Education Noticeboard

Welcome to the Education Noticeboard. A round-up of news, guidance and key updates for education settings.

Included in this update:

Director update

Dear colleagues

It is always fantastic to be able to start one of these updates by talking about the achievements of the young people and settings in our borough, and this week is no exception!

Of note – This year marks the best academic results ever for the borough’s children and young people in care; Jess, a student at Telford College, has been made an official STEM ambassador and Southall School have been awarded the Platinum Artsmark Award. These awards celebrate schools’ commitment to embracing arts across the curriculum, and bringing creative learning to life for children and young people.

There are a number of key pieces of information shared this week, so please take a look. These include a reminder on the application process for 2023 secondary school places, links to resources for Show Racism the Red Card, details of a ‘get into teaching’ event and – hot on the heels of World Mental Health Day – free mental health webinars for schools and settings.

As we get closer to half term, it is safe to say the summer is behind us and before we know it Christmas will be here! With that in mind, it is time to prompt you all to consider whether you would be able to run holiday clubs over the festive break. Applications for grants to support this are now being accepted. Information on how to apply is below.

Finally, I am delighted to share details of our upcoming Diversity, Accessibility and Equity for all education conference which is taking place 15 November 2022. The event will include both national and international speakers. Liz Pemberton and Lekha Sharma will lead delegates in exploring how to best develop a curriculum, which all pupils can have full access to – and can benefit from. I encourage all schools to book promptly, to secure places at this popular CPD event! Full details are below, as well as information of all the other upcoming courses and events.

Wishing you all a great week!

Simon

Simon Wellman
Director of Education & Skills

Best academic results ever for the borough’s children and young people in care

Telford & Wrekin Council is recognising and celebrating the achievements of children in care, following their performance and results in the last academic year. These results are significantly above the national standard for children in care.

The Council is a ‘corporate parent’ to more than 400 children and young people in care across Telford and Wrekin. In the last academic year, children and young people in care have worked really hard and achieved fantastic academic results.

Michelle Salter, Telford and Wrekin Virtual School Headteacher for Children in Care said: “We are exceptionally proud of children and young people’s excellent results. From early years through to primary and secondary and into post 16, they have achieved great results. By the time they leave school, at the age of 16, they achieve 5 times more than the national picture for children in care. After obtaining high passes in their A-Level examinations, several of our young people have been heading off to university this autumn. These achievements show the incredible hard work, dedication and commitment of our children and young people– well done to all of them!”

Cllr Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children, young people and families said: “These are the best academic results ever for our children and young people in care – well done to all, we couldn’t be prouder! We are planning a celebration event for them later in the year. Our children and young people are cared for and cared about. Working in close partnership with schools, carers, foster carers, social workers, we will continue to support them throughout their academic journey and through offers and programmes that can help with their independence and future careers. The new borough-wide Corporate Parenting Strategy for the next three years is central to our vision to continually achieve the best possible outcomes for our children in care and care leavers. We are on their side, we want to help them thrive, exceed their potential and expand their life chances.

Platinum Artsmark Awarded to Southall School

Southall SEN School in Dawley is celebrating after being awarded the Platinum Artsmark. This was awarded to the school for their commitment and creativity through the arts.

The award has created a great legacy for its pupils beyond the school day. Some of the pupils have performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, some have created documentaries for BBC radio 4 and others have developed a multi-sensory outdoor learning space for pupils to use.

The school has already started on their next project which is called “Winter Wonderland”. The Head teacher Ms Martin is very proud of the staff, students and parents for all of their hard work and imagination, which has resulted in offering students some amazing opportunities. Southall School is also very proud to have one of their former students now studying Film and Media at Manchester University.

The Artsmark Award is the only creative quality standard for schools and education settings, accredited by Arts Council England. There are three levels of award Silver, Gold and Platinum. The platinum award being the highest award.

If you school or setting is interested in working towards the Artsmark Award please visit the website.

St George’s Primary School welcomes guests from other schools for their first ever RE Debate session

St George’s Primary School recently welcomed guests from other schools around Telford for their first ever RE Debates session. Attendees enjoyed a fantastic morning debating hot topics such as ‘has the real meaning of Christmas been lost?’ and ‘are humans superior to animals?’

Over 200 pupils in year 4, 5 and 6 from HLC Primary, Redhill Primary Academy, Donnington Wood CE Junior School, St Matthew’s CE Primary, Wombridge Primary School and Wrockwardine Wood Junior School joined the event to contribute to the debates.

All the children behaved impeccably and represented their schools with pride and enthusiasm. We definitely have some future politicians in our schools! Thanks to everyone who took part and helped to make the morning a success. It went so well that the school have agreed to arrange another debate next term!

Telford College student becomes an official STEM ambassador

A Telford College student has become an official STEM ambassador – so she can help to inspire the next generation of science, technology, engineering and maths professionals. Jess Bailey has been studying HNC and HND engineering as part of the college’s higher education curriculum, alongside her job at Quorum Logistic Support Limited in Telford.

STEM Ambassadors are people who volunteer some of time to support school and non-school groups in a bid to get young people fired up about subjects and careers.

