SATURDAY 18th was a FANTASTIC EVENT

It was an opportunity to chat to Ms Sherry Zand, Principal of IES Breckland, Jodie King, Manager of IES UK and SABRES Team Members

So many of your questions were answered and it was an opportunity to consult on UNIFORM.

Matthew Hancock MP and Ms Sherry Zand showing one of the items of the modern, cost-effective and up-to-date uniform - a rich purple tank-top.

GIRLS: there is a gorgeous plaid pinafore which lots of you fell in love with when you saw it - but you CAN WEAR trousers instead!

RECENT NEWS and Applications

IT'S A DEFINITE YES!! :-)

Lord Hill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education,
sent official confirmation that IES Breckland can progress
to the pre-opening phase and open September 2012.

Application forms for both Norfolk and Suffolk families are also available to download from each council website. Links to both websites can be found at www.sabreseducationaltrust.com or forms can be collected from the reception desk at the current Breckland Middle School. They can be returned either to Breckland Middle School in the drop box or posted to 7 Woodlands Rise, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0NU.

OUR VISION

Our Vision is to open an outstanding 11-16 Free School in Brandon which is forward thinking but retains traditional values.

In February the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, the Secretary of State for Education, accepted our Stage 2 Application and we are now moving on to the next stage in our bid to open a forward thinking Free School in Brandon

We want simple things, like politeness, to be second-nature to our students. We want the whole school community to have team spirit, loyalty, pride, equality and respect for property, building on the legacy of Breckland Middle School. We want our students to have respect for themselves and others – a multi-cultural, diverse and all-inclusive community.

Our aim is to encourage students to achieve the highest grades they possibly can with staff mentors and home support encouraging them to achieve their dreams. Each individual student will have personally tailored goals across a broad curriculum, with extensive extra-curricular activities enhancing their personal and social development.

We will expect high standards of behaviour. Pastoral intervention would focus on students’ individual personal issues, but a clear non-discriminatory behaviour policy with definitive criteria would provide stability for all students.

We have been working hard on the EU process of procuring an Education Provider – a complex and time consuming process – which we expect to have signed and sealed by early January 2012.

Once accepted we intend to move forward with our vision to open an outstanding 11-16 Free School in Brandon.

SABRES’ Background

In December 2009, the Schools' Adjudicator decided that Breckland Middle School was definitely to close July 2012, with no hope of reprieve. Since then, SABRES (Save Breckland School) and the wider community have worked incredibly hard on a proposal to change the current site into an 11-16 Free School.

SABRES have no secrets and our aim is to keep everyone up-to-date with developments. To find out more please explore this website, our Twitter account, and our Facebook Group or contact us directly if you wish to ask any questions.

Brandon Life are kindly printing our articles and the Bury Free Press and Eastern Daily Press are publishing regular updates to keep everyone informed.