Wood View Learning Community: News

Latest News

Here you will find links to the published Wood View Newsletters and information about the exciting new Campus.

Break Into Summer Newsletter June 2009

Whitleigh Wise Owls Consultation Paper

The Whitleigh Wise Owls Consultation Paper is available to view or download here.

Ofsted Inspection

Dear Governors,

We will be having Ofsted inspections this week. They will be visiting as follows:

Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd December
Woodlands Special School
Wood View Short Break Service
Whitleigh Primary School

Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd December
Children's Centre

If required, Headteachers and Managers will be in touch with you individually to arrange meetings with the inspectors.

Many thanks

Caroline

Campus pair at 'success' talks on leadership

THE director of an educational campus in Whitleigh has been sharing his expertise with colleagues from across the country.

John Butcher, director of The Wood View Learning Community, spoke at Seizing Success 2010, the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services' annual conference.

Education Secretary Michael Gove also spoke at the conference, which was held for three days in Birmingham.

Mr Butcher was joined by Wood View's business development leader Mike Payn. The duo were among a handful of school leaders invited to speak at one of the biggest education events of the year.

Mr Butcher said: "It was a national conference where Mr Gove gave his first speech to education practitioners. We led some of the workshops relating to the work of the campus and to the way that a business manager works in an innovative role with all partners.

"We are being showcased a lot at the moment because we are doing things differently. We are in a fortunate position to be in situ with a new building — and we are in a strong position."

Mr Butcher said he was also able to listen to speakers from across the world at the conference.

Mr Payn presented a workshop on how Wood View has benefited from its successful National College 'School Business Director Demonstration Project', based on bringing business expertise to the work of the flagship campus. He said he was delighted to have the opportunity to share his experience 'to benefit the wider education system'.

Wood View Learning Campus opened in 2008, the first of the major life–long learning campus developments in Plymouth. It contains Whitleigh Primary, Sir John Hunt Specialist Sports College and Woodlands Special School, as well as Whitleigh Wise Owls Nursery and Whitleigh Children's Centre.

The Herald, June 25^th 2010

Change of Address for Southernway Children's Centre

With effect from Monday 14th June, Southernway Children's Centre will be located on the new Beechwood Primary site. The telephone number remains the same (775849) but their postal address will be Rockfield Avenue, Southway, Plymouth, PL6 6YD.

Children's Centre holds pirate party

A FAMILY club in Plymouth is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a pirate party.

Whitleigh Children's Centre is marking two decades of its Coffee Club with events on Wednesday, May 19.

The centre will be putting up the bunting, and throwing open its doors for an all day drop-in with magicians, a bouncy castle, and arts and crafts.

A pirate theme party will be held from 10am to 11.30am, and 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

The event is open to everyone whose lives have been touched by the networking and support group since 1990.

The Whitleigh Coffee Club meets every Wednesday morning.

The children's centre is located at Wood View Learning Community, Lancaster Gardens, Whitleigh.

Whitleigh Wise Owls given a good Ofsted report

Children at a nursery school in Whitleigh are celebrating after a team of education inspectors gave them a good report.

The overall "good" Ofsted rating for Whitleigh Wise Owls Nursery also highlighted the positive impact created from partnership working between the nursery and other organisations in the area.

Wise Owls, which is on the Wood View Learning Community campus, was given strong ratings in every category of its Ofsted report.

The "unique setting" was praised for how well it integrated three and four-year-olds Whitleigh Wise Owls into the Foundation stage of Whitleigh Primary School, also on the Wood View campus.

Areas highlighted in the Ofsted report included the nursery's "good quality care" and its "excellent links with a wide range of support services" for children with special educational needs or disabilities.

The shared use of resources and expertise on the campus provided the nursery with a "good capacity to improve even further", said the inspectors.

Ian Cording, headteacher of Whitleigh Primary School, said: "The Ofsted report clearly demonstrates that Early Years provision on campus is good.

"The primary school is over-subscribed next year for admissions into the Foundation stage, demonstrating great confidence in the way it's working with parents and children to raise standards."

