AdAstra Academy Trust Archives - West View Primary School

Children as young as two-years-old at a Hartlepool primary school have demonstrated their flair for art as part of a whole-school exhibition.

Pupils in all year groups at West View Primary School from pre-nursery (age 2) to Year 6 (age 11) showcased their work on the theme of nature.

Each class focused on a specific aspect of nature and studied an individual artist to help inspire their work.

Year 3 pupils studied the artist Georgina O’Keefe and created artwork based on various forms of flowers.

Michelle Crawford, a Year 3 teacher at West View and the school’s Arts Award Advisor, said: “The art exhibition was a fantastic success, with an incredible range of artwork from every year group.

“During the project, children used a variety of materials, including paint, watercolours, pastels and oil pastels.

“The excitement at the exhibition was contagious as children proudly shared their creations with their families, making it a joyful celebration of creativity across the whole school.

“Parents/carers were invited to view and purchase their child’s framed artwork with some of the proceeds being used to support the school. We had a brilliant turnout, and everyone was amazed with the standard of work on display.”

West View Primary School is one of ten primary schools across Hartlepool, Teesside and County Durham under the umbrella of Ad Astra Academy Trust.

Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Ad Astra, commented: “Art is an important part of the curriculum and enables children to be creative in lots of different ways.

“I am very proud of the artwork produced by pupils at West View. All year groups have excelled and the quality of work on display was outstanding.”

The other Ad Astra Academy Trust schools are Barnard Grove, Brougham and West Park in Hartlepool, Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees, Ayresome and Sunnyside in Middlesbrough and Deaf Hill and Kelloe in County Durham.

A Hartlepool primary school has been awarded champion status for the way it teaches young children to read.

West View Primary School in Davison Drive is only the second school in the North-East of England to receive the prestigious accolade from Little Wandle – a Government backed national programme supporting over 5,000 schools.

To receive champion status, schools must meet 16 Standards of Excellence in the teaching of reading and phonics. The award will also result in West View sharing their exemplary practice with other schools.

Headteacher Lauren Furness said: “This is a wonderful achievement for West View, and I am very proud of the work undertaken by everyone at the school to ensure that our early years teaching of reading is of the highest quality.

“Being a champion school will involve sharing the work we are doing in the teaching of reading and phonics with other schools coming to see our Little Wandle programme in action.”

West View Primary School is one of ten primary schools across Teesside, County Durham and Hartlepool under the umbrella of Ad Astra Academy Trust.

Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Ad Astra Academy Trust, added: “This is a significant achievement for West View, and I’d like to thank the staff and everyone else associated with the school for their hard work.

“It’s brilliant that West View is only the second school in the North-East to join a select network of schools across the country in showcasing how they teach young children to read.”

Click on the link below to listen to Deputy Headteacher Katie Tailford talking to Gary Philipson from BBC Radio Tees.

BBC Radio Tees interview

Children from ten primary schools across Teesside and County Durham came together recently (7 June) to demonstrate their sporting talents.

Pupils from Ad Astra Academy Trust schools met up for the day-long sports event at Middlesbrough Sports Village where they competed in a range of events including running, long jump, hurdles and distance throwing.

Pete Wiley and Helen Durnion, School Improvement Leads with Ad Astra, helped co-ordinate the event.

Pete Wiley said: “We organise regular collaborative events for our schools and the sports event was a huge success.

“All of the pupils showed their determination to succeed. They gave their all and competed in a very respectful manner.

“One of our primary schools (Ayresome) hold their annual sports day at Middlesbrough Sports Village so we modelled their programme and it worked really well.

“Performing at such a notable regional sporting venue like Middlesbrough Sports Village can only help inspire our pupils to achieve high in their chosen sports.”

Around 150 youngsters aged between 7 and 11 took part in the event and they all received a medal.

A rosette was also awarded to a child from each school who was judged to best reflect the Ad Astra Academy Trust STARS (Support, Togetherness, Achieve, Respect, Success) values.

The ten schools under the umbrella of Ad Astra Academy Trust are Sunnyside and Ayresome in Middlesbrough, Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees, Barnard Grove, Brougham, West Park and West View in Hartlepool and Deaf Hill and Kelloe in County Durham.

Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Ad Astra Academy Trust, said: “This was a wonderful event, and I would like to thank everyone who contributed to its success.

“As a Trust we encourage our pupils to participate in sport and physical activity as part of our overall approach to promote healthy lifestyles.

“Events like this are also important because they provide an opportunity for our children to meet their counterparts from other schools.”

Ad Astra Academy Trust was formed in 2015 and over the last nine years has grown across the Tees Valley, providing education for over 3,500 pupils and 525 employees in Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool.

