Education Noticeboard - 1 December 2022
Welcome to the Education Noticeboard. A round-up of news, guidance and key updates for education settings.
Included in this update:
- Director update
- Aqueduct Primary School receive silver status School Mental Health Award
- Leader and Cabinet Members’ Young Person Grant Scheme 2023 – one week until launch
- Winter 2022 activities now available to book onto
- Cost of school uniforms
- Guide to Trans children’s rights at school
- Guide for schools, colleges and nurseries dealing with diarrhoea and vomiting
- Consulting on Admission Arrangements
- Secondary Applications 2023 ranking
- Safety planning in education
- Coerced online child sexual abuse – Help for parents from the UK Safer Internet Centre
- Preventing hair discrimination in schools
- Not in our community – Protection against exploitation
- ARC Conference and Telford schools nominated for national award
- Virtual School Offer: RAF Christmas online event – free to primary aged children
- Booking now open for Apprenticeship Taster Days
- Cair4Youth pilot testing opportunity
- An opportunity to place your CPD course bookings
- New course – motivational interviewing for education settings
- National school breakfast club programme
- An opportunity for schools to register for a National Tutoring Programme webinar on academic mentors
- An invitation for schools to share daily attendance data and use attendance reports to view severe absence
- An invitation for schools to access low-cost literacy and numeracy programmes from the Education Endowment Foundation
- An update on managing asbestos in a school setting
- Free online Cool Kids information session
- What parents and carers need to know about TikTok
Director update
Dear colleagues
We have reached December, it is definitely colder, and we are officially on countdown to Christmas! As we approach the school holiday, a reminder that our Happy, Healthy and Active Holidays scheme will run over this period, and is open to FSM pupils. There is a brochure, which details the provisions on offer, and the booking system is now open. Further information is provided below.
Also due to open on 8 December 2023, is the Telford & Wrekin Council Leader and Cabinet Members' Young Person Grant Scheme. The scheme, is open to young people in our borough who are either in care or a care leaver, and has attracted some strong applications in the past, with those who have been awarded grants using the money to do some life changing things. We'd appreciate your help in making the scheme a success again this year.
Congratulations to Aqueduct Primary School, who have been awarded Silver status in the Carnegie Mental Health in Schools Award. This is a fantastic achievement, which they should feel very proud of.
A letter from Cllr Shaun Davies and Cllr Shirley Reynolds was sent out earlier this week, as a Special Education Notice, which dealt with the expense of school uniforms in light of the ongoing cost of living crisis. We have repeated this, as there is some important information included which may assist you to support the families of your learners.
Also included is an article about how schools can support Trans children, guidance from the Health Protection Hub around instances of diarrhoea and vomiting, as well articles from School Admissions and Safeguarding – amongst others. As always we have included updates from the DfE and CPD opportunities.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Simon
Simon Wellman
Director: Education & Skills
Aqueduct Primary School receive silver status School Mental Health Award
Aqueduct Primary School has just been awarded SILVER status in the Carnegie Mental Health in Schools Award and they are absolutely delighted.
As a school Aqueduct Primary School started on their Mental Health Award journey in September 2021.
The award has enabled the school to self-assess and reflect on their practices and well-being offer. It has meant that they have looked at the impact of their interventions and considered new strategies and initiatives which have further developed awareness and understanding of mental health.
Well-being and mental health has always been at the heart of Aqueduct Primary, but this award has meant that it is now truly embedded into the school ethos and across the whole school community, therefore benefiting the children, staff and parents of the school.
It has helped to build on understanding of mental health needs and increased awareness while removing any stigma around these needs. As a school, Aqueduct Primary School are incredibly proud to have been awarded the SILVER Status by the assessors.
Leader and Cabinet Members’ Young Person Grant Scheme 2023 – one week until launch
The Leader and Cabinet Members’ Young Person Grant Scheme will be opening for applications on 8 December 2022, and is open to young people aged 15 (current Year 11s) to 25 who are resident in Telford and Wrekin, or are a Telford and Wrekin Child in Care or Care Leaver who is currently not a resident in the area.
The grant is a monetary award of up to £500 to support young people in their education, employment or training, to support starting up a new business, and to support those who are overcoming adversities particularly over the last two years.
