Dear Colleagues,

This week, it became clear that autumn has given way to winter, as the vibrant tapestry of golden leaves surrendered to bare branches silhouetted against the stark, pale sky. Additionally, some of us experienced an unexpected snowfall!

Despite the drop in temperature, there is plenty of good news to fuel our spirits.

This week, the Department for Education (DfE) released the national data set for the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC)—the check undertaken by children in Year 4 in June. Each child has to answer 25 quick-fire questions. The national average score is 20.6, with 34% of children scoring 25/25. I am delighted to share that the WeST average score for our Year 4 cohort was 21.4, and that 48% of our children scored 25.

This Tuesday, Ivybridge Community College played host to senior leaders from Blackdown, CELT, and WeST for the third in a series of immersion days. These delegates, all current or aspiring leaders in the Quality of Education, explored the theme: ‘How the Ethos and Behaviour contribute to excellent teaching’.

The day was packed with insightful activities, including sessions on 'strong starts,' 'staff deliberate practice,' and observing routines during unstructured times. Delegates also had the opportunity to watch teaching and learning in action through structured learning walks.

A key highlight was the chance for delegates to practice delivering constructive feedback from their observations, with valuable input shared directly with Ivybridge’s Headteacher and Senior Team.

This collaborative day proved formative and enriching, with feedback both gratefully received and already shaping development plans at Ivybridge. The experience not only benefited delegates but also provided the host school with actionable insights, demonstrating the power of professional exchange across trusts.

On Wednesday, Nat Parnell (Deputy CEO) and Amy Pearce (Executive Director of Teaching and Learning) proudly represented WeST at the Schools and Academies Show, held at the NEC in Birmingham. As part of the Confederation of School Trusts’ (CST) programme, they presented WeST’s strategy for trust alignment and its impact on secondary improvement.

Their session focused on translating Trustee strategy into practical levers for school enhancement. Despite the unique setting—presenting in the midst of a bustling exhibition hall to an audience equipped with headphones—the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

This opportunity strengthened WeST’s relationship with CST, a key sector leader in navigating educational uncertainty. Nat and Amy demonstrated the transformative power of trust-led improvement, underscoring WeST’s commitment to delivering a robust model for school success.

These two days from this week's proceedings exemplified the collaborative and innovative spirit that drives continuous improvement across our Trust and beyond.

Finally, an expression of thank you to Esther Gerlach who has served as Chair person of one of our Hub Advisory Boards (HAB’s) – our local tier of governance- since their inception. Esther has been a committed HAB member and given of her time to visit schools, chair meetings, and support our work more widely.  Esther has now chosen to step down due to work commitments. We wish her very success in the future.

Best wishes, 

Rob Haring

CEO