Lavendon School converts to an academy and joins IFtL multi-academy trust

Lavendon School, an Ofsted-rated Outstanding school has completed its conversion to academy status and joined Inspiring Futures through Learning (IFtL), a successful multi-academy trust (MAT) based in Milton Keynes and Corby.

Following a consultation with parents, carers and colleagues, and a period of due diligence, the 153-pupil school becomes the 16th member of IFtL, which was established in 2016 and now supports 6,500 children across all its schools.

Headteacher Lisa Watson said the school’s governing body began exploring the idea of joining a MAT in order to broker support, offer more opportunities to the children, and provide development opportunities for all members of the school community. After extensive research and discussions with a number of MATs, the governors unanimously voted to join IFtL.

“From the start of our academy conversion consultation, a key question was what would joining a MAT give us that is going to make us better,” Lisa recalled. “With IFtL, most importantly we share the same vision, values and commitment to be the very best that we can be, and Lavendon’s proximity to other trust schools, including Olney Infant Academy and Olney Middle School who we know well and have worked with previously, was also a decisive factor.

“As a rural, single-form entry school, we need support from elsewhere to ensure consistently high ambitions and standards, and working with IFtL and closely with other schools who have the same ethos and responsibilities for ensuring excellent opportunities for children will be very powerful.”

Lisa, who joined Lavendon School seven years ago, said it was an “absolute privilege to be the Headteacher of such a wonderful school community”.

“We are really proud of what we have achieved at Lavendon – including being in the top 20% nationally for performance data – and it is such a special place to be,” she explained.

“Our school is at the heart of the community and we are respected within it. We offer smaller class sizes, 23/24 pupils per class, and we know each child and their families inside out. In our most recent staff wellbeing survey, 98% of our colleagues said they are ‘extremely happy’ to be here. There is a very calm, purposeful atmosphere, and behaviour is outstanding.

“Joining IFtL is part of the next phase of our journey as a community, and not only will it support our succession planning and give our school a more sustainable future, we will also be able to share our expertise with the trust.”

Lisa revealed that a key benefit of being part of IFtL would be exploring further collaboration and sharing best practice in teaching and learning, operations and management.

“From my position as Headteacher, IFtL has a range of professional services that we can draw on – from finance and HR, to estates and ICT – which will allow our school to benefit from collaborative working with specialist in their fields,” she said. “I can then continue to focus on strategy, and great and exciting teaching in the school.

“For our wonderful colleagues, as well as having a wider community to bounce ideas off through supportive development groups, there are significant development and progression opportunities. We know that the best way of supporting children to learn to their best of their ability is to ensure we have skilled and inspired adults in our school, and the culture of continuous CPD, sharing ideas and best practice at IFtL is one that completely complements our continued ambition and allows additional investment into our development.

“For our children, they will be able to access opportunities we would not be able to provide in isolation. An immediate example is the IFtL Youth Parliament, which is designed to empower pupil voice to support and inform IFtL’s organisational decision-making.”

Mike Griffiths, Chair of Governors at Lavendon School, added: “Having discussed the need to academise, IFtL really impressed us with their collaborative approach and how they engaged with us from the very first meeting. From our perspective, it was helpful to explore our options without any pressure. The real benefits to the school of academisation emerged during the process and it is clear that this is a proper partnership.

“At Lavendon School we set extremely high standards in terms of outcomes. We talk about the ‘Lavendon bar’, which is the level we set, rather than comparing ourselves to other schools. We strive to maintain our Outstanding standard, and are fortunate in that we attract really good high-calibre colleagues. There is an open-door policy here and governors are very much part of school life, bringing two-way engagement.

“We are looking forward to working with the trust to explore how we can get even better. It is clear from our involvement in trust meetings already that IFtL really value local governors’ contribution, which I am very pleased about.”

Sarah Bennett, CEO of IFtL, commented: “The expansion of our organisation brings great excitement for us all. Lavendon School’s exceptional community of employees and learners will continue thriving as respected members of our trust. We seek to build upon the solid foundation already established at Lavendon School and throughout our trust. Through collaboration across our schools, it is our hope that future generations of students will receive an outstanding education that prepares them for lifelong learning. Moving forward, we are eager to develop in unison and motivate the pathways ahead for 6,500 children and 1,000 adults through a collaborative effort.”