Previous awardees of the grant have achieved the following:
- Gained places on training courses.
- Attended university with extra funding.
- Bought a new laptop for studies.
- Invested in specialist equipment for their job.
- Started a business.
- Had their travel funded.
Applications will be open until the 5 January 2023 and all applicants will be contacted by the 9 February 2023, informing them whether they have been successful or not.
Successful applicants to the grant will be invited to a celebration event in mid-March where they will receive their award.
We really need your help to raise awareness and share the opportunity to apply with the children and families that you are working with. We have had some great applicants in previous rounds, many of whom have been supported to apply by our education staff.
Read more here on the website: Leader and Cabinet Members' Young Person Grant Scheme.
Winter 2022 activities now available to book onto
The Happy Healthy Active Holiday’s (HHAH) scheme will be running through the Winter holidays (Saturday 17 December 2022 – Sunday 7 January 2023). Holiday activities will be available for children and young people who are receiving income-based free school meals.
There will be a range of activities on offer at Holiday clubs for children in reception to Year 11. Every day a child attends they will be provided with a nutritious meal and at least 4 hours of enrichment activities, including 60 minutes of physical activity, arts, crafts and nature walks! In order to access the scheme parents and carers of children who are eligible must register on the HHAH website. Video tutorials on how to register, manage and cancel bookings are all available on the website.
Parents and carers who are eligible for income-related FSM have been directly notified of the scheme and how they can sign up by letter last week. They would have also received an email informing them that bookings are live from 29 November 2022 onwards.
If you are able to promote the HHAH scheme to eligible families then that would be greatly appreciated. We know some families will need your support to register for the scheme and we have created an paper registration form to help any that are finding it difficult to apply online, please can we ask that schools support these families in completing the form and returning it to us so that we can get them in contact with the holiday club.
Thank you for your help with this!
Like last year, there is some flexibility for other children, not eligible for FSM to access the scheme. This may include children and families living in areas of deprivation, those known to children services and those that have SEND. If you feel a child would benefit from the HHAH programme, please contact the HolidayActivityHub@telford.gov.uk inbox so we can provide more information and a special code for the family to register on the website.
We have pulled together a brochure of some of the activities running over the Winter holidays that all income related FSM families will have received in their letters!
Cost of school uniforms
A letter from Cllr Shaun Davies, Leader – Telford & Wrekin Council, and Cllr Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families.
Dear all
Given the current economic outlook and winter fast approaching, families are becoming increasingly affected by the cost of living crisis. We know that rising living costs are going to have an impact for many Telford and Wrekin families who are already struggling to afford necessities.
The Council launched its Cost of Living Strategy in October 2022, which includes an extensive package of support for residents focusing on the key areas of: energy and utility costs, food, clothing and other essentials, Council Tax, money and benefits, health, care and wellbeing, housing and transport. Further
information on the full range of support available can be found at https://www.telford.gov.uk/costofliving.
One area in particular, where we know schools can support is the cost of school uniforms. The Council welcomes that many Telford and Wrekin schools and academies have already reviewed their uniform policies and despite their own stretched budgets, are working hard to support families on lower incomes.
You will no doubt already be aware of the statutory guidance from the DfE in relation to the cost of school uniforms where governing bodies were expected to be compliant by September 2022. Some examples of actions taken by schools include, removing branded items, avoiding the use of single suppliers, encouraging second-hand options and promoting local charities and initiatives, for example the School Uniform Project – Telford Crisis Support. One item that is frequently raised as very expensive is a school blazer. Where blazers are required, families tell us that the possibility of a sew on logo would enable them to purchase a cheaper option from retail outlets.
We know schools across the borough frequently go above and beyond to support their children and families and we would like to take this opportunity to whole-heartedly thank you for often being the beating heart of the communities you serve.
Yours faithfully,
Cllr Shaun Davies
Leader - Telford & Wrekin Council
Cllr Shirley Reynolds
Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families
A copy of this letter is available to download.
Guide to Trans children’s rights at school
The Good Law Project has published legal advice about the rights of trans children in schools.
The advice has been written by Dan Squires QC, a leading education and discrimination law expert, and focuses on the obligations set out in the Equality Act 2010.
