ARC Chair Update October 2024

ARC is committed to developing a true learning community. The growing number of ARC Learning Hubs has enabled practitioners across this system to extend their awareness and knowledge of the great work that is taking place at a national level. The new ARC Learning programme, connected to this, is certainly creating a lot of interest at the webinars and learning events.

The ARC Timpson Awards, with new business partners Equal Education, are being extended regionally to align to the regional ARC/NAVSH Conferences which are currently being organised. These awards will be a route into the established annual awards that are presented at our annual conference, with nominations continue to be submitted via Virtual School Head Teachers.

I am delighted that we are introducing a new volunteer role of ARC Ambassador to support this enhanced offer. It is important that we have local and regional representation across the UK to ensure that we continue to connect approaches, projects, services and initiatives. The role of ARC Ambassador is to represent ARC across the full offer and we look forward to meeting interested individuals.

The first ARC Research symposium was an overwhelming success and demonstrated the importance of evidence-based work. I thank all those involved and look forward to developing this area of work.

I look forward to meeting many of our members at this year’s annual conference – please do come and say hello on the day. Sadly, Marie Gentles has had a family bereavement and so will not be able to join us, our thoughts and condolences go to her and her family. I am pleased that Maureen McKenna has now agreed to share her leadership work around Relational Approaches as an additional key note. Furthermore, our long established work with the Association of School & College Leaders (ASCL) has enabled Evelyn Forde MBE (Past President of ASCL) to complete our panel line-up.

One of the privileges of being Chair is being able to visit many schools and settings. The fantastic amount of energy, innovation and commitment across our schools never ceases to amaze and impress me. The high quality of this work was demonstrated on a visit to Woodlands Primary School in Telford, where one of the children was explain how she was okay with approach to equity adopted throughout the school – what a lovely moment!

I was very proud and humbled to represent our Children in Care, Care Experienced Young People and the Education Community at the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle recently. It was particularly pleasing that the awards were presented by HRH Prince William, who has such a strong commitment to improving awareness of, and support for, mental health.

I would like to thank all those that have sent me such kind and personal messages, for which I am very grateful.

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