Notice: 12 November 2020

A round-up of news, guidance and key updates for education settings.

Included in this update


Director Update

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Education Noticeboard, which includes updated risk assessments that now correspond to the additional government guidance which has been issued. Instructions for schools on how to use them has been included along with a supplementary appendix that explains the guidance.

Ofsted have produced a briefing note that reports on 380 visits that have been made since the end of September, these make interesting reading and highlight the four main areas that have been looked at during these visits.

Also included this week are a variety of training courses. A new course on teaching children with SEND has been released, which has been designed to support all teachers to develop their skills and knowledge to become teachers of SEND. Exploitation and vulnerability training is available for all staff with the reminder that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. Loudmouth are offering virtual sessions over the rest of the academic year to support RSE, topics cover how to stay safe online, positive mental wellbeing and mental health, do make sure to take a look at their offer.

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing good news stories about the work of our schools for children and young people in Telford & Wrekin.

Finally, once again I would like to share my thanks with you and your teams for all your hard work and commitment.

Best wishes

Simon

Simon Wellman
Director: Education and Skills


Message from Council Leader, Shaun Davies

Council Leader Shaun Davies wants to thank education staff in the borough.

 

 


Updated: Risk Assessment Return to School November 2020

We have reviewed the government guidance and highlighted recent changes, these have been added to the school risk assessment – November 2020.

Please can we ask you to:

  1. Review the attached risk assessment for return to school -  Nov 2020
  2. Ensure to republish your risk assessment and share with staff (highlighting any specific changes to them).
  3. There is no need to completely re-write your existing risk assessments but you will need to consider the changes that reflect the new national guidance published.

As we are now in a national lockdown the government have issued additional guidance, so rather than re write the risk assessment (again) and then have to rewrite it after the national restrictions have eased we have produced a “Supplementary Appendix for this Period of lockdown for Educational Settings”.

Please can we ask you to:

  1. Read the supplementary appendix document for the area you operate in, so that you are clear what new guidance requires

For further enquiries please contact us by email at: coronavirus@telford.gov.uk or donna.irish@telford.gov.uk.


Ofsted COVID 19 Series

During the autumn term, Ofsted is carrying out a series of ‘interim visits’ to schools. This briefing note reports on 380 visits carried out between 29 September and 23 October. This is the second briefing note form OFSTED this term and summarises evidence found during the Interim visits to  four broad questions: 

  1. What is the current state of children’s school education? 
  2. How have children been affected by schools’ closures to most children? 
  3. How are schools planning to maintain standards in education through the pandemic? 
  4. What are schools doing with their COVID-19 catch-up funding?

Full Briefing: COVID-19 series: briefing on schools October 2020.


Education and Vulnerability Training

Outline

Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults is everybody’s responsibility.

This course aims to raise awareness of:

  • Vulnerability.
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
  • Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) / Gangs.
  • Modern Day Slavery.
  • Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)/consent.
  • Criminal Exploitation (CE).
  • Victim Blaming language.
  • National Referral Mechanism (NRM).
  • Pathways / Diversionary Tactics / Sharing of Intelligence.

It is a Telford & Wrekin Safeguarding Partnership expectation that all staff working directly with children in school access this training.

For more information please contact us by email at: educationsafeguarding@telford.gov.uk.


White Ribbon Campaign

Telford and Wrekin has been a White Ribbon accredited town since 2013. This is a national campaign to encourage men to take a stand against Domestic Abuse. 

Due to Covid we cannot this year hold our annual event to mark White Ribbon Day, but instead there will be 16 days of social media interaction on the Facebook page. 

The campaign will run from the 9 November 2020 to the 25 November 2020 which is White Ribbon day, there will be guest speakers and people talking about their lived experience, plus much more.  

We would encourage everyone to like, share and interact with the campaign. 

Facebook: White Ribbon Telford and Wrekin.


Subsidy for Schools: Safeguarding Programmes in 2020/21

Loudmouth will be running virtual sessions for the rest of the academic year:

  • Press and Play lessons – 30 - 40 minutes of pre-recorded lessons for teachers to run with the class. As well as the drama and interview questions, there is a recorded workshop with pause points with questions for discussion and an information screen. This is accompanied by a teacher’s guide, extra lesson plans, and evaluation and assessment forms. 
  • Streamed sessions – pre-recorded drama and character interview sent in advance to school followed by live streamed workshops with each class run by our actor-facilitators via Microsoft Teams. 

Funding news…

Primary Schools

Funding for subsidised Helping Hands streamed sessions in primary schools for Year 5 

Telford & Wrekin Council. £3 per head. Teaching Year 5 how to stay safe in their online and off-line relationships. Using the NSPCC’s PANTS rule, the Safe team teaches how to recognise the feelings that may occur when you feel unsafe. The programme explores sensitive topics focusing in on domestic abuse and also exploring child sexual abuse and exploitation in a safe and gentle way.

Loudmouth programme helping hands

View the video: Telford EV Presentation November 2020 

Excerpt played at DSL presentation on 4/11/20.

Secondary Schools

Funding from Telford & Wrekin Community Safety Partnership for each secondary school to have 2 x Press and Play lessons for Year 7 - catching up with the Crucial Crew work missed last year. £35 each instead of £250. 