This legislation prohibits schools from discriminating against their pupils, including on the basis of protected characteristics such as ‘sex’ and ‘gender reassignment’, he says.
The protected characteristic of ‘gender reassignment’ includes anyone proposing to undergo, undergoing, or having undergone a process of reassigning their sex, by changing either the physiological or other attributes of sex. It is not confined to people who have undergone surgical transition or who have obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate.
The protected characteristic of ‘gender reassignment’ is also likely to cover non-binary and genderfluid identities.
The full advice is available to download.
A summary of the advice includes:
1. Can a mixed school refuse to admit or exclude a child because they are trans?
No, they can’t; to do so would be unlawful discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment.
2. Is a school required, as a matter of law, to treat a child as being of the gender with which they identify? If so, what are the main practical components of this obligation? If not, what obligations, if any, does the school have to that child?
A school isn’t required to treat a child as being of the gender with which they identify in all situations, but must be careful not to implement policies which unfairly discriminate against trans students.
A school cannot prevent trans students from benefiting from the same policies as other pupils just because they are trans. For example, if there is a practice where children can be referred to in class by a name other than the one under which they are registered, it would be direct discrimination and unlawful if this was not extended to a trans child who wanted to be known by a new name.
Even policies or practices that are not directly about trans children may be unlawful if they disproportionately disadvantage them. For example, a school may have a uniform policy which requires pupils to wear clothing that corresponds with the sex they are registered with at the school. This might represent a disadvantage for trans students, who may wish to wear the clothing associated with the gender they identify with. The school would have to identify a legitimate aim and be able to demonstrate why it was proportionate to prevent trans children from wearing clothes in line with their gender identity.
Schools should review their policies and practices to consider whether any of them might disproportionately impact trans students. A school should identify the aim of each policy or practice, and ask itself whether implementing it is really necessary to achieve that aim, given the impact it might have on trans students. Alternative or amended policies should be explored, to see whether the underlying aim might be achieved in a way which doesn’t have the same negative impact on trans students.
3. Can a girls’ (or boys’) school admit a trans girl (or boy)? If it does so, will it lose its single-sex status?
There aren’t any rules or official guidance which deals precisely with this issue.
However, single-sex schools are able to admit pupils of the opposite legal sex in exceptional circumstances without losing their single-sex status. A recognised example of this is a single-sex school that admits children of members of staff irrespective of sex. There is no obvious reason why this exception could not be used by schools to allow trans children to attend single-sex schools which align with their gender identity rather than their legal sex.
4. Can a girls’ (or boys’) school exclude a trans boy (or girl) who is a current pupil on the basis that they are a girls’ (or boys’) school and the pupil identifies as male (or female)?
No; to do so would be unlawful.
5. Can a girls’ (or boys’) school refuse to admit a trans boy (or girl) on the basis that they are a girls’ (or boys’) school and the pupil identifies as male (or female)?
No; again, this would be discriminatory.
6. Can a girls’ (or boys’) school refuse to consider admitting a trans girl (or boy) on the basis that she (or he) is legally male (or female)?
Single-sex schools are allowed to discriminate on grounds of sex in relation to the children they admit as pupils. However, single-sex schools are also permitted, as an exception, to allow children of the opposite legal sex to become pupils (see question 3).
The issue of whether a school is under an obligation to consider admitting a trans child under this exception is not something which has been clarified by the courts
However, trans children are more likely to want to attend an opposite-sex single-sex school than their cisgender peers and so are likely to be disproportionately disadvantaged by a refusal to consider admitting them. On that basis, it will be likely that a school will have to demonstrate an objective justification for having such a policy. If they cannot establish this, the school’s decision would be unlawful.
This story was originally published on Children & Young People Now.
Guide for schools, colleges and nurseries dealing with diarrhoea and vomiting
The Health Protection Hub have updated the guide to dealing with cases of diarrhoea and vomiting in your setting. Nothing fundamental has changed; we’ve simply added additional points that we’ve picked-up from dealing with outbreaks and we’ve tried to make it a little clearer. The main controls remain:
- Exclusion of cases until 48 hrs after their symptoms have gone (staff and children)
- Regular, effective cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment (this includes laundry, soft furnishings, toys, crockery and cutlery) using hot, soapy water followed by correctly-diluted Milton for hard surfaces, steam cleaning for soft furnishing, hot washes for laundry and either washing and then sanitising cutlery and crockery (including plastics) with Milton or putting it through the dishwasher on a hot wash cycle.
