ACE

TKAT ACE - What it is

TKAT ACE, A Champion for Every (pupil premium) Child, is a pastoral support programme which improves children’s wellbeing, attendance and life chances.  The programme is based on a simple but compelling principle:

“To ensure that every pupil premium pupil and their families have regular one-to-one contact with their ACE Tutor, which builds relationships and overcomes barriers”

The programme gives each child their own champion; an adult who works with them throughout their primary/secondary education to help them overcome any financial, social, or academic barriers they may face to become confident, successful, resilient and happy learners.

Children meet with their ACE tutor frequently.  In these sessions the tutor and child talk about how the child is feeling, what they are good at, their interests, and their challenges and barriers.  Over time, the tutor liaises with the child’s family, school staff and wider services to help overcome any actual or perceived barriers that the child identifies.  Sometimes this will be the ACE tutor and other adults directly fixing the problem, but increasingly supporting the child themselves to find ways to overcome their barriers by setting goals that the child works towards.

Why do we do it?

Sometimes a child may seem hard to reach or the learning process may feel like an uphill struggle. However, there is always a reason behind the barrier. 

Helping a child realise their full potential is something special and supporting them to navigate the journey through their individual learning pit is something to be treasured. It may be a long road but instilling that burning belief in themselves is a gift that no one can ever take away from them. Ultimately, if a child cannot champion themselves, we will always champion them until they’re ready.

• Clay Calder - ACE Lead

Why do we do it?

My role as an ACE mentor is a profound privilege. The opportunity to engage on a one-to-one basis with pupils, in order to support their well-being, is invaluable. Spending time with each child allows me to understand their individual needs and unique strengths. In addition, working closely with parents is equally rewarding as it promotes a shared commitment to their child’s success and happiness. 

• Katherine Russell - ACE Tutor

Why do we do it?

I feel very lucky to be an ACE tutor at Heybridge Primary School. I love that this initiative allows pupils to grow and flourish outside of the traditional classroom setting. ACE tutoring is a wonderful opportunity to not only learn about the children’s interests or discover hidden talents, but also to support them on any level that they may need. 

I feel privileged that children have felt comfortable and safe enough to talk to me about emotional matters such as bereavement, but also to share their excitement for their interests and things that they love in life. The little glimmers that make them who they are! 

I have seen a real growth in confidence within my pupils since I have started ACE tutoring and I love that I get to share that excitement with them. Every child deserves a champion, and that is why I am so excited for this program to grow within our school, and become accessible to all.

• Amy Hasler - ACE Tutor and Supervisor (in training)

With ACE, although academic achievement is a goal, the emotional wellbeing of our children and how they regulate (or work through conflict) is just as important.

Why is this just as important?

Well, to put it simply, this is the prerequisite needed to learn. If they’re not emotionally regulated, even the best teaching in the world won’t matter. For our ACE children, many of them struggle with self-belief and have a subconscious fear of the unknown, changes or things they perceive as difficult. It is our job to ENSURE they believe in themselves and that through education, they BELIEVE they can have a bright future ahead. It is our job to be their CHAMPION so they can, at some point in their lives, begin to champion themselves.

Our ACE Team

Our ACE Team currently consists of seven members of staff:

• ACE Lead – Clay Calder

• ACE Tutor – Lucy Smith

• ACE Tutor – Katherine Russell

• ACE Tutor – Vanessa Chipperfield

• ACE Tutor – Susan Over

• ACE Tutor – Joanna Kelly

• ACE Tutor & ACE Supervision Advisor - Amy Hasler

Communication lies at the heart of the project.  Regular conversations with the teaching and ACE teams are held to ensure a united approach is formed when setting targets with the students.  It is essential to have regular conversations with students’ parents for this programme to be truly successful. Target setting allows Heybridge to tailor the ACE experience to meet the children where they currently are, taking their needs into account and working collaboratively towards a brighter future.  Hopefully, the home/school relationship will further consolidate your child’s sense of stability and security in school as they strive to become the best version of themselves.

At Heybridge, we will continue to inspire successful learners. Every child deserves a champion - we will be that throughout their journey!

Please watch our ACE videos by clicking the superhero images below:

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Video 4