It’s challenging enough to run a business but ensuring that works around family time were among the reasons Sarah Roads set up SLR marine recruitment. SLR at its heart has a strong mission to help time-served armed forces leavers find fulfilling work as they transition into civilian life. Sarah however also wears another hat; she sits on the board of the Thinking School’s Academy Trust. Serving as a member of the Thinking School Trust sits alongside Sarah ‘s core values in relation to children and family and community outreach. It is extremely important to her to be part of an organisation that seeks to create opportunities for children and as well as serve the local community.

What do thinking schools do?

 

The mission of the trust is to work cohesively as part of a family of schools whose goal is to nurture children and improve the life chances of young people. At the centre of the academy is the aim to transform the lives of children enabling them to be confident and independent.

Key Points for Our Trust

  • Child first: To provide a stimulating learning environment for all where learners feel safe to explore knowledge and understanding. We believe that children learn best when they are motivated, clear about expectations in their work and behaviour, feel valued, secure and confident, are challenged and receive constructive feedback about their performance.
  • Aspire: To be the best they can be. We believe that all staff and pupils can aspire for personal and professional prowess and become empowered through the Thinking philosophy.
  • Challenge: To actively shape the minds, attitudes and habits of young people through a framework of cognitive education that enables them to become the master of their own destiny. We believe that pupils require an accurate reflection of what they are good at and need to develop personal insight and manage uncertainty confidently. Developing skilled, independent, reflective learners is part of our Vision.
  • Achieve: For all stakeholders to demonstrate the highest levels of thinking and habits. We want our pupils to be questioning in nature, achieving the highest levels of independent and interdependent prowess.

What emerged from the pandemic was collective anxiety and fear in our children that the Thinking Trust wanted to help address and hold conversations about in school. Sarah reached out to one of her contacts Charla Grant who is the founder of The Grateful Hearts Club and the outcome of this was a talk in a school assembly last month at Moorings Way. This is part of an initiative called Rise and Shine growing strong minds and standing tall together. Charla and her colleagues came into school to share a message of mindfulness and gratitude encouraging the children to move, breathe and think in a way that begins the day in a positive way and aids the mental health of our young people. In the assembly, The Grateful Hearts Club team encouraged the children to rise and stand tall like sunflowers. This is an important position for children to begin the day with their feet grounded standing tall and reaching for the light. The Thinking Schools Academy Trust as part of its mission, supports initiatives like the Rise and Shine assemblies so that children are given tools and strategies that help them support their mental health and well-being.