Above: Mike Griffiths, Chair of Governors; Lisa Watson, Head Teacher; and Sarah Bennett, CEO of IFtL. Also: Clare Crook, SENCo and SLT; Hannah King, Deputy Head Teacher, together with pupils.

Limiting Flood Risk and Damage

According to the Environment Agency, over two million people in England live and work in properties at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea, whilst more face flood threats from groundwater, surface water, sewers, and reservoirs.

Situated beside the River Great Ouse, Lavendon parish together with neighbouring villages has been subject to significant flooding events both historically and in more recent times.

In extreme conditions you won’t be able to stop flood water, and you should always put personal safety above attempts to protect property and possessions. Despite this, there are steps that you can take to keep water out, to buy yourself time to preserve property and possessions, and to limit the damage that flood water does.

The GoCompare web site has put together a guide to preparing for a flood and protecting your property, and this can be found at: https://www.gocompare.com/household-tips/limiting-flood-risk-and-damage/

Lavendon Village Hall – AGM

LAVENDON VILLAGE HALL AGM
Thursday, 30 November 2023, 7.30pm in the Village Hall

Lavendon Village Hall is a registered charity which aims to provide a well-appointed facility in which members of the village community can safely hold public or private events at competitive rates.

The AGM is an opportunity to hear what has been going on at the Village Hall over the past year and what is planned for the coming year or two. It is also a time when we elect new members to the management committee.

The village hall management committee would love to hear any comments or questions you may have about the way the hall operates. More importantly, the AGM is also a great opportunity for anyone who would like to join the committee and help manage the hall and/or, for example, contribute ideas for putting on community events within the hall.

The Committee consists of representatives from village organisations plus a number of freely elected members. It meets typically once a month for an hour or so to discuss planned improvements, deal with routine maintenance issues and generate ideas for forthcoming events, both for fun and to assist with fundraising. Over the past ten years, the committee has invested well over £180k in capital projects, aside from regular maintenance costs, and so this is a good opportunity for anyone who would like to add a community activity to their CV, or who just enjoys ‘helping out’.

If you would like to know more then please do get in touch (see the poster), or just come along to the AGM and consider putting yourself forward to join the committee.

Lavendon Village Hall Management Committee

LAVENDON PRESCRIPTION COLLECTION SERVICE

MEDICAL PRESCRIPTION COLLECTION SERVICE FOR LAVENDON RESIDENTS WHO ARE PATIENTS OF HARROLD SURGERY

Residents of Lavendon, especially newcomers to the village, may like to be aware that a prescription collection service operates for those residents who are patients of the Harrold Surgery. The aim is to facilitate collection not only for those with limited transportation arrangements, but for those who wish to reduce the environmental impact by dropping the overall number of collection trips.

The collection of medicines from the Harrold Surgery pharmacy is made by a team of volunteers on Thursdays who deliver the items to the Lavendon Village Shop. Neither the couriers nor the Village Shop receive payment for this service, but do please remember to support the shop.

The practical arrangements are as follows:

The pharmacy requires five working days minimum notice, although patients with an on-line account who make a repeat request by a Sunday evening will usually receive their medicines on the Thursday that follows.

Alternatively, residents can take the completed repeat prescription form issued by the GP by Wednesday at the latest to our Village Shop. It will be taken Thursday by the courier and the medicines returned the following Thursday. Any payment required can be put in an envelope with the request form.

All requests should have LAVENDON clearly added to them so that they are added to the Lavendon delivery and not put in the general collection boxes. All prescriptions are taken to the Village Shop for the recipients to collect.

The village couriers are not required to do the collection at any particular time on the Thursday but most do it sooner rather than later. Prescription medicines should normally be available in the Village Shop by late afternoon, but certainly on Friday.

If you have any queries then please contact Frank Goodland on 01234 711434 or email fgoodland@gmail.com.

