, Business, Art and English have all performed well.

Principal Jon Jones said: “We would like to congratulate all our students for their examination results. This is a team effort, we know how hard everyone has worked to achieve these results, from our teachers and staff to our parents and carers in support of our fabulous students. We feel so proud of our class of 2022, the first cohort back to complete full exams following the pandemic. This cohort of students exemplify ‘The Brunel Way’ and have shown how, through hard work and dedication, they can achieve exceptional things. We look forward to welcoming many of our students back to our CLF Post 16 provision.”

We are delighted for all our students and would like to highlight a selection to celebrate:

Talha Ahmed – 9,9,9,9,9,9,9,9,8
Amy Frankcom – 9,9,9,9,8,8,8,8,7
Aliyah Hussain – 9,9,9,9,9,7,7,6
Taliyah Twynam – 9,9,8,8,8,8,8,7

A huge well done to everyone, and the best of luck for the future.

Bristol Metropolitan Academy

Bristol Metropolitan Academy students have been rightly celebrating their outstanding achievements this morning. For the first time since Summer 2019 we have seen a “normal” GCSE results day following what has, of course, been an anything but normal 3 years. Year 11 students collecting their GCSE results today have not had an uninterrupted school year since they were in Year 8. They have had to constantly adapt and react to the changing world around them and the challenges created in the wider world as well as in their schooling. Despite all of these challenges the students, supported by their families and teachers, opened their results and started the next phase of their educational journey.

The academy is celebrating excellent exam results, with over 80% of students achieving a pass grade in both English and Maths.

Cameron Shaw, Principal of Bristol Met, described the atmosphere on site this morning as overwhelmingly positive, which is testament to this cohort of student’s attitude throughout the pandemic.

He said: “I am of course delighted with the results of the academy; they are testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment of our students, their families and, of course, the staff in the academy. I wish every one of our outgoing Year 11 the best of luck with the next stage of their education.”

Worthy of special mention at BMA are:

Natasha, 11 GCSE overall with 4 at Grade 9
Scout achieving 7 GCSE Grade 9s out of 10 GCSEs in total
Noah and Isabelle achieving 6 GCSE Grade 9s each

King’s Oak Academy

The staff and academy councillors of King’s Oak congratulate our Year 11 students who today received their GCSE and BTEC results. Their excellent grades are the result of hard work and commitment across the five years of their secondary education. Like all schools, our Year 11 cohort experienced disruption to their learning throughout their GCSE course at King’s Oak; to their credit, and with the support of their parents and carers, friends and the staff at King’s Oak they have taken the challenges that resulted from the pandemic in their stride and showed great tenacity and resilience to ensure that they achieved their full potential in each programme of study. We wish all of our students the best for the future and look forward to hearing of their successes as they move into Post 16 learning.

Katherine Ogden, Principal, said: “This is an important day in our community and we are all very proud of all of our Year 11 students who have much to celebrate and be happy about. Our primary focus now is to work with each family to make sure that their child is securely on a Post 16 course that will help them make their next step in life. We know that both the CLF P16 and our local colleges will be very lucky to work with them next year.”

Worthy of special mention at KOA are:

Megan Bennett and Tatiana Black – Grade 9 English
Cameron McKechnie – Grade 9 Chemistry

Digitech Studio School

Digitech Studio School Bristol is pleased to report a set of excellent achievements by its students in their GCSEs and vocational qualifications this summer. This year 11 cohort have overcome many challenges, successfully navigating the first exam series since 2019 with maturity. All students should be immensely proud of what they have achieved.

The results in the creative and vocational subjects, which underpin the specialist curriculum at Digitech, have been excellent again this year.

Chris Ballard, the school’s interim principal, said: “We want to congratulate all of our year 11 students and are extremely proud of all their work, achievements and outcomes especially after such a difficult and disrupted two years. The students have shown passion, commitment and resilience in their studies throughout their time here at Digitech and it has been great to see lots of smiling faces this morning as students secure the grades that they worked so hard for. Worthy of special mention are Kai Hayton and Oriana Bury; both achieving a particularly impressive array of qualifications. Thank you to all staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure all students are able to progress onto their next steps, and we look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the future.”

19
Aug

Hard work and resilience pays off for students collecting A Level results

Steve Taylor CEO of the Cabot Learning Federation said, “I am delighted to see that so many of our students from across the broad suite of CLF and partner provisions are moving on to exciting and appropriate destinations. Having never sat formal exams before, due to the pandemic, these positive outcomes are testament to the hard work and resilience of this cohort, and the excellent support of their teachers, tutors and support teams.”

