Head's exciting new vision for Wirral Primary School

EXCITING changes are happening at a Wirral Primary School, as it aims to lead the way in early years education. With new Headteacher Tom Wallace at the helm, St. Peter & Paul's Primary School in New Brighton has brought about renewed inspiration and excitement for the next generation of game changers; with some big plans in the pipeline.

Located in an idyllic location at the top of New Brighton, St. Peter & Paul's is on a mission to reignite the passion and joy of teaching and learning. Forward-thinking Headteacher Tom Wallace, who joined the School in September 2022, has instilled a vibrant new ethos that is already having profound effects on pupils, teachers and parents.

During the past 12 months, the School has implemented new policies and practices into the classroom to help tackle the workload crisis in Schools, to allow teachers to focus on what they do best. Leading with a philosophy of:- 'happy teacher, happy pupil,' a big focus has been on teacher wellbeing and there has been a new buzz in the staffroom and classrooms.

Teacher Miss Cullen said:- "There's a real buzz about the School these days and both staff and children are completely enthused in a new culture of learning together. Since Tom joined as Head it's had a positive impact on the mental health of the teachers and we have a better work/life balance. There's a real community feel about the School and a great teaching and learning atmosphere."

The School has invested heavily integrating new teaching methods; leading with a more interactive approach and encouraging role play and debate. A new behaviour policy has been implemented throughout School, based on cutting edge research into the human brain, bringing consistency and security into children's lives to help children self regulate and take ownership of their actions.

Collaborating with leading Education figure Ruth Swailes, the PTA invested £4,000 in Early Years Development and a recent refurbishment has seen an immersive outdoor space, filled with excellent outdoor provision areas to further develop children's growth, including:- 'chill out' spaces with sensory tables, construction sites and a garden in bloom thanks to a partnership with New Brighton in Bloom.

Recently inducted into the Royal Society Of Arts, the Headteacher behind the changes, Tom Wallace, said:- "Since the epidemic, we are seeing more issues with children's mental health and wellbeing, whilst teachers are also suffering from high levels of stress due to workload, and this dangerous combination is leading to poor attendance and a retention crisis in education. During the past 12 months we've implemented a number of measures to combat this and we're looking to do more."

Tom is an experienced teacher of 19 years who has helped transform Schools and founded a consultancy and software company alongside fellow teacher Andy Moor in order to to make School processes more efficient and less stressful. As a result he has become a mental health advocate for teachers and has given talks at hundreds of Schools, Local Authorities, Director Of Children's Services and in The House Of Lords.

At St. Peter & Paul's there's a big emphasis on the local area, instilling a wider sense of love, appreciation and understanding of their community, and the School now works with many local companies and charities, such as:- Vale Park Cafe, Neo Community who offer free meals and essential items to families, Caritas, Rockpoint Leisure and many more.

The School is in the process of building a new Community Room which will offer toddler classes, stay and play groups, parent classes, coffee mornings with Charlotte's Brightside and healthy cooking classes for families. The School has also worked hard making School dinners cheaper and healthier by managing them in house, using freshly prepared local produce, and has been awarded a Green Flag with Merit as an Eco School.

Parent Jenny said:- "I came here as a child and now have 2 children here; the changes are unbelievable! My kids love coming to School and come home talking about the new things they've learnt;they're happy, smiley and positive towards learning. There's a great philosophy of happy teacher happy student and you can see it's working. I'd encourage anyone to place their child here."

Whilst being a Catholic School, St. Peter & Paul's is open to children of all faiths and adopts a policy of absolute inclusivity; with the aim of maximising both the potential and wellbeing of all students. The new look School is not only striving to excel in the 21st Century, but also become a flagship model for the future.

Headteacher Tom Wallace summarised:- "This is just the beginning. The vision we have for the School over the next few years excites me. We want to firmly place SSPP on the world stage as a leading Primary School."

The School is currently advertising for places for reception class in September 2024. Please visit:- SSPP.School. They also have places available for:- 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

Public services, transport and creative industries sectors set for £36m 5G connectivity boost

LOCAL areas across the UK will be helped to boost their digital connectivity and adopt advanced wireless technologies, including:- drones to monitor crops and livestock, smart systems to reduce congestion, and portable 5G networks to enable super fast live broadcast from remote locations.

Announced are 10 winning multi Local Authority areas spanning all 4 parts of the UK will receive a share of £36 million as they become 5G Innovation Regions. The funding will drive the development and adoption of 5G and other advanced wireless technologies; making sure communities within Towns, Cities and rural areas take full advantage of the benefits advanced wireless connectivity and digital technologies can provide and attract commercial investment to grow the economy.

Amongst those set to benefit is Glasgow City Region who will receive over £3 million to deliver a health and social care focused project that will use advanced wireless technology, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart City applications, to make public services better. The project will specifically focus on: monitoring and maintaining assets, creating environmentally friendly social housing, and improving the monitoring of health and social care services.