Lavendon Village Hall – 2021 AGM

LAVENDON VILLAGE HALL AGM – 25th November 2021

Each year in November the Lavendon Village Hall Management Committee is obliged to hold a public AGM when the Annual Reports of progress are given by the Chairman and Treasurer of the Committee. The latter includes representatives of village organisations and up to six elected members from the community. The Village Hall has excellent up-to-date facilities and equipment, and is thriving financially. However, there are at least three vacancies on the Committee for Lavendon residents who would like to assist with putting forward ideas for the Hall’s management and/or associated community events. The Committee typically meets once a month, for an hour or so in an evening, and is friendly and informal in nature. You are warmly invited to come along to the AGM on 25th November, hear about what’s going on, and see whether you might like to join us in managing the future of the Hall and in developing its valuable social role within the community. More details are shown in the attached poster. Do come along to find out more, even if you don’t wish to join the Committee!

LAVENDON VILLAGE HALL: 2020 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Photo above: Lavendon Village Hall was officially opened on 7th May 1955 by Courteney Hope of BBC radio’s “The Archers” fame. Much has changed since then!

Lavendon Village Hall Management Committee normally holds an AGM during November of each year. This is an opportunity to present the Chairman’s and Treasurer’s Reports for the financial year ending 30th September, and to elect a new Management Committee that includes local organisational representatives plus six directly elected members.

Given the current pandemic situation it is not possible to hold a physical 2020 AGM. A virtual meeting is not a practical prospect for many members of the public. It has therefore been determined that instead of holding an AGM this year, the above two key reports should be made available as usual to members of the public via the Lavendon Connection web site, and via the relevant village Facebook pages. A copy of the above two reports can be found by clicking on the following links:

Lavendon Village Hall Chairman’s Report 2019/2020
Lavendon Village Hall Treasurer’s Report 2019/2020

Another important element of the AGM is the formal nomination of Committee representatives, as well as the direct election of six public members to the Committee. The Trustees are anticipating that all current members will continue serving on the Management Committee. However, there already remains one vacancy for an elected member. Anyone residing in Lavendon Parish who would like the opportunity to join the Village Hall Management Committee is very welcome to get in touch with the management team via the Chairman, details given below. The Committee normally meets once a month in order to devise and manage an ongoing programme of improvements to the Village Hall and its facilities, and to contribute creative ideas for fundraising and other community events.

For more information about any of the above, please contact:

John Salter, telephone 01234 713653, or email johnsalter7@btinternet.com

The MK Community Foundation strongly supports Lavendon Village Hall

Lavendon Village Hall: COVID-19 & Re-opening Update

LAVENDON VILLAGE HALL RE-OPENING & THE ‘RULE OF SIX’: A NEWS UPDATE – 16 Sep 2020

Prospective Hirers and Visitors to the Lavendon Village Hall may like an update on re-opening conditions following the recent introduction of the Government’s ‘Rule of Six’.

The Village Hall is essentially ‘COVID-19 Secure’, meaning that the managers have conducted a Risk Assessment and as a result introduced appropriate signage, cleaning routines, sanitisation stations, social distancing arrangements, one-way system, Hirer’s Special T&Cs, and various other procedures, to help render the Hall safe. A local overall limit of 30 visitors remains in force.

Hall Managers continue to receive guidance from ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), an organisation which is in daily contact with relevant government departments concerning the responsibilities of Hirers, Managers and Hall Trustees. The latest version of the Government Guidance for Community Facilities issued on 14th September, section 3c, (see link below) indicates that community halls are able to remain open and, for example, to host formal or informal clubs, hobby groups, and amateur choirs and orchestras, provided the venue is Covid secure.

The guidance stresses that activities and clubs must be limited to attendance in groups of no more than 6 people following social distancing rules. Only “where there is a significant likelihood  of groups mixing and socialising (and where it will be difficult to prevent mingling and therefore breaking the law) should activities not take place in a community facility”. We are advised that the listing of activities such as Women’s Institutes, sewing clubs, book clubs, craft clubs, reading groups, amateur choirs and orchestras does not mean they cannot take place: it is a flag for organisers of such activities to take particular care to ensure that individuals attend them in component groups no larger than 6, and that these small groups (which might only be one person) remain socially distanced from each other and do not mingle while on the premises.

