ACE Academies for Character and Excellence

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ACE Academies for Character and Excellence

We work together in collaborative partnerships to achieve excellence through cultivating character,

25/03/2026

Our fourth ECT development day across the Trust was proudly hosted at Holy Trinity Primary in Taunton by Daniel Schoner.

The focus of the day was on the vital role reflection plays in the learning process and why it is essential for achieving highly effective learning. ECTs explored different types of reflection and, importantly, placed themselves in the shoes of a child to better understand the learner’s experience with different types of reflection.

This was followed by the opportunity to visit classrooms from Reception through to Year 6 where ECTs observed how reflection actively drives learning in practice. They also explored how children capture their thinking and progress through reflective journals.

A valuable and inspiring day, strengthening our shared commitment to developing independent, collaborative and creative learners.

14/03/2026

Trust Deputy Heads came together to explore the ACE Coaching Model, grounding their learning in theory before seeing it applied in real practice. A strong step forward in developing reflective, empowering leadership across the Trust.

24/02/2026

Turning Vision into Reality at Totnes St John’s

This week, we took an exciting step forward in shaping truly innovative learning spaces across the school.

The Headteadcher, Rachel Patterson‑Azzopardi, spent time reflecting with her team and the Trust colleagues on how the right environment can empower children to become independent, collaborative and creative learners.

From rethinking classroom flow to designing spaces that spark curiosity and ownership, the work at Totnes St John’s is bringing our shared vision to life—one purposeful learning environment at a time.

Proud to see the energy, reflection and ambition driving this project forward.

17/12/2025

How do you think? Why do you think?

Our Central Team came together to deepen understanding on how we systematically teach pupils to think and reflect on their learning.

The highlight? Pupils stepped into the role of teachers! They confidently demonstrated how to use ACE Thinking Tools, showcasing incredible articulation and ownership of their knowledge.

Empowering learners to lead the way—this is what excellence looks like to us.

12/12/2025

Trust-Wide Book Look: Raising Standards

Today we carried out a Trust-wide book look with a sharp focus on maths journalising and the basic standards of excellence in our reflective learning journals.

What we identified:

• Strong progress across schools in embedding clear reasoning and structured problem-solving.
• A consistency of expectation, sequencing of learning and pupils’ leading their learning.

We are proud of the commitment to excellence shown by our pupils and staff. Together, we’re building a culture where every journal reflects high expectations and purposeful learning.

05/12/2025

Day 2 ACE ECT Training

Our second ECT training day of the year was a fantastic opportunity to deepen our understanding of the Know–Show–Grow framework of learning.

Early Career Teachers spent the morning unpacking how the model supports clarity, purposeful practice, and academic excellence, before heading into classrooms to see it in action.

The afternoon brought rich collaboration, with ECTs working together to plan learning sessions that truly reflected the framework—building sequences that make learning excellent.

A brilliant day of professional growth and shared commitment to high-quality pedagogy and learning.

28/11/2025

Empowering Leadership

Today we brought together our deputy heads and senior leaders for a powerful training session focused on:
- Striking the right balance between leadership and management
- Using strategic OKRs to drive improvement
- Leveraging data insights to inform decisions and actions

"Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge." – Simon Sinek

What an impressive group of reflective, forward-thinking leaders—committed to making a real impact!

25/11/2025

Empowering educators to empower learners!

Today, ACE SENCO worked collaboratively for a transformative training experience focused on inclusive ACE pedagogy and strategies that help every learner make exceptional progress.

✅ Practical tools
✅ Impactful Monitoring
✅ Evidence-based approaches

24/11/2025

We were thrilled to welcome Mary Myatt to ACE!

Mary spent time exploring our ACE curriculum in action, looking through pupil journals, speaking with our amazing children, and engaging in rich conversations about curriculum design and implementation.

Thank you, Mary, for sharing your expertise and passion!

17/11/2025

Today we explored how character is not just taught — it's lived. Through the ACE Gateways and our Character Progression Framework, we’re empowering schools to embed values that shape resilient, reflective, and responsible learners.

From aspiration to compassion, each gateway opens opportunities for pupils to grow, supported by a curriculum that celebrates who they are and who they can become.

“Character isn’t a lesson — it’s a lived experience across every subject, every interaction, every moment.”

15/11/2025

Devon Education Leadership Team Meeting

Today, our inspiring headteachers applied their deep understanding of fostering independence, creativity, and collaboration in the classroom.

The afternoon was dedicated to evaluating and reflecting on the IDSR, sharpening strategic insights and strengthening school improvement planning.

Address

Pathfields
Totnes
TQ95TZ

Telephone

+441626242342

Website

https://www.acexcellence.co.uk/

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