Jess, originally from Oswestry but now living in Telford, said: “The STEM ambassador was something I was introduced to in school. I was really touched by the enthusiasm displayed towards encouraging kids like myself to careers with science, technology, engineering or maths. I wasn't aware back then of the amount of roles within all those fields and I think it's key for new generations to realise there's much more to STEM than meets the eye. I'm exceptionally lucky to love my engineering role and my studies, so it's very much a case of wanting to pass my experience and enthusiasm to other people.”

Jess is an integrated logistic support engineer at Quorum, which is based at Hadley Park providing supportability engineering solutions and documentation to a range of businesses. She said: “My experience at Telford College has certainly been a valuable one. The teachers have been incredibly encouraging with various assignments and lectures when things haven't necessarily been great in my personal life. Although my own hard work has helped me to achieve my grades, I do believe that without the fantastic support network within Telford College I would not have done quite so well.”

Caroline Bastow, head of quality and learning, teaching and assessment at Telford College, said: “Employment opportunities in the engineering sector are much more diverse than people realise, that’s why it is so important to have people like Jess spreading the word and opening up the minds of young people. Jess balanced her studies and employment well, and watching her graduate this year for the second time – seeing her hard work paying off - was such an honour.”

For more details about Telford College’s higher education curriculum, visit their website.

Types of School OfSTED Inspections

This summary table of Ofsted state-funded school inspections and a leaflet for parents and carers of children whose school is due for inspection (including minor updates to reflect the names of inspection types: graded and ungraded).

Summary table of Ofsted state-funded school inspections:

Type of inspection	Graded	Ungraded	Urgent	Monitoring
Legal powers for inspection.	Section 5 of the Education Act 2005.	Section 8 of the Education Act 2005.	Section 8 of the Education Act 2005.	Section 8 of the Education Act 2005.
Schools eligible for this inspection.	All schools - but most schools with an outstanding/good judgement get an ungraded inspection instead.	Schools with an outstanding/good judgement.	All schools - but only triggered by a specific concern in a specific school.	Schools with an inadequate judgement or 2 consecutive requires improvement judgements.
Outcome.	A grade (outstanding/good/requires improvement/inadequate) for the 4 key judgements (quality of education/behaviour and attitudes/personal development/leadership and management) and for overall effectiveness.	1. The school remains good/outstanding. 2. The school remains good, but with evidence it may be judged outstanding on a graded inspection. 3. The school remains good/outstanding, but with evidence it may receive a lower grade on a graded inspection. 4. The inspection was deemed a graded inspection.	If inspectors have sufficient concerns about the school, they will deem the inspection a graded inspection and the outcomes will be as for graded inspections. If inspectors do not have serious concerns, they will produce a report setting out their findings in relation to the concerns that triggered the inspection.	That the school is, or is not, making progress to improve.
Likely timing of inspection after the previous graded or ungraded inspection (not including any COVID-19 delay).	Around 4 years for schools with an outstanding or good judgement and around 30 months for schools with a requires improvement or inadequate judgement.	Around 4 years.	N/A.	Around 12 months for schools with a requires improvement judgement and 3 to 30 months (up to 5 inspections in that period) for schools with an inadequate judgement.
Resets the statutory clock?*	Yes.	Yes - except in outcome 3 (see above).	No.	No.

* The law usually requires the maximum interval for inspections to be within 5 school years from the end of the school year in which the last relevant inspection took place. However, for schools last inspected before 4 May 2021, the legal maximum will, instead, be up to 7 years.

Schools can use this table to help them understand the Ofsted inspection process, including timings, notice that inspection teams give, judgements that they make and what happens after the visit (including possible outcomes from inspections). Please take note of the statement underneath the table: “the law usually requires the maximum interval for inspections to be within 5 school years from the end of the school year in which the last relevant inspection took place. However, for schools last inspected before 4 May 2021, the legal maximum will, instead, be up to 7 years.”

On the 7 September 2022 Ofsted also updated their inspection guidance for parents/carers of children whose school is preparing for an inspection. Full information is available, and other guidance, is available online:

School inspection summary - types of inspections

School inspections - a guide for parents

Inspecting schools guide for maintained and academy schools

School Admissions – Applying for Secondary School 2023

Applications are now open for Year 6 children that are due to start Secondary School in September 2023. We would be grateful if Primary Schools could start to check that applications have been submitted for Year 6 pupils.

You can see who has made their application by viewing the round summary page “Secondary Place 2023” on your SAM portal and viewing the leavers list. Each applicant who has confirmed their current school on their application will appear here, if they didn’t supply this information then we might still have their application, so please check with the admissions team so that we can check for an application and update if necessary.

If the child resides outside of the Telford & Wrekin area then they will have applied to their home Local Authority (LA) and we don’t always know about their applications until after the closing date (when we receive files from the other LA’s). If out of area children are yet to apply then they should be directed to their home LA.

For those that haven’t applied to us, if you are able to chase parents/carers and remind them about the closing date: 31 October 2022 that would be appreciated. We would also ask that you confirm that all your Telford & Wrekin resident children have applied to us by the end of this half term.

