Our Values & Core Principles

The Loxford School Trust is characterised by its passionate and unrelenting drive to ensure that every one of its students makes extraordinary progress, achieves exceptional standards and realises his or her huge potential within schools where best practice is commonplace.

The Trust is committed to developing the whole person so that young people know what they care about in life and what drives them; know their strengths and aspirations; know how to remain optimistic and bounce back from setbacks; know how to deal with their emotions; know what makes them happy and how to stay that way; know the importance of humour; know how to look after themselves and live healthy fulfilling lives and know how to support others and how they can contribute to making society a better place. The Trust will do this by offering them a first class education within each individual academy, and by offering outstanding enrichment opportunities which will offer them unique experiences and see them stand apart from others.

WHAT ARE OUR NON-NEGOTIABLE EXPECTATIONS?

Total commitment to improving the life chances of pupils – high expectations and a total focus on PUPIL PERFORMANCE.

Commitment to the very highest pupil outcomes for our children, at all key-stages. Headteachers and senior teams that focus on pupils and their outcomes, with everything else as peripheral.

High quality and OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP that is visible, has impact and action, and travels in the same direction.

Leadership sets the tone for any organisation, and our leaders will inspire, be visible, act as role models for other leaders and for pupils, and will be proactive and build high performing, unified teams.

POSITIVE RELATIONS, especially between staff, students and parents. Our immediate stakeholders need to feel that they are part of a supportive learning community.

Relationships set the tone for any organisation. All relations will be positive, we will seek to understand and inspire our pupils, parents and wider community in a way that outstanding organisations can and should do.

High quality staff, especially the STANDARD OF TEACHING delivered, with totally committed teachers.

Highly effective teachers, in the Classroom, through proactive, high quality recruitment and excellent CPD.

Always STRIVE TO IMPROVE and do things better. No complacency.

Our Academies will always strive to be outstanding for the communities they serve, there will be no excuses for under-performance.

If the above points are followed, then we value individuality not conformity and simplicity not complexity.

The Loxford School Trust will serve its schools and make sure the school can do things better than if it was alone.

CORE PRINCIPLES

Raising Standards & School Improvement

Our core purpose is to improve student outcomes and this is central to all we do. We have the highest expectations of student performance and we create a success culture in all our schools.

Our Vision, Values and Non-Negotiable Expectations

The Trust has a clear and compelling vision for the future. All stakeholders must be able to articulate what The Loxford School Trust stands for – its moral purpose, values and objectives. There is a shared understanding of what it means to be part of The Loxford School Trust, including those elements that are non-negotiable.

The Role of the Centre

Our Trust will retain a clearly defined role for the central services team to improve the quality of teaching and learning and our supporting operations. Our central team makes best use of existing expertise in our schools, with a clear strategy for funding and developing the central team to meet future demand.

Growth Strategy

Our Trust has, and will continue to develop and improve upon, a defined strategy for growth. We will build capacity in advance of new schools joining our family of schools and we will prepare for the challenges posed by the different types of joiners – start-up, sponsored and converters – and the impact this will have on our leadership and governance. We will expand into schools where we can make a difference, and we will say ‘no’ when we cannot.

Quality Assurance and Data

Our Trust will continue to use a wide range of qualitative and quantitative data that enables us to examine the performance of individual schools and the Trust as a whole. We will then use this data to inform our judgements about the appropriate strategies for improvement. Strong systems for peer review are, and will continue to be, in place to support this work and collegiate support and challenge will remain at the core of the work that we do to ensure high quality outcomes. We will manage risks effectively and intervene swiftly and with impact where performance levels drop below expected standards.

Financial Strategy and Control

Our Trust has clear systems for ensuring financial probity. We budget effectively and have access to accurate management information. We use economies of scale effectively, achieving best value for top-sliced funds. We are active in pursuing new revenue streams that can benefit our MAT and the schools within our Trust – providing backroom or educational services.

Governance

Our Trust has a clear scheme of delegation that sets out the responsibilities of the various levels of governance (members, trustees, LACs). Directors at all levels are clear about their responsibilities and have access to high quality information and training.

Recruitment and Retention and Staff Development

Our Trust has a workforce strategy in place that seeks to recruit, retain and develop staff at all levels. We look to promote from within, and to deploy staff across the Trust in areas where they are most needed and can best develop professionally and we provide quality professional development and training. We value our staff and support their careers, with succession plans in place and we identify and nurture talent.

Leadership from the CEO and Senior Team

Our Trust is committed to outstanding leadership. Leadership will have impact, it will be visible, and it will ensure we all travel in the same direction. Leaders will ‘see it and sort it’ furnishing solutions, not excuses. Our strong, professional relationships will set the tone for our organisation, making sure that our Trust inspires its students, pupils, staff, parents and community.

Leadership of The Loxford School Trust

Our Trust is committed to the high quality delivery of Teaching School activity. It will be used as the main school improvement vehicle within the Trust and will provide support in key areas of school improvement within our Trust. We will provide outstanding initial teacher training to meet the demands of schools.