A Hartlepool primary school has been recognised by a national body for its commitment to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

West View Primary School in Davison Drive recently received a Silver quality mark following a visit from an organisation called Young Citizens.

In a letter to Headteacher Lauren Furness, verifier Sandra Saint states: “I am delighted to inform you that as a result of the recent verification visit, West View Primary School has been awarded Silver level of the National SMSC (Spiritual, moral, social and cultural) Quality Mark.

“West View Primary School most definitely has SMSC at its core and it is a fundamental aspect of the education that is provided. It is evident that everyone is indeed encouraged and empowered to ‘Dream Big, Aim High and Shine Bright’.

“There is such a welcoming, relaxed, calming atmosphere and physical environment which appears effortless. However, it is created with a great deal of careful consideration alongside a great deal of staff skill and dedication stemming from your commitment to The Curiosity Approach to learning.

“Please pass on my thanks to the pupils who gave me a tour of their school and chatted with me. They are obviously proud to be part of West View School and shared lots of valuable insights.

“I congratulate West View School on the silver standard of SMSC development that is afforded their pupils. However, I also must note that there is a great deal of ‘beyond gold’ level practice taking place.”

Lauren Furness commented: “Clearly, this is a very positive report which highlights the school’s commitment to spiritual, moral, social and cultural values.

“We have a fantastic team ethos here at West View and I would like to thank pupils, staff, parents/carers and everyone else who has played a part in this achievement.”

West View Primary School has xxx pupils on its roll between the ages of 2 and 11 and is one of ten primary schools across Teesside and County Durham under the umbrella of Ad Astra Academy Trust.

Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer for Ad Astra Academy Trust, said: “This is an excellent achievement and well deserved. West View Primary school has a unique approach to teaching and learning and it is really pleasing to see it recognised in this way by a national body.”

To read the full report, click on the link below.

Young Citizens Report

Children from eight primary school across Teesside came together this week (24 January) to demonstrate their creative art talents.

Pupils from Ad Astra Academy Trust schools met up at Sunnyside Academy in Coulby Newham for the day-long event where they made ceramic tiles from clay.

Prior to the event, pupils were tasked with designing their tiles to reflect the principles and values of individual Ad Astra schools.

Helen Craggs, Art Leader at Sunnyside Academy, who helped co-ordinate the event, said: “This is the first time that Ad Astra schools have collaborated on an event like this.

“Sunnyside Academy is the only school within Ad Astra to have its own kiln, so it is an ideal location.

“The event has given children the opportunity to demonstrate their creative talent and all of the ceramic tiles will be displayed at Ad Astra’s Festival of Education later this year.”

The eight schools under the umbrella of Ad Astra are Sunnyside and Ayresome in Middlesbrough, Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees and Barnard Grove, Brougham, West Park and West View in Hartlepool.

Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Ad Astra Academy Trust, added: “Creative arts features strongly in all of our schools and is an important part of the curriculum.

“All of the children have fully embraced the event. The artwork is of an exceptional standard, and I am very proud of all the pupils who participated.”

Issued by Alastair Rae, on behalf of Ad Astra Academy Trust. For further information, call 07581239557.

25 January 2024

A two-year pilot project involving several Teesside primary schools has improved the speech, language and communication skills of nursery pupils (3 and 4-year-olds).

Ad Astra Academy Trust, which oversees eight primary schools in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees, joined forces with SHINE – an education charity that works with schools and other organisations, to help children reach their true potential – to launch the £52,000 initiative in 2021.

Such has been the success of the scheme; Ad Astra Academy Trust bosses are set to continue the programme across its eight primary schools.

Pete Wiley, Ad Astra Academy Trust’s School Improvement Lead, said: “Among our schools, we observed that two-thirds of pupils enter reception with below-typical language and communication skills.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly exacerbated this problem, leading to a surge in referrals to speech and language services, which are already overwhelmed.”

The Trust developed a wide-ranging project, encompassing various strategies designed to enhance children’s communication and language abilities.

These included improving the quality of nursery environments, equipping staff with the necessary skills to foster high-quality interactions with children, and involving parents in the process.

Since the project began, schools across the Trust have witnessed significant improvements in how well children communicate.

For example, at West View Primary School in Hartlepool, 51.1% of children are classed as “ready for reception” this year when it comes to listening and attention – an improvement of 10 percentage points (40.8%) on the previous year.

Regarding speaking, 46.6% are deemed “ready for reception” – an improvement of 8 percentage points (38.6%) compared to last year.

Laura Wears, SHINE Champion at West View Primary School in Hartlepool, commented, “There’s certainly a case to run this project indefinitely. Language-rich environments, with highly skilled staff, are the key to developing young people’s speech, language, and communication skills.

