I have lots of news to share, so thought I’d get my final briefing of 2016 sent out early to give people a chance to read and reflect on the exciting developments for Nexus over the past few weeks.

Firstly, I am really excited to be welcoming Pennine View into our Trust. As I reported in my last briefing, Luci Windle has been supporting the school as Interim Executive Headteacher since November 1st, and this arrangement will now continue until the summer. However, since my last briefing the Department for Education has formally endorsed our application to “sponsor” Pennine View, meaning they will become a Nexus academy in 2017. The school will add great strength and character to our Trust.

All of our schools continue to thrive. Following conversion, we’ve recently started to introduce a new career structure for Teaching Assistants at Abbey, to bring their structures in line with our other schools. This is great news for Abbey and something I’m really proud to support as CEO. Given the good news coming out of Abbey over the past few months, it’s no surprise that others want to visit to learn from what we do well: on 1st December 2016 a team of officers from Lincolnshire County Council came to visit the school. Of course, they loved it!

I had a spectacular visit with Jacky Tattershall to Wales High School on 30th November 2016 to see children from all our schools—as well as children from Newman—take part in sports activities. It was wonderful to see (and the mannequin challenge was soooo impressive). It really excites me that Jill Newbolt is joining the Nexus family in January, as she has done so much for inclusion for or children for so long!

I’ve heard a lot of nativity practice sessions as I’ve walked the corridors of our schools, and I had the great experience of the annual Hilltop Panto yesterday. It was a rendition of Snow White that only Hilltop School could dream up... I just need to find out the name of that mystery blonde dancer...! Kelford children had a smashing time at the Panto themselves yesterday, and there’s the Key Stage 2 Nativity tomorrow which is always a beautiful event. We also have Christmas songs on a loop in the Kelford reception, so you’re brainwashed into the Christmas spirit (whether you want it or not)!

Thank you all for your contributions to a great 2016. We’ve set a really high bar for 2017, but I know we can do a lot more together. Have a very Merry Christmas, one and all, and a truly wonderful New Year.

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