As a reminder, all children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) applying for a reception, junior (on roll at infant schools only) and secondary place for September 2023 also need to submit applications by 31 October 2022.

Parents can submit up to four preference schools on their application and we encourage parents to apply for more than one school as, if we are unable to offer their preferred school they may be allocated a school that is some distance away if their catchment school is already full. Each year we do see a lot of applications that have only one preference which can lead to a lot of disappointment when allocated a school some distance from their home address.

Thank you for your cooperation, and if you or parents have any queries then please submit them via email to admissions@telford.gov.uk.

Supermarket school holiday food vouchers

The government have provided the council with further funding via the Household Support Fund for the period from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.

We will be using part of this funding to provide further rounds of Holiday Food Vouchers to those in receipt of income-based Free School Meals, the Pupil Premium, Service Pupil Premium, Talking Twos and Early Years Pupil Premium for the following school holidays:

£15 per pupil for the week of the October 2022 half-term holiday. We are planning to send these vouchers out by email on Friday 14 October.
£15 per pupil per week for the two weeks of the Christmas 2022 holiday.
£15 per pupil for the week of the February 2023 half-term holiday.
£15 per pupil per week for the two weeks of the Easter 2023 holiday (probably paid combined with the February half-term holiday vouchers - like we did this year).

We will continue to send vouchers out directly by email to all parents / carers we hold an email address for.

Our communication to parents will include contact details in case they experience any problems with the voucher, plus a link to a Frequently Asked Questions web page. In the unlikely event that a parent contacts the school with a query regarding vouchers they have not received, please direct them to winterfunding.grant@telford.gov.uk. If the query relates to problems downloading or spending the voucher, please refer parents to our voucher provider Select Essentials. They can be contacted on 0800 587 2294 or by completing a form online.

There are a small number of families that will require assistance to obtain their vouchers as they may not have an email address – these vouchers will also be distributed through the schools. This will happen around Monday 17 October for the October half-term vouchers. Please forward the vouchers to the parents of the child they have been allocated to. This will help us track who has received them in the event of queries.

Thank you very much for your support with providing us your data and distributing these vouchers.

The current funding we have been given ends on 31 March 2023, so at this stage we don’t know if vouchers will be provided for any holidays beyond Easter 2023.

For more details on how we are distributing the Household Support Fund, including details of our application process for those experiencing severe financial difficulties, please visit the Household Support Fund website. We have also created two financial advice leaflets – one for people of working age and one for pensioners. Please feel free to share these links.

Children in Telford & Wrekin can learn to swim for free

As part of Telford & Wrekin Council’s 10 by 10 campaign, which encourages children to try ten activities that will help them to discover new talents and opportunities before the age of ten, a new free swimming lessons offer has been launched.

Through the council, schools and other local partners, new offers are continually being developed and added, including those accessible to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

The latest to be launched is a funded programme giving the opportunity for children to learn to swim. Children, resident in the borough and who are aged between five and 10 years and unable to swim 10 meters on their front and back, will be eligible for a free block of lessons (up to 13 lessons).

This offer will be available over the next two years and will be delivered through the council’s Swim4Life programme. The lessons will be delivered across the four pools in the borough; Abraham Darby Sports and Leisure Centre. Newport Swimming and Fitness Centre, Oakengates Leisure Centre and Wellington Civic and Leisure Centre.

Parents interested in finding out more about the offer do so on the 10 by 10 website.

With over 3,000 young people already participating in swimming lessons run by Telford & Wrekin Council this latest offer will mean that even more young people in the borough will be able to access this valuable life-skill.

Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Shaun Davies (Labour) said: “We are very excited to be launching this free offer as part of our 10 by 10 campaign here in Telford and Wrekin. The introduction of free swimming lessons for all children aged five to ten years old in the borough is an initiative we are very proud of, adding to our unique swimming offer of free swimming for all residents under the age of 25. So, for anyone aged five to 10 who cannot swim at the moment, we want you to sign up to your first swimming lesson course– where there will be no cost. Free swimming lessons for our young people will be available for the next two years. We all know what an invaluable skill swimming is and we want all of our young people to have the opportunity to learn to swim as soon as possible.”

Councillor Shirley Reynolds (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “Swimming is a fantastic life skill, not only does it help your child enjoy the water, but it can also help prevent drowning, develop fine motor skills and encourage a healthy lifestyle.”

Apply now for a grant to help run holiday clubs this Christmas

Telford & Wrekin Council are looking for organisations to help run holiday clubs to help keep children healthy and happy during the Christmas school holidays.

A substantial funding pot is up for grabs as part of Telford & Wrekin Council's Happy Healthy and Active Holidays scheme, which aims to support low-income families. If you are an organisation that can provide healthy meals and fun activities, such as sports, arts & crafts, nature or cooking, then we want you to apply.

During the Summer Holidays, the scheme put on holiday clubs for 1,500 children. The clubs keep children active, allow them to hang out with friends and enjoy a free nutritious meal. Over 20 local organisations have helped to put on hundreds of holiday clubs in the past year, including seven local schools.

