ARC Chair Update - July 2025

The end of an academic year is normally a time of reflection and planning whilst looking forward to the summer break. This has been an amazing year across the ARC Community, seeing membership continue to grow, new developments, events and campaigns and a wider engagement across the ‘system’ that supports our children and young people.

The introduction of a regional dimension to the ARC Timpson Awards has seen over 36 settings being recognised across the country either as category winners or with a commendation. It has been an absolute joy, pleasure and privilege to be involved with the presentation of these awards over the past few weeks. The excitement for being recognised for the high quality work that is taking place is something that any setting would be rightly proud of. The significance that developing effective and inclusive relational approaches in any school is the benefits this brings to meeting the needs of the young people, the staff team and the learning community they serve. As Chair of ARC, I am very proud to be linked with such passionate and innovative schools – well done to all those that were nominated, and congratulations to all settings that have been recognised.

The importance of representing our most vulnerable children and young people has never been more important than currently. In my role linked within the ASCL Council, I continue to strive to raise awareness of the importance of maximising inclusive practice through having effective relationships within all of our schools and settings. This has allowed me to represent how trauma-informed, attachment aware and restorative approaches are very much backed by extensive research and need to be an integral part of all professional development across schools. In conversations with Dame Christine Lenehan and Tom Rees around the current SEND review it has been possible to emphasise a wider understanding and interpretation of transition for our vulnerable learners, the importance of positive self-worth and belonging – all underpinned by strong relationships.

The NEU Arts & Minds campaign (Arts & Minds | Putting Creativity At The Heart of The Curriculum) around increasing access to the Arts is another part of the ‘belonging jigsaw’. At an event held at Westminster I was able to share the work currently being developed across the Midlands for our Children In Care and those with Social Workers. This collaborative work across Virtual Schools (including the WMVS CiC Foundation), Arts Connect, The Mighty Creatives, Care To Dance and ARC within the emerging document ‘Include Me – I Want To Belong, Developing A Cultural Entitlement For All Our Children’. This has been presented across all educational leadership conferences and will be shared more widely in the new academic year.

The recent introduction of the ARC Ambassador role has allowed some really exciting membership benefits and developments to be planned for introduction for the new academic year. This will include new Phase Network Groups, Solution Tool-Kits, revised research document library, revised ARC learning programme and discounted services from a number of businesses. Furthermore, the webinar offer continues to grow with over 50 events being calendared. We would welcome further interest from volunteers who are interested in support ARC as Ambassadors. Please contact me at andrew@the-arc.org.uk

The recent South East and London regional conference held at Earls Court was a tremendous and successful gathering. An energised room were challenged by a range of speakers to reflect on how inclusive their settings with whom they work were. This annual event has also helped to celebrate the great work in the partnership between ARC, the London VRU and Virtual Schools.

Finally, I wish you all a very relaxing and enjoyable summer.

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