Author: Alex Brocket

We were delighted to welcome Erica Mason of DBE Services to our central office last month, to deliver a truly inspiring and informative Early Years training day.

DBE Services is our school improvement delivery partner, offering a wide range of services, including insightful CPD sessions based on the latest research and thinking on curriculum, teaching and learning.

As well as her advisory role, Erica is the headteacher at Whitefield Infant and Nursery School in Nelson. Her hands-on experience and real-life examples brought the material to life in a way that left our school leaders and early years staff excited to apply their new insights and further develop their EYFS planning and provision.

One Trust Leader commented, “It was so lovely to get the opportunity to listen to Erica speak about her wonderful school and to see examples of her practice in action. She is extremely talented and knowledgeable! A wonderful, informative course.”

The day focused on ‘Embedding Firm Foundations in EYFS’. Beginning with an overview of the latest updates in EYFS, the session then focused on planning for ‘firm foundations’, planning for an effective environment and SEND in EYFS. The day ended with the opportunity for Q&A.

Our attendees rated the training day highly, finding Erica’s session on ‘Finding your Why’ a particularly useful starting point. Erica shared her school’s inspiring ‘Why’ statement, and exactly how that informs curriculum decisions and guides learning environments that encourage a ‘life-long thirst for learning’.

Our school leaders are already making plans to run sessions with staff members to discuss their ‘Why’, considering topics from the point of view of earning their place on the curriculum and providing strong foundational knowledge for later school years.

As well as the strategic and planning guidance, Erica presented lots of immediately applicable approaches and set-ups to enhance the EYFS environment.

One Trust Leader commented, “It was good to hear some of the strategies and initiatives that we have implemented following advice from our school advisor are being encouraged, as well as hearing some of the ways in which they plan for provision with a real passion for curiosity and learning through play in the Early Years, which we what we are aiming for.”

Another attendee added, “The explanations and examples of how to use enhancements in provision were really useful.”

During the focus session on SEND in EYFS, the group discussed the TEACCH approach – built around visual structure, individualised learning and predictability.

A big thank you to DBE Services and Erica for delivering such an engaging day with so many valuable and actionable insights. We look forward to seeing our school leaders and staff implement their new approaches and ideas.

A kind thanks also goes to Penrith’s Tasty Bites, for a brilliant buffet lunch.

The day received excellent feedback from our attendees – collaboration and support shining through as key themes in the responses.

“Great get together – grateful for how hard the central team are working… great to get advice from others.” – Trust Leader

“The trust is a genuine family community, everyone is a call away. This is something we need to celebrate and value.” – Trust Leader 

“We joined the trust as a standalone academy – the difference is enormous. The support makes a huge difference.” – LGB Chair

We are proud to share the results of an Ofsted inspection at Lorton School earlier this year. As an ungraded inspection no specific grades were given either for overall effectiveness or individual areas of provision. Nonetheless, the team at Lorton School were delighted to see that the measures implemented to maintain the ‘Good’ standards achieved in their last inspection, were recognised in this latest report. 

Some highlights include:

• Pupils enjoy attending this small and nurturing school. They are happy.
• The school and the trust have high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils learn a broad and engaging curriculum.
  
• The school sets high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils open doors for visitors and show politeness and good manners around the school.
  
• The school prioritises reading. Many pupils become confident and fluent readers.
  
• The programme to support pupils’ wider development is well considered. Pupils take part in a range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum, including sports clubs and singing events.
• Pupils benefit from a variety of enriching experiences during their time at school. They engage in outdoor activities that deepen their understanding of the natural world.
• Pupils are considerate towards each other and towards staff.

The report also recognised support from both the trust and Lorton School’s local governing body:

• “The trust ensures that staff have the knowledge and expertise they need to deliver the curriculum effectively across a number of subjects.”
• “The trust is supporting the school in developing its approach to accurately and quickly identify pupils with SEND.”
• “Since the previous inspection, the trust, the local governing body and the school have worked together effectively to ensure that the school is developing its educational offer and making improvements. This includes developing the curriculum and strengthening provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).”

