Interim Headship Update for Parents

Update

6 th April 2022.

Dear Parents/Carers,

We are delighted to be able to inform you that we have made robust arrangements for the Interim Executive Headship position at our Federation of Beckwithshaw, Kettlesing and Ripley Endowed. This will be an arrangement by which Chris Whitehead and Victoria Kirkham will share the role for the summer term. Chris will work for four days a week and Victoria for one and a half days, giving them half a day’s overlap to help communications. The specific roles and responsibilities of each jobshare partner will be made available to you at the beginning of next term. Pen portraits of Victoria and Chris are attached. James Routh will continue to provide Curriculum leadership for one day a week. Our search for a permanent Executive Headteacher continues and we will keep you informed of progress. We continue discussions with NYCC, Leeds Diocese, DfE and the ‘Elevate’ multi academy trust about possible long-term arrangements for our three schools. Headline information about the different academisation processes for each school has been shared at the parents’ meetings during February and March and in the written communication sent last week. The IEB will organise more detailed communications in the summer term. Over the coming weeks, the IEB also must make a decision about the future of Kettlesing school, and we are looking to open a consultation with parents after Easter to seek views and to support our decision making about Kettlesing converting into the Elevate Trust alongside Ripley and Beckwithshaw. The IEB is responsible for all three Federation schools, and it is our aim to ensure that they all continue be happy and safe places for the children and for school leaders and staff to work as a Federation team to develop a strong and effective curriculum which contributes to a high-quality education for the children. We believe that the best way for this to happen is for the schools to continue to work closely together in a supportive, ambitious, and sustainable way. More details about this, and the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting, will be sent to you after Easter. NYCC Dyslexia Quality Mark We regret that a misunderstanding in this complex decision making, and communication process has led to information being released in a way that may have caused some confusion amongst you all. As a Governing Board, we always endeavour to provide information when confirmed and accurate. Unfortunately, some aspects of the leadership arrangements were not confirmed by the end of last week, hence why we are communicating with you now. We can only apologise for the manner in which part of the arrangements were shared: however, we have taken steps to ensure that all future communication will be released in a ‘joined up’ way. We wish you and your families a Happy Easter and we hope that you manage to have a restful and relaxing holiday. Let’s hope that the weather is kind to us!

Kind regards

Members of the IEB Federation of Beckwithshaw, Kettlesing and Ripley Endowed