MET Mail Summer 25

MET
MAIL
Summer 2025

CONTENTS
1
2-3
4
5
6
7
8-9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Sports News
MET Football Tournament
Support for SAT’s
STEM in Schools
Reading at MET
Creative Play with OPAL
Community Connections
Spud Club
LOtC Mark
Early Years
VE Day
Sports Day
Primary Games and Learning Everyday
Celebrating Individuality
Trips and Visits
Director of Learning Update
Head of Governance Update
MET Conference
Central Team News
24/25
Dear Friends and Partners,
I am delighted to welcome you to the Summer edition of
MET Mail.
As a collaborative family of schools, we remain dedicated
to delivering the highest quality education for our
children and meaningful support for families. This
newsletter reflects our ongoing commitment to building
strong, purposeful connections with like-minded
organisations.
In this edition, we’re excited to share the vibrant energy
and achievements that have made our summer term
both busy and successful. You’ll read about student
experiences that have brightened their learning,
innovative projects that leave a lasting impact, and team
successes that continue to inspire. You will see the pride
we have in our Year 6 and Year 11 leavers as they move
onto the next phase of their educations. . Their
resilience, growth, and contributions have left a lasting
mark on our school communities. We hope these stories
inform, engage, and uplift you.
We also warmly welcome your thoughts, feedback, and
ideas. Your voice plays a vital role in shaping our shared
journey.
Thank you for taking the time to explore this edition. We
hope it brings a little summer sunshine your way.
Ready to support
Mercian Educational
Trust?
Please visit our website
www.metacademies.org.uk
or email
office@metacademies.org.uk
Warm regards,
Dafydd Lawday
Chief Executive Officer

MET Mail Summer 2025
SPORTS NEWS
This summer, pupils across our schools have been
excelling in sports. The Leigh and Bransford Primary
School (LBPS) Cricket Team, finished second in their
recent tournament and have earned a place in the
Worcestershire County Finals. We wish them the best
of luck as they compete at the next level!
Well done to Honeywell pupils for taking part in the
Dance Festival!
Congratulations also go to Callum from The Brookfield
School. On 14th June 2025, Callum proudly
represented Hereford at the Hereford & Worcester
County Athletics Championships, competing in the
Javelin event. Having qualified through district trials,
he faced tough competition from top athletes across
nearly 40 schools.
Callum consistently threw between 25 and 30 meters,
nearing his personal best—a fantastic achievement
that makes him only the second athlete from our
school in two years to compete at this level. His skill,
determination, and resilience make us very proud.
Page 1

MET Mail Summer 2025
FOOTBALL
On 6th June 2025, the Mercian Educational Trust hosted an exciting inter-school
football competition at Malvern Town Football Club, bringing together young
players from six teams representing five schools across the region. The event was
filled with energy, teamwork, and a wonderful spirit of friendly competition.
The competition embodied the Trust’s core value, “We are empowered,” offering
pupils a supportive environment to showcase their skills, build confidence, and
enjoy healthy competition. Cheers and celebrations from pupils, staff, and families
created a positive and encouraging atmosphere throughout the day.
A huge thank you to our sponsors
Page 2

MET Mail Summer 2025
TOURNAMENT
Somers Park Primary School emerged as the overall
champions, lifting the winner’s trophy, whilst Northleigh CE
Primary School and Great Malvern Primary School also
earned medals for finishing in the top three. Outstanding
individual players were honoured with special football shirts
from Malvern Town FC, highlighting the talent and
sportsmanship on display.
Well done to everyone who took part!
Page 3

MET Mail Summer 2025
STEM
Young Engineers Impress at
STEM Works Final
Earlier this year, Robin and Oliver from Leigh and Bransford Primary School
earned their place in the prestigious Worcestershire STEMWorks final, held at
Yamazaki Mazak in Worcester. This exciting event brings together young
innovators, local businesses, and industry experts to design and build
prototypes and technical models in response to a real-world brief.
Representing their school with pride, our Year 6 team rose to the challenge and
built an impressive working earth mover, complete with a pull-back function.
Their model met the demanding criteria of lifting and dropping from a specific
height and caught the attention of both the judges and fellow competitors.
Although they didn’t take home the top prize, Robin and Oliver demonstrated
remarkable creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork under pressure. It was a
fantastic achievement—and a glimpse into what could be very bright futures in
engineering!
Snapshots of STEM in our Schools
Page 8
Page 5

MET Mail Summer 2025
READING AT MET
At MET WE LOVE BOOKS! This year
Northleigh Primary school has enhanced its
reading provision, launching a reading for
pleasure curriculum.
Great Malvern Primary School has also had a
focus on reading. Reading is now taught to
include developing fluency, understanding and
reading for pleasure. Pupils now access
book blanket sessions, Booknics and Books
and Bricks after-school clubs.
SUPPORT THE
READING
CURRICULUM
AT HONEYWELL
HERE:
Page 6

