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Newsletter - Spring Term 2025

Welcome to the Spring Term edition of the Saffron Teaching School Hub newsletter.

Professional development is a key ingredient for the continued success of our schools. In this edition, you can read about the professional and personal benefits of participating in, and facilitating on, our Early Career and NPQ programmes. 

In the News section, Essex Research School has an article outlining new research projects with opportunities for Essex schools and the Saffron Hall Trust has an article detailing exciting music projects in Braintree, Chelmsford and Uttlesford. 

You can also catch up on our annual ITT Mentor Conference, including how Gen Z and Millennial colleagues view the climate and culture of the workplace; essential reading for school leaders.   

COVID’s legacy has profoundly impacted our ‘seldom-heard’ families and pupils. The ‘Oracy’ and ‘Establish, Maintain, Restore’ articles in the Evidence Led Practice section provide valuable reflection for our own practice.   

If you have questions, you can visit the Saffron Teaching School Hub website or contact us – we love to hear from you with your questions and feedback. 

Wishing you a happy Easter and a well-deserved break when it comes.

Doug Brechin, Director, Saffron Teaching School Hub

National Professional Qualifications

LAST CALL FOR NPQs  

Apply NOW for our April 2025 cohort - Closing Date: 21 March 2025 

Recruitment for our April 2025 cohort is under way - there are just a few places remaining on our programmes. The deadline for applications is Friday 21 March.

Fully funded places are available to all schools for the following programmes:

  • NPQ Leading Primary Maths
  • NPQ Headship
  • NPQ SENCO* 

Schools in the Top 50% Pupil Premium list are eligible for scholarship funding for all programmes, including: 

  • NPQ Leading Behaviour & Culture*
  • NPQ Leading Literacy
  • NPQ Senior Leadership
  • NPQ Executive Leadership

Places on all programmes are limited, and eligibility does not guarantee a funded place.

*These programmes are open to teaching and non-teaching staff 

Not eligible for funding? 

Not all schools or courses are eligible for funding, but that doesn’t have to be a barrier to professional development. Our Specialist NPQ programmes start at just £899. If your school or chosen course is not eligible for funding, you can find a summary of costs here: NPQ Programme Costs 

Wondering what an NPQ can do for you?

Check out our latest review and IMPACT case studies.

APPLY HERE: Saffron NPQ Programme Application – April 2025 

Talk to us about your professional development plans – contact Kerrie McGivern kerriemcgivern@saffron.academy or Erica Carver ecarver@saffron.academy.

Take your next step with Saffron. 

Initial Teacher Training

Our annual ITT Mentor Conference on 6 February was warmly received by ITT providers and mentors across the East of England.  

Working collegiately with other Teaching School Hubs in the Eastern Region, we brought together the most up-to-date research alongside practical workshops with expert practitioners, explored climate and culture in the workplace through the eyes of Gen Z and Millennial colleagues and considered practical steps leaders and mentors can take to support their successful journey into teaching. 

Next Steps for Mentors and School Leaders: 

  • Examine the Deloitte 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
  • Watch the Eastern Region ITT Mentor Conference recording
  • Download the conference resources to share with colleagues
  • Read our full article about the conference

To talk about your school's Initial Teacher Training programme, contact our Deputy Director, Kerrie McGivern.

Saffron Appropriate Body

Registration for ECTs starting in April 2025

If you have ECTs starting at your school in April 2025 and you would like to register them with Saffron as their Appropriate Body, find out how to do this at our AB page here.

An ECT cannot start their induction until they are registered with an Appropriate Body.

Important: as well as registering for Appropriate Body services, you must also register your ECT(s) on an Early Career Programme.

AB briefings and training sessions

Saffron Appropriate Body is hosting a number of briefings and training sessions for Induction Tutors. For details of sessions and how to book, see here.

If you have any questions, please contact Paula Downes, our AB Lead, at pauladownes@saffron.academy, or Kerry Walpole, our AB Administrator, at kerrywalpole@saffron.academy.

Appropriate Body and Early Career Programme - what's the difference?

