Work has started on a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly new building for a Derby primary school that was destroyed by fire.
St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy is set to be the UK’s greenest primary school as part of a pilot scheme for the Department for Education.
Groundworks on the school’s Broadway site are well underway and the build is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023.
Based around biophilia – the design focuses on connecting those inside the building with nature, with the goal of promoting physical and mental health.
The aim is for the new building to be net zero carbon in operation – which means that the amount of carbon emissions added is no more than the amount taken away.
St Mary’s, which is part of St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, will be a series of single storey pavilions connected by a central canopy.
Each age group – early years, infants and juniors – has a practical shared learning resource space which can be used to support pupils’ academic, social and emotional development.
In addition, there is an entrance building featuring a hall, chapel and communal areas, which are connected to outdoor spaces.
St Mary’s original building, in Broadway, was destroyed by fire in October 2020 and the school has been based at St James House in Mansfield Road, Derby, since April 2021.
Amanda Greaves, Executive Headteacher at St Mary’s, said: “Multiple studies have shown that biophilic designs can significantly improve the physical and mental health of building users, namely pupils, staff and visitors.
“This is hugely exciting for the whole community and complements Pope Francis’ important messages urging world leaders to take ‘radical’ climate action.
“We are excited that the site will improve pupils’ academic, social, emotional and spiritual outcomes, as well giving pupils and staff a sense of place and belonging.
“We would like to thank our parents, carers and staff for all of their support, understanding and patience over the past 18 months. Whilst it has been a challenging time for the whole community, we are stronger as a result.”
Kevin Gritton, Chief Executive of the St Ralph Sherwin Trust, said: “This is fantastic news for the St Mary’s community and we look forward to seeing their wonderful new school, which will benefit hundreds of children in Derby for many years to come.”
Tilbury Douglas, a leading UK building, infrastructure, engineering and fitout company, has been appointed as the main contractor for this project.
Simon Butler, Regional Managing Director at Tilbury Douglas, said: “We are proud to be the main contractor responsible for delivering this innovative pathfinder school for the DfE, as it will enhance pupil experience and influence the next generation of school design.
“We are working collaboratively to ensure the best possible learning environments are afforded for the pupils and teachers, with excellent standards of daylight, air quality, comfort and wellbeing. This is supported by the biophilic approach, focusing on landscaping and connecting building users with outside.”
Three schools in the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust are set to be either rebuilt or substantially refurbished as part of the Government’s School Rebuilding programme.
Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy, in Derby, Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy, in Ilkeston, and St Philip Howard Catholic Voluntary Academy, in Glossop, are on the list of 239 schools that will benefit, the Government has announced.
The Government has said that it will address blocks in need of replacement or major refurbishment, which will be determined during a feasibility stage.
The new projects build on the 161 that have previously been announced, with construction works now nearing completion on the most advanced sites. It means in total, 400 out of 500 schools and sixth forms have now been selected for rebuilds through the 10-year School Rebuilding Programme.
Louisa Morris, Headteacher at St Philip Howard, welcomed the news.
She said: “We are delighted that St Philip Howard has been named on the list of schools that will benefit from the Government’s School Rebuilding programme. This is exciting news for everyone connected with St Philip Howard and as a school at the heart of the local community, it is also fantastic news for Glossop. I am particularly pleased for our pupils, who are at the centre of everything we do and thoroughly deserve this.”
Steve Brogan, Headteacher at Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy, said everyone at the school was delighted.
He said: “We are absolutely thrilled as a school community to have heard that we are part of this project. It is a huge boost for our staff, students and their families, who really deserved this and we are extremely excited by what will come of this. It is also much needed and will really lift our school, at a time when we are doing all we can to give our students a great experience of education at Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy.”
Hazel Boyce, Headteacher at Saint Benedict, said the news was a great boost for the school community.
She said: “We are delighted for everyone connected with the school after many years of campaigning and we are particularly pleased for our pupils, who deserve surroundings that match the excellent education and pastoral care that they receive at Saint Benedict.”
Kevin Gritton, Chief Executive of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, said this was fantastic news for all three schools.