The Wood View Learning Community contains a federation of schools – Sir John Hunt Community Sports College, Woodlands Community Special School and Whitleigh Community Primary School – as well as Wise Owls and Whitleigh Children's Centre.

The Ofsted report recognised that the setting worked closely in partnership with parents and other organisations to ensure that they "meet the needs of all the children within their care".

Debbie Boughton, manager at Whitleigh Wise Owls Nursery, said: "A child can start their journey of learning in the nursery and now continue on one site until they are 19.

"Equally, parents can access their own learning opportunities through partnerships with adult education and tap into the resource of family workers, debt advice and health professionals through Whitleigh Children's Centre."

John Butcher, director of the Wood View Learning Community, said: "The campus is about raising aspirations of the community, providing enriched opportunities for participation, learning and skills development through a wide range activities for everybody.

"Alongside other emerging community initiatives, the campus is a visual sign that investment in the community is seen as a priority and that Whitleigh does matter to Plymouth."

The Herald, 11/05/2010

Sir John Hunt Schools Sport Partnership has a new website

The Sir John Hunt School Sports Partnership is part of a national initiative involving every school in the country. The aim of the programme is to ensure that every pupil is participating in 2 hours of High Quality PE every week. The programme is also working towards a 5 hour offer, encouraging 2 hours of PE within the curriculum and 3 hours beyond the school day and within the community.

To help us concentrate on delivering the HIGHEST QUALITY PE and School Sports program we have designed our NEW website to manage all the bookings electronically - eliminating the need for booking forms and team sheets.

School Opening Arrangements During the 'Big Freeze'

All Wood View schools are open as normal

In the event of severe frost or snow, any announcements regarding closure will be made on Heart Radio, 97.0 & 96.6. There will also a be list of school closures on their website www.heartplymouth.co.uk

Ex–athlete Kriss opens super–campus

TV STAR and former athlete Kriss Akabusi was the guest speaker at the grand opening of Plymouth's £37 million super-campus.

Mr Akabusi was a guest speaker at the day of celebrations at Wood View Learning Community in Whitleigh.

He said: "I came here and out of nowhere you see this magnificent, glorious building, and it's bringing the community together.

"There are primary school children and secondary school children, disabled children working alongside able-bodied children. It's a fantastic approach."

Council leader Vivien Pengelly unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening. She said: "One of the most important things about this building is that it encourages the community to come and be part of the school.

"It's for mums and dads and grandparents; everyone in the community is enjoying the facilities here."

Wood View is home to Sir John Hunt Sports College, Woodlands Community Special School and Whitleigh Community Primary School, as well as a number of community centres and projects.

As well as separate but connected buildings for each school, the spectacular campus has at its heart the forum, which is shared by all.

The Herald 04/11/2009

Schools Minister Visits Wood View

PLYMOUTH is back on track in its bid to win £80million for five new school projects after a setback in the summer, a Government Minister said yesterday.

Schools Minister Vernon Coaker, who visited three schools in the city, said: "My overall impression is of how well Plymouth is delivering."

The city is competing with rival bids from all over the country for the next tranche of grants in the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme, which will be announced in the late autumn.

In July Plymouth's bid was put on the back-burner after Mr Coaker said that six other authorities were "more ready to deliver".

During his visit to the city yesterday, Mr Coaker said: "Here in Plymouth we are seeing an authority with a strategy, plans for the future and a good record of delivery. We are already seeing an authority looking to improve standards, the way it organises schools, and with a track record that says: if we have more money, we could do more.

"It's no good giving people money unless they can demonstrate how it is going to be used."

At Ernesettle Community School, which has been open a year, Mr Coaker said: "It's remarkably impressive to see the school operating as a catalyst for raising opportunities and enthusiasm in the community."

Mr Coaker went on to see Stoke Damerel Community College and Wood View Learning Community. He said the schools he had visited "certainly put Plymouth in a good position" to be among the six chosen in the autumn.

Devonport MP Alison Seabeck said that with the city's programme of modernisation only part-complete, it was important to get the Minister here to see for himself.