The Department of Education has given Telford & Wrekin Council an additional £843,000 to run the scheme during 2022, which organisations can apply to receive through a grant.

The school holidays can be financially challenging for families, and some children feel isolated - so these holiday clubs make a difference to those who need it most. With the cost of living crisis, these clubs will be more important than ever this Christmas.

Taking part in Happy Healthy Active Holidays could be your organisation's chance to help support families during what can be a difficult time. Don't be put off if you don't think you meet everything in the criteria; we still want to hear from you. We have a team on hand to answer questions and to support you to make an application.

The deadline for grant applications is 2 December 2022. To make an application, visit the Happy Healthy Active Holidays website.

Mental health in schools: Free webinars

Tavistock and Portman are hosting free webinars for those supporting mental health and positive wellbeing in schools.

The sessions will explore the roles and responsibilities school leaders have in supporting mental health and wellbeing in their educational setting. Delegates will hear about the principles behind implementing a whole school approach to mental health and will be provided with practical tools and guidance.

The sessions are as follows:

Mental health in schools: an introduction to mental health leadership
20 October 2022, 4 – 5pm: The role that school leaders can play in ensuring good mental health and wellbeing – for children, young people and staff.

Mental health in schools: leadership and wellbeing in early years
6 December 2022, 4 – 5pm: Promoting the social, emotional and mental health of children and adults in early years settings.

Mental health in schools: leadership and wellbeing in primary settings
7 February 2023, 4 – 5pm. Anxiety and how it presents within school, or through school avoidance. Practical ideas for making primary schools feel like a safe space for learning.

Mental health in schools: leadership and wellbeing in secondary settings
25 April 2022, 4 – 5pm. The range of mental health and wellbeing challenges presented in secondary settings and how students, and staff, can be supported with these.

These free webinars are suitable for leaders working in a range of educational settings and who have an interest in mental health and wellbeing. Register to watch the webinars on the Tavistock and Portman website.

School Food Standards Pilot Study

The Department of Education and the Food Standards Agency have launched a pilot study in assuring and supporting compliance with the School Food Standards, which will run for the full academic year.

The aim of this study is too test whether Environmental Health Officers can ask the right questions, check menus and make observations related to School Food Standards to identify potential non-compliance whilst undertaking a routine food hygiene inspection. This pilot will cover not only the lunchtime provision but also breakfast clubs and after school clubs.

Telford & Wrekin Council Food, Health & Safety Team are taking part in this pilot and this means that a School Food Standards check may be carried out when an officer visits to do a routine food hygiene inspection.

Compliance with the School Food Standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools. School governors have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the head teacher and the senior leadership team to ensure that the school is meeting its obligations.

The checks on the School Food Standards will not affect the result of your food hygiene inspection. Any non-compliance found will be fed back and further advice and guidance will be given by the team undertaking this pilot.

Please do not publicise the pilot or your participation in it without contacting sfscompliance.pilot@education.gov.uk.

Further information on the School Food Standards can be found online: School food standards: resources for schools.

If you require any further information on this pilot please contact food@telford.gov.uk or ring the Health Protection Hub on 01952 381800.

Secondment opportunity: Safeguarding Officer

Education Safeguarding are recruiting to expand the team for two terms. This is a possible secondment opportunity for staff in schools who are currently Designated Safeguarding Lead’s and would like to broaden their experience. Applications should be made via WM jobs. In making an application for a secondment it is crucial that you have the agreement of your school.

The closing date is 18 October 2022, and the Job description is available to download:

Education Safeguarding Officer – Job Description

For an informal conversation about the post please contact Cathy Hobbs, Access & inclusion Group Manager, via email to Cathy.hobbs@telford.gov.uk or by calling 01952 382084.

Free education sessions from the St Giles Trust

We announced in April 2022 that Telford & Wrekin Council would be working with St Giles Trust for 12 months to deliver a programme of education sessions to children and young people across the borough. These sessions will help to equip children and young people with the knowledge, tools, and awareness to stay safe and make positive choices.

St Giles Trust will work with all primary schools, junior schools, secondary schools, post 16 settings and pupil referral units to deliver FREE universal sessions in your setting.

A facilitator with lived experience will deliver these sessions to help to educate pupils on a range of topics, including county lines, knife crime, gangs, glamorisation and joint enterprise, and the realities of prison.

To book your universal sessions please email sosplusmidlands@stgilestrust.org.uk. On booking, St Giles Trust will provide you with information directly on session details, pre and post evaluation and confirmation of staff suitability.

With your agreement and where needed, St Giles Trust facilitators will identify further targeted sessions that may benefit groups or individual pupils in your setting. These sessions will be allocated on a case-by-case basis.

We encourage you and all other settings in our borough to engage fully with this project, as part of our ongoing-shared commitment to keeping our children and young people in Telford as safe as possible.

Amy queries can be sent to Scott Thomas-White, Education Safeguarding Coordinator via email to educationsafeguarding@telford.gov.uk.

BEAM Saturday drop-ins

BEAM, an emotional wellbeing service for children and young people under 25 years old (and who are registered with a GP in Shropshire or Telford & Wrekin) would like to announce the return of Saturday drop-ins – starting on 22 October 2022, to be held in Wellington. This is in additional to the sessions which are already running.

