The Kemnal Academies Trust is one of the largest Multi-Academy Trusts in the South and East of England with 45 Special, Primary, Secondary and All Through Academies in the TKAT Family.

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National Lottery and Propel funding helps Cleeve Meadow achieve Platinum status for its TKAT ACE programme

TKAT's Cleeve Meadow special school in Bexley was delighted to learn this week that it has achieved the highest possible status for its TKAT ACE programme.

The school secured the Platinum award following the submission of its portfolio evidence and an accreditation visit from Senior TKAT ACE practitioners.

TKAT ACE - a champion for every child - is the innovative school-based mentoring programme that was piloted in 2021 and then rolled out across all 45 TKAT schools.

The programme provides a dedicated and specially trained 1:1 tutor for disadvantaged pupils and their families. The aim is to help these pupils overcome barriers to their progress both in terms of academic outcomes, and their social and emotional development. You can find out more on the TKAT ACE site.

With generous funding and support from The National Lottery (https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/) and Propel (https://londonpropel.org.uk/) over the last 4 years, the programme has been embedded in TKAT schools and rolled out in non-TKAT schools in London.

This is part of the Mayor of London's New Deal for Young People and the drive to reach 20,000 young Londoners with high quality mentoring.

TKAT's Director of Inclusion and Attendance Mike Garlick, who is the National Programme Lead for TKAT ACE, said "Cleeve Meadow has fully achieved Platinum status for its TKAT ACE provision. This reflects the exceptional dedication, expertise, and commitment of the entire team. The hard work, passion, and relentless focus on improving outcomes for pupils and families is clearly evident and richly deserved."

Leadership and Culture are integral to the success of TKAT ACE at Cleeve Meadow, and these were highly praised in a recent external review by the school and trusts partnership organisation Challenge Partners (https://www.challengepartners.org/).

The assessment found that rigorous identification of ACE pupils and comprehensive tracking ensures barriers to learning are identified early and addressed swiftly.
Feedback from parents is overwhelmingly positive and has directly informed practice, with one parent describing the programme as "life changing and like an extension to our family".

Cleeve Meadow's Executive Headteacher Alex O'Donnell said, "We are delighted with our Platinum Award. It is a reflection of everything we hold as important at Cleeve Meadow. Our entire staff work tirelessly so that all children can access the support, experiences and education they deserve."

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