- Regular, effective handwashing with liquid soap and water
- Staff use of PPE such as gloves and aprons where appropriate
- Good ventilation in the setting
- Letting parents know using the template letter provided
More detail is provided in the full guide, which is available to download.
As ever, if you do have cases, please inform the Health Protection Hub via email to HealthProtectionHub@telford.gov.uk and they will do our best to assist you bring the outbreak to a speedier conclusion.
Consulting on Admission Arrangements
Own Admission Authority Schools are reminded that should they wish to amend their admission arrangements for 2024/25 then they should now be consulting. If no changes are proposed, but a consultation has not been held within the last 7 years, then schools must consult on their admission arrangements even where no changes have occurred during that period.
Consultation must last for a period of 6 weeks and must be complete by 31 January 2023.
Further information can be found on the GOV.UK website: School admissions code 2021
Secondary Applications 2023 Ranking
Schools who are their own admission authority, are now required to rank their secondary applications for 2023 via the SAM portal. This needs to be complete by the end of the Autumn term.
If you require any support with this process please speak to the Admissions Caseworker for your school.
Safety planning in education
A resource has been provided by the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, and is for all professionals in schools or other places of learning for children. This includes pupil referral units and special schools; it is not just for Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs). The guidance is available to download:
It can be used to guide your thinking in supporting children of any age, including those with special education needs, following incidents of harmful sexual behaviour. After such an incident, both the child(ren) who have been harmed and the child(ren) who have harmed will require support.
Coerced online child sexual abuse – Help for parents from the UK Safer Internet Centre
The UKSIC report that more than a quarter of girls who took part in their survey have had some kind of experience of receiving a request for nude or semi-nude photos or videos. Children can be groomed, coerced or encouraged into sexual activities online. Any child with unsupervised access to the internet is potentially at risk.
To help parents understand this difficult topic and talk to their children, the UKSIC has produced a checklist and resources about online sexual abuse.
The information is available on the Safer Internet website.
Preventing hair discrimination in schools
Guidance has been provided by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which is part of a package of resources designed to help school leaders foster an inclusive environment by ensuring their policies, where they develop and review them, are not unlawfully discriminatory.
The guidance is available on the Equality and Human Rights Commission website.
Not in our community – Protection against exploitation
Not in our community is a campaign to help young people spot the signs and protect themselves and friends against grooming and sexual or criminal exploitation.
Guidance, tailored for the following, is available on the Not in Our Community website:
- Year6
- Year 7-9
- Year 10-11
- Teachers
- Partners and professionals
- Parents
ARC Conference and Telford schools nominated for national award
The Attachment Research Community (ARC) Annual Virtual Conference, ‘Attachment & Trauma – teaching, learning & emotional wellbeing in schools’ took place on Tuesday 22 November 2022.
We were delighted that five Telford & Wrekin schools were nominated for Alex Timpson ARC Attachment Awards at this event. Congratulations to Old Park Primary School, St George’s CofE Primary School, Hollinswood Primary School, Linden Secondary Specialist School and Donnington Wood Junior School for their nominations and their fantastic work in embedding attachment and trauma informed practices in their settings.
The day was a wonderful opportunity to share good practice and learn from others across the country, as well as hearing from a range of inspiring Keynote Speakers including Kris Akabussi who also grew up in care, schools across the country shared their journey to becoming Attachment and Trauma Informed.
The window for future nominations will be open soon for other schools and we will be able to share more about this at next term’s Designated Teacher network meeting (see below for the date and time).
We are delighted to announce the launch of the newly developed ARC offer that includes a three-tiered award pathway that compliments the ARC Matrix, aligning with Ofsted framework and supporting schools in their journey to attachment and trauma awareness and outstanding ratings.
Members will also benefit from complementary regional training workshops, conferences and panel discussions, as well a discounted rate to attend ARC’s National Annual Conference. To find out more about ARC’s new membership offer please contact admin@the-arc.org.uk.
In addition, further training is also available from the Virtual School Team, please contact them directly via email to virtualschoolteam@telford.gov.uk.