No appointment is needed for these sessions, and you can go along and be seen by an Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner. The details are as follows:

Monday Drop-ins: 12 – 4pm (last session 3.15pm) at The Lantern, Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury, SY1 4NG.
Tuesday Drop-ins: 10 – 6pm (last session 5.15pm) at Beam, 9 Market Square, Wellington, TF1 1BP.
Thursday Drop-ins: 10am – 6pm (last session 5.15pm) at Beam, 9 Market Square, Wellington, TF1 1BP.
Saturdays Drop-ins: 10am – 2pm (Last session 13:15pm) at Beam 9 Market Square, Wellington, TF1 1BP. Starting 22 October 2022.

If you are unable to attend any of the above drop-ins, please send an email to shropshirebeam@childrenssociety.org.uk outlining the difficulties you will have in attending and they may be able to offer a virtual session, however these do have limited availability.

More information about BEAM can be accessed on the Children's Society website.

Save the date: Apprenticeship Employment and Skills Show

Telford & Wrekin are holding their Apprenticeship Employment and Skills show at the International Centre on 16 March 2023.

The event will start at 12noon for schools and learners with SEND, to allow a period of quiet time for them to visit. From 12.30pm onwards the event will be open to the general public, with all ages welcome.

It is a great event to contribute to the Gatsby benchmarks, bringing young people and employers together to look at opportunities for work and training.

Booking is now open. Please contact Mark Purcell via an email to mark.purcell@telford.gov.uk or by calling 01952 388830 to secure a slot for your school.

National T-levels Week

The first National T-levels Week is being held from Monday 10 October – Friday 14 October 2022. The week will focus on raising awareness of the many T-Level subjects now available and displaying the success of the programme.

A new career-focused alternative to A levels

T Levels are a brand-new qualification choice that will follow GCSEs and give students a head start towards the career they want.

They will suit students who wish to start working towards a skilled occupation, prefer a practical approach to learning and want a predominantly classroom-based course.

The key facts about T-levels

T-Levels are a post-16 qualification, equivalent in size to 3 A levels. T Levels are 2-year qualifications. Like A levels and apprenticeships, there are no tuition fees to study a T Level.
The roll out of T Levels began in 2020 with 3 courses available. By 2023, more than 20 T Level qualifications will be launched.
T-Levels have been designed with businesses and employers and combine qualifications with industry experience. More than 250 businesses have been involved in the design of T Levels – including Fujitsu and Skanska.
T-Levels are facilitated by colleges or training providers, and you study a core curriculum that covers theory, concepts and principles of the subject. You will also take an occupational specialism during the course. Training providers will have entry requirements for the different T Level courses.
You will spend 80% of your time in the learning environment and 20% completing an industry placement. The industry placement is unlikely to be paid as it is part of the course of study, but support for travel and expenses may be available.
When you complete your T-Level, you are awarded distinction*, distinction, merit or pass. T Levels also attract UCAS points.
Details of the T Levels available can be found on the Government website https://www.tlevels.gov.uk.

A range of resources are availableon the Amazing Apprenticeships website.

Pedestrian training workshops

Bookings are now being take for pedestrian training workshops, suitable for pupils in reception through to year 6.

A scheme which increases children’s knowledge of the Green Cross Code and teaches them age appropriate pavement behaviour skills. A classroom based workshop followed by accompanied walks in the local area. A pre and post evaluation takes place, outliers are highlighted and results are fed back to the class teacher. Feedback on this scheme has been excellent with post evaluation results consistently high.

The cost is £125 per class.

For more information or to book please contact Gemma Marchant, Road Safety Education Officer, via email to gemma.marchant@telford.gov.uk.

Be Bright Be Seen workshops

If you haven’t already it’s not too late to book a place on the Be Bright Be Seen workshops, which are aimed at pupils in years 3 and 4.

Content of the workshop is based around short science and maths experiment where children learn about reflective and high visibility materials, plus the importance of using them. . By making a prediction, completing a fun experiment and analysing their results, pupils can find out which colours are the most effective.

This interactive workshop is delivered by a member of the Road Safety Team and can be run during curriculum or PPA time. The activity has been developed with primary phase teachers who have ensured the activity covers relevant maths, literacy and science aspects of the curriculum.

The workshop is one hour in duration and costs just £75.00 per class which includes a free pair of fluorescent gloves for every pupil who attends.

For more information or to book please contact Gemma Marchant, Road Safety Education Officer, via email to gemma.marchant@telford.gov.uk.

Black History Month - update from the Multi-cultural Development Team

As you have been reading in our previous bulletins, to celebrate Black History Month, the Telford & Wrekin Multicultural Development Team has been working with Telford African and Afro-Caribbean Resource Centre (TAARC) to deliver free workshops to schools across the borough, thanks to funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

The theme for the workshop is the Commonwealth and Monarchy, focusing on Unity and Diversity in our day to day lives.

We have received such an amazing feedback from schools following these sessions – here’s just some of them: “A very lovely and productive session”, “A very enjoyable experience for all involved”, “We look forward to future workshops.”

