Dear Parents and Carers, 

As we reach the end of another academic year, it’s hard to believe how quickly the time has flown. This year has been filled with many proud moments and achievements for our Trust, and we want to take a moment to reflect and celebrate together.

We’ve seen numerous successes, including positive inspection outcomes for many of our schools and nurseries, the exciting opening of a brand-new school, Garden Village Primary, and the launch of our Trust Pupil Leadership initiative. Our children also shone brightly at the Tamworth Art Festival, showcasing their bravery in performing with such creativity and talent to the wider community.

At Fierté, we are always striving to improve. We remain committed to identifying and overcoming any barriers that may affect our children’s learning and wellbeing. Our children continue to be the shining stars of our Trust—day in and day out, they inspire us with their resilience, kindness, and individuality.

Looking ahead, we will continue to work hand in hand with our local communities, families, and, most importantly, our wonderful children. Together, we will ensure every child has the opportunity to grow into a Fierté citizen—someone who cares deeply, acts bravely, celebrates individuality, and ensures no one is left behind.

As we head into the summer break, we encourage you to cherish this time together. Rest, recharge, and enjoy the moments that matter most. September will be here before we know it, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back as part of the Fierté family.

Thank you, as always, for your unwavering support. It truly makes a difference.

Wishing you a joyful and restful summer.

Kindest regards,

Maria Hamblin (CEO)

Fierté Facts

Become a School Governor – Make a Difference in Our School Communities!

We are extending an invitation to you to consider becoming a school governor—a vital and rewarding role that helps shape the future of our school and the wider Trust community.

Governors play a key part in supporting school leadership, ensuring high standards, and helping to make strategic decisions that benefit all our children. While you do not need to be an education expert, we welcome individuals who bring a range of skills, experiences, and perspectives.

Some of the qualities and expertise that make an effective governor include:

• A commitment to improving outcomes for all children
• The ability to work as part of a team and ask thoughtful questions
• Skills in areas such as finance, HR, law, health and safety, or project management
• A willingness to learn and engage in training opportunities
• A passion for supporting your local community

Being a governor is a chance to make a real impact, gain valuable experience, and be part of a supportive network within our Trust. Full training and ongoing support are provided.

Those interested in supporting our children as school governors can contact ceo@fierte.org.

Thank you for considering this important role. Together, we can continue to build a strong, nurturing, and ambitious school community for every child.

The Executive Leadership Team, 

The CEO and Vice CEO have been actively engaging with leaders and central support staff this term. They have attended school inspections and taken on many additional responsibilities in finance, premises management, HR, and catering to ensure the support, safety, and welfare of children and staff remain central to decision-making.

Our subsidiary company, Our Pride, Our Joy, continues to support before-and after-school clubs. They also manage and lead holiday clubs across half-terms, which are very well attended.  Over 103 children and their families will take part in our holiday club programme, with even more children joining us from outside our school catchment area than before. It’s been wonderful to see our community grow and thrive through these fun-filled sessions.

The Central Support Team plays a vital role in the smooth day-to-day running of our schools. Their expertise and dedication ensure that essential services—such as recruitment, advertising, catering, HR, finance, and IT—are managed efficiently and effectively. By supporting school leaders and operational teams behind the scenes, they help create the conditions that allow our staff to focus on educating our children.

Within the Trust value of ‘brave’, we have three main things that make us brave: being resilient, inspiring others to achieve more, and having faith in ourselves (courageous). As I work around the Trust, I get to see these values in action all the time, and it is truly inspiring.

I often watch in awe as teachers and teaching support staff create magic in their classrooms. They create a safe space where children feel comfortable sharing their ideas, even if they are unsure, and they can answer challenging questions without fear of being laughed at or criticised. They know that this is a part of learning, and that is what really matters. Children with special needs and disabilities face additional challenges, but they show incredible resilience by taking the steps they need to master skills and expand their knowledge.

Recently, I had the chance to talk with a child in a classroom who does not usually speak. I did not know this, and I asked about their learning. They must have felt nervous and worried, but they answered my questions anyway. I had no idea that they found it so difficult. It was a clear example of true bravery.