The termly network meeting for schools will take place on Wednesday 29 March 2023, 4pm – 5:30pm over Teams, with a guest speaker and a variety of CPD and updates. Plus, the Annual DT/NG Conference will take place on 9 June 2023 – booking is open now, via email to CPDSchool.Improvement@telford.gov.uk.
Thank you all, and in the meantime please do get in touch with the Virtual School if we can support and assist further with our vulnerable children.
Virtual School Offer: RAF Christmas online event – free to primary aged children
RAF Museum Midlands are offering schools the opportunity to take part in a free virtual ‘Christmas at War’ session on either Friday 2 December 2022 or Monday 5 December 2022. The links for both sessions are provided below.
Also attached is information on how to join either of the sessions, as well as a Christmas at War resource sheet for the young people to complete.
We hope you will be able to take up this opportunity and that your pupils enjoy this event.
Christmas at War live sessions:
The live sessions will start at approximately 10:00am and will last for roughly 1 hour. Please join the live stream a few minutes before your allocated start time and let us know in the comments that you are in attendance. The total cost of your session is free of charge.
Attendee link – Friday 2 December 2022
Attendee link – Monday 5 December 2022
An information sheet about how to join the live events is available to download.
The live streams are safeguarded with participating classes only able to see us as the presenter - there is no way for anyone else to see participants. When using the Q&A feature on the live stream, we will only publish questions that are anonymous if we have more than one school participating.
Christmas at War resources:
Christmas at War worksheet
Create a 3D bauble
Create a 3D Christmas tree
Make a Christmas cracker
Pilots and aircraft of the second world war colouring sheet
Second World War Recipes
For further information please contact Jo Adcock from the Virtual School Team (jo.adcock1@telford.gov.uk) or Sophie Millward at the RAF (sophie.millward@rafmuseum.org).
Booking now open for Apprenticeship Taster Days
Have you ever wondered what happens in a new state of the art training facility in Telford?
Would your students like to find out more about apprenticeships and whether it’s the right route for them? Marches Centre of Manufacturing and Technology and In Comm Training Services have developed an Apprenticeship Taster Day to allow them to fully explore the apprenticeship route.
Bookings are now being taken for new Apprenticeship Taster Days. These are open to students currently studying in years 10,11,12 and 13.
For further information, including a sample programme and the booking details, please download the brochure.
Cair4Youth pilot testing opportunity
Youth participation is needed for testing a new web platform for e-learning. The platform is run through an Erasmus funded project called Cair4Youth, which aims to upskill youth workers and young people in coding, artificial intelligence and robotics.
They have been tasked to get approximately 30 young people to engage on the platform before 7 December 2023, to get some honest feedback about what it’s really like. This feedback can then be used to make the platform better.
They would like to invite organisations or educational establishments, who work with young people directly, to undertake a module (or more) from the e-learning provision, and provide their feedback in exchange. The age range for this is rather broad (7-29), as are the modules and content.
It would be great for any young people getting involved to have an opportunity to offer their opinions and ideas for improvement in their current field of interest, and possible future field of expertise. Due to the kind of young people the project supports, and the need for accessibility of the platform, they are also interested in having feedback which encompasses this.
The web platform link is live and In-Comm would be more than happy to visit a premises, or to provide the content directly alongside precise instructions if easier. A certificate of completion will also be provided for those that undertake any of the modules.
If this is something your setting can help with, please email Leighanne@in-comm.co.uk.
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).