CREATIVE PLAY
OPAL
Somers Park Primary and Great Malvern Primary have recently joined the OPAL
WITH
MET Mail Summer 2025
OPAL
(Outdoor Play & Learning) play programme — a new approach to playtime. The
WITH
transformation is already inspiring. From tyre-building and chalk art to
cardboard dens and imaginative dress-up, pupils are discovering new, creative
ways to play, connect, and learn together.
What Is OPAL?
OPAL is a mentor-supported school
improvement programme that helps schools
sustainably enhance playtime across 18 key
areas — from planning and resourcing to
playwork skills and culture change. It’s
grounded in more than 20 years of research
and has been independently proven to
improve behaviour, wellbeing, creativity, and
social skills, while reducing playground
disputes and teacher time spent managing
them. As a trust, we’re proud to support
OPAL and outdoor play.
Page 7

MET Mail Summer 2025
Somers Park Primary School took
part in the Best Dressed Well
Competition
ROTAKids from Northleigh Primary
School raised money in the Easter
holiday
COMMUNITY
CONNECTIONS
Severn Trent visit Leigh and
Bransford Primary School
Each of our schools plays a vital role in its local community. This
term, all of our schools have been actively participating in
community events and celebrating the strong connections they
share with those around them.
What to Expect:
Great conversations
Fun activities
Light refreshments
More info
Pupils from The Brookfield School had a
fantastic time at the Three Counties Show
Visitors came into Great Malvern Primary
School to talk about their careers.
Page 8

MET Mail Summer 2025
What to Expect:
Great conversations
Fun activities
Light refreshments
Great Malvern pupils have created ‘Courage the Lion’ who
was proudly displayed in Worcester Cathedral.
More info
Pupils from Northleigh have supported
the Dementia cafe at the Ascension
Church.
Honeywell Bee Keepers have been supported
by local bee experts, and they now have
Honeywell Honey!
Page 9

MET Mail Summer 2025
Great Malvern Primary Schools
receives Silver LOtC Mark
Great Malvern Primary School in Worcestershire has been nationally
recognised for its dedication to learning outside the classroom (LOtC),
receiving the prestigious Silver LOtC Mark from the Council for Learning
Outside the Classroom. The award reflects the school’s ongoing efforts to
enrich education and help pupils reach their full potential through meaningful
outdoor and off-site learning experiences.
The LOtC Mark is awarded by a UK-wide
charity that supports schools and
educators in delivering high-quality
learning opportunities outside the
classroom, whether indoors or outdoors,
nearby or further afield. These experiences
are proven to boost academic achievement,
physical health, emotional wellbeing, selfesteem,
and resilience. Dr Anne Hunt,
Chief Executive of the Council for Learning
Outside the Classroom, praised Great
Malvern Primary School’s commitment to
offering valuable and memorable learning
experiences, congratulating th.em on this
well-deserved recognition
Malvern Vale Graduates
This summer, Somers Park Primary School’s Malvern Vale site will proudly celebrate
the graduation of its very first cohort of pupils since opening its doors. The school
has seen tremendous growth and development over the years, with this year
marking another milestone as pupils successfully completed their SATs assessments.
Page 11

MET Mail Summer 2025
Pupils across the Mercian Educational Trust marked the 80th anniversary of VE
Day with a range of activities and events. Schools held assemblies and classroom
sessions to help children understand the importance of Victory in Europe Day — a
time to remember the end of World War II in Europe and honour those who
contributed to the war effort.
As part of the celebrations, pupils enjoyed traditional wartime games like
hopscotch and hoop rolling. At Great Malvern, the local community was invited to
a special assembly where pupils performed The White Cliffs of Dover, a touching
song from the wartime era.
These activities gave pupils the chance to reflect on the sacrifices of past
generations, appreciate the value of peace, and learn about the power of working
together. Beyond history lessons, the commemorations helped nurture important
values such as resilience, remembrance, and cultural awareness.
Page 14
Page 13

MET Mail Summer 2025
Sports Day
Sports Day
Page 14

Primary Games
MET Mail Summer 2025
Primary Games
Primary Games at The Brookfield School was a huge success! All
our primary school pupils and Y7s joined over 2000 children
from across Herefordshire, they were wonderful ambassadors for
the school as well as competing brilliantly in a range of team
and individual activities.
This term the Forest School
area at Leigh and Bransford
Primary School has been
revitalised as part of their
outdoor learning provision.
The new area includes a mud
kitchen, performance stage
and seating area with an
area for a fire circle. This
fantastic area has provided
new opportunities for pupils
to thrive and develop new
skills.
Page 12
Page 15

