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Our Trust of Schools

Testimonials

Hear direct from our staff about the supportive, inclusive and collaborative culture at the Ted Wragg Trust.  

  • Alex Druce

    Curriculum Leader

  • Richard Claydon

    Head of Year 7

  • Elena Copland

    PFI and SLT Administrator

  • Kasia Ozyakar

    Teacher of Science

  • Donna Short

    Maths Lead Practitioner

  • Willow Sivyer

    Teacher of Religious Education, Isca Academy

  • Alistair Wilson

    Maths Leader

  • Courtney Snell

    Teaching Assistant

  • Jonathan Graham

    Teacher

  • Emily Guppy

    Key Stage Leader

Alex Druce

Curriculum Leader

Alex Druce, Curriculum Leader – Marine Academy Primary

I have had the privilege of teaching at Marine Academy Primary for 6 years, which has enabled me to fulfil a fundamental role in shaping the futures of our young people and supporting them to have ambitious life aspirations. The opportunity to develop and innovate a high-quality curriculum that is providing students across the Trust with the knowledge and skills critical for success has been incredibly rewarding, with children firmly placed at the centre of everything that has been implemented. In addition, the Ted Wragg Trust empowers progressive career development and I believe that the opportunities I have been offered to facilitate my personal growth in recent years have been transformational. It is in my nature to refrain from standing still and the support that I have received from colleagues has continually challenged me to strive for an even higher quality of education for all of our young people

Richard Claydon

Head of Year 7

Following on from a career in Civil Engineering, the chance to train as a Maths teacher felt like an opportunity to work with young people in a meaningful and rewarding manner. I was drawn to work at West Exe by the vision and enthusiasm of the staff and I feel proud to work with such a passionate team that values equality and diversity so highly.

As Head of Year 7 my main responsibility is to ensure a smooth transition for students into the West Exe community. Having taught for three years, I felt privileged to be entrusted with this challenging role whilst being supported by senior leadership to grow professionally. This is an extremely rewarding position, where supporting our most vulnerable students to succeed can improve lives on a daily basis.

Elena Copland

PFI and SLT Administrator

I joined West Exe School in September 2019 as The Business Support Team Apprentice. Within the 18-month course, I gained experience in all aspects of business support (e.g. absence, finance, exams, reception etc) alongside completing a level 3 qualification with Exeter College. This gave me the opportunity to upskill myself in the different roles within business support and evaluate my personal strengths to understand which areas I enjoyed and would potentially like to look further into after the course.

Once the course was completed in March 2021, I applied for a permanent position at West Exe and was successfully appointed as PFI and SLT Administrator. I now support the Headteacher and other Senior Leaders administratively as well as oversee PFI for the school. Additionally, the school encourages professional development and I have taken part in a leadership development program to gain knowledge and skills focussing on being a future leader.

West Exe is a fantastic school and you are supported to progress personally as well as professionally.

The culture and kind environment at West Exe make me proud to be a part of this warm community.

Kasia Ozyakar

Teacher of Science

After completing my degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the US, I worked as a Research Assistant, employing a variety of genetic engineering techniques to model human diseases. Eventually, my research career brought me to Exeter, and while finishing my MRes in Biological Sciences, I enrolled in the PGCE course at the University of Exeter and was fortunate to complete my NQT year in another Ted Wragg school, prior to coming to West Exe as a Teacher of Science.

I believe that it is important for the teaching staff to reflect the community they teach in. There are almost 50 languages spoken by students and staff at West Exe, and I’m overjoyed that I can speak my native Polish language in a variety of contexts during the school day, and even assist students in preparation for their GCSE Polish examinations (when I’m not busy preparing science lessons and outreach activities).

I love that WES encourages using my multicultural experiences to expose students to and highlight the importance of respect and appreciation for people of all nationalities and backgrounds. Teachers are role models for their students, and I’m proud to work at a school like West Exe, with ambitious and driven colleagues that empower their students to be more compassionate members of their community.

Donna Short

Maths Lead Practitioner

After completing a degree in Mathematics and a Masters in Computational Science and Modelling I decided to embark on a career in teaching. I completed my PGCE in 2011 at the University of Exeter and began my career at a school in the South Hams before making the move to Exeter before ultimately ending up at West Exe as the Maths Lead Practitioner.