A couple of the lovely comments we have received:

"A very lovely and productive session, tailored well to the EYFS.…understanding the role of the queen in the commonwealth, learning about the commonwealth countries, understanding that they are spread around the world and understanding that different instruments come from different countries, It was great to get more ideas on how to do this. A very enjoyable experience for all involved - thank you, we look forward to future workshops for black history month."
Yvonne Jones, EAL Lead, Donnington Wood Infants.

"The workshops give the children a greater insight into Black History Month, and the lives of people from the past and how this impacts on their lives today. The Crown and Commonwealth was significant due to the Commonwealth Games being held in Birmingham this summer and The Queen being head of the Commonwealth. For the children to know and recognise this as part of their daily life is excellent. They know that there are 56 nations in the Commonwealth and that the head of the Commonwealth is now King Charles III. It shows how diversity can and is included in all our lives. The role of the Queen and her commitment to the Commonwealth. Sharing diversity and cultural differences helps us to support our young people to understand the multi-cultural world that we live in but may not experience at home. Unless we share, we do not learn. More hands-on activities would make the sessions more memorable. Thank you for a very informative and interesting session. Thank you, Natalie and Qamar."
Ann Cox, Assistant Headteacher, Meadows Primary school.

More schools across the borough will be enjoying the workshops led by our Multicultural Development Team this week.

A reminder to please share how your school or setting is marking and commemorating Black History Month by sending your pictures, and brief description on what you have done to celebrate, via email to education.noticeboard@telford.gov.uk for inclusion in the Education Noticeboard.

Share on your social channels with Telford & Wrekin Council tagged in your posts – @TelfordWrekin

MDT support for individual schools to plan and develop staff knowledge is available upon request. The resource pack is available to download, as well as a Windrush resource pack:

Black History Month resource pack

Windrush resource pack

If you would like to enquire about additional workshops or resources please contact the MDT team.

Show Racism the Red Card

Wear Red Day is an annual event created and organised by the charity Show Racism the Red Card. The day is an opportunity to wear red in support of calling racism out. SRtRC use the high-profile status of football and football players to help tackle racism in society and sport.

The aim of show racism the red card is to:

Raise awareness of diversity
Foster tolerance and social cohesion
Reduce physical and verbal violence linked to racism
Make society aware of the negative impact of racism on individuals
Create high-quality, comprehensive, and transferable educational materials

There are a number of ways for your school or setting s to get involved in fundraising for this great cause e.g Cake sales, pay a pound and wear red, tombolas etc.

Show Racism the Red Card’s annual Wear Red Day will be taking place on 21st October 2022.

Further information on how to get involved is available on the Red Card website.

There are also a number of free resources available to support schools and settings with this topic:

The Red Card - education

An opportunity to place your CPD course bookings

The 2022-23 CPD Booklet is available on the Telford Education Services site.

Course bookings with a course code are made by sending a completed CPD booking form via email to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk.

Other courses and briefings without a course code are usually booked by sending your email address name and school name to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk (unless stated otherwise).