CELEBRATING
OUR
INDIVIDUALITY
We are proud to welcome
pupils from around the
world and empower both
staff and students to
celebrate their individuality
through inclusive events
such as PRIDE festivals,
Eurovision celebrations,
and cultural showcases

MET Mail Summer 2025
DIRECTOR OF
LEARNING UPDATE
As the summer term ends, we reflect
on an energising few months across
our schools. Collaboration has been
central to our progress, with the new
Point In Time Assessment system
strengthening our shared commitment
to teaching and learning. Our focus on
feedback sparked valuable
discussions, and the success of our
first online curriculum network
meeting was a highlight—thanks to
everyone involved.
STUART BUSBY
Director of Learning
A major milestone was welcoming
Grove School into the MET family,
showcasing the trust’s values through
a warm and professional transition.
Our influence continues to grow
beyond our community, with positive
regional feedback inspiring us all. We
look forward to building on this
momentum next academic year and
wish everyone a joyful summer break!
Our Extended Family: Global
Connections, Local Impact
For over 20 years, our trust has
fostered international partnerships
enriching our schools. This year, a new
global awareness assembly programme
launched to broaden pupils’ horizons.
We’re proud to renew links with
Tanzanian schools, including forming
partnerships with each of our schools
and a school in Tanzania. These
connections inspire empathy, curiosity,
and global citizenship among our
communities.
Leadership in Action: National
Recognition
We celebrate our Director of Learning,
Stuart Busby, for his national role as a
Lead Reviewer for Challenge Partners.
His thoughtful leadership and
supportive approach have been widely
praised. Stuart’s academic work on
inclusion and leadership in East Africa
reflects his commitment to equity and
global education. This term has shown
what we can achieve together. With
new initiatives and deepening
partnerships, we’re excited for the year
ahead.
Page 18

HEAD OF
MET Mail Summer 2025
GOVERNANCE UPDATE
In 2024–25, Mercian Educational Trust
benefited from the dedication of 77
governance volunteers—including
Trustees, Local Governing Body (LGB)
members, and Members—who
contributed over 1,000 hours to
meetings, visits, training, and
strategic planning across seven
schools and Trust-wide initiatives.
This strong governance culture
underpinned key achievements and
strategic progress throughout the
year.
LGBs made a real difference on the
ground by prioritizing safeguarding,
SEND, curriculum quality, and pupil
achievement. They improved
monitoring with structured reports,
helped schools prepare for Ofsted,
supported staff transitions, and made
sure pupil and staff voices were heard.
Training was another highlight. Two
Trust-wide days brought volunteers
together to dive into safeguarding,
SEND, Ofsted prep, data use, and
effective challenge—plus, they
welcomed volunteers from outside
boards, broadening perspectives and
boosting confidence.
KATE JOINER
Head of Governance
At the Board level, major milestones
included the approval of Grove
School’s conversion and initial
planning for a new SEND unit.
Trustees maintained oversight of
curriculum development and agerange
expansion while addressing
financial challenges with enhanced
auditing and planning processes. An
External Governance Review (ERG)
was commissioned to guide future
growth and strategic focus.
Governance also deepened connections
by joining the Sterling Education
Network Group, sharing best practices,
and enriching insight across schools.
Looking ahead, the focus is clear:
sharpen board development using the
ERG, streamline meetings, strengthen
monitoring, use data more
strategically, and share governance
impact widely. Governance is now more
strategic, collaborative, and outwardfacing—truly
living the Trust’s mission:
Prepare. Empower. Thrive.
This year, governance has evolved into
a more strategic, outward-facing force,
embodying the Trust’s mission:
Prepare. Empower. Thrive.
Page 19

MET Mail Summer 2025
MET
C O NFERENCE
On the last day of the Spring Term, our
Trust held its highly anticipated annual
conference, bringing together educators
from all our schools for a day of
collaboration, learning, and inspiration.
This event is a cornerstone of our
commitment to professional development,
ensuring that our staff are equipped with
the latest strategies and insights to
support our pupils' learning and wellbeing.
The conference featured a variety of
sessions covering using strengths-based
innovative teaching methods, enhancing
pupil engagement, and fostering a
positive school culture.
Our teachers returned to their classrooms
with renewed energy and fresh ideas,
ready to implement new approaches that
will directly benefit our pupils. The
positive impact of this conference will be
felt throughout our schools, to enrich the
educational experience for all our pupils.
Page 20

Mercian Educational Trust
Multi Academy Trust
School to School Support
Attendance Support Services
Somers Park Primary - Malvern
Vale Site, Swinyard Road,
Malvern, Worcestershire,
England, WR14 1GU
01684 574 497
www.metacademies.org.uk
Mercian Educational Trust, a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and
Wales with company number 07698974. Registered Address: Somers Park Primary - Malvern Vale
Site, Swinyard Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, England, WR14 1GU