"We wanted him to be in no doubt that Plymouth can deliver. We also wanted him to be in no doubt about the benefits of this investment."

Linda Gilroy, the MP for Sutton, said: "The Minister has seen Plymouth at its best in terms of how everyone is signed up to the importance of education. "I hope this will be the final argument needed to secure the money."

The bid is to "rebuild and refresh" four community colleges: Stoke Damerel, John Kitto, Tamarside and Lipson, and to deliver an IT project at the new Wood View.

Bronwen Lacy, the city's director of children's services, said: "It's inevitable that the economic crisis will put the brakes on public sector spending. I want the Minister to know that when they do give money to Plymouth, we will use it well.

"We have a good track record for delivery. We are not going to waste money on lots of bureaucracy."

Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Schools, said in an interview last weekend that he believed it would be possible to cut £2billion from schools budgets.

In Plymouth yesterday Mr Coaker said: "The financial climate is going to be difficult but we want to protect frontline staff. We are looking to see if these cuts are possible through, for example, improving procurement systems."

And he defended the Government's policy to create school academies.

With two Plymouth schools — Tamarside and John Kitto — poised to take on academy status, Mr Coaker said the best solution was the one that suited the local community.

The city council has opened three new schools this September, and two more are being built.

Fitness Suite Re–Opening

Re-Opening Monday 14/09/09

Our well equipped Fitness Suite will be open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5.30pm to 8.30pm Cost £2 per session. Annual membership £20. New members welcome.

For all enquiries please contact Reception on 01752 200304

Wood View's Acoustic Design (Herald, 13/07/2009)

Wood View Learning Community features the latest 'acoustic' design which is claimed to improve pupils' concentration. Steve Edwards, area sales manager for Saint Gobain Ecophon

Steve Edwards, area sales manager for Saint Gobain Ecophon

The campus has specially designed wall panels and suspended ceilings throughout the complex which absorb sounds, creating a comfortable zone for pupils to learn in, its manufacturers say.

The £37million campus opened last September and is home to Sir John Hunt Community Sports College, Whitleigh Primary School, Woodlands Special School, Whitleigh Centre for Young Parents, Whitleigh Children's Centre and Wise Owls Nursery.

"We have proved through research that good acoustics improves education," said Steve Edwards, area sales manager for Saint Gobain Ecophon, which manufactures the design components.

"What the wall panels and ceilings do is create a feeling of comfort in a room by absorbing levels of sound that bounce off the hard surfaces of the classroom," he said. "This means the teacher doesn't have to raise their voice and, in turn, students will speak at a quieter level which creates a much calmer atmosphere all round," he added.

Steve, who was himself head boy at the school in 1988 before it was knocked down and re-built, spends most of his time with architects, ceiling contractors and main contractors who together assess the specifications of each building.

Wood View has the 'acoustics design' throughout its corridors, classrooms and even in the school hall.

"Nearly all time in school is spent speaking and listening and the difference the ceilings and panels make is incredible," he said.

"It's something of which people are becoming more aware."

"Even driving into the new school feels completely different. If I could go back 20 years and go to this school instead it would be fantastic!" he added.

The company is currently working on installing the acoustics design at a school in Ham Drive.

Activities on trial at school campus (Herald 29/06/09)

ADULTS and children got a chance to try activities such as judo and trampolining during an open evening at an educational campus.

The Wood View Community Learning Centre in Whitleigh invited local residents in for an evening of activities and advice.

Peter Woodward, assistant head at Sir John Hunt's, said the Community Thursday was organised in partnership between the various schools and organisations.

He said: "This was a chance for the local community to come and see what's available here. We had information on evening classes, healthy eating demonstrations, trampolining and judo taster sessions — which the kids and some of the braver adults tried — and a dance display.

"The idea was to give people an idea of the things that they can do here. There were lots of people around and they could just ask questions."

Mr Woodward said that there had been lots of events aimed at people involved with the schools, but this was the first one for the community at large.

He said Year 10 students from the college had carried out a survey during the open evening to see what people wanted from the campus.

"We are still going through the feedback," Mr Woodward said.