Absence Management of Employees (Book via HRhelpdesk@telford.gov.uk)	Monday, October 17, 2022	2.30pm to 5pm
The Visually Impaired Child in Your Class (SIS 001)	Tuesday, October 18, 2022	9am to 4pm
Managing Absence (AST 002)	Tuesday, October 18, 2022	9.30am to 11.30am
Raising Awareness of Prevent (SG 101)	Wednesday, October 19, 2022	3.30pm to 5pm
Designated Teacher for Children in Care Network Meeting (Post 16 ) book via the Virtual School Team	Wednesday, October 19, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
ELSA Training - Part 6 (EPS 004)	Wednesday, October 19, 2022	9am to 3pm
Raising Awareness of Child Protection (SG 108)	Thursday, October 20, 2022	3.30pm to 5pm
Assessing and Monitoring of progress in EAL (CPD 701)	Thursday, October 20, 2022	3.45pm to 6pm
The Role of the Early Years Practitioner in Supporting and Enhancing Play (EY 008)	Tuesday, November 01, 2022	1.15pm to 4pm
Meeting the EYFS Profile Requirements for EAL Learners in EYFS (CPD 715)	Tuesday, November 01, 2022	1.15pm to 4pm
Cover Supervisors - preparing for the role (PSS 010)	Tuesday, November 01, 2022	3.30pm to 5pm
Employee Investigations Training (book via Human Resources)	Wednesday, November 02, 2022	2.30pm to 5pm
Designated Safeguarding Leads' and Safeguarding Governors' Termly Update (SG 106)	Wednesday, November 02, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
Effective Circle Times in the EYFS (EY 302)	Thursday, November 03, 2022	1.15pm to 4pm
ECT Induction Tutor and Mentor – Termly Update (CPD 516)	Thursday, November 03, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
Working Together to improve school attendance expectations for schools AST 001)	Thursday, November 03, 2022	2pm to 3.30pm
Awareness Raising of Emotion Coaching – level 1 (PSS 0041)	Tuesday, November 08, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
Designated Teachers & Governors for Children in Care Network (compulsory school age) (GO 503)	Wednesday, November 09, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
Youth Mental Health First Aid - Part 1 (PSS 001) See separate article	Thursday, November 10, 2022	9.15am to 4pm
The Importance of the Early Years Foundation Stage in Schools (GO 603)	Thursday, November 10, 2022	5.30pm to 7pm
Managing Sexual Violence & Sexual Harassment in Schools (SG 201)	Thursday, November 10, 2022	9.30am to 12.30pm
Safety Intervention Refresher Training (formerly MAPA Refresher Training) - CPI accredited (BSAT 212)	Thursday, November 10, 2022	8.45am to 12.30pm
Youth Mental Health First Aid - Part 2 (PSS 001) See separate article	Friday, November 11, 2022	9.15am to 4pm
Diversity, Accessibility and Equity: within and beyond the curriculum (CPD 722) See separate article	Tuesday, November 15, 2022	all day - TBA
Primary Computing Update (CPD 512)	Tuesday, November 15, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
Developing the Role of the EAL Coordinator (CPD 616)	Tuesday, November 15, 2022	3.45pm to 6pm
Listen with Lucy (EY 023)	Wednesday, November 16, 2022	1.15pm to 4pm
Understanding School Finances (GO 518)	Wednesday, November 16, 2022	9.15am to 12noon
Supporting Behaviour and Learning - Children with ADHD / Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) & Conduct Disorder (CD) (PSS 104)	Wednesday, November 16, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
Early Career Teacher Network (ECTs in year one of their training) (CPD 720)	Wednesday, November 16, 2022	2.30pm to 3.45pm
Early Career Teacher Network (ECTs in year two of their training) (CPD 720)	Wednesday, November 16, 2022	4.15pm to 5.30pm
Governor’s Responsibilities for SEND (LSAT 212)	Wednesday, November 16, 2022	5pm to 7pm
Designated Safeguarding Leads Refresher (SG 1070	Wednesday, November 16, 2022	9.15am to 3.15pm
Exploring the 7 areas of learning in a school based EYFS environment (EY 318)	Thursday, November 17, 2022	9.15am to 12noon
Behaviour Support Intervention Training - Non-accredited (BSAT 301)	Thursday, November 17, 2022	8.30am to 4pm
Understanding Nurture (PSS 101)	Thursday, November 17, 2022	9.15am to 12noon
Assessment - termly update (morning) (CPD 502)	Tuesday, November 22, 2022	9.15am to 10.45am
Assessment - termly update (twilight) (CPD 503)	Tuesday, November 22, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
Safer Recruitment Administration (book via Human Resources)	Wednesday, November 23, 2022	3pm to 5.30pm
Establishing Yourself as a SEND leader, for new and returning SENCOs (LSAT 302)	Wednesday, November 23, 2022	4pm to 5pm
Newly Appointed Safeguarding Governor Induction Training (SG 103)	Wednesday, November 23, 2022	5.30pm to 8pm
Governors' Responsibilities for Exclusions (SG 104)	Thursday, November 24, 2022	5pm to 7pm
Accredited Safer Recruitment Training (book via Human Resources)	Thursday, November 24, 2022	9am to 4.30pm
Raising Awareness of Prevent (SG 101)	Thursday, November 24, 2022	9.30am to 11am
Bright Ideas and Inspiration - for your breakfast, holiday and out of school provision (EY 303)	Thursday, November 24, 2022	9.15am to 12noon
Induction Training for New Governors (GO 502)	Tuesday, November 29, 2022	9.30am to 3.30pm - time TBA
Managing English as an Additional Language in Early Years Settings (CPD 710)	Tuesday, November 29, 2022	1.15pm to 4pm
Early Years Coordinators – Termly Update (EY 007)	Wednesday, November 30, 2022	4pm to 5.30pm
Working Together to improve school attendance expectations for schools (AST 001)	Wednesday, November 30, 2022	10am to 11.30am

Youth mental health First Aid training

A two day Youth Mental Health First Aid training course is being held Thursday 10 November and Friday 11 November 2022.

This course will provide:

an in depth understanding of young people’s mental health and factors that affect wellbeing
practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
confidence to reassure and support a young person in distress
enhanced interpersonal skills, such as non-judgemental listening.

Successful completion of the course over two full days will qualify delegates as a Youth Mental Health First Aider MHFA England.

Please refer to the CPD Booklet for details of the delegate fees.

To book a place please send a completed CPD booking form to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk.

Autumn Term Education Conference – 15 November 2022

The Telford & Wrekin Autumn Term 2022 Conference - Diversity, Accessibility and Equity for all: within and beyond the curriculum will take place Tuesday 15 November 2022.

This conference will explore diversity, accessibility and equity within the curriculum and across all ages, with the aim of raising aspirations and achievement for all children and young people.

The aim is to consider how to maintain the momentum and to build upon current practice by bringing colleagues together to further consider reading in terms of diversity and accessibility.

We want all of our children and young people to ‘see’ themselves within their curriculum, and to be enabled to have full access, regardless of their background or previous experiences. It is our collective job to raise aspirations and to support all children and young people to achieve the best possible outcomes.

