Landau Forte Academy Newsletter

update An update on the Landau Forte Academy, Tamworth

Spring 2010

Welcome A welcome from Stephen Whiteley the Chief Executive of Landau Forte College Trust Welcome to our Spring newsletter. Much has happened since the start of the year, most notably the appointment of Diane Pickering as the Principal for the 11–16 Academy, choosing Willmott Dixon as the contractor to build the new state-of-the-art facilities and working with students at Woodhouse College to design the new logo for the Academy. This newsletter will give more detail on each of these items, as well as sections on the new uniform and our proposals for the Governing Body. I hope that you find it both interesting and informative. We will keep in touch over the coming months, but if there is anything else you would like to know please do not hesitate to get in touch using the contact details included in this newsletter.

With best wishes,

Mr. Stephen Whiteley Chief Executive Officer, Landau Forte Charitable Trust

Your New Academy Logo We are delighted to unveil the new Academy logo.

A design competition was held with students at Woodhouse College throughout the winter.

On 4th February 2010, the Landau Forte Trustees met to review the short-listed designs. After much deliberation, they chose the logo which was created by Luke Mckendrick and Joshua Fincher.

We would like to extend our congratulations to Luke and Joshua as well as to Gracie Lawson and Ellie Lawson whose entries were also highly commended.

As a further ‘well done’ all the Woodhouse students whose entries were shortlisted in the competition visited the Design Studios of ‘Cleverbox’, the design company responsible for turning the student’s entries into the final Academy logo to experience at first-hand how their entries were developed.

Contractor Selection The award winning Contractor, Willmott Dixon has been chosen to design and construct the two new Academy buildings (11–16 and Post–16). The Planning Application was submitted on 15th January 2010 and we hope building will start in the spring 2010.

Fly-throughs of both purpose built, multi-million pound Academy building designs are now available to watch on the Academy website: www.landau-forteacademy.org.uk The new Academy's premises will be split over two sites with 11–16 learning provision located on the Woodhouse site and a new Post 16 Centre built next to Queen Elizabeth's Mercian School. In the Midlands, Willmott Dixon is also constructing the RSA Academy in Tipton, which will open in September 2010. Ian Parry, Deputy County Council Leader, said: “Staffordshire County Council has worked closely with colleagues from Landau Forte Charitable Trust during the selection process with both bidding contractors have put an extraordinary amount of effort in throughout the autumn”.

Community Facilities It is planned that both the Post 16 centre on the QEMS site and the new 11–16 building on the current Woodhouse school site will both be equipped with state-of-the-art gymnasiums which are to be made available for wider community use during the evenings and at weekends. The superb theatres will also be available for community use by amateur dramatic groups.

New Academy Uniforms The Academy will have a brand new uniform for September 2010.

We will make sure that the uniform is cost-effective as well as extremely smart. At our Derby Academy, all of the items can be purchased from the high-street with the exception of the Academy tie.

The uniform for Tamworth will consist of a plain black blazer with an enamel badge, black or grey trousers or skirt, a white shirt and a Landau Forte Academy tie which will be based on the logo and colour scheme designed by students.

Please note that existing pupils at Woodhouse who are currently in years 7 to 10 will receive their new blazer, badge, tie and shirt free of charge.

We are currently liaising with suppliers to examine the samples and we will be conducting a measuring exercise in the summer term.

Please note that students who will be entering the Academy as Year 7 pupils in September 2010 will be required to purchase their new uniform and further details will be issued shortly.

Post 16 students will have to purchase their own uniform which will be formal business dress.

We will write to each parent and carer at the start of the summer term to confirm arrangements for the distribution of the uniform to pupils.

Updates: Student Engagement Day at LFC Derby A number of students from different year groups at schools across Tamworth were invited to a workshop at Landau Forte College, Derby earlier this year to witness at first hand what the Academy is like as well as speak to pupils and the Executive Principal of the Academy.

Introducing the new Principal of the 11–16 Academy We are delighted to announce the appointment of Diane Pickering as the Principal Designate for the 11 – 16 Centre of the new Landau Forte Academy.

Following a national advertising campaign which had attracted considerable interest and a high number of applications Diane was put through her paces in a rigorous selection process. The process concluded with a final interview in London with the Landau Forte Trustees and representatives of the Department for Children Schools and Families, Staffordshire County Council and the Woodhouse Business and Enterprise College Governing Body where she was unanimously identified as the outstanding candidate.

Diane is currently a Deputy Head Teacher at Woodhouse Business and Enterprise College, Tamworth. She joined the school in September 2007 and since that time has played a key role in leading educational improvements at the school.

Throughout the intensive selection process, Diane shone through as the outstanding candidate. We are delighted with her appointment; she is a dynamic character who has a successful record of making a positive difference to young people. She possesses real potential as an Academy leader and demonstrates enormous commitment to her students believing they deserve the best education possible. I am looking forward immensely to working with her in establishing the new Academy in Tamworth.