"The overwhelming impression was very positive. It was a really good atmosphere."

He added: "We're working very hard to develop it as a community campus, and there are adult evening classes doing all sorts of things."

The open evening took place in the large central hall of the campus.

Community Thursday

Wood View Learning Community will be hosting an event called 'Community Thursday' on Thursday the 25th of June. Come and join us for an evening of activities and information from services for everyone in the community. For more information, see the flyer on the link below.

The Learning Community would like your input to shape the future. For those of you unable to attend, please follow the link below and complete a questionnaire. This will enable us to view you ideas and comments.

Wood View shortlisted for 2 National Building Awards!

Our very own Wood View Learning Community new build project has been nominated and short listed for two significant National Awards.

Both the Public Private Finance Award and the British Council for School Environments Award are major awards and we are proud that our partnership work has resulted in such significant recognition for "Best Education Project" and "Inspiring School Design" respectively.

The two awards will be announced at two separate presentation ceremonies in London in May and June.

We know that they will be special occasions and with luck Plymouth will be able to fly a flag in the national arena.

For more information follow the links to:

Public Private Finance Awards

BCSE Industry Awards

Woodlands Special School on the Move (Plymouth Herald 03/11/2008)

DISABLED children have started moving into their state-of-the-art new school as part of a £37 million city campus. The first residents have transferred from the old Woodlands to the Wood View Learning Community in Whitleigh. Staff and young people have left 40-year- old buildings for bright, spacious rooms packed with the latest equipment to meet their needs. The new site has spacious rooms and overhead hoist systems for easy access to specially-equipped bathrooms with shower trolleys and wide baths.

The walls are fitted with piping to allow oxygen to be pumped into the residential facility for those who need it.

All the corridors and rooms are wide enough to allow wheelchair access and there is an electric track so youngsters can move easily around.

There is also a hydrotherapy pool, equipment for physiotherapy, sensory rooms and a soft play room full of spongy shapes. It is a far cry from the staff having to make do with ordinary domestic equipment to cater for youngsters with severe mobility and speech problems.

The school caters for nearly 70 people and offers care during the day and, for some, round the clock.

The residence is open for 50 weeks of the year, offering the opportunity for children and young people to enjoy short breaks and sleep-overs during term time, holidays and weekends.

This enables families and carers to take a break from care, which is often intensive and round the clock. Because the school is now part of a campus alongside Sir John Hunt Community College and Whitleigh Primary, youngsters will be able to use and enjoy the facilities shared by all the schools.

They include a range of spacious and light art rooms, food technology rooms – with adjustable sinks and hobs enabling youngsters in wheelchairs to share and enjoy learning with others – as well as equipped design and technology rooms. A two-storey library and resource centre is close by, together with a gymnasium, a dance studio, and a performance hall that can be used for assemblies and lectures.

The school's head of care Mary Daykin said: "Moving into our new premises is very exciting for our children, young people and staff. Finally our children and young people will enjoy the fabulous new facilities they deserve.

"This is not just about the physical care, it is a valuable opportunity to integrate socially, spend time with their peers, make new friends and get involved in the wider opportunities that the campus offers."

Parents were impressed to see the facilities for the first time.

Kay O'Shaughnessy, whose 10-year-old daughter Amy uses the centre for respite care, called the new school a 'life-saver'. She said: "It has fantastic facilities, much better than the old school, particular for those who have profound needs."

Elaine Granville, from Mount Gould, was there to drop off her 11-year-old son James, who has cerebral palsy. She said: "It is a lot more spacious and homely. It will be easier for the staff to care for him. He should be happier here."

New hi-tech school has wow factor (Plymouth Herald 04/09/2008)

STAFF at Sir John Hunt Community Sports College claim their new campus has put the 'wow factor' back into education.

About 900 students from the secondary school are still exploring their new home, part of the Wood View Learning Community.

The campus in Whitleigh will eventually be home to 1,500 youngsters, from babies to 16-year-olds. It will house the college, Whitleigh Primary and Woodlands Special School.

