Cheers of joy could be heard echoing through the streets of Milton as three schools came together to officially launch under one name and a shared vision.
Meon Infant School and Meon Junior School on Shelford Road, as well as Moorings Way Infant School on Moorings Way, have now joined forces to become Meon Way Federation.
All three schools will remain individual and proud members of the high-performing Thinking Schools Academy Trust, but will form one federation, meaning they can work more closely together to share best practice and resources to support children’s education.
The federation has formed a set of values that will be embraced by Meon Infant School, Meon Junior School, and Moorings Way Infant School and will be headed up by Sara Paine, the federation’s Executive Headteacher.
Sara said: “It has been fantastic to see three schools come together as one community for this amazing Meon Way Federation launch. We will work together towards one mission to help children in being their best selves, while also sharing resources and best practice to positively impact the lives of our children. I’m so proud of what we have achieved within the last year as three schools, so this moment is all about officially marking our federation as we move forwards stronger.”
Sara will work with the schools’ two current Heads of School, Ruth Vonk for Meon Infant School and Moorings Way Infant School, and Christine Turner for Meon Junior School, to form one leadership team. The daily school routines for children and staff will also remain the same.
Hundreds of people from across the city, including city councillors and the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, came together to mark the moment at Moorings Way on 6th July.
Children provided entertainment, ponies were available to ride, there was a BBQ, and people enjoyed refreshments outside in the sunshine.
The federation motto 'Be Your Best Self’ ensures that every child is recognised for their uniqueness. From effectively supporting children with special education needs, to consistently delivering an enriching curriculum, the school is focused on positively impacting every child’s future.
Natalie Sheppard, Director of Education for Portsmouth, praised the school for their successful federation launch, saying: “Congratulations and well done to everyone at Meon Way Federation for a hugely successful event. It’s amazing to see families and the wider community here to embark on an exciting new chapter for these schools, but to also celebrate the amazing work to transform the life chances of every child that walks through the school gates.”
Cllr Steve Pitt, the Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: “You can really feel the enthusiasm here today, it’s an amazing turnout for the school community. The last time I was here we were tree planting, today it’s the fete, these are really active schools that are really embedded within their communities, and the field gun event we’ve just watched was really fantastic, so it’s great to be here celebrating their future.”
