At the governors’ meeting on Thursday 24 June, the school was presented with an award by Teach First. This was in recognition of the excellent partnership working we have established in developing Teach First trainees and helping them quickly fulfil their potential to become outstanding teachers and leaders.
As you may realise, Teach First recruits top graduates from the country’s very best universities and then places them in schools in challenging urban areas. Teach First trainees learn “on the job” and therefore require carefully structured support from their host school if they are to succeed.
We have been fortunate over recent years not only to have been allocated excellent recruits but also to have had our own staff with the commitment and skill to ensure that the Teach First programme has flourished. In particular, it is worth mentioning the contributions of Mr Lowles and Ms Hardy who lead on the organisation of staff development.
This is what Johnny Clark, Leadership Development Officer at Teach First, had to say about our school:
“Archbishop Lanfranc has a positive learning culture in every classroom. Teachers seem proud to work there. It serves to us at Teach First as a shining beacon of good practice in the way in which it supports and utilises its Teach First teachers, giving them the creative space needed to develop and progress whilst caring about their futures and giving them what they need. It's a school that places the aspirations of its participants at the heart of its work.”
For your interest there follow lists of our current Teach First teachers and those who have moved on. I am sure you will recognise a fine group of teachers who, along with the rest of our staff, have made a significant contribution, to the school’s recent progress.
Current Teach First
| Ms Allchin | Ms Martin |
| Ms Anderson | Mr O’Dowd |
| Ms Barton | Ms Richards |
| Mr Benson | Mr Shakeri |
| Ms Billing | Ms Taunton |
| Ms Golding | Ms Watkinson |
| Ms Harfitt | Ms Yuill |
| Ms Lafhaj |
Former Teach First
| Ms Bacon | Ms Keeley |
| Ms Begley | Ms Marshall |
| Ms Bostock | Ms McCormack |
| Mr Bunning | Mr Moloney |
| Mr Clark | Mr Murray |
| Mr Farndon | Mr Stevenson |
| Mr Gerstrom | Ms Stevenson |
| Mr Hogan | Ms Suri |
| Mr James | Mr Williams |
| Ms Johnson |
For recent news on the expansion of the Teach First programme follow the links:
http://www.education.gov.uk/news/press-notices-new/double-top-teachers
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10506822.stm
To see how our pupils have contributed to the training of new Teach First recruits follow this link:
Johnny Clark sent us this e-mail describing how well our “trainers” performed:
Dear Mr Clark (and Mr Lowles!),
This afternoon 5 wonderful pupils from your school came to speak to group of close to 50 Teach First participants.
Jay, Kelechi, Tamara, Saffron and Sattia all spoke with maturity, confidence and with wisdom beyond their years.
They were hugely inspiring to all of our participants, and gave positive accounts of the learning experiences they receive at Archbishop Lanfranc.
They all articulated their high aspirations and their appreciation for the importance of Education.
I told them they should be very proud of their achievements.
Shiraz was instrumental in organising this, and I’d like to thank you on behalf of Teach First for supporting her in all her work.
Warmest regards,
Johnny
Johnny Clark
Leadership Development Officer
London Region