People meeting in a club or group context at a community centre must be encouraged to socially distance from anyone they do not live with or who is not in their support bubble. Community facilities following COVID-19 secure guidelines can run children’s groups and other youth activities, subject to their own capacity limits and specific Government Guidance. Indoor sporting facilities, fitness centres and dance studios can also operate. Hirers providing such activities, must likewise adhere to specific government guidance concerning sports and leisure facilities.

Where community facilities need to be used for physical meetings, these meetings should be managed within the social distancing guidance and principles set out elsewhere. Meetings may include civic or community group meetings, eg such as the hall’s own charity board of Trustees and Management Committee.

The above summary is simplified and only indicative: more detailed information can be found at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-multi-purpose-community-facilities/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-multi-purpose-community-facilities

Lavendon Village Hall: Re-opening

LAVENDON VILLAGE HALL RE-OPENING PREPARATIONS: A NOTE FROM THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

The Management Team has been preparing to re-open the Village Hall in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latter, of course, poses many problems for re-opening the Hall, the normal purpose of which is to facilitate the kind of communal activities that are potentially at odds with ‘social distancing’. Nevertheless, there have already been a number of enquiries asking when the Hall can be booked for carefully managed events.

The Village Hall is a charity and dependent on booking income which at present is zero despite continuing outgoings, insurance, utilities, etc. It is therefore important that we re-open as soon as possible. Safe opening will very much depend on responsible and safe usage in the future. We are not currently planning on increasing hire charges to help off-set the extra costs that will fall on the Hall, eg for hand sanitisation and to cover lower attendee footfall, etc.

We are expecting to re-open the Hall in early September: Hirers and Visitors alike may therefore wish to have some idea as to how this will be managed and what special precautions will be put in place to allow this to happen. The following is a brief summary of key points:

  1. The Management Team will ensure that the Hall is managed in full compliance with Government Regulations and to this end we now subscribe to a body known as ACRE – Action with Communities in Rural England – which provides us with up-to-date guidance on national policy, etc.
  2. The Team has prepared a full COVID-19 Risk Assessment for the Hall that will be available for inspection on the internet and in the Hall. Hirers will also need to consider whether a bespoke Risk Assessment is required for their own particular event.
  3. In addition to the usual Terms & Conditions, Hirers and event organisers will be required to accept an additional set of Special COVID-19 T&Cs that have been prepared by the Team based on ACRE guidance. These put significant responsibility on to organisers to ensure full safety compliance on behalf of their own attendees, eg Hirers will list attendees for NHS ‘Test and Trace’ purposes.
  4. For the time being there will be a limit of 30 people permitted in the Hall without more bespoke control being put in place by Hirers, eg stewarding, pre-booking, etc. Only two people max at one time are permitted in each of the toilets, kitchen, bar area, and stage side lobbies.
  5. With certain exceptions face coverings are required upon entry to the Hall. A one-way system will be utilised when larger numbers come and go, with entry at main door and exit at front side door. Hand sanitisation is essential upon entry and exit – an automatic dispenser is now installed at the front entrance. Other hand dispensers will be available in the kitchen, toilets and the main hall. Social distancing must be respected, especially where older or more vulnerable visitors are transiting.
  6. A variety of Signage will be evident especially along the main corridor, on doors and on the floor where social distancing and one-way reminders will be affixed.
  7. Hot and cold drinks, and also pre-packed food may be prepared in the kitchen, but for the time being hot food may not be cooked and served from the kitchen in order to minimise the use of crockery and cutlery, etc. Hirers must bring their own tea-towels and cloths for wiping up, though the normal soaps and surface sanitising spray will be provided by the Hall.
  8. A COVID-19 emergency First Aid box will be available in the Bar Area for general emergencies; this will include PPE and other essential items, but they are not intended for general issue.
  9. We shall expect Hirers to take note of the additional COVID-19 T&Cs and associated Hall Risk Assessment, and we will also encourage feedback to the Management Team, as appropriate.
The MK Community Foundation supports Lavendon Village Hall