All Saints Academy Plymouth (ASAP) recently hosted its first-ever chess tournament which was an afternoon of competition and camaraderie for the students involved.

All Year 7 and 8 students at the school have been learning how to play chess this academic year and they have shown a real enthusiasm for the game.  Twenty of the school’s chess players secured entry to the tournament thanks to their hard work and dedication.  They all regularly attend ASAP’s chess sessions, which run every break and lunchtime.

The chess sessions have become a great way for students to build meaningful connections with each other as well as staff members, enhance their critical thinking skills, and enjoy healthy competition.  Every day, they engage in friendly matches, with the added incentive of occasional chocolate rewards.

The tournament saw an impressive 200 games played, with students displaying remarkable focus and sportsmanship.   Josh (Year 9) triumphed as the inaugural All Saints Chess Champion, with Dom, Dan, and Reuben (all in Year 7) taking the runner-up positions.

All finalists were awarded a framed poster commemorating their achievement, with Josh and Dom receiving the prestigious King and Queen badges for reaching the grand final.  Camelia (Year 7) claimed victory in the second league tournament following the group stages.

The tournament was made even more special by the presence of Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust of which ASAP is a member, who had the honor of presenting the prizes to the winners.

The event was organised by Mr Cockbain and Mrs Sarokina.  Both teachers praised the students for their sportsmanship, commenting that all participants demonstrated a true love for the game.  ASAP  is already looking forward to the next tournament, with plans to involve even more players.  

Scott Simpson Horne, Headteacher at All Saints Academy Plymouth said:

“It's a true delight to have so many pupils involved in chess.  At a time when single-player, phone-based entertainment is on the rise, it is more important than ever to provide children with a space to develop interpersonal skills alongside critical thinking.  I could think of no better opportunity to do this than through chess.  I can't wait to see the strength of the competition next time.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“It was an honour to present the prizes at the inaugural All Saints Chess Tournament.  Chess has clearly taken the school by storm and this event is just the beginning of a new tradition for students to showcase their skills and build stronger relationships with their peers.”

  

  

St Luke’s Church of England School and St James School, both part of the Ted Wragg Trust, as well as St Peter's Church of England Aided School, have had a visit from the Saltmine Theatre Trust this term.

Since 1990 the Saltmine Theatre Trust has been dedicated to transforming lives through the power of theatre, offering professional, thought-provoking performances and workshops that leave a lasting impact reaching over 70,000 people a year.

Inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus, their theatre is faith motivated.  A team of five came along from the trust to perform ‘Switch Up’ at St Luke’s, a show addressing the themes of gang violence, county lines,  knife crime and self identity.  After watching the performance, Year 8 and 9 students took part in a thought provoking workshop where they explored the themes raised, and their response to the show.

Joe Greenhalgh, the Ted Wragg TrustLeader for Christian Distinctiveness worked in partnership with St Peter's Church of England Aided School to organise the visits and he would like to thank all the churches and local charities who helped to enable the theatre company to visit the school through their donations. 

Mr Harrison Littler, Headteacher at St Luke’s C of E School said:

“I am grateful to the actors from the Saltmine Theatre Company for coming down to Exeter.  Their performance was hard-hitting and had powerful messages about the dangers of engaging with drug dealing and knife crime. 

“However, it also sought to bring a positive message about how all young people have value and dignity, and encouraged those watching to value themselves and have high aspirations.”

Emily Harper, Headteacher at St James School said:

“It’s great to that schools across Exeter have benefitted from this very impactful session with the Saltmine Theatre Trust.  The social and spiritual development of young people is just as important as their academic journeys and it’s so beneficial that schools are helping students to address the big issues and questions we all face in life.”

      

All Saints Academy Plymouth (ASAP), part of the Ted Wragg Trust, have held the grand opening of their new community hub (28th November.) 

Students, staff members, representatives of external agencies and the local community all came together to officially open the Burrington Community Hub.  The hub has been named to honour the past legacy of the school which was formerly known as Burrington Secondary Modern. It is situated in a separate building of the school site, which has recently been renovated to an exceptionally high standard, kitted out with a gym, dance studio and shower facilities.

Attendees enjoyed some light refreshments and were given the opportunity to explore the new hub,hear about plans for its future and listened to a performance from the All Saints Academy Plymouth Choir. 

All Saints Academy aims to deliver a transformational education and provide experiences that enable the entire community to flourish.  To ensure the space supports the local community, the school has brought together a Steering Committee made up of members of the community, dedicated to guiding and shaping their initiatives.

The school’s Community and Engagement Officer,  Rachel Earley, has already been hosting coffee mornings to gather insights on what the community desires from the hub space. Part of the hub’s offer to the local community will be to provide well-informed advice and support to anyone unsure of where to seek assistance regarding local services and assets.

The hub is already running support sessions for parents of children with special educational needs on Mondays from 9am to 11am, where they can come along and chat with experts and connect with others.  A Christmas Wreath making workshop is also on the calendar for the 3rd of December from 9am to 11am. The hub will continue adding activities in the coming weeks and months.

Scott Simpson Horne, Headteacher at All Saints Academy Plymouth said:

“I was delighted to officially open our new community hub.  We have been working really hard since February to prepare the space and our goal is to create a warm and welcoming space that builds on the strengths of the school and actively collaborates with the community. 

“We believe in the incredible talents and contributions of our community members and are committed to listening deeply and understanding their needs.  This approach will help us provide the best possible support.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“At the Ted Wragg Trust one of our main aims is to help strengthen the communities that we serve.  In opening their doors to the local community, All Saints are creating a powerful centre of opportunity, where the knowledge and resources on offer will help people to connect.  I want to congratulate everyone who had a hand in seeing this vision through to fruition, it’s clear the hub will be of great benefit to individuals and the neighbourhood as a whole. I was so proud to be able to attend last week’s launch event and cannot wait to see the many ways All Saints will use the space to continue to support their local community."  