CLF Post 16

Kath Cooper, CLF Post 16 Principal said: “We are immensely proud of all the work and achievements of our students. We’ve had some significant successes through really high challenge and lots of barriers that our students have faced. Students and teachers worked very hard to be prepared for exams and as an academy we feel we’ve exceeded expectations. So many of our students are moving on to extremely positive destinations including a range from Oxford, Bristol, Manchester and London Universities along with various degree apprenticeships. This is a very exiting time for their future and we couldn’t be prouder of all they have achieved.”

Some of their standout students are:

Momen Khan, 21, arrived in UK as an unaccompanied minor seeking asylum from Afghanistan with no English. He has secured 1 A level after being with P16 for 4 years and is going on to UWE to study a Business and Events Management degree.

 

Bretanya Williams – Re-sat A Levels at Post16 following a period of health issues and with support from the Bristol University Widening Participation Programme. Has achieved 2 A* and A – Chemistry, Biology and Maths – and is now going to Bristol University to study Chemistry.

 

Brendo Forecchi – Arrived from Brazil as a child with no English. Studied English as a Second Language for a year followed by Photography A level, Digital Media, Spanish and Portuguese A levels – A* , A, A and Distinction and going to Manchester Met Uni to study Filmmaking.

Digitech Studio School

Digitech Studio School Bristol in partnership with Boomsatsuma and Robins Foundations is pleased to report some outstanding achievements.

Chris Ballard, the school’s Interim Principal said: “We are immensely proud of all our students’ achievements. The high-quality work they have produced and the outcomes they have achieved is a testament to both them and the staff who have worked tirelessly throughout a challenging two years. As our students move on to the next part of their journey towards higher education, apprenticeships, or employment we wish them all the best and look forward to hearing about and celebrating their future success. We are delighted that 87% of our students on our media, art, and I.T courses achieved at least a merit, with everyone passing.

“August 18th, 2022, has also been an uplifting results day for out Post 16 partners Boomsatsuma and Robins. Boomsatsuma students have all achieved a qualification, with an impressive 62% awarded a Distinction or higher (Including 70% of acting students achieving a distinction or distinction star and

50% of dance students achieving distinction star). Every Robins Foundation student achieved a qualification, with 33% awarded a distinction or higher. The students’ work ethic and outcomes have opened fantastic future possibilities for them as they moved into industry and higher education.

Mark Curtis, Boomsatsuma director said: ‘We set out with the belief that we could give local people the best possible opportunity to progress in the creative economies in our region. These results speak for themselves. We are beyond delighted for all our young people for what they have achieved and that they are all now moving on, either into creative careers or higher education, some gaining entry to our own Degree courses. Our excellent ongoing relationship with Cabot Learning Federation and Digitech Studio School has been a constant positive in our development’

Polly Wardle, Robins Foundation Head of Education, said: “It has been a fantastic year, getting students back into classrooms, back on the football pitch and just enjoying their studies uninterruptedly with their peers again. Students really have shown their resilience, work ethic and ability to bounce back over the last few years. We are proud of our students’ achievements with many of them far exceeding their target grades. We’ve also had over 3000 hours of student volunteering on our community projects. We wish our departing students the best of luck transitioning onto their chosen apprenticeship, employment opportunity or university place. We look forward to them coming back as part of our alumni network.

Winterstoke Hundred Academy

Winterstoke Hundred Academy is pleased to report some excellent results from its first ever cohort of Sixth Form students. The academy opened in September 2020, and is now over-subscribed in incoming year groups. The flourishing provision is home to the only school-based Post 16 in Weston-super-Mare, and offers a variety of A level and vocational subjects to its students from across the town.

Abi Smerdon gained a B and a C, amongst other results, enabling her to study Psychology at Aberystwyth University, and Issy Timmis, whose Distinction in BTEC Sport, as well as strong grades in other subjects, enable her to study Physical Geography at Cardiff University. Nearly two thirds of students leave with at least one subject at grade B (or equivalent) or better. Year 12 results were also pleasing, with Chloe Bagnall and Peter Oselka achieving A and B grades to set themselves up well for the challenges of Year 13.

Principal Ian Garforth said, “We’re very proud of our sixth form students. Our Year 13s are our first ever exam cohort at WHA, and have shown real grit and resilience in how they’ve adapted to the challenges of COVID, and to have gained the grades they have to enable them to follow the pathways they’ve chosen is a very special moment for them, and for us.”

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CEO: Mr Steve Taylor
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King's Oak Academy
Brook Road, Bristol
BS15 4JT
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Registered Company: Cabot Learning Federation
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