Teaching on the North Yorkshire Coast

On National Thank a Teacher day, we have a guest blog from someone our recruitment work helped recruit to Scalby School in Scarborough

Guest blog from Mrs A Catterall – Associate Senior Leader at Scalby School.

Scarborough on a sunny day, the sea, the castle, the cliffs, the two bays and so much more on offer.

What’s not to love about it? How wonderful it must be to live and work with all this and the North Yorkshire Moors on your doorstep. These were the thoughts that ran through my head each time I watched the 40 or so year 7 and year 8 students having a blast on the beaches during our school residential trips from Manchester.

After a career in banking, I switched to teaching maths and chose to work in ‘secondary modern schools’. I was determined and passionate in my quest to unlock the potential of students, encouraging them to believe that they can succeed and supporting them to be the best that they can be. The time came in my life to consider a move, a big move, and it was the North Yorkshire Coast that held all the appeal….no more pollution, no traffic jams (unless stuck behind donkeys on their way back up from the beach) and the added bonus of more house for your money.

I was eager to find out about schools in the area and so I cast my job searches from Whitby down to Hull and inland as far as York. It was at this point that I discovered that Scarborough and the surrounding area was an Opportunity Area. I had worked within an Opportunity Area before and so was very keen to find out more and was soon in touch with the service through James Annetts, the recruitment consultant funded by the project. He was highly informative about the schools around Scarborough and the potential teaching and leadership opportunities, taking the time to find out about me and my background. After a few conversations and having shared my CV with him, I dared to get excited and hopeful of a post arising.

I was delighted when he contacted me early Spring 2020 to advise of a possible role at Scalby School as an Associate Senior Leader…. a school whose motto is ‘Being the best we can be’. From the second I walked into the building, everything James had told me about the school was right, I knew Scalby was a school whose ethos and values I shared. I am pleased to say I have now spent two great years working at Scalby. The opportunities to develop as a teacher and the advice given to staff to also be the best they can be makes for a very exciting and rewarding career move.

It is lovely to work in such a fabulous school, alongside amazing staff, who are all there to nurture, educate and encourage high aspirations for the young people of Scarborough on their journey to happy and successful lives beyond the school gates. I stand on yard duty on a sunny (and not so sunny) day, observing the sights and sounds of the seagulls swooping in, having the sea, the castle, the cliffs, the two bays and so much more on offer.

I now know it certainly is wonderful to live and work with all this on your doorstep. I am forever thankful for the advice and information received from the Opportunity Area team and for them helping me to follow my own mantra … ‘make it happen and make it count’.

Free School Meals

Families can save around £450 a year with Free School Meals

We’re all feeling the pinch because of the rising cost of living. We want to do all we can to ensure families are accessing all the help and support available to them.

One way families could save money is by taking advantage of free school meals. If parents have a child in Reception, Years 1 or 2, school meals are free for every child.

Children in Year 3 onwards can also benefit from free school meals if their parents are eligible for certain income support and allowances, support under the immigration and Asylum Act, child tax credit, and under certain circumstances – working tax credit or universal credit.

Many families may be unaware that they are able to get free meals. Help us to spread the word too and raise awareness of how people can access this support.

Anyone can check if they’re eligible for free school meals and can apply via: www.northyorks.gov.uk/free-school-meals alternatively families can speak directly to their schools who can also help.

Skills Builder

We work closely with Skills Builder Partnership and they are opening up applications for their flagship education programme in February 2022.

There are a limited number of funded places in 2022 and these will be allocated in 3 rounds. The first deadline in 1st April 2022.

You can register interest on their website at skillsbuilder.org/accelerator and they will send you the Prospectus and all the latest on the funded places.

If you have questions, you can email accelerator@skillsbuilder.org.

Who are Skills Builder?

The Skills Builder Partnership brings together over 800 schools, colleges, employers and organisations around a common approach to building eight essential skills. The approach is underpinned by a rigorous progression framework, which breakdown skills like Teamwork, Listening and Problem Solving into teachable steps. The Accelerator is the flagship programme for schools and colleges, and applications for 22-23 programme places open in February 2022. There are a limited number of funded programme places, and funding is allocated in 3 rounds.

Developed with 200+ leading organisations, the Accelerator includes training and support for the Skills Leader, tools and resources for teaching colleagues, and real impact for students. Skills Builder work with you to develop and implement a complete strategy for teaching essential skills in your institution. In 2021, the Accelerator included 480 leading schools, colleges and alternative settings.

You can find out more and apply online at skillsbuilder.org/accelerator, plus there will be regular information webinars where you can preview resources and ask questions. Programme places and associated funding is limited. The first deadline is Friday 1st April, so apply early for best chance of success. Download your prospectus and apply online at skillsbuilder.org/accelerator.

SAM Learning

With the growing numbers of COVID absences, the additional support to ensure students are fully prepared for GCSEs 2022 couldn’t come at a better time. North Yorkshire Coast Opportunity Area is providing a 50% funding contribution to all schools within our area so that they can take advantage of a SAM Learning subscription. This will provide additional support for:

• Remote teaching and learning.
• Easily finding and filling gaps in learning.
• Cover support.
• GCSE exam preparation.

Get in touch to find out more – this is a limited-time offer

Here is the latest SAM Learning Brochure

Contact:

Stephanie King, Commercial Director

0845 130 4160 (phone)
02070250616 (direct)
07841023855 (mobile)

sking@samlearning.com
Book a meeting with me at: https://sking-samlearning.youcanbook.me

 

 

1st Class @ Number

1^st Class @Number (subsidised – participating schools pay only £400)

This is combined online and face to face training (at a Pickering venue) for a link teacher and a TA in how to implement this highly effective, time limited, intervention which can be delivered to an intervention group of up to 4 pupils.

Each topic can be tailored to meet the pupil’s needs. 1st Class@Number1 is for children who are working at the level of Year 1 curriculum and need support to develop their understanding, communication and reasoning skills within number and calculation, a programme following part of the Edgehill offer. For more information please see: https://everychildcounts.edgehill.ac.uk/mathematics/1stclassnumber/ and here.

Please contact the ECC team at Edge Hill University by phone or by email as soon as possible and by Friday 11th February 2022 01695 657 133 or ecc@edgehill.ac.uk