Charlton School

20.10.22 

Dear Parents and Carers, 

I hope you and your families are well. I apologise for not writing sooner but this half-term has flown by, and I can’t quite believe it is half-term next week! 

We started the term with high staffing levels, but the last few weeks have seen the return of Covid and we have had staff quite poorly with the virus in a number of schools. In addition, we have had the seasonal bugs, with staff unwell but it seems to have calmed down and hopefully with a week’s holiday we usually stop the spread of illness. The attendance from young people has been generally good and our attendance across the Trust is above national. We always want to make sure children and students are in school every day and attendance at school has a very high profile nationally. 

It has been Open Evening season and I have attended HLC Secondary, Ercall Wood Academy and Charlton events over the last few weeks. It has been great to meet many of you who are already parents of children in our schools and to meet prospective parents. The attendance at these evenings has been very high and we have had some excellent feedback. There have also been lots of parents visiting during the day to experience schools operating on a normal day. The closing date for Y7 applications for September 2023 is the 31st October. 

We had expected that Charlton and Ercall Wood Academy would have had a visit from Ofsted this half-term as they are well overdue inspections. Both academies are well prepared, and we have undertaken Trust reviews in both schools this term. We are also working with Wrekin View and Crudgington Primary as they are in an inspection window in 2023. 

Our most recent LCT school, Lantern Academy has had a great start. I have the privilege of visiting regularly and seeing lots of happy children really enjoying school with an amazing staff team. 

Allscott Meads Primary is really coming along, and the building is taking shape very quickly. Applications are now open for places in September 2023 and we are delighted with the response from the community. 

Overall, I am delighted with the progress in all our academies since the start of term and we have had some lovely publicity following the publication of HLC Primary and Queensway Ofsted reports. 

Finally, this is my last letter as CEO of LCT. I relinquish this role on the 31st October and Jane Hughes will join us on the 1st November as the new CEO. I am not disappearing and will be working with Jane, as LCT Strategic Director, to ensure a successful transition, until Christmas when I will fully retire. 

I can only thank you for all your support – I am very proud of what we have all achieved together. I have had the privilege of working with the most incredible team at Trust Central, amazing Headteachers and Principals, as well as wonderful staff in all our schools who do their very best for the young people in our care every single day. The Trustees, who I am accountable to, have supported me personally and professionally every step of the way as we built the Trust. Mike Briscoe, our Chair has been truly extraordinary in the work we have done together since 2016 when LCT began its journey. 

With my very best wishes to you all. 

Dr. Gill Eatough 

CEO LCT