He said: “This really is amazing news, even more so as only 239 schools have been announced nationally for the project. This will be a massive boost for all three schools that have been selected and for their communities. We are delighted for them.”
St Joseph’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby continues to be a ‘Good’ school, which is a happy, safe place where staff and pupils treat each other with respect.
That was the verdict of Ofsted following a two-day ungraded inspection at the school in Mill Hill Lane, the first since the COVID pandemic.
Lead Inspector Kirsty Norbury noted that pupils worked hard, were kind to each other and were proud ambassadors of the school’s values.
Pupils told the inspector that the school was ‘like a whole entire family under one roof’.
“All staff have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils are supported well to meet these expectations. They are keen to do their best,” the inspector’s report said.
The wide range of opportunities that the school offers were noted in the report, including Irish dancing, Gaelic football and residential trips.
School leaders were praised for a well structured curriculum that reflects the diverse population of the school community with reading described as “fundamental to the school’s curriculum.”
The inspector said: “Each topic is enriched with books from a variety of interesting authors and genres. Pupils love talking to visiting authors. They are inspired to become readers and writers.”
Children in Reception class learn the routines and behaviours that enable them to be successful in school, according to the report.
“Children develop their language and communicate well with adults and their peers. Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve in the early years. Children are happy and curious learners,” the inspector said.
The comprehensive personal development curriculum was highlighted and the inspector said that governors had a good understanding of the school.
Arrangements for safeguarding are effective and leaders and staff are well trained, the report said.
Tracey Churchill, Headteacher at St Joseph’s, said: “It is wonderful to read the report and to see our school community get the recognition that it deserves. Our families are a pleasure to work with and we are all very proud of our children.”
Kevin Gritton, Chief Executive of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, said: “We are delighted for the St Joseph’s community and it is great to see that all of the hard work being done by senior leaders and staff has been recognised by Ofsted.”
Almost 1,000 members of staff gathered for our Feast Day celebrations, where our CEO Kevin Gritton launched our new Mission, Vision and Virtues.
Our new Mission is: ‘Growing in faith, serving with love, transforming our world; together in Christ’.
Our Vision:
We will:
- Ensure the best possible education for every child.
- Provide Catholic formation which inspires all of us to live a life of service modelled on the Gospels.
- Continue to build sustainable and caring communities in which the most vulnerable can flourish.
- Recognise that every member of our community has a vital role to play.
Our Virtues
Trust, Togetherness, Kindness
We also heard from inspirational keynote speaker Sister Judith Russi and celebrated Mass with Father Simon Gillespie.
St Charles’ Catholic Voluntary Academy has been rated ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted.
The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision at St Charles’, in Hadfield, Glossop, were all judged to be ‘Good’ following a two-day inspection.
Inspectors said that staff did their utmost to ensure that pupils ‘Belong, Believe and Blossom’ at St Charles’.
They said: “This ethos and vision shine through many aspects of school life. Pupils say that they are happy and safe. One pupil said, ‘It is a pleasure to be here. I am proud to be part of this school.’
Praise was given to staff who “have high expectations for pupils’, according to the report, which also said that pupils worked hard and were enthusiastic learners who contributed well to lessons.
“They (pupils) behave well and are polite to each other, staff and to visitors,” inspectors said.
The report noted that staff provided a wide range of popular activities that helped to stretch pupils’ talents and interests.
Inspectors said: “They provide opportunities that pupils may not have experienced within the local community. Visiting a beach, a museum or various places of worship, for example.”
Parents’ “overwhelmingly” positive views of the school were also highlighted. Inspectors said: “One typical comment being ‘I couldn’t be happier with the progress my child has made since they started at the school.”
The curriculum was praised in the report and described as being ‘ambitious and well designed’ with leaders prioritising the teaching of phonics and early reading.
“Children in the early years get a good deal. Staff ensure the planned activities are purposeful and interesting. Children can sustain their attention and concentration on these activities. The well-resourced classroom and outdoor area are busy yet calm. Relationships are warm and positive,” the report said.
Inspectors said that pupils had a good attitude to their learning, along with a good understanding of diversity and equality.
