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Politics In Action

politics in action

London

We are delighted to welcome our new Executive Director Paul Smyth, who comes to us with a wealth of experience and a strong reputation for ground breaking youth work. I am thrilled to have taken up the post of Executive Director with Politics in Action – and I want to start by congratulating my predecessor Patricia O’Lynn on her election to the Northern Ireland Assembly. We live in a turbulent time for politics around the world, nationally and locally – and this makes the work of supporting young people’s role as active citizens more challenging and even more important. We are emerging from a global pandemic which has put unprecedented restrictions on the lives and freedoms of young people, and which has impacted their learning, their social lives, their relationships and for some their mental health. Politics in Action responded proactively to these challenges by moving workshops online and ensuring continuity. I am optimisticwe can return to largely face-to-face delivery of our programmes with young people in schools and other settings, and can find new ways of engaging with more young people and in particular those who are not normally invited into conversations about politics and citizenship. Much of what we already do is in collaboration with schools and with other youth organisations. I see so much potential for additional collaborations that allow our little charity to punch above its weight. One of the many attractions of the role is the excellent Board of Trustees who provide strong governance, leadership and vision for Politics in Action. They bring significant social and political capital to the charity and use it in the interests of young people and our shared future. I would love to hear your ideas about how Politics in Action should direct our energies over the coming months and years. Feel free to drop me a line and I am always up for a coffee and a creative chat!

The Island Project

the island project

Meriden

The Island Project School was set up to provide a school for children and young people with autism. It was founded by parents whose children had previously been taught at home using Applied Behaviour Analysis ("ABA"). Without functional communication, adults with autism can be isolated from their family, community and even carers. Without clear and early intervention, children and young people may grow into adults with no communication or independence skills meaning that they become the most dependent, and sadly most vulnerable group whilst needing the largest amount of support. If, as a school, we can give young people a means of communication plus independence skills, we can give them a better quality of life, whilst reducing their long term dependence upon their community. Unfortunately, whilst Local Authorities have a legal obligation to provide appropriate education for all children, they do not have the space, funding, or expertise to provide appropriate education for all pupils, particularly those with complex communication needs and associated difficulties, or for those who have ABA on their EHC Plans In the West Midlands, there were no ABA schools when the Island Project was founded, and this remains largely the case. The School was founded using the principles of ABA, and the Pyramid Approach to Education which gives pupils an effective means of communication using the Picture Exchange System. The School recognises that having an effective means of communication, putting in place strategies around managing sensory difficulties, and the development of independence skills are key to enabling children and young people to successfully access education and a better quality of life in the future. In recognition of this, all pupils at the School have input from a Multi Disciplinary Team which includes Behaviour Analysts, Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists specialising in Sensory Integration. The School originated with three pupils in a small unit in Balsall Common. The Schoo was founded as a charity, and within a few years, had outgrown its original building and moved to new premises at Diddington Hall in Meriden.

Tewkesbury School

tewkesbury school

Gloucestershire,

I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to take up the mantle of Headteacher at Tewkesbury School. When I first visited the school and the town back in 2021, I was struck by the community feel, the passion for the town and the dedication of the staff team for all the young people. I distinctly remember the pride with which the student guides spoke of the school and of their community and the ambition the team at Tewkesbury School had for every student. This will be my second Headship in the South West and my 20th year in education and I am excited to guide Tewkesbury School through its next phase. Headteachers are custodians of schools on behalf of young people and it will be my privilege to work with the whole community from governors, parents, students, colleagues and primary colleagues to other partners in the town, county and region to make sure Tewkesbury School is strong, effective and serving our children to the best of its ability. The greatest successes come from working together towards a common cause and there is no better cause than the education of the next generations. I am keenly ambitious about our future as a school so will continue the drive towards the highest standards academically and behaviourally whilst still ensuring we remain an inclusive school serving the Tewkesbury community. The educational landscape is shifting and changing at a national, regional and local level yet, despite that, there is nothing more important than making sure our young people are well prepared to step out into the world with confidence and understanding as a result of great teaching and a broad range of experiences. Everything I do will link back to preparing our young people to be successful in their next steps in life. It is an absolute privilege to be the Headteacher at Tewkesbury and I look forward to welcoming you to our school.