Early Career Programme

We’ve been pleased to welcome new facilitators to the Saffron Early Career team this term.

We pride ourselves on our team of expert facilitators, many of whom are school-based practitioners, who are able to break down concepts and provide genuine examples for our delegates. You can read the feedback from our spring term Early Career Programme conferences here.

To find out more about the benefits of being an Early Career Programme facilitator, read this case study of one of our facilitators, Emily Sprules.

Saffron Facilitators - join the team!

We're currently recruiting facilitators across our Golden Thread of DfE programmes - including the Early Career Programme and National Professional Qualifications.

Our facilitators deliver a hybrid model of in-person and online training to ECTs, mentors, teachers and leaders across our Hub region.

If you're interested in joining our team of facilitators, join us online for an informal information event on 24 March at 15:45. 

For more information about this event, and to register, see the flyer here. 

Spring Term news

07 Mar 2025
Saffron Appropriate Body
Saffron Appropriate Body is responsible for ensuring that all ECTs receive their statutory induction entitlement and quality assuring the induction and assessment provided by schools to ECTs. What does this look like in practice? 
Read more
07 Mar 2025
Saffron Early Career Programme – Spring Term update
March brings to a close the Spring Conference offer for ECTs and their mentors on the Saffron Early Career Programme. This term has had a focus on Modules 3 & 4, which has developed our delegates' knowledge of examples, questioning and assessment. While our ECT2s continue to develop this thr...
Read more
05 Mar 2025
Enhanced confidence, skills, knowledge and outcomes – the lasting impact of an NPQ
Ongoing professional development is the cornerstone of successful schools. A holistic commitment to continuous improvement and professional learning is at the centre of excellent practice - and where that approach is in place, the impact is tangible and measurable.National Professional Qual...
Read more
04 Mar 2025
Saffron Hall Trust – bringing the power of music to schools across Essex
As well as delivering the public programme of concerts, talks and events in Saffron Hall, Saffron Hall Trust (SHT) is an Arts and Education charity operating across Essex. As such, the SHT has worked in schools across the Saffron Teaching School Hub region to support schools in harnessing...
Read more
03 Mar 2025
Explore the EEF's new recruiting projects
Update from Essex Research SchoolOn 24 February, the EEF launched 11 exciting new research projects across early years settings, primary, and secondary schools. Focused mainly on the themes of writing and maths, projects have been selected based on their potential impact on the attainment o...
Read more
01 Mar 2025
ITT Mentor Conference – From Challenges to Growth: Promoting Wellbeing and Resilience in Mentoring Trainees
On 6 February 2025, the Eastern Region Teaching School Hubs delivered our annual Initial Teacher Training Mentor Conference to mentors and ITT providers across the East of England. In response to the narrative playing out across schools and training providers up and down the country, w...
Read more
28 Feb 2025
Essex Research School’s Leadership Series: Effective Professional Development
Last term, Essex Research School launched a professional development (PD) leadership series focusing on strategies for leaders in designing and implementing effective PD to improve outcomes for all learners. The series aims to provide practical guidance and evidence-based strategies for scho...
Read more
07 Feb 2025
March events from The MaternityTeacher PaternityTeacher Project
Celebrate Mother’s Day and International Women’s Day this March with a full range of support from The MaternityTeacher PaternityTeacher Project, the UK's charity for parent-teachers. With four events for staff and leaders in March, there’s something for everyone.
Read more

Evidence Led Practice

06 Mar 2025
Do we need to talk - about oracy?
Published on 8 October 2024, the Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England’s We Need To Talk report makes the case that oracy should be viewed in education as the fourth “R”, equal in status to reading, writing and arithmetic. The Commission’s report...
Read more
03 Mar 2025
Building Positive Behaviour with the EEF's 'Establish, Maintain, Restore' Framework
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) published a comprehensive research review in 2021 called Improving Behaviour In Schools. This guidance report has three sections. The first details proactive strategies that can be deployed at classroom level to reduce the chance of misbehaviour occurring...
Read more

Wider Professional Development

Early Years Seminar - 25 March 2025

Greater Essex Music Hub

2025 Music Curriculum Conference

  • Tuesday 8 July 2025, 09:00-15:30
  • Hylands House, Chelmsford

Music networking and CPD day for all Greater Essex Education Settings

All schools who partner with the Greater Essex Music Hub are invited to join us on 8 July for a day exploring how all young people can receive the music education they so richly deserve.