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AET Making Sense of Autism – an introduction to Autism for Governors |
Tuesday 6 December |
6pm to 7.30pm |
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Tuesday 6 December |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Wednesday 7 December |
1.15pm to 4pm |
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Newly Appointed Safeguarding Governor Induction Training part 2 |
Thursday 8 December |
5.30pm to 7.30pm |
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Observing Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage |
Thursday 8 December |
1pm to 3pm |
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Supporting Children in Care in Early Years Settings (free of charge Teams briefing for governors) |
Friday 9 December |
10am to 11am |
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AET Good Autism Practice (bespoke whole school session) |
Tuesday 3 January |
9am to 12pm |
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Managing Employee Performance (Performance Management) |
Monday 9 January |
2.30pm to 5pm |
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Wednesday 11 January |
9.15am to 4pm |
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Thursday 12 January |
3.30pm to 5pm |
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Tuesday 17 January |
3.45pm to 6pm |
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ECT Induction Tutor - initial training |
Tuesday 17 January |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Absence Management of Employees |
Wednesday 18 January |
2.30pm to 5pm |
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An Introduction to the Early Years Foundation Stage |
Wednesday 18 January |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Wednesday 18 January |
1pm to 4pm |
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Developing a Communication Friendly Environment in the EYFS |
Thursday 19 January |
9.15am to 12noon |
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Safety Intervention Refresher Training (formerly MAPA Refresher Training) CPI accredited |
Thursday 19 January |
8.45am to 12.30pm |
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Newly Appointed Safeguarding Governor Induction Training – part 1 |
Monday 23 January |
5.30pm to 7.30pm |
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Developing the Behaviour Policy |
Tuesday 24 January |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Tuesday 24 January |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Designated Teacher for Children in Care Network Meeting (Post 16) |
Wednesday 25 January |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Establishing Yourself as a SEND leader, for new and returning SENCOs |
Wednesday 25 January |
4pm to 5pm |
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Wednesday 25 January |
9.15am to 12noon |
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Newly Appointed Designated Safeguarding Leads' Training (2 days) – part 1 |
Wednesday 25 January |
9.15am to 4pm |
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The Strategic Role of Governors |
Thursday 26 January |
4pm to 6pm |
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EAL and SEND? |
Thursday 26 January |
1.15pm to 4pm |
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Safety Intervention Training (formerly MAPA training) - Part 1 CPI accredited |
Thursday 26 January |
8.30am to 4pm |
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Newly Appointed Designated Safeguarding Leads' Training (2 days) – part 2 |
Thursday 26 January |
9.15am to 4pm |
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Awareness Raising of Emotion Coaching – level 1 |
Tuesday 31 January |
4pm to 5.30pm |
New course – motivational interviewing for education settings
Motivational Interviewing Training will be delivered by the Education Safeguarding Team and is aimed at school staff who work directly with families open to the family safeguarding model.
Wednesday 18 January 2023, 1-4pm
Wednesday 3 May 2023, 1-4pm
Wednesday 1 March 2023, 9.30am-12.30pm
Wednesday 22 March 2023, 9.30am-12.30pm
This training will provide an overview of Motivational Interviewing, including how, as partners, we can model this strengths-based approach within the Family Safeguarding Model.
The key principles are as follows:
- Engagement with the client, rather than doing something to them – i.e. change cannot be forced or pushed on to someone. It has to be internal for the client in order to be meaningful and long term.
- Rolling with resistance (NB this is not rolling over or being passive).
- Expressing empathy.
- Avoiding Conflict.
- Developing discrepancy in the client’s thinking.
- Supporting self-responsibility.
Please note that this training is limited to one free place per school, school nursery, academy and independent school.
Key Outcomes:
Delegates will:
- gain an understanding of the spirit and principles of motivational interviewing
- gain a practical understanding of the cycle of behaviour change, and how it can encourage positive thinking about change
- be able to use key motivational interviewing techniques in the context of conversations, both formal and informal
To book your school’s free place, please send a completed CPD Booking Form to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk.
National school breakfast club programme
This is an update from the Department for Education
Overview:
It is important for pupils to start the day with a nutritious breakfast. Evidence shows that providing a healthy school breakfast at the start of the school day can contribute to improved readiness to learn, increased concentration, and improved wellbeing and behaviour.
All participating schools will receive a 75% subsidy for the food and delivery costs of breakfast club provision until the end of July 2024. Schools will contribute 25% of costs. All pupils in participating schools are to be offered breakfast supplies at no cost to them or their parents.
School eligibility:
Schools in disadvantaged areas will be eligible for the programme if they have 40% or more pupils in bands A-F of the income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI). This will include state-funded primary, secondary, special schools and alternative provision.
Joining the scheme:
The supplier for this contract, Family Action, will source and deliver breakfast food products to participating schools.
Types of food:
All breakfast products offered through the programme meet the school food standards. Schools will be able to choose and order the food products and quantities they need for their pupils.