Much of my role includes examining and collecting firsthand evidence to determine strengths, areas for enhancement or improvement, and the actions to be taken.  When we sometimes have to give tough messages to our peers, it takes bravery to do that. The responses from governors, leaders, teachers, and others show how our family is committed to achieving more and getting better. Resilience comes from facing challenges repeatedly and never giving up. This is especially true when academies have a lot of things going on at once and external scrutiny can make things even more stressful.

No doubt, we are brave as a Trust family. This bravery is paying off! Children, classes, academies, and the Trust have all made progress this year. It is not just luck; it is because we have taken the steps we need to make it happen.

The lyrics to ‘Roar’ by Katy Perry, which our CEO and children love, say, ‘Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar. Louder, louder than a lion. Long may our children, staff, and everyone connected to the Trust roar like a lion and realise our vision to ‘proudly inspire all to excellence’.

'We are brave in our approach to budget setting because we understand that every financial decision we make directly impacts the lives and futures of our children. In a climate of increasing demands and limited resources, bravery means confronting difficult choices head-on. It means prioritising what truly matters—learning, wellbeing, and opportunity. Being brave also means embracing transparency and collaboration. We engage openly, inviting diverse perspectives and encouraging honest conversations about what we can afford, what we must protect, and where we can innovate.'

We are brave... Our schools work hard to show that they are brave - a core Trust value. Please see below a flavour of the diverse and wonderful activities our pupils have engaged in, demonstrating that they have courage and resilience for themselves and others. We are very proud of them all...

At Anker Valley, we are brave when it comes to our trips and visits. We want all of our children to have memorable learning experiences, which includes visiting London, travelling by train and on the Underground, travelling to Llandudno to play on the beach, even taking Reception into Birmingham City Centre on the train. We are so proud of our staff, children and parents for their bravery and willingness to support these experiences.

At Dosthill Primary Academy, we believe bravery comes in many forms, from trying something new to standing up for what matters. This term, our pupils have shown incredible courage across a range of activities that reflect our core value: “We are brave.”

Art with a Message:
In Year 6, pupils explored the theme of activism through art. They bravely expressed their personal beliefs and concerns by designing powerful posters that highlighted issues close to their hearts. This creative journey encouraged them to use their voices and visual storytelling to inspire change - a true act of courage and conviction.

Sporting Spirit:
Our Year 5/6 tennis team demonstrated bravery on the court as they competed in the Tamworth Schools Tennis Tournament. Facing seven tough matches, they showed resilience, determination, and sportsmanship - ultimately being crowned champions! Their performance was a shining example of pushing through pressure and rising to the challenge.

Speaking Up and Reaching Out:
Year 3 pupils showed bravery in communication by creating and sharing a French quiz with another school in our Trust, Edge Hill Primary Academy. This collaborative project not only celebrated their language learning but also their confidence in reaching out and connecting with others.

Learning Through Experimentation:
In science, Year 5 pupils embraced the unknown as they explored reversible and irreversible changes. Through hands-on experiments involving sieving and filtering, they demonstrated curiosity and courage in tackling new scientific concepts.

At Dosthill, bravery is not just about big moments, it’s about the everyday acts of courage our children show when they try, speak, create, and compete. We are incredibly proud of the brave learners they are becoming.

This week, the Year 6 children at Edge Hill visited Standon Bowers. They had a fantastic time on their residential trip.

From high ropes to team challenges, the children truly embraced the spirit of adventure and demonstrated the value: We Are Brave. Whether it was stepping out of their comfort zones, supporting one another, or tackling new experiences head-on, they’ve shown incredible courage and resilience.

We’re so proud of how they’re representing the school—full of energy, enthusiasm, and kindness. 

 

At Glascote Academy, we proudly uphold the Trust Value of "We are brave." This principle has been a concurrent theme during the Summer Term for staff, children and parents! 

The children of Reception Elizabeth went to Lytham St Annes for a glorious day at the seaside!  Everyone had an amazing day on the beach, in the splash pool, on the mini-train, in the arcade and on the pier. The sun shone, and it was a long but glorious day. 