We have some exciting visiting speakers joining us for the day. There will be a chance to meet our Music Hub partners in the marketplace, gain practical music ideas, with designated SEND, primary and secondary sessions and a chance to network and meet colleagues across the county and nearer to home. 

£60 for teachers in Essex, Thurrock and Southend DfE funded schools, £140 for all others. 

BOOK HERE

Please see our website for a full list of all upcoming CPD events, including training from our partners and music teacher networks for you to meet with other colleagues across the county.

Find out more about the Greater Essex Music Hub here.

New Vision English Hub

English Hub Showcase - 18 March 2025

Join us at Elmhurst Primary School for a free morning of phonic observation, reading and early language development CPD and strategic action planning.

Find out how New Vision English Hub can provide up to £6,000 of free funding and support to drive standards in reading teaching and early language development in your school.

You will have the opportunity to:

  • Observe phonic teaching at Elmhurst and consider how to ensure your phonic programme runs effectively.
  • Learn how we are developing a reading for pleasure culture in our school and how we are accelerating our pupils’ language development.

These sessions will be filled with practical strategies you can implement in your school.

Book here and download the showcase flyer here

New Vision English Hub self referral form

Visit our website: https://newvisionenglishhub.co.uk/

Matrix Maths Hub

ECT Opportunities from Matrix Maths Hub

Please take a look at our flyer for an overview of our ever-popular Primary and Secondary ECT programmes and scan the QR codes if you would like to register your interest for 2025-26. 

If you have already commenced your first year of training as a Secondary maths teacher and have not joined our Secondary ECT programme don't worry, you can still participate! Please register your interest here for Phase 1 in the Autumn Term 2025 as you start your second year of teaching, and you will then move on to Phase 2 in Autumn 2026. 

If you have completed both phases of our Primary or Secondary ECT programmes, don't forget that we offer many other fully funded SKTM programmes to support you in your third year of teaching and beyond. For more details, please click on the following links: Primary SKTMs | Secondary SKTMs

Secondary Teaching for Mastery Sustaining: 'Developing Mathematical Thinking' Work Group

Places are still available on our Developing Mathematical Thinking Work Group which is being offered exclusively to schools that have previously participated in our Teaching for Mastery Development programme. 

In this Work Group you will be supported to help your students develop a deep, secure and connected understanding of the maths they are learning.

Please click HERE and complete the booking form if you would like to join this vibrant professional learning community.

Maths Hubs 2025-26 Professional Development Opportunities

There's still time to apply for the NCETM's professional development programmes commencing in September 2025, but the deadline is 5pm on Friday 14 March so don't delay! Please follow the links below to find out more:

  • Primary Mastery Specialists Programme
  • Secondary Mastery Specialists Programme
  • Post-16 Mastery Specialists Programme
  • Professional Development (PD) Leads Programme
  • School Development (SD) Leads Programme

Visit our website: https://matrixmathshub.co.uk/

Venn Essex Maths Hub

Mastering Number programme

Mastering Number - EYFS & KS1

This programme focuses on the key knowledge and understanding needed in Reception classes and progression through KS1.

Participating schools will receive central training (online and face-to-face) and a wealth of pupil-facing resources.

This programme will start in the Autumn Term - applications are open now. APPLY NOW

 

Mastering Number - KS2

This is a national programme. This programme provides knowledge of multiplication and division and its application forms the single most important aspect of the KS2 curriculum and is the gateway to success at secondary school.

Applications for this programme are not yet open - we are currently taking expressions of interest.

Visit our website: https://vennessexmathshub.co.uk/

Find out more about Saffron Teaching School Hub

Visit our website www.saffronteachingschoolhub.net

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Contact us

Email us at saffrontsh@saffron.academy