Our team of St Peter’s Advocates are:

Headteacher – Dr Neil Pyper

Pupil Experience – Mrs Eleanor Sinton and 1 x vacancy (please see below for details on the role and application process)

Community – Mr Ashton Greenwood and 1 x vacancy (please see below for details on the role and application process)

Christian Distinctiveness – Rev Laura Handy and Mrs Shona George-McHugh

Advocate Overview 2022/2023

Last academic year (2022/23), was the first year our School Advocate team has been in action, previously the school had a team of School Improvement Board Members/Governors.  The Advocate team is made up of four roles:  COMMUNITY, PUPIL EXPERIENCE, CHRISTIAN DISTINCTIVENESS and HEADTEACHER ADVOCATE.

During the course of the first year, our Advocates visited the school on a number of occasions to carry out a range of activities including talking to parents/carers, staff and pupils.  The Advocates feedback on their visits to the Leadership Team at St Peter’s and they also attend termly meetings with the Trustees.  This ensures Advocate feedback is purposeful and helps to make the school even better for everyone.

Last academic year, focus areas were:

Autumn term – Staff well-being, curriculum in Year 2 and Year 4, vulnerable pupils, safeguarding, experience of EYFS parents, spirituality.

Spring term – Curriculum – what’s working well, impact on vulnerable pupils, Year 2 and Year 4 PP and SEND pupils, how parents are supported with and kept informed of their child’s learning.

Summer term – Highlights of school experiences, transition to middle school for pupils and parents, CPD opportunities for staff,

From the visits and feedback, areas of strength and areas for development were identified, with outcomes and actions reported to Trustees and objectives set.

Below is a selection of some of the feedback and possible development areas:

Christian Distinctiveness:

• Children able to articulate WOWS, NOWS and OWS confidently.  They were very proud to show examples in the floor books. Talked about how important mistakes are to help them to learn and they are not afraid to make them. Children could all make reference to the Parable of the two houses and how they try to live like the wise man.

• Where does Spirituality lie in the rest of the curriculum? Build confidence to articulate this in all areas of the curriculum.

Pupil Experience:

• Y2 & Y4 - Most of the children had retained much of the “sticky knowledge” expected for their topic and talked about their learning with excitement.
• They all enjoyed the practical aspects of the subject, making a Roman road from layers of biscuits or burning houses down in the Great fire of London.
• “Greater Depth” – Many pupils demonstrate that they have discussed their learning widely and were knowledgeable and had a good understanding of the range of topics they have learned.

• Y2 & Y4 - The children’s perception was that they did not use IT in history, (despite the fact that much of their teaching is done via whiteboards and video clips!) mainly because they weren’t using iPads.

Community:

• Parents feel their child is enthused by their learning - “enthusiastic to do additional learning”, “regularly discusses what she has been learning…will quiz family members!”

• Vary days of “Curriculum in Action” to allow more parents to attend.

Headteacher:

• Ensuring that as well as strong academic achievement, pupils have a rich and varied school experience.
• Development of curriculum and development of subject leaders.

• Technology – is being further integrated to enhance teaching and learning.

If you wish to feedback to one of the Advocates or meet them on their next visit to school, please email the school office on spoffice@riverscofe.co.uk.  The Advocates would really love to talk to as many parents/carers as possible.

Many thanks to our Advocate Team.

If you are aged 18 and over and not a Rivers member of staff, then you can be an advocate.

Our schools are diverse and rich in culture, we aim for our advocates to reflect this.  There is no experience or formal training required to become an advocate and you don’t need in-depth knowledge of education. Induction and safeguarding training will be given.  Volunteers who accept an advocate role will need an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. 

There is a minimum expectation regarding time commitment, but the responsibility of making a difference is extremely rewarding.  Advocates are required to visit the school once a term (3 visits), attend one or two follow-up meetings each term (in person or virtually) and attend an annual governance day (in-person).

Please contact the school office should you have any queries about the role or application process.   

Full details on the governance structure at MAT level can be found at Governance | The Rivers CofE Multi Academy Trust