I love being part of the Ted Wragg community; there are plenty of opportunities to collaborate trust wide across curriculum and coaching networks. Part of the attraction to the Trust for me is that every teacher receives developmental and personalised CPD through incremental coaching aiming to unleash the excellence in all teachers. This is one of my favourite parts of the job as I get to see real change and be part of the journey of improvement with my colleagues.

I love the inclusivity of the Trust. When my wife (who works at another Trust school) and I were starting our journey into parenthood, I was struck by just how supportive the Trust were. West Exe really is a remarkable school to work in and it embodies the trust value of selflessness putting its staff and students first.  

Willow Sivyer

Teacher of Religious Education, Isca Academy

“I am an Early Career Teacher who gained a PGCE from the University of Exeter where I also won the Ted Wragg Award for Outstanding New Teacher, having previously worked in retail management for five years. The Ted Wragg Trust continues to nurture those new to the profession with its insightful Continued Professional Development (CPD) sessions, a clear whole school approach to teaching and knowledgeable Early Career Teacher mentors. The infrastructure at Isca Academy supports teachers to inspire young minds through its facilitation of disruption free classrooms that create opportunities for every child to be successful.

Alistair Wilson

Maths Leader

Having trained at Marine Academy Primary and being supported through my journey to becoming a leader there, I feel the level of help and learning that I have acquired has been second to none. The encouragement you are given by members throughout the trust is exceptional and the advice given to improve as an educator has always shown that the trust is at the forefront of educational research. I am inspired to be a part of this and to deliver our mission of providing an outstanding education that ensures all pupils reach their great potential and live by life’s highest values.

Courtney Snell

Teaching Assistant

I started my Whipton Barton journey as a pupil in 2001 and returned to the school as a member of staff in 2019. The diverse opportunities Whipton Barton Federation have provided have been enriching for me both personally and professionally. I have gained tremendous skills through training, experiences and I have had the opportunity to learn from accomplished colleagues.

I started my career at Whipton working with the youngest children. It granted me the opportunity to witness their starting points and the start of their learning journeys. I am now part of the well-established Reception team and it is a privilege to work alongside accomplished and experienced teachers and TAs. Working with children at Whipton, with their bounds of energy, inquisitive minds and creative ideas will always be something to look forward to.  Hearing Miss Snell “look what I can do” never fails to brighten my day. Whether it be because they can write a sentence, a word or a letter, every learning accomplishment is worth being celebrated and proud of.  Helping children on their journey towards a bright future is why I love my job. 

Jonathan Graham

Teacher

I have had the privilege of teaching at Whipton Barton Federation for many years and have taught at both the Infant and Junior schools. The pupils across the Federation have always been very welcoming and they arrive each day with a hunger and enthusiasm for their learning.  Staff at the school work with dedication, a high level of professionalism and a responsibility to ensure all pupils receive the best possible education in a nurturing and inclusive environment while our progressive and rich curriculum ensures that pupils are equipped for the next stage in their educational journeys.

The Ted Wragg Trust supports the Federation with a network of like-minded schools that collaborate and strive to provide a high quality and future proof education for all, while developing the creativity and professional development of all staff.  The wider school community underpins so much of what we do and it’s been a pleasure to serve this community for so long.

 

Emily Guppy

Key Stage Leader

I joined Whipton Barton Federation in 2018 after teaching in Gloucestershire for five years. From the moment I joined, the warm and friendly atmosphere drew me in and I immediately felt like a member of the team. The school is a really special place that strives for all of the children to embrace education and have a life of choice and opportunity. The children are inquisitive and engage fantastically in our rich and ambitious curriculum.

The school prides itself on being relentlessly positive and you can see that in staff interactions, not only with the children and families but with one another too. The positive collaboration through training, planning and positive partnerships mean that we all truly come together to create a caring and nurturing environment that pursues excellence. 

There are plenty of opportunities for career progression in the school. I have had experience of leading subjects, have become a team leader and now a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The Federation and The Ted Wragg Trust encourage us to be ambitious and create a clear pathway of career development. Being part of The Ted Wragg Trust means that we can gain experience outside of our own settings. We regularly work in partnership with our colleagues throughout the Trust and through this positive collaboration share practice and learn from one another.

If I could describe being a part of Whipton Barton Federation and The Ted Wragg Trust in three words it would be: exciting, growth and inspiring.

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