  

  

  

Staff members from Marine Academy Primary,  part of our Trust, and Tor Bridge Primary School, part of The Inspire Multi Academy Trust (South West), travelled up to London (30th November) for the Pearson National Teaching Awards ceremony.

The Plymouth schools were awarded Silver Awards in the ‘Making a Difference - Primary School of the Year’ category and travelled to the celebration ceremony.

The event was held at the Brewery at the Montcalm Hotel in Shoreditch.  It was hosted by Gaby Roslin and guests included the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson MP, and previous National Schools Commissioner, Sir David Carter

The primary schools shortlisted for the awards were recognised for their exceptional role in transforming the life chances of local children. They demonstrated a profound impact on enriching their communities, showcasing creative and constructive approaches to overcoming challenges. Equally important was evidence of a positive working environment where staff feel valued and enjoy their roles. The schools also needed to be seen as vital assets to their communities, earning the respect and trust of parents and carers alike.

The Pearson National Teaching Awards were founded in 1998 by Lord Puttnam to recognise the life-changing impact schools can have on the lives of young people.

Georgina Reid Headteacher at Marine Academy Primary said:

“I am so proud of all the staff and pupils at Marine Academy Primary.  They are what makes the school the remarkable place that it is and they are the reason we have received this award.  

“Not only do we aim to deliver a world class education, we also make sure that we create an atmosphere of joy in our classrooms, as children who are happy at school will thrive there.”

Aaron Meredith Executive Headteacher and CEO at The Inspire Multi Academy Trust (South West) said:

“At The Inspire Multi Academy Trust (South West) we are incredibly proud to always go above and beyond for our children and communities, so to be recognised as Making a Difference - Primary School of the year Silver Winner is an incredible honour. I would like to thank the amazing staff, children, families and governors who make our school a very special place to learn and thrive.”

    

Pupils and staff from Marine Academy Primary (MAP), part of our Trust have taken part in a sponsored poppy walk to raise funds for the Royal British Legion this month.  

Miss Hansford and Miss Gibson joined some of the school’s Forces Friends children on Saturday 9th November for the walk which raised £210, over double the target amount!  The walk was about 3 km long and included a collective moment of remembrance and the planting of poppy tributes. 

The Royal British Legion is the country’s largest Armed Forces charity, with 180,000 members, 110,000 volunteers and a network of partners and charities; helping them give support wherever and whenever it’s needed.

If you’d like to show your support, please visit: https://royalbritishlegion.enthuse.com/pf/victoria-hansford

Forces Friends Forces Friends club is an emotionally and socially supportive club where both Forces children and their friends are welcome to engage with one another from Early Years to Year 6.  MAP has regular visits from local supporting charities such as Aggies, allowing children to access vital support during times of deployment and managing the complexities of military life.  Children also make special memory boxes when their ones are deployed to help them remain connected during difficult spells. 

MAP has 27 children from Forces families across the school and children in Pre-School eligible for Service Premium are a priority group in the school’s admissions policy

 Georgina Reid Headteacher at Marine Academy Primary said:

“The Royal British Legion is an amazing organisation that supports our veterans and their families, and we wanted to show our appreciation for their service.  Well done to everyone involved in the poppy walk – your kindness and dedication make a difference!”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust said:

“We are really proud of the team and children from Marine Academy Primary who took part in the poppy walk, especially in the city of Plymouth where our armed forces community is so special to us. At the Ted Wragg Trust we believe that helping to strengthen our communities is a key role for our schools and it’s brilliant to see MAP living this value.”

    

    

  

Honiton Community College, Marine Academy Primary, Exwick Heights Primary School, Whipton Barton Federation and Sidmouth College all part of our Trust have been fundraising for Children in Need this week.

 At Marine Academy Primary (MAP), children have also been taking part in the ‘RunPudsey’ challenge, where they raise money by taking part in a variety of physical activities - those who raise £10 receive a shiny ‘RunPudsey’ medal. 

Some members of Keyham Kolts Football Club visited the school to run an amazing football- style boot camp and Miss Vickers led a fun filled Disco Fit session.  The energy and enthusiasm around the school was truly inspiring, and the school raised over £5k for Children in Need.

They also took part in a very special Children in Need ‘Gladiators’ live stream.  The Plymouth pupils got to watch Steel and their other favourite Gladiators take on their own school-game inspired challenges.  Pupils got to cheer along the Gladiators, have a go at some favourite Gladiator poses and vote for their favourite challenges.

During the recent half term, Exwick Heights pupils were invited to take part in sponsored challenges of their choosing with top fundraisers winning a cuddly Pudsey bear.  The school community raised a whopping £1,026, over double its target amount.

Whipton Barton Federation raised £445.03 after raising a bake sale and encouraging pupils to dress up for the day.

At Honiton Community College, they held a non uniform day and encouraged students to come into school wearing something spotty.  Students were also encouraged to come in looking ‘spot-tacular’ at Sidmouth College.

Thanks to donations, Children in Need are currently funding nearly 1,500 charities and children’s projects to the value of £91.5 million. In 2022/2023 they supported well over 400,000 children.

For more information go to Home - BBC's Children in Need.

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“At the Ted Wragg Trust strengthening communities is one of our central missions and we put children at the heart of everything we do.  As such, I am so pleased that our schools have been fundraising for Children in Need. It's important that we work together to support children up and down the country in order to secure a brighter future for everyone.”