Meanwhile, our Year 3 went on their trip to the MAD Museum and Butterfly Farm in Stratford; staff and children braved the walk through the busy town centre from one venue to another, ensuring that all were safe. Year 4 also went to Stratford-upon-Avon, facing some fears of butterflies, lizards and insects in the Mayan-based Butterfly Farm, and being brave to go to the nearby park to experience Stratford’s paddling pool, large sandpit and extensive play area.  

Our final music concert of the year took place with Reception children bravely performing for their parents and families.  Likewise, our Year 6 children produced a polished performance of ‘Sherlock and Cinders’ as their end-of-year production with singing (including solos and duets), dancing and acting – some of which were multiple roles and disguises!  

Our Year 6 children have been brave during their transition days to High School; we will never forget that, for many children, this is a massive step and takes so much bravery in the days leading up to them and the days themselves. We are proud of our Year 6. 

Our children are immensely brave. This bravery shone through during their participation in the Colour Run, playing the Steel Pans, and their dancing and singing on the ‘Kaleidoscope of dreams’ day in the Castle Grounds on Saturday 5th July in front of hundreds of onlookers.   

A wonderful Summer at Glascote Academy! However, none of this would have been possible if the staff had been brave enough to plan things and enact them; the children to join in and enjoy themselves; and the parents brave enough to trust us! These efforts highlight the bravery that is shown daily at Glascote Academy. 

 

Every child at Garden Village Primary Academy has become a brave individual during their first year at school. After only a few weeks in the Autumn Term, the children sang and said words of thank you at the GVPA Official Opening Ceremony in front of a large audience of adults who they did not know. Building on from this, they successfully performed on the stage in their first Christmas Nativity play - A Star is Born. In their learning, they are inquisitive, challenge each other and are not afraid to make mistakes. Every month, at the Family and Friends Celebration Assembly, every child has showcased and spoke about a piece of learning that they are proud of. More recently at the Tamworth Arts Festival, seventeen children danced in front of an exceptionally large crowd with confidence and excitement. We are very proud of how every child has embraced the value of bravery. 

 

At Heathfields Infant Academy, children have experienced a wide range of new opportunities by taking part in the Fierté Festival and the Kaleidoscope of colour. They have been really brave by performing on the stage, learning new skills or presenting to their class and friends. The Year 2 children also visited the seaside, spent a long day away from home and braved the seagulls. They all had a wonderful time on their final trip before leaving school. 

 

Wilnecote Junior Academy

At Wilnecote Junior Academy we ended our Fierté Festival by celebrating our wonderful musicians. The children joined Dosthill students and the Wilnecote High student to showcase their talents. The children were very nervous, but we are really proud of their bravery to standing and completing solos on the stage at The Wilnecote school in front of so many parents and guests. 

 

At Violet Way, bravery is at the heart of everything we do. Whether it’s a quiet moment of courage when a child overcomes a personal challenge, or a bold display of teamwork and resilience, we are proud of the many ways our children show bravery every day.

A shining example of this is our incredible Year 2s. Throughout the year, they have demonstrated determination and resilience in their learning. But their bravery truly took centre stage—literally—when they performed Snow White not once, but four times in front of a full audience! Standing tall under the spotlight, they sang, acted, and brought the story to life with confidence and joy.

We were all so proud and deeply impressed by their courage and commitment.

Well done, Year 2—you are true Violet Way stars!

Reuben, pictured centre of the photograph, was involved in a serious accident involving a ride on lawn mower. He was very lucky not to lose his lower left leg. From the time the accident happened, Reuben has shown outstanding bravery. He endured 6 operations and two major skin grafts within a period of 8 weeks. Our children kept in regular contact with Reuben, writing letters, sending gifts and even video messages. Throughout, all Reuben wanted to do was to get back to his nursery family. Reuben was not only brave, but he showed great resilience and determination too. He amazed medical professionals, family and friends and achieved everything he set out to do. We are all so very proud of him.