“These skills are fundamental building blocks within a child’s development, and it is imperative to embed this early in a child’s education.”

Meanwhile, at Brougham Primary School there have been several initiatives including:

Training for early years staff, building expertise in delivering high-quality interactions unique to each child.
Development of a communication-friendly environment that promotes conversation and interaction.
Empower and enable parents to develop their own children’s communication and language through parent workshops such as ‘stay and play’, creating handouts for parents to refer to later.

Fiona Nicholson, Deputy Headteacher at Rosebrook Primary School in Stockton-on-Tees, said: “It is so important that our youngest children get off to the best possible start at school and the SHINE project has helped us to focus on the children who need additional support to bring their speech and language skills to the required level.

“It has enabled us to invest in a variety of resources to promote creativity and imagination. Staff have also taken part in training around developing questioning and vocabulary to ensure our school is a ‘word rich’ environment.

“It has been a really positive project with a marked improvement of communication skills amongst 3 and 4-year-olds which is vital to their future learning.”

Pete Wiley added: “The project has been a real success story. Staff knowledge and understanding of how to support communication and language has grown, pupils are generally making better progress and parental involvement has improved.”

Ad Astra Academy Trust was formed in 2015 and over the last seven years has grown across the Tees Valley, providing education for over 3,000 pupils and 500 employees in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees.

The eight primary schools within Ad Astra Academy Trust are Barnard Grove, Brougham, West Park and West View in Hartlepool, Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees and Ayresome and Sunnyside in Middlesbrough.

Pupils and staff from West View and Brougham primary schools in Hartlepool

Issued by Alastair Rae on behalf of Ad Astra Academy Trust. For further information, contact Alastair on 0758 1239557.

A Hartlepool primary school has been granted the prestigious Centre of Excellence status for its commitment to inclusion.

West View Primary School in Hartlepool is one of only 240 schools throughout the UK to receive the Inclusive Quality Mark (IQM) award following a recent visit from assessors.

In her report, IQM Assessor Emily Carr, said: “West View Primary school is a school that is at the heart of the community. The vision of an inclusive school is clear and permeates all conversations and practice.

“Parents talked, during the assessment days, about how this school is ‘a home away from home.’ One parent talked with passion about how the school ‘feels like a family.’ She described how all staff are approachable and how she ‘loves the school.’ This sentiment was echoed in conversations throughout the two assessment days.

“All children at West View are valued and are supported in lessons so that they can all achieve their best. They have an ethos of ‘Keep up, not catch up.’ The Headteacher described how inclusion is ‘integral to everything.’ She believes inclusion underpins all they do.”

Ofsted defines an educationally inclusive school as one in which the teaching and learning; achievements, attitudes and well-being of every young person matter.

There are three award levels, beginning with the IQM Inclusive School Award. Two higher award levels are available to schools that continue to grow and develop their practice in conjunction with other like-minded schools – IQM Centre of Excellence and IQM Flagship School Award.

Emily Carr continued: “It is evident that the Leadership Team of West View always place a high value on pupil, parent, and staff voice. All staff are clear of their responsibilities and understand the vital part they play in promoting the high standards of inclusion in school.

“The evidence presented during the visit to the school, and information contained within the Self Evaluation Report, clearly demonstrates the wide and varied range of inclusive practice in place within the school and the on-going commitment to continuous improvement.

“It is eminently clear that at West View, inclusion is central to the school ethos.”

Lauren Furness, Headteacher of West View Primary School, commented: “Clearly, we are delighted to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence by a national education body like Inclusive Quality Mark.

“The award is testament to the continuing hard work and commitment of everyone involved at West View to ensure that the school does everything it can to provide the best possible opportunities for all of our children and the community we serve. Our huge thanks extend to Natalie Boagey, our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, who worked diligently to lead on this across school.”

West View Primary School, on Davison Drive, is one of eight primary schools under the umbrella of Ad Astra Academy Trust.

Andy Brown OBE, CEO of Ad Astra Academy Trust, said: “These awards are not granted lightly, and I would like to congratulate everyone at West View Primary School on this significant achievement.

“West View is a beacon for inclusion within the Trust and we share good practice across all of our schools.”

There are seven other primary schools within Ad Astra Academy Trust. They are Barnard Grove, Brougham and West Park in Hartlepool, Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees and Ayresome and Sunnyside in Middlesbrough.

Amy Oakden of BBC Radio Tees spoke to Headteacher Lauren Furness to find out more about Centre of Excellence status. Click the link below to listen

BBC Radio Tees – West View – Centre of Excellence