14th November 2022 Letter from LEAP Trust CEO & Chair

Dear parent/carer

We informed you earlier in the school term that Eckington School would be transferring to a new, sponsor Trust. We are pleased to notify you that the Department for Education’s Regional Director has decided that Chorus Education Trust will be the sponsor.

This is excellent news. Colleagues from Chorus have been instrumental in leadership improvements during this school year. They have developed good knowledge of the school, its students and its areas for improvement. They have made progress in a number of notable areas, as explained to you in the Ofsted update from Mr Sitch and Mr McGrath at half term.

This decision allows these foundations to be built upon. It means that we can ensure continuity in the coming months as the legal transfer process from LEAP to Chorus is completed.

We will write to you again as the transfer work proceeds.

Best wishes

Kim Bottomley Wayne Barsby

(Chair, LEAP Trust) (Chief Executive, LEAP Trust)

Welcome to Eckington School

At Eckington School, we have high expectations for our students: we aspire to “Achieving Excellence” in all that we do, so not only do we expect students to strive to excel in their academic studies, but also to develop resilience and character, through all of school life: including exposure to wide-ranging extra-curricular activities, school trips, their studies and through their social and friendship groups.

Our Remote Learning Hub provides a effective and safe learning environment for staff and pupils alike.

Students can use their school email address and password to access the hub here.

Parents/Carers can visit our Useful Links page to access the vital information they require (such as SIMS Parent App, Parent Pay) to support their children when learning in school and at home.

Our Remote Education Provision document provides clear expectations and details of Eckington’s Remote Learning provision. Read the document to find how our learning is structured, how to access online resources and how to support your child with remote education.

The document also provides clarity and transparency to students and parents or carers about what to expect from remote education if local restrictions require entire year groups (or bubbles) to remain at home.

Online Parent Open Evenings

This year, all of our Parents’ Consultation Evenings will run through the website SchoolCloud. This is an online appointment booking system that allows parents to choose their own appointment times with teachers. The website can be accessed from any device.

SIMS Parent App

Our SIMS Parent app allows us to provide information to parents in real-time. Whether it’s sharing information on homework, timetables, school reports or conduct, parents can stay on top of their child’s progress throughout their education.

We send automated alerts and notifications directly to parents’ phones, and the SIMS Parent App dashboard gives a clear overview of their child’s school life.

For more information on registering for SIMS Parent App, please contact us.