On behalf of KMT, I would like to once again begin by saying a huge ‘thank you’ to LAT for its continued support in its role as our single legal entity. At the start of this academic year, providers of initial teacher training (ITT) had the new ITT core content framework to embed, a new Ofsted inspection framework to consider and a global pandemic to navigate. As if this was not enough, KMT began the year with its largest cohort ever.

At an unprecedentedly challenging time for all, the Trust and all of its academies have gone above and beyond to provide KMT’s trainees with support, guidance and reassurance, and for that we are all extremely grateful. In light of the challenges that Covid19 posed for us all, academies could very easily have relegated ITT in the priority list, but this did not happen and our trainees have been given remarkable support and training throughout the year.

This year, our trainees will leave us with far broader skill sets and levels of resilience not achieved by previous cohorts. It has been an inspirational year in which everybody has rolled up their sleeves and done their absolute best to support learners in difficult times. We are very proud of this year’s cohort this year, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support schools and pupils. 2020/21 will not be forgotten quickly, especially at KMT, where it will be remembered as a year of extraordinary achievement.

As lives become increasingly tech-integrated, we must ensure that the appropriate boundaries, barriers and safeguards are in place to protect all digital citizens while not unduly limiting the natural curiosity and diverse opportunity that technology engenders. This is no easy challenge.

As a Trust, our development of the use of technology in education over the past few years has been exponential. With this comes new opportunities, but also added responsibilities. It is our aim to ensure that our staff and students are equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge to thrive in the digital world.

National Online Safety is another tool in our digital toolkit that provides a wide range of resources to support our staff, students, parents and governors with regard to digital safety and citizenship.

Our aim over the past year has been to ensure that each of our academies becomes an NOS certified school, and we are very nearly there. The certification recognises engagement from all key stakeholders, but we don't want to stop there.

Our aim is to continue to integrate these resources into our curriculum, to help our staff better understand the digital world and its impact on education, and to support the wider school community to stay safe in this fast-paced digital world.

Some of the great work we have already seen includes:

• Sharing guides with parents via newsletters, Twitter and Facebook;

• Using resources to support Children's Mental Health Week and Safer Internet Day;

• Developing safer remote-learning practice; and

• Continued CPD for staff.

Here is what some of our academies have said:

"NOS has opened up an enormous amount of resources for us. It was implemented at a time which supported us in being more confident about remote learning."

Karen Cronin, The Halley Academy

"Our governors always engage well in UTC life and they did exactly the same with the National Online Safety materials"

Neil Arnould, The Leigh UTC

"Our schools became accredited with little need for direction. This wouldn't happen without the 'want' from staff - so they obviously saw the impact for themselves."

Libby Fidock, Marden and Langley Park Primary Academies

"NOS materials have been regularly shared with our families and have been especially effective at supporting them to deal safely with concerns around their son’s or daughter's use of social media."

Dee Pickerill, Snowfields Academy

"Having easy access to quality, up-to-date resources means that our teachers can provide the best online safety support to our pupils."

Tanya Shaw, Tree Tops Primary Academy

"We have found the site very useful in offering up to date CPD for our staff."

Hannah Penning, Stoke Primary Academy

We now move into year two of our partnership with NOS, in which we will seek to build on the good work done so far in preparing everyone to use technology innovatively and safely across Leigh Academies Trust.