Newcastle East mixed multi Academy Trust supporting local schools and community
Staff at Newcastle East mixed multi Academy Trust have stepped up, working with charities to help support not just their students but their families, wider community and other local schools, during the current crisis.
Of 2500 students across the Trust – approximately 1500 are ‘disadvantaged’, and staff have been working hard to ensure these students are provided for during school closures. The Trust has linked up with volunteers from the Newcastle United Foundation, with 20 volunteers delivering lunches and food parcels, alongside staff from NEAT active who have also volunteered their time to help with deliveries. Food parcels have been donated by companies including Greggs, Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose. This means that as well as supplying Free School Meals to students who are entitled to them, the Trust has been able to support struggling families.
As well as supporting its own students, the large amount of donations has allowed the Trust to help surrounding schools such as Byker Primary, Walker Riverside Academy and Welbeck Academy. Resources have been sent out alongside food parcels with the help from Kids Cabin who donated 300 fun packs which included activities such as modelling clay and tools, maths packs and puzzles.
As well as providing online learning for students the Trust has also offered physical resources such as paper and pens to those who require them with the intention of continuing to provide more after the Easter break. Work which has been set has been focused on reading to help keep children’s brains active. For CEO Debi Bailey ‘getting intelligence is the most important’ so there has been a process of data collection to find those families who do not have access to online learning or school communications, either because they don’t have an email account or internet access, so they can put in place correct provisions in order to try and prevent the attainment gap from widening.
There is a focus on protecting the staff and students mentally, with staff expected to do a daily check on pupils. There is also communication with social care providers and families who may fall under high risk to make sure that they do not feel isolated at this particularly difficult time. Staff are supported through the Trust’s policies with a relaxation on marking expectations in line with advice from the unions.
Frustration is coming from the amount of pressure which has been put on all schools from the Government due to poor communication which has left school leaders not being given any forewarning over decisions which are being made which has made adapting to this situation difficult.
Newcastle East mixed multi Academy Trust is working as part of a wider local community group, which has representatives from a wide range of organisations including the local Police, to coordinate a community response. The Trust has benefitted hugely from engaging with their Local Authority through the Promise Board so that all the schools are working on the same level of understanding. NEAT is a brilliant example of how our schools and Trusts are coming together, alongside businesses, charities and their local communities to support each other in the current crisis.