Diane is excited about this new role.

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the Landau Forte Academy. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as deputy head at Woodhouse BEC and look forward to continuing to work with staff, students, parents and the wider community in Amington. This is an exciting time for all of us involved in education in Tamworth”.

Diane will take up her appointment with the Trust shortly after Easter 2010 preparing for the opening of the Academy in the existing Woodhouse Business and Enterprise College buildings in September 2010. New buildings for the Academy are scheduled for completion in September 2011.

Four workshops were held with the groups of students in conjunction with Staffordshire County Council. These focused on the journey to school, participation, ICT, the specialisms and learning environments at the Academy. A number of interesting recommendations came out of the day and these were fed back to the contractors to include in their final design proposals.

Parent forum group (for Woodhouse School Parents) The second Parent Forum Group Meeting was held on 11th February 2010 and discussions covered areas such as future curriculum, inclusion and special educational needs, new uniform, and the transfer to the new building.

Some of the main questions to come out of this meeting can be found in the FAQ’s section below.

The next parent forum group meeting will be held at Woodhouse School on: Thursday 17th June 2010 7.00pm to 8.00pm If you would like to attend, please send an email to Richard Payton (Project Manager) at: richard.payton@echarris.com Please provide your name, address, email, contact no. and name and year of your child/ward at the school.

Transition Group Meetings Members of Woodhouse staff were consulted at workshops in January to put forward their ideas on the design and facilities to be included in the new Academy buildings.

A number of sessions have been held with staff and Staffordshire County Council to discuss the transition into the Academy, and these will continue over the next couple of months.

Your Questions Answered What will happen to students whilst the new building is being constructed?

Students will study in the existing Woodhouse Business & Enterprise College buildings whilst the new 11–16 building is constructed elsewhere on the same site and the Post –16 Centre is built on part of the Queen Elizabeth Mercian School (QEMS) Site. The Woodhouse building will be refreshed to help us to ensure that we can offer students a pleasant environment and modern curriculum whilst we wait for the new buildings to become ready.

We have previous experience of building and refurbishing school buildings whilst children are learning on the same site.

We are therefore fully confident that the new buildings could be constructed with the minimum of disruption to students and staff.

A Cabinet agreement has been put in place relating to those going from year 12 to year 13 in September 2011 enabling them to stay in their own community 6th Forms to reduce the disruption to A-Level students.

How long are you a Governor for?

Governors hold the role for 3 years and can continue to be on the Governing Body after their child has left the Academy.

Representation on the Academy Governing Body If you are interested in taking an active role in the Academy, we would welcome you to apply to become a Governor.

If you are a parent or carer, or from a local business, and would like to apply to become a Governor, please write a short ‘personal profile’ detailing your skills and experience and how these will benefit the Academy’s Governing Body. If you are applying for a parent governor role, your application will need to be supported by ten other parents/ carers of students at the Academy who can be from any year group.

These ten names need to be listed within your application. Please refer to the guidance and complete the Parent Governor Application form that is available for download from the Landau Forte Academy website: www.landau-forteacademy.org.uk All completed applications should be sent to: Margaret Bell, Deputy Chairman of Governors, Landau Forte College, Fox Street, Derby, DE1 2LF The closing date for applications is Friday 30th April 2010

Academy Fact File: • 960 places in Years 7 – 11 which will be free-of-charge and open to students of all abilities • At age 11 the same admissions policy and local catchment area as currently used at Woodhouse and as approved by Staffordshire County Council – a local school for local families • From 2011 there will be 860 Post 16 places which will be free-of-charge – the Academy will provide mainly Level 3 provision (A Level equivalent), for entry Level 3 courses students will normally need a minimum of 5 A*– C grades or equivalent at GCSE

What are the plans for the 6th Form?

• The curriculum will bring together the worlds of education, business and industry providing extensive high quality opportunities to meet individual needs, aspirations and aptitudes

Students currently in year 11 will stay at their existing schools for years 12 and 13 to ensure continuity. Current year 9 students will be the Academy’s second intake into the Academy Post 16 Centre.

• There will be a strong emphasis on the personal development of young people growing their confidence and self esteem, ensuring their potential is released and their abilities and talents are given the opportunity to flourish including within the fields of sport, the performing and visual arts and enterprise

Will the existing swimming pool stay?

• Opportunities will be provided for the wider community to use the Academy facilities through Adult Education programmes, community organisations, societies and sports clubs

No, the pool will close on the 1st August 2010.

Get in Touch To get in touch, please contact Richard Payton who is the project manager.

You can telephone him on: 0121 503 2700 or email him at: richard.payton@echarris.com Alternatively, you can write to Mr Stephen Whiteley, Executive Principal, Landau Forte College, Fox Street, Derby, DE1 2LF Further information about this academy is on our website: www.landau-forteacademy.org.uk The Landau Forte College Trust is a registered charity.

Our charity number is: 701933