Arrangements for safeguarding were found to be effective and the governing body holds leaders to account for their actions, inspectors said.
Bernadette Quirke, Headteacher at St Charles’, said: “Since our last inspection we have been on a journey of significant improvement, as well as coming out of the Covid pandemic.
“We are delighted with the outcome of the Ofsted inspection which is down to the commitment of our dedicated team at St Charles’, school leaders and the Trust.
“We would like to thank staff and our pupils for all of their hard work and our families and wider school community for their support.”
Kevin Gritton, Trust Chief Executive, said: “We are so proud of the staff, community and children at St Charles’. We are delighted that the hard work that has been done over the years to provide children with the very best Catholic education has been recognised in this report from Ofsted. Well done to everyone involved.”
Schools across the Trust have been invited to take part in a 12 days of kindness challenge in December.
Trust Performing Arts Lead, Anna West, is co-ordinating the initiative and has asked schools to consider sharing simple activities and reflections with pupils and staff. These include being kind to strangers, local communities, families, the environment and learning poetry off by heart, during the first 12 days of December.
An Act of Worship on the theme of kindness has also been shared with schools.
Anna said: “There is so much kindness and love that happens in our school communities all year but especially at Christmas, and this project aims to unite us as a Trust to celebrate this.”
Schools are being encouraged to share their acts of kindness on social media with the #SRSBEKIND.
Schools across our Trust, along with our Central Team, came together to mark Remembrance Day.
Students and staff took part in the two minutes’ silence and schools held services, took part in community activities and created artwork and displays.
Blessed Robert Sutton students in Year 7 laid 100 poppies, made by students, at a local care home.
Hannah Turner, Head of Art, is proud of the students and the contribution they are making to their local community. She said: ‘Our pupils are a credit to themselves, their families, and our school. Their commitment to serving their local community is heart-warming to see.’
Laura O’Leary, Headteacher: ‘We are really proud of the finished installation and delighted by the engagement of our local community. It has been amazing to see so many of our pupils taking part in the project, particularly those pupils who have a personal connection to someone who has served or is serving.’
\At St Anne’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Buxton, children, staff, parents and friends gathered for a service lead by Year 6 classes, which culminated in the playing of The Last Post and The Reveille by two parents. Another parent, who is a serving officer in the RAF, laid a wreath.
Photos from Holy Rosary, St Charles’, Blessed Robert Sutton, St Anne’s, St Edward’s and Saint Benedict.
The effective deployment of Teaching Assistants and SEN networking was the subject of a conference run in conjunction with Esteem Multi Academy Trust.
The event was for all of our Trust schools, with SENDCos and TAs attending the Diocesan Centre in Derby. The morning session centred on practical and research driven strategies to support TAs to be more effective in the class and the afternoon was all about networking. Thank you to everyone who attended, to staff who organised this important conference and to Esteem for their specialist input.
More than 70 women have signed up for our Pause for Menopause programme.
The cohort was launched this academic year and will run until December 2022. Meetings are held every second Thursday of the month and a Teams support group has also been set up, where everyone can post and view anything to do with menopause.
Open menopause drop-in sessions have been held for line managers and staff attending the sessions have been asked if they would like to be menopause ambassadors, with the aim of having one in every school.
Dr Liz Andrew, from Menopause Care, also held a Q&A session with the group.
Children and staff from our family of 25 schools were asked to work on a new Mission and set of Virtues at our first Pupil Parliament meeting of the academic year.
The session was led by our new CEO, Kevin Gritton, and Lead Lay Chaplain, Jamie Agius. We were also delighted to welcome our new Trust Board Chair, Sarah Noon.
When thinking about our Mission and Virtues, children and staff were asked to consider how they wanted people in our Trust to treat each other and what we could do collectively, as an organisation of nearly 8,000 people.
There were some fantastic ideas which are now being displayed at St Katherine’s House in Derby, where the Trust Central Team is based. Mr Gritton will now work with the Trust Board on creating a new Mission and Virtues. This will incorporate ideas from the staff and children at Pupil Parliament, the Central Team and Headteachers.
Thank you to everyone for taking part in such a fantastic day.
