For any of us dealing directly with families, we will agree with some or all of this analysis. I’ll resist the temptation to share a few cameos from my own recent experience.  But what do we do?  There is little point mourning an imaginary golden age. Instead, we need to really engage families where they are. 

James, in his presentation, asked us to ‘Imagine if our approach to relationships was as rigorous as our approach to curriculum and pedagogy.’  In some ways and in some places it already is. You will see that we have several articles in this edition showcasing how we create a sense of belonging and connection. The work at our Bristol primaries (School of Sanctuary awards) is a great example. My son is an ECT1 at a school in Somerset (apologies to those of you who may already feel that you have heard a lot about Theo recently!) and I hear him talk about the almost daily phone calls that he is making to parents of his tutees with the aim of closing any gap between home and school.  If this is important work for staff, we need to budget the time for it.

As James said, ‘Great schools are necessary but not sufficient…​’  We obviously need rigorous curriculum and really precise teaching, but that won’t be enough to make the difference to the young people that we need to serve the best.  Everything that we do to show our families that we care for their children and want them to succeed really matters, and it matters most for our priority pupils.

Lastly, I know that many of you will have watched Adolescence in Netflix.  It is bleak but brilliant.  A 13-year-old is arrested and charged with murdering a classmate. The series explores Jamie's life, his family's reaction, and the investigation, ultimately focusing on the "why" rather than just the "what".  As educators, it is a reminder of what we need to be to our pupils. 

My friend and colleague Liz Shuttleworth (Head of Geography at Chew Valley School) has been passionately leading the most amazing initiative on youth violence and she writes it up for this edition. She is an icon of hope and an inspiration to me and many others. Lizzie goes the second mile.

What did we learn?

During the session, Doug Lemov and Hannah Solomon reminded us that excellence starts well before pupils arrive. Effective teaching demands deliberate planning - breaking down objectives into manageable steps, anticipating misconceptions, and planning for regular, low-stakes checks for understanding. 

Across our schools, we have seen teachers implementing and embedding four key aspects of effective preparation explored at our conference: 

This work is underpinned by careful use of LSP curriculum resources, aligning planning closely with curriculum intent.  

The spirit of professional growth is becoming increasingly evident. Staff are engaging with Development Drop-Ins (DDIs), seeking feedback, and reflecting thoughtfully on their practice. There is a growing culture of collaboration, with colleagues sharing approaches and refining techniques with the shared goal of improving outcomes for all pupils. 

Where next?

The partnership between LSP and TLAC strategies is helping to embed a culture of clarity, precision, and ambition in every classroom. Our next step is to sustain this momentum - deepening strong pedagogy, developing coaching opportunities and ensuring excellent practice is consistently seen across all schools. 

We look forward to continuing this work with TLAC in the next academic year and seeing the impact for our pupils.  

By Natalie Wilcox, Director of Secondary Education

During Term 4, the Central Education Team took the opportunity to visit the Ted Wragg Trust which is based in Exeter and has schools across the South West. The main purpose was to look at school improvement systems and processes within another local, successful Trust where the demographics reflect LSP in 2025.

We were fortunate enough to visit Whipton Barton Federation (Primary) and St. Luke’s Church of England School (Secondary) which are located in Exeter and have been on significant improvement journeys. Both schools have made highly effective use of strong routines and techniques borne out of Teach Like a Champion principles, alongside many elements which feature in the Pedagogy Framework. However, it wasn’t the techniques that were the most impressive element, it was the consistent implementation of the precise strategies chosen by school leaders. This precision led to highly effective teaching across the schools, with very little variability between new and experienced teachers. By focusing on a small number of elements, leaders were able to introduce, practise and refine effectively which was evident to see across the schools. A strong curriculum, which is broadly aligned, has really benefitted teachers in being able to focus on adaptation rather than creation of lesson materials.

In March, Easton CE Primary was featured on BBC Points West, in a wonderful heart-warming story covering the school applying for Sanctuary Status for refugees.

A School of Sanctuary is a school that has received recognition of its good practice in fostering a culture of welcome, belonging and solidarity for those seeking safety. Once approved, Easton CE Primary School will join LSP schools Blagdon Primary School and St Mary Redcliffe CE Primary School who have both been awarded Schools of Sanctuary. 

The feature looked at all the incredible work the school are doing, as part of becoming a School of Sanctuary, in order to help refugee children feel welcome and supported as they adjust to life in the UK.

The BBC piece was an excellent example of how the school is living their values "Being different. Belonging together".

By Liz Shuttleworth, Head of Geography at Chew Valley School

Youth violence is on the rise across the UK, with Avon and Somerset experiencing a 25.5% increase in knife crime over five years. Bristol alone has seen a 38.7% surge in serious violent incidents, and seven teenagers have lost their lives in the past two years.