Sir John Hunt assistant principal Peter Woodward said: "It is so different from usually starting school, when some children come and say 'oh, it's back to school'. The school really has the 'wow' factor."

Under a pioneering arrangement, schools will share common facilities such as a kitchen and canteen while having their own classrooms and entrances.

Pupils from Whitleigh Primary were on site last term and they were joined on Friday by the first students from Sir John Hunt. The remaining students from the secondary school start today.

The campus combines light and airy spaces with the latest technology, such as 'intelligent' underfloor heating, which responds to the movement of people around the building.

The complex has been built around a courtyard called the forum. Three wings around the courtyard have two storeys of classrooms.

Children from the different schools will file into the shared dining area at different times.

The school's hi-tech facilities have been designed for learning in the 21st century.

The campus has purpose-built design and technology rooms, a two-floor library and resource centre, a gymnasium, a dance studio, and a performance hall that can be used for assemblies, lectures and productions.

Director of campus John Butcher said the design of the building was about sharing facilities and expertise across the school.

He said he had been involved in the new campus since 2002 and it was the first of its type south west of Bristol.

Pupils at the primary school will, for instance, be able to use specialist sports and design and technology equipment they would not have been able to use in the past.

The campus will also save thousands in shared resources, with all the schools using the same IT network for instance.

It's all a far cry from the old 'hotch-potch' of buildings up to 50 years old, which made up the old Sir John Hunt Community College and Whitleigh Primary in particular.

Students can walk down wide, quiet corridors between lessons rather than walk across open areas on the exposed site.

Sir John Hunt Community Sports College principal Wendy Brett said: "Students had to put on their coats and go from one hut to another for their lessons.

"We are all really excited about the school moving into its new premises. The new building will enable our students to access state-of-the-art learning facilities. Sir John Hunt will be able to work in new and exciting ways as part of this collaboration."

Student Josephine Hicks, 15, said the students would respect the new buildings more than the old school.

She added: "It is a lot better than last year. Because it is so nice nobody is going to ruin it with litter. I don't think anyone will be breaking windows or anything like that. It is a bit more confusing at the moment because it so big."

Daniel Smith, 15, said: "It is so modern. It is better than we had last year. There is a lot more room than the old building. It is good having the smaller children here, especially for those who have brothers and sisters in the primary school – they can look out for them."

New Year 7 pupil Alisha Garlick, 11, said: "The first thing I said when I saw the school was that it was so big and that I could see right through the school."

Children moved into the new Whitleigh Primary just before the summer holidays and returned to their new classrooms on Wednesday.

New headteacher Ian Cording said: "The pupils are really enjoying the place. They cannot believe how much space there is and how much light there is."

Woodlands Special School in particular will benefit from hi-tech specialised facilities for its disabled children.

It has facilities for wheelchair users and an electric track so youngsters can move easily along the wide corridors.

The city council's Cabinet member for children's services and young people, Cllr Grant Monahan, said: "We said we wanted to inspire and revitalise the community of Whitleigh and put education at the heart of regeneration."

The campus is being built as a result of a Private Finance Initiative between Plymouth City Council, the Pyramid Consortium and contractors Interserve.

The new Riverside Community School in St Budeaux was also built as part of the PFI scheme.

Adrian Ringrose, Interserve chief executive, said: "It's great to have been able to work with a community such as Whitleigh, where people have a positive attitude and recognise what we are aiming to deliver for them.

"I hope everyone enjoys using the facilities as they become available – first and foremost, of course, all the pupils and parents at the schools and centres that make up the Wood View Learning Community."

Not everything is brand spanking new. The sports hall is remaining, though it is being refurbished inside and out.

It's all change at new campus (Plymouth Herald 05/09/2008)

HUNDREDS of students were today starting school at a new £37 million campus in Plymouth.

The youngsters left a 'hotch potch' of 50-year-old buildings at Sir John Hunt Community Sports College in Whitleigh for new state-of-the- art facilities right next door.

And the Wood View Learning Community will also provide a home for the Woodlands Special School, Whitleigh Centre for Young Parents, Whitleigh Children's Centre and Wise Owls Nursery.

