Design note 4 - what do we mean?

In addition to the similarities between our new icon and the real Northern Lights, we particularly liked some of the themes of what the Northern Lights icon represented, namely:

  • Uniqueness
  • Reaching for high standards
  • Our Trust is on a journey to Remarkable
  • Whether you are a student, a teacher or a trusted partner, everyone is on a unique journey, one that will take them new places and opportunities everyone is on a unique journey, one that will take them new places and opportunities

Design note 3 - a bold look

To complement our dynamic new Northern Lights icon, we needed a strong colour pallette and confident, contemporary font.
The contrasting yet complimentary colours in our logo symbolises our value of diversity and unity. We often talk about 'the same but different' at Beckfoot Trust to acknowledge that whilst we have a very clear One Trust identity and clarity on what remarkable means, we also know that one size does not always fit all. 

Design note 2 - our Northern Lights

Perhaps the most important part of our new Beckfoot Trust logo is the icon, shown to the right here.

We all it our Northern Lights.

In nature, the Northern Lights are seen as something unique and truly Remarkable that are associated with the North.

Our Northern Lights icon represents The Beckfoot Trust which is also on a constant journey to Remarkable and is strongly associated with the North of England.

As part of our ongoing Journey to Remarkable we felt it was important to give The Beckfoot Trust a strong, confident and contemporary logo and brand that was worthy of an organisation with such high standards and aspirations.

The new Trust logo was a departure from the previous logo style and was definitely designed with the future in mind.

People First Charter

Our People First Charter is unique to us, having been crafted with a wide range of staff over a full year. We aim to attract and retain mission-aligned people, enhance employee engagement and maximise performance. This charter makes clear what we are striving to achieve as a people first organisation and is underpinned by our 3 strategic anchors: invest in people, implement with rigour and clarity, and demand remarkably high standards. Our overarching people first strategic aim is to be one trust where all belong.

Professional Growth

Investing in people is one of our 3 strategic anchors. We are determined that all colleagues feel self-determinant and successful.

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  • Organise at least one high-profile Trust-wide annual CPD event
  • Publish at school level an annual CPD programme (recognising the needs of part-time staff)
  • Provide regular coaching and feedback opportunities (always being kind and candid)
  • Provide all colleagues with a positive appraisal experience
  • Facilitate research and an outward focus, fostering a remarkable mindset
  • Work with training providers with a reputation for excellence (e.g. Ambition Institute)
  • Support the development of a feedback culture; we can all be better tomorrow than we are today
  • Give dedicated time to collective efficacy, within schools and across our Trust

Benefits

Intrinsic motivation is only possible if pay and conditions are fair and transparent for all.

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  • As a minimum, meet national pay and conditions; the Burgundy Book for teachers and the Green Book for support staff
  • Ensuring all contracted employees are automatically enrolled into a pension scheme with either Teacher Pensions Service or the Local Government Pension Scheme
  • Working positively with unions, with an emphasis on fairness and equity
  • Consulting on any changes to policy
  • Meeting flexible working requests wherever business needs make this possible
  • Providing access to wellbeing advice, lifestyle benefits and free expert and confidential counselling
  • Being compassionate when staff face obstacles

Wellbeing

People matter to us. Their lives. Their stories. Their authentic selves.

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  • Reviewing any work practices that stand in the way of staff being able to plan and deliver great learning
  • Finding ways of reducing unnecessary workload
  • Collecting staff voice and responding to it; formally, a minimum of annually and informally, as much as possible
  • Making no excuses for staff suffering a loss of dignity
  • Promoting wellbeing and a healthy and safe work environment
  • Minimising meetings and emails and thinking carefully about the purpose of all communication
  • Signing up to the Department for Education Wellbeing Charter

Culture

Small actions and interactions matter as much as strategy. Culture must be intentionally crafted and nurtured through us all living our values every day.

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  • Authentically express value of staff through specific praise, recognising what they do to make a difference to the lives of young people
  • Craft purposeful, motivational and inclusive cultures where leaders lead, teachers teach and young people learn
  • Nurture team spirit: We are all Team Beckfoot Trust and Team School
  • Value integrity, honesty and what makes individuals and organisations unique
  • Have clarity of expectations, always precisely modelling what we want so that there is no ambiguity
  • Put strong, highly professional relationships at the heart of all that we do
  • Lead with humility, integrity, and high professionalism

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Work on inclusion is never done. It takes honesty and hard work and the courage to admit when we get it wrong. EDI is the lens through which we must view the other 4 pillars.

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  • Train on our Equality and Diversity Policy annually and ensure all staff know where to go if they suffer any form of discrimination
  • Identify diverse talent and offer additional mentoring where it might support progression
  • Listen carefully to staff who feel they have been subjected to discrimination, always feeding back next steps
  • Understand the barriers to all belonging and constantly review policy and practice to remove them
  • Provide or support the introduction of reverse mentoring for leaders who are from majority groups
  • Train staff on correct terminology, including an understanding of privilege
  • Our Beckfoot Trust recruitment standard that mitigates the impact of unconscious bias