Contact:
Further information is available on the Family Action website and by expressing an interest to join the scheme.
If you need help email info@schoolbreakfast.org.uk or call 020 39287228.
An opportunity for schools to register for a National Tutoring Programme webinar on academic mentors
This is an update from the Department for Education
Academic mentors are salaried, in-house members of staff who provide one-to-one and small group tuition. Having a dedicated tutoring resource can help to boost pupils’ attainment and build their confidence.
We are hosting two webinars to discuss how academic mentors can benefit your school, the simplified recruitment process and funding available. Our delivery partner, Cognition Education, will join us – along with guest speakers from schools who will share their experiences.
You will have the opportunity to ask questions. If you would like to submit a question in advance, please email us.
Please note, the webinar content is the same on both days but will feature a different guest speaker. You can register using one of the links below:
Registration link: Thursday 1 December 12:30 – 1:15pm
Registration link: Tuesday 6 December 3:30 – 4:15pm
An invitation for schools to share daily attendance data and use attendance reports to view severe absence
This is an update from the Department for Education
73% of schools in England are now sharing daily attendance data with us. Sharing data gives you access to daily attendance reports on view your education data After you share data, we’ll email you when your reports are ready to view. This can take up to 4 weeks.
We have listened to user feedback, and you can now use the reports to view severely absent pupil data. This is when a pupil is absent for at least 50% of the time. This group is a top priority for schools, as outlined in our guidance.
To share daily attendance data, please accept the request in your Wonde portal. If you do not use Wonde, you should have an information email from them. You can email Wonde directly if you have not received this.
If you have not been able to access your reports, please read our help article.
You can also view a public dashboard for pupil attendance and absence in England, so you can make local authority, regional and national comparisons.
An invitation for schools to access low-cost literacy and numeracy programmes from the Education Endowment Foundation
This is an update from the Department for Education
EEF is currently subsidising three literacy and numeracy programmes in schools across England as part of our Accelerator Fund.
These programmes have effectively improved pupils’ outcomes in previous EEF trials and are available at a subsidised rate, so that more schools can access them. By signing up via the three programme links below, schools get the opportunity to access proven programmes at a low-cost:
Embedding Formative Assessment: a two-year professional development programme, which aims to improve secondary school pupil outcomes by embedding the use of formative assessment strategies across a school.
Mathematics Mastery: a programme by Ark Curriculum Plus which aims to deepen key stage 1 pupils’ understanding of key mathematical concepts.
Switch-on Reading: an intensive one-to-one, 10-week literacy intervention for struggling pupils in year 7 and year 8 that aims to support them to become confident and independent readers.
An update on managing asbestos in a school setting
This is an update from the Department for Education
Asbestos poses a serious health risk if disturbed. Duty holders have a responsibility to ensure asbestos left in situ is properly managed to avoid exposure incidents.
The Health and Safety Executive has recorded a workshop for school duty holders, to break down what schools need to do to manage asbestos and share good practice. This is now available on-demand for all school settings to access.
Free online Cool Kids information session
Cool Kids are offering free online educational session for the Cool Kids programme.
Session aims:
- To provide basic understanding of sensory motor development and why it is important to children in school.
- Understanding developmental stages of lying on the back, tummy, rolling, creeping and crawling.
- Understanding the underlying principles of the Cool Kids Programme.
- Identify pupils who would benefit.
- Deliver the programme effectively.
- Incorporate strategies successfully in the classroom.
The session will be completed online via Microsoft Teams, and a link will be sent via email once a place has been confirmed.
Places are limited and must be booked in advance. The next available session to book onto is Thursday 19 January 2023, 1-3pm.
To book a place:
- Up to two places for this session are available to your school.
- We recommend that a Class Teacher/SENCo attends this session, if they have not already done so.
- Additionally the session will be valuable to any member of staff who will be potentially delivering the group in your school.
Please contact Occupational Therapy by telephone, 01743 450800 – option 2, to book your place on this training, and provide an email address that joining links can be sent to.
Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis
What parents and carers need to know about TikTok
With new features being added and potentially dangerous new trends to stay aware of, National Online Safety have created a guide which re-asses the ever-popular social media platform for possible online safety hazards.
It is free to download on the National Online Safety website.