Term of change Head’s praise for staff and pupils
Across this term I have frequently been motivated, inspired and proud of our pupils Ashley Milum
TAKING charge of a school in need of improvement is never going to be easy. When that job coincides with a global pandemic of unprecedented scale, however, the to-do list gets even longer.
Ashley Milum took on that role at Avanti Gardens School in Fishponds, and has now reflected on an eventful first term after becoming principal in September.
The primary school reopened with a new name on the same sprawling site last year, after its predecessor the Steiner Academy School was rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.
It has not yet had a chance to impress inspectors, as the regulator has suspended routine visits until 2021, but Mr Milum is enthusiastic about progress so far.
In his end-of-term letter to parents, he wrote: “Across this term I have frequently been motivated, inspired and proud of our pupils.
“The way they have responded to the changes in learning expectation has been wonderful.
“Pupils have been brave in embracing new experiences and we have certainly grown together.”
He described the autumn term as “exciting, aspirational and slightly exhausting”, reflecting on several key changes since the academic year began, on top of the adaptations necessitated by the pandemic.
Mr Milum said: “We brought in a brand new curriculum in September, and we’ve been really happy with that.
“It was a deliberate attempt to take the national curriculum and map out how it’s going to fit here, right the way from early years, so that learning links together and makes sense.
“We want pupils to always have something to hang their knowledge on to. We make sure their learning has local links – our children live in Fishponds and our curriculum should reflect their lived experience.”
The principal is particularly encouraged by how many parents have chosen to keep their children at the school as the transformation continues.
He said: “I’m so chuffed with how many parents have come with us on this journey.
“Staff are really giving it their absolute best to engage pupils, and the children have adapted to these changes – during a global pandemic. “It’s been a really exciting first term.” As well as an overhaul of the curriculum, children have seen a change in their physical surroundings.
Mr Milum said: “We’ve had a bit of a revamp of the classrooms, with interactive whiteboards and a new display policy.
“We’ve spent quite a lot of money on redecorating and re-furnishing, and it’s now an environment that’s engaging and offers a nice positive and bright space.”
There have also been some staffing changes, with the school set to welcome a new special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) in January and a new assistant principal, who will be in post for two terms.
Mr Milum said he was grateful for the “warm welcome” staff, parents and pupils had given him, adding: “The school has obviously experienced a lot of change recently and the direction we are going in is quite different to how it’s been.”
Unlike many schools in Bristol, the school has not had any confirmed coronavirus cases this term.
He said: “At this point, touch wood, we’ve had zero cases.
“I think that really comes down to the support of our families, very observant staff and our amazing facilities – we’ve got massive grounds so that’s meant there’s not been an issue with social distancing.
“We’ve been really tight on the measures we’ve put in place – a oneway system, bubbles each with their own toilets, we’ve zoned off the playground, and if there have been any suspected cases we have deep cleaned those classes so there is no opportunity [for spread].”
The Steiner school was all-through, educating children aged from four to 16, but Avanti Gardens now only teaches children up to Year 6.
It is run by the Avanti Schools Trust, which upholds core principles of educational excellence, character formation and spiritual insight.