Our Context

In the current climate, leaders in education face many challenges to ensure children within our schools benefit from the best teaching and learning opportunities.

Introduction from the CEO

In the current climate, leaders in education face many challenges to ensure children within our schools benefit from the best teaching and learning opportunities.

The lack of SEND sufficiency is a national issue that has led to pupils being allocated places in mainstream schools when historically their needs would have been met in specialist provisions. The high number of pupils with additional needs has put significant strain on the staffing resources needed to meet the needs of pupils with Educational Health Care Plans. There are more pupils in mainstream who struggle to self-regulate, have social, emotional, and mental health needs that are extremely complex; and need specialist support that were previously met by alternative provision. The high demands of a small but significant group of pupils have the potential to reduce the effectiveness of the provision for the majority.

There is an ever-growing list of pressures on schools particularly as funding, in real terms, is declining because of increasing costs. The spiralling costs of staff pay awards, the increased price of fuel, food and repairs and maintenance of school buildings leads to difficult decisions as to how and where to reduce costs. Technology has developed rapidly with IT networks and infrastructure needing to be refreshed and maintained to avoid systems becoming vulnerable.

Leaders are required to creatively ‘do more with less.’ The perfect storm in education is rapidly becoming a tsunami. The solutions are equally complex.

At the Constellation Trust, our central team have sought innovative solutions to tackle issues and support our leaders and schools to successfully navigate these turbulent times. Examples of our support include:

  • Collective purchasing and economies of scale
  • Competitive tendering
  • Shared staffing and expertise
  • Back-office tasks completed by the Trust allowing reduced workload for leaders
  • SEND expertise to support our schools
  • SEND hubs to provide the specialist support for pupils with additional needs
  • Access to alternative provision
  • Specialist hubs to avoid suspensions and permanent exclusion
  • Resolve inefficiencies

In difficult times, difficult decisions are necessary. A strong team with a range of specialists serves to ease the pressure of the challenges. Together we are stronger and are better equipped to ensure the pupils in our schools have the best education, the best opportunities, and the best future.

  • Dr Cathy Taylor – Chief Executive

Tailored functional skills programmes in English and mathematics for recent apprentices.

Ofsted

The Constellation Trust is a highly inclusive group of schools who cater for the needs of all pupils through a strategic approach to effectively maximise our resources.

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High retention of apprentices in employment within the trust after completing the programme.

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Positive workplace impact, with apprentices improving their support for pupils, particularly those with specific needs.

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Incorporates additional training in areas like early reading, phonics, and emotional literacy, extending beyond standard requirements.

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Well-sequenced curriculum aligned with workplace applications.

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Tutors use assessments effectively to identify gaps and plan targeted support for apprentices.

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Rated “Good” across all areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and apprenticeships.

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Apprentices receive guidance on career progression, with many progressing to further roles within the trust or additional training.

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Trust leaders actively engage with school leaders to ensure apprentice support.

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Comprehensive safeguarding training for apprentices and staff.

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Trust leaders are committed to the apprenticeship programme’s success.

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High accountability for programme quality among senior leaders and trustees.

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Effective systems for identifying risks and ensuring compliance with the “Prevent” duty.

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Clear understanding of safeguarding responsibilities, with apprentices equipped to identify pupils at risk.

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Apprentices are highly motivated, keen to learn, and make good progress.

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Enhanced confidence in the workplace, particularly in supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Effective use of expert staff within the trust to deliver high-quality training.

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Ambitious training programme tailored to the needs of trust schools.

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Managers consider staff workloads to maintain manageable caseloads.

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Apprentices receive targeted support, including resources and protected time for training.

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