Whitleigh Community Primary moved into the campus before the summer holidays.

Under a pioneering arrangement, the schools will share common facilities such as a kitchen and canteen, while having their own classrooms and entrances.

200 children from Years 7 and Year 11 at Sir John Hunt will be having their first lessons today in rooms designed to be light and spacious, a far cry from some of the crowded and old rooms they have left behind.

The rest of the 730-pupil school will join them on Monday.

The complex has been built around a courtyard called the forum. Three wings around the courtyard have two storeys of classrooms.

The new hi-tech facilities have been designed for learning in the 21st century.

The campus will have purpose-built design and technology rooms, a two-floor library and resource centre, a gymnasium, a dance studio, and a performance hall that can be used for assemblies, lectures and productions.

The wing for Woodlands Community Special School is of hospital-build quality. It has facilities for wheelchair-users, and youngsters can move easily along the wide corridors.

Pupils from Woodlands Special School are expected to move in later in the autumn.

The campus is not expected to be fully finished until late spring next year as extensive work still has to be carried out to landscape the campus.

Once finished there will be around 200 separate rooms across the complex, more than 200 kilometres of wiring, rooms for health visitors and other staff.

The campus is being built through a Private Finance Initiative between Plymouth City Council and Pyramid Consortium, with contractors Interserve.

Director of campus John Butcher said: "It is fantastic to be welcoming Sir John Hunt students and staff into these awesome and inspirational new spaces.

"Their presence will add much to our aspiration of offering all-age schooling in a landmark building."

Rock and Roll up for the last day at Whitleigh Primary

08 05 2008

Were you a Whitleigh boy or girl? Did you go to Whitleigh Primary School when it first opened or perhaps you were there in the 60s or 70s and can remember the drought of '76?

If you were, the school would love to hear from you.

Whitleigh Primary and the Children's Centre are celebrating the end of an era at their current home before they move to a new building and a new dawn of learning at the Wood View Learning Campus.

The school, which is currently in the old junior school building, is appealing for families who have attended the school to take a trip down memory lane and help deck the hallway with photos and cuttings from the school through the decades.

Acting Head teacher Sarah-Jane Tustain said: "The school first opened in the 1950s and was very much part of the estate. "Hundreds of families have grown up on the estate and have sent their children and grandchildren there. We would love people to raid their attics to see if they can find old pictures, perhaps old exercise books and memorabilia."

To celebrate the end of school-life in the current buildings, the entire school is stepping back in time on Thursday 22 May. Children and staff will be dressing in fabulous fifties outfits, dancing to Elvis and Cliff and sampling lessons their grandparents may have had as a way of marking the last day at the school before it moves into its new premises.

The last day plans to be a very special one. There will be a goodbye assembly at 10am featuring guests who have been a part of the school's life. And from 2.30pm until 6pm there will be a summer fair.

Children will be starting the summer term at the new building which will house a Foundation Stage unit, the Children's Centre and four Key Stage 1 class rooms, four lower Key Stage 2 classes and four Key Stage 2 classes. Outside there will be two landscaped playgrounds, a sports field and a multi activity games area.

Wise Owl's Nursery and Centre for Young Parents are not moving but their base has had a revamp.

As part of the Wood View Learning Community the primary school will share state-of-the-art campus facilities library, dining, specialist hall space, music, art and drama rooms and will be working even more closely with other campus Partners: Woodlands Special School, Sir John Hunt Community Sports College and the Centre for Young Parents.

Anyone interested in supplying photographs, memorabilia or anything unusual should contact the school on Charlotte Roe on 01752 706383. If people bring in pictures by 19 May, the school will be able to put them on the wall.

Topping Out Ceremony

We have reached a major milestone on our journey towards the completion of Wood View Learning Campus. A Topping Out ceremony is traditionally carried out to celebrate a building reaching its highest point.

Headteachers wearing hard hats joined campus director John Butcher at the top of the site to mark the occasion. To read the full Herald article follow the link below.

The Herald: Wood View Topping Out Ceremony

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Press Release 27/11/07