The tragic murders of two young people in Bristol deeply affected the Chew Valley School community, highlighting the urgent need for action. Schools play a crucial role in tackling these issues by creating a safe environment and educating both students and parents on how to prevent violence.

We wanted to create a school approach and focus combining whole-school education with targeted interventions.

This started in Term Three; assemblies addressed knife crime through historical case studies, current concerns, and guidance on reducing exposure to violent content online. Students were then encouraged to sign a pledge committing to:

• Never carrying a knife.
• Informing a trusted adult if they know someone who does.
• Choosing non-violent conflict resolution.
• Encouraging friends to uphold these commitments.

At the same time, we ran targeted interventions with Year 8. Workshops were run by BXcellence who delivered sessions on grooming, county lines, and the risks of violence. A similar bespoke workshop is being run for selected students in Year 9 to explore risk factors and legal implications associated with violence, including joint enterprise. In Year 10, students will be part of a whole year group presentation on crime and consequences. SOLVE’s CEO Craig Pinkney will lead a workshop on gun crime, followed by a personal testimony from Fidel Thompson, a gun crime survivor.

A partnership with Bath City Football Club Foundation has meant we can offer a 12-week program, supported by Avon & Somerset Police to help those at risk in Year 8. Workshops will focus on decision-making and consequences, healthy lifestyles, knife crime and drug awareness, racism and domestic violence and awareness of county lines. These sessions incorporate physical activities to build confidence, teamwork, and communication skills.

As a school we have also identified students who have needed individual mentoring support which we are offering through outside organisations to ensure that they maintain their education and achieve success.

It is not only students that we have been providing support and education to. In order to support families, Chew Valley School has organised two sessions for parents/carers. The first session was run by BXcellence who gave an insight into local youth violence and protective strategies for parents. The second was run by the Violence Reduction Unit from Bath who gave information on support services and lived experiences shared by guest speakers.

This violence reduction initiative aligns with Lighthouse’s focus on addressing disadvantage.  Youth violence disproportionately affects economically vulnerable students. However, no young person is immune, making prevention and education vital. We, as teachers, are the driving force behind that education and protection of young people.

By Louise Malik, Chief Financial and Operating Officer

As you will be aware, the education sector continues to face significant financial pressures and uncertainty. Demographic funding differences, pressure on SEND budgets, falling pupil numbers as well as underfunded pay rises and national insurance increases are putting additional pressures on already stretched budgets. Everyone in schools works incredibly hard to ensure the best possible provision in our classrooms.

However, the financial pressures that we are facing mean that we will not be able to continue to do all the things that we currently do, or be able to continue doing them in the same way.  We will, of course, continue to prioritise quality provision for children and young people with our focus on Priority Pupils. As a large Trust we have an enormous pool of skilled, creative and talented colleagues, which puts us in the best possible place to address these challenges and maximise the opportunities presented by innovation and collaboration. Whilst the situation continues to be extremely challenging for us as a large trust, for smaller trusts the next year or so could be catastrophic.

As a Trust we have created some information which explains our current Financial Strategy so that colleagues can understand our approach to addressing the financial pressures that we face. You can click here to view the key messages. 

A big thank you to Bray and Slaughter and Coreus Group for helping pupils at Yatton Infant School to feel involved in what is sure to be a very exciting time for the school. 

Huge congratulations to Teasel Howell (pictured), Year 5 teacher at St Mary Redcliffe Primary, who has graduated with a Masters degree in Psychology.

She is continuing her research as part of our Lighthouse Research Community, where her project is looking at interventions to positively affect children’s mental health and well-being. Great work Teasel!

In March, Golden Valley School were excited to receive visits from two inspiring women in science - an aerospace engineer and a University Chemistry lecturer.

Firstly, the school had a visit from Iryna Tretiak Stanier, an incredible aerospace engineer, who generously shared her time and expertise with Year 1, 3, and 5 students. Iryna conducted an array of exciting experiments that showcased the wonders of aerospace and her engaging demonstrations sparked curiosity and enthusiasm. These activities really inspired the children to explore the world of science and engineering!

Secondly, they were visited by Dr. Rachael Miles, Senior Lecturer in the Chemistry Department at the University of Bristol (school parent) who came to share her expertise with KS2 children. Dr. Miles delivered a fascinating talk on aerosol science and air quality, perfectly linking to the school's recent science poster competition.

The children were absolutely captivated, particularly by her live demonstration of how a filter works to remove aerosol particles which prompted much exciting questioning.

A big thank you to Iryna and Dr. Miles for sharing their passion and expertise!

Shine Holiday Clubs are running in Portishead this May Half Term at Gordano School and Portishead Town FC. Staff working for Lighthouse Schools Partnership will be able to receive a 25% discount on bookings (excluding Half Day and Inset Day bookings), by using the code Staff25.