Elsewhere, Greater Manchester Combined Authority will receive over £3 million, part of which will be used to 5G enable hundreds of air source heat pumps across social housing in the Region. By using 5G the UK will accelerate the creation of Smart Energy Grids and bring forward benefits for residents, industry and public services by allowing them to better monitor energy use and save money on their bills.

A key commitment from the Government's Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, the 5G Innovation Regions programme is designed to boost innovation in sectors such as:- advanced manufacturing, transport, agriculture, creative industries, and public services, helping to create better connected places across the UK. These projects will stimulate demand for 5G connectivity, bringing the Government's vision of unlocking the power of cutting edge 5G wireless and digital technologies to life, with research showing widespread adoption could result in productivity benefits of £159 billion by 2035.

The announcement comes as a new advisory group with representatives from all 4 parts of the UK is launched. The board will support local areas to put recommendations to Government on how to support their digital connectivity goals, encourage investment, and promote adoption at a local level.

Minister of Data and Digital Infrastructure Sir John Whittingdale said:- "We're channelling millions into local areas to unlock the potential of cutting edge 5G wireless and digital technologies which will reshape our public services, drive economic growth and boost innovation. This new fund will give local areas from across the country the opportunity to be at the forefront of Britain's world leading 5G revolution. For instance, by using 5G for farming and creating science parks, we're not just helping local communities, but also encouraging new ideas all over the UK. This is more than just linking smartphones. It's about using powerful digital connections to transform various sectors in the economy and the public sector throughout the entire country."

The successful Regions will lead on delivering the Government's vision set out in the UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April, for communities across the UK to take full advantage of the transformative effect that advanced wireless connectivity and digital technologies can provide. This forms part of the UK Government's wider ambition to drive telecoms innovation, ensuring more secure and resilient networks and a more diverse and competitive supply chain.

Each Region faces a unique set of challenges and opportunities related to their location, local industries, and technology needs, so the programme will demonstrate the scalability, replicability, and sustainability of each project, before disseminating project learnings and benefits.

Projects set to receive funding are:-

• Belfast City Council [£3.8 million]: use 5G tech to digitise port operations:- '5G in a box' technology for high capacity uplinks for on-location filming and production studios; and exploiting advanced wireless connectivity on transport routes.
   

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority [£3 million]: 5G enabled heat pumps to accelerate the creation of Smart Energy Grids; and a digital road network to reduce congestion and carbon emissions
   

• West Midlands Combined Authority [£3.8 million]: scale proven 5G applications in advanced manufacturing and smart communities through new adoption hubs.
   

• Oxfordshire County Council [£3.8 million]: creation of 5G Science Parks, at the Harwell campus, in Oxfordshire supporting R&D in Quantum, Space, Health, and Energy Clusters
   

• North Ayrshire Council [£3.8 million]: new Regional Strategic Wireless Innovation Hubs will place Ayrshire as a UK leader in advanced manufacturing by accelerating the adoption of digital and wireless technologies.
   

• Sussex County Council [£3.8 million]: develop and scale 5G applications to support future farming and growing practices that increase sustainable food and drink productivity.
   

• Cumberland Council [£3.8 million]: Use 5G and advanced wireless tech at key sites across the Borderlands Region to demonstrate how it can help build the tourist economy, protect the environment and local businesses.
   

• Shropshire Council [£3.7 million]: embed advanced wireless connectivity technology at the heart of technological innovation across rural industries, water management and public services.
   

• Sunderland City Council [£3.8 million]: 5G- enabled port operations to enhance port competitiveness and safety, and Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems that improve road transport efficiency.
   

• Glasgow City Council [£3.2 million]: use Internet of Things and smart City applications for Asset Monitoring and Maintenance, Net Zero Social Housing, and Health and Social Care Monitoring.

The UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN) will also run a nationwide programme to drive the adoption of 5G and advanced communication technologies in key economic sectors, including:- manufacturing, health and social care, transport and logistics, and agricultural technology. UKTIN will be working closely with the 5G Innovation Regions, including through place based working groups, helping businesses and places from across all parts of the UK benefit from access to this transforming technology.

Nick Johnson, Head of the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN) said:- "We're thrilled to see the recipients of the 5G Innovation Regions fund encompassing a broad range of places across the country, helping to boost the adoption of advanced communication technologies across a range of vertical sectors. While this is fantastic news for the 10 Regions chosen, UKTIN will play a pivotal role in taking their innovations and learnings to the whole of the UK. We will collaborate with successful Regions to overcome adoption hurdles and deliver best practice and insights to communities across the country, so that all Regions and nations can benefit from the lessons being learned through both 5G Innovation Regions and other relevant initiatives."

Hamish MacLeod, Chief Executive of Mobile UK said:- "The announcement of the winning innovation Regions, backed up by £36m of Government funding, is a welcome step towards spurring innovation in 5G and mobile connectivity. We look forward to working with the winning Regions in demonstrating the significant potential of 5G technologies to revamp and modernise public services across the country."

Improved connectivity through 5G and advanced wireless technologies could have a transformative effect on local areas, providing faster, more reliable, and more secure connectivity for residents and businesses, boosting local economies, and improving the delivery of public services.