The Lorton School leadership team had already recognised, and were actively working on the areas for development that were identified by the Ofsted report, as part of their strong development plan for the upcoming year. This is testament to the focus and dedication of our wonderful school leaders, who demonstrate such commitment to helping children to flourish throughout their time at school.

Executive Head Jo Laker and Head of School Olivia Harrison joined together to share their thoughts: 

“We are delighted with the outcome of the inspection and that the school continues to be recognised as a ‘good’ school, whilst maintaining our unique character. Leaders and staff have worked very hard, particularly over the last two years to ensure our curriculum was ambitious and accessible to all. 

“We have tried to ensure staff have felt fully supported and equipped during this process and we are grateful for the support from DBE School Improvement team, LGB and the Good Shepherd Trust family. 

“Our children continue to impress us every day and we are grateful for the support from parents and the wider community.”

We would like to thank Jo, Olivia and all of the Lorton School staff and supporters for creating such a happy and engaging environment, where children can enjoy life in all its fullness. 

You can find the full report on the Ofsted website. 

We are thrilled to share the fantastic news that our CEO Claire Render, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for her outstanding services to education.

The official citation reads: “Chief Executive Officer, The Good Shepherd Multi Academy Trust, Cumbria. For services to Education.” 

This is a remarkable and richly deserved recognition of Claire’s commitment, leadership, and unwavering dedication to improving educational outcomes and supporting young people across the region. Her work continues to inspire and make a lasting difference in our schools and communities.

Claire took on the role of CEO just over six years ago, bringing with her more than 25 years of experience in education — including serving as Executive Headteacher at the Trust’s Wreay C of E School. Under her leadership, the Trust has seen transformative progress in school improvement, the expansion and strengthening of central hub services, and the growth of future education leaders across our network.

We know many of you will want to join us in congratulating Claire on this incredible achievement.

Peter Ballard, Chair of the Good Shepherd Trust board, said: “This is wonderful news and reflects Claire’s dedication to primary education, young people and local communities over years of service, many of them in Cumbria, and latterly in her role as CEO of the Good Shepherd Trust. I am sure you will join me, and the trust, in thanking Claire for all she has done and rejoicing that her service has been nationally recognised.” 

Plans are already in the works to mark the occasion before the end of the summer term, with more details to follow.

Once again, congratulations to Claire — we know you don’t like the spotlight but we are immensely proud of you!

At the Good Shepherd Trust (GST), informal support networks have become a key factor in ensuring the success and well-being of staff, students, and school communities. By fostering collaboration and connection, the Trust allows school leaders and staff to support one another in practical and meaningful ways, beyond formal structures.

Supporting Each Other Across the Trust

School networks can support each other, particularly around workload. The structure of the Trust allows us to have executive heads that can work across schools, build a network, and share best practices. This means that our heads of schools, headteachers, and school SLT can focus on the education, the children, and the community they are in.

This cross-school collaboration not only alleviates administrative burdens but also fosters a culture where sharing innovative ideas and strategies is the norm.

Encouraging Everyone to Flourish

Donna Hawley, Head of School at Dean School, says:

“We encourage everyone to flourish and be the best version of themselves, whether that’s leaders, staff, pupils, or the wider community.”

At GST, the emphasis is on nurturing talent and growth at every level, ensuring that staff, students, and the wider community are empowered to succeed.

Building Strong, Close-Knit Communities

Sophie Holliday, Teaching Assistant at Ellenborough School, shares how this sense of community extends to the everyday relationships within schools:

“I love the staff community we have here. It’s very close-knit, which reflects the local community. The local community has a very strong element of people supporting each other.”

This reflects GST’s holistic vision, where every school is not just an educational institution but a supportive hub for both staff and the local community.

Key Benefits of the GST Network:

• Collaboration: Schools share best practices, reducing workload and allowing leaders to focus on the core mission of education.
• Support: Trust-wide connections help individuals flourish, whether they are pupils, staff, or community members.
• Community: Close-knit school teams mirror the strength of their local communities, fostering deep, supportive relationships.

Through informal support networks, GST creates a positive, collaborative environment where every school and individual is supported to thrive.