The day will consistent of key note speaker presentations, as well as the opportunity to attend workshops. We will also be accompanied by Peters - specialist suppliers of books to primary and secondary schools.

Key note speakers and contributors will include:

Liz Pemberton, The Black Nursery Manager is an award winning outstanding practitioner, who has significant experience in gaining excellent results in pupil engagement and raising aspirations. Liz states that ‘as children are growing and developing, it is our job, as educators, to help them form a positive sense of themselves and the people in the world around them’.

Lekha Sharma: An experienced and current school leader, who is the author of ‘Curriculum to Classroom’ and contributor to chapters within ‘Primary Huh’ (a Mary Myatt publication). Lekha explores the importance of curriculum coherence and sequencing of curriculum materials, with a focus on how to maximise the chances that pupils will secure understanding over time. Lekha will share practical examples of how this can be achieved in a primary context at both curriculum and lesson design level.

Andy Smith: A local practitioner and mentor for a number of young people in Telford & Wrekin. With direct experience of the social care system, Smash Life is an award winning company who promote diversity and celebrate children’s individuality – working with schools across the borough to engage pupils within the education system.

Olivia Taylor: Speaks candidly from the pupil perspective about the effects of the language of ‘disadvantage’ on those who have experienced it. Her experiences and achievements have enabled her to advocate for those who struggle to be heard against society’s noise. The alternative word presented is ‘underserved’. This word makes us stop and think about our perception of those who find themselves in this category.

Costs for T&W schools and academies:
One delegate - £158pp
Two delegates - £250
Each additional delegate (over and above two places being booked) - £100pp

To book your place/s please send a completed booking form via email to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk. Any queries can be sent to the same email address.

Seven features of practice and seven outcomes framework

This is an update from the Department for Education

The framework draws together a number of important findings that form the basis for the 7 key features for children’s social care practice systems using:

independent evaluation reports from the first round of children’s social care innovation programme projects
thematic reports
the final overall evaluation report written by the Rees Centre at the University of Oxford for round 1

It draws upon findings from projects looking to redesign whole children’s social care practice systems, rather than work focused on a specific group of children or issue.

The framework:

provides an overview of what the 7 features of practice look like on the ground
provides an overview of the challenges and successes of implementation
outlines the difference that these features of practice can make to the lives of children and families
outlines the 7 main outcomes achieved by projects that have demonstrated them

Full details are available on the GOV.UK website.

Further information about the children’s social care innovation programme is available.

Kids4£1 is back for October Half Term

Telford & Wrekin Council’s kids4£1 programme includes weekend and weekday across the full 7 days from Monday 24 October to Sunday 30 October.

Telford Ice Rink have also planned their Halloween themed fun including a spooky disco and fancy dress competition on the ice.

Find out more and start planning on the Kids for a Quid website.

Armed Forces Families Fund: Early years programme

Under the Early Years programme the Armed Forces Covenant Trust will award grants of £20,000-£80,000 to nurseries on, or within 5 miles of, an Armed Forces Base or Unit on behalf of the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund. Grants will be awarded to projects lasting up to two years which help enhance Early Years learning environments to meet specific needs for the children from Forces families. The closing date for applications is midday on Monday 5 December 2022 and further information can be found online .

Or please contact Cindy Mason-Morris, Armed Forces Covenant Co-ordinator, via email to cindy.masonmorris@telford.gov.uk.

Get into teaching information event

Would you like to find out more about a career in teaching?

Shropshire and Telford Education Partnership are holding a free ‘Get into Teaching’ recruitment event, covering Early Years, Primary and Secondary phases on the 3 November 2022.

The event will provide you with all the information you need to help you decide if teaching is the career for you and the ITT Leads for the four providers (Severn based in Telford, Salop Teaching Partnership based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire Primary Partnership based in Wem and Shrewsbury and Alliance of Leading Learning based in Oswestry) will be able to answer any questions you may have.

Event: Get Into Teaching Recruitment Free Event
Date: Thursday 3 November 2022
Time: 4.00 - 6.00pm
Venue: University Centre Shrewsbury, Guildhall, Frankwell Quay, Shrewsbury SY3 8HQ
Booking: No need to book! Just arrive and we will be there to help you. Please note this event is Free of charge.

Any queries can be sent via email to Sian.deane1@taw.org.uk.

In Kind – free goods for Schools

In Kind Direct is a charity that believes everyone deserves access to life’s essentials and that no usable product should go to waste.

They are marking their 25th anniversary with a campaign, Powered by Kind, to celebrate the impact that getting the right product at the right time can have on people’s lives, through organisations including Schools.

In Kind Direct redistribute consumer products donated by companies, from tech, toilet roll, toothpaste and period products to toys, baby essentials and clothing, to thousands of UK charitable organisations to help communities and save money.

Right now, their work to meet the needs of local people and support them through this cost-of-living crisis is more important than ever.

Sign up today for free online to access products to help you power your community.

This entry was posted by Claire on Wednesday, 12 October 2022.

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Every week during term time we publish a new update for the education community. It includes essential briefings and specialist information about education.

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