Mental wellbeing and Covid 19

1. Each school is being asked to choose which mental wellbeing lesson they prefer depending on the needs of their new Year 7s. These lessons are ready to buy in and use now, and you can choose from either:

a) The Wellbeing Team - how to support positive mental wellbeing during the Coronavirus pandemic for Key Stage 2. This online pre-recorded lesson has been created specifically to support children to have positive mental health during these strange times. The lesson helps pupils learn that everyone has mental health, strategies for positive mental wellbeing and where to go for support. Further information including a film trailer.

or

b) Talking Heads - how to support positive mental wellbeing during the Coronavirus pandemic for Key Stages 3 – 5. This online pre-recorded lesson has been created specifically to support young people to have positive mental health during these strange times. The lesson helps students learn ways to spot signs of mental wellbeing concerns, strategies for positive mental wellbeing and where to go for support. Further information including a film trailer.

In addition to one of the above lessons, you can also have:

2. Staying safe in your relationships

Helping Hands: This lesson will be ready from November, teaching Year 7 how to stay safe in their online and off-line relationships. Using the NSPCC’s PANTS rule, the Safe Team teaches how to recognise the feelings that may occur when you feel unsafe. The programme explores sensitive topics such as domestic abuse and child sexual abuse and exploitation in a safe and gentle way.
Loudmouth programme helping hands.

View the video: Telford EV Presentation November 2020 
Excerpt played at DSL presentation 4 November 2020.

Other funding for secondary schools on RSE topics from Telford and Wrekin Council 

Streamed sessions for £3 a head. 

View the video: Safe and Sound on teenage partner abuse
View the video: Working for Marcus on child exploitation
View the video: Trust Me on sexual health and consent.
 

Caroline Bridges from Loudmouth has sent information out to each school about this offer, if you have if not received this or want more information or to book then please contact:

Caroline on 0121 446 4880 or Caroline@loudmouth.co.uk
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Loudmouth Website


Public Health Nursing Telford and Wrekin

Our 0 - 19 Service is continuing to be here for you throughout the national lockdown, starting on 5 November 2020, and will continue to deliver our service to all families with children aged 0 - 19 years old.

Download: Healthy Child Programme Telford Newsletter.

Contact details are included in the download.


SEND Newsflash: Minister Ford’s letter to the SEND sector 

Please download an open letter from Vicky Ford, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families, to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their families and carers and those who work to support them.  

Following the introduction of the new national restrictions on 5 November 2020, this letter provides advice and guidance on several issues, including school attendance, children who are clinically extremely vulnerable, remote education, face coverings in education settings, respite, health services for children and young people with SEND, and the new winter package to provide support for children and young people and their families.  

Please share widely with children and young people with SEND, families and carers and those working to support them, the letter is available for parent/carers to download on the SEND Local Offer.

For more information or enquiries please contact us at: SENDandInclusion@telford.gov.uk.


New Course: Teaching Children with SEND 

All teachers are teachers of SEND, but some teachers will have had more training and experience than others – the LSAT Team would like to address this gap.  

The LSAT Team has developed a new and innovative course designed to provide skills and knowledge for all teachers at any point in their career.  

The new course is delivered online over nine sessions, each with a specific focus, designed to upskill teachers and improve their confidence in teaching children with SEND. 

This course is unique – delegates can book one or two sessions that they would particularly like to attend, or all 9 sessions at a significantly reduced cost.  By attending all 9 sessions, the impact on professional development will be maximised. 

  • Session 1: An Introduction to SEND and the four main areas of need.
  • Session 2: Supporting SEND in the classroom.
  • Session 3: Practical ways to teach SEND across the curriculum.
  • Session 4: Supporting SEND pupils with Handwriting.
  • Session 5: Resilience as a pre-requisite to good transition.
  • Session 6: Ready for Learning: Supporting the Social and Emotional Needs of children with SEND.
  • Session 7: Provision Map Writing.
  • Session 8: Supporting Memory Across the Curriculum.
  • Session 9: Dyscalculia and Maths Difficulties – Identification and support.

For further details are available including the costs, dates and times. 

Teaching Children with SEND – meeting the needs.

To book a place please complete a CPD booking form and sending it via email to: cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk.


Wellbeing for Education Return Supervision groups

The supervision is available to staff within any provision who is deemed to have responsibility for overseeing positive wellbeing and mental health. This may be Mental Health Leads, attendees at the recent Wellbeing for Education Return (WfER) webinars or such staff deemed suitable by a Headteacher to attend supervision.

Who is it for?

  • Staff with responsibility for overseeing Mental Health and Wellbeing  across a provision.
  • Sessions delivered by:
    • fully qualified educational psychologists, supported by BSAT and the Mental Health Support Team.

Key Description:

  • there is an expectation within the caring professions that practitioners receive supervision from relevant qualified and experienced practitioners. In the context of Mental Health within settings, supervision involves understanding the psychological development of children and young people considering the meaning behind children’s behaviours and applying psychological principles to the process of supporting change
  • it is essential for Mental Health Leads to receive regular on-going support that develops their knowledge and understanding in these areas
  • if support is delivered well, it provides opportunity for reflective practice, supportive challenge and personal support
  • research suggests that effective supervision has a wide-ranging impact on the supervisee, resulting in increased feelings of support, self-efficacy and self-awareness, as well as enhanced skills and knowledge.

Dates:

  • 8 December 2020
  • 2 February 2021
  • 16 March 2021.
  • All sessions running from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.
  • Delegates are encouraged to attend all sessions. 
  • Method of delivery via Microsoft Teams (until further notice).

To book, please contact us by email for the attention of: Kaileb Vint via SendandInclusion@telford.gov.uk, specifying your name, school and cluster.

Free until Easter 2021


Training for Early Years Settings: Managing English as an Additional Language

Telford and Wrekin are aware of the ever increasing need to ensure progress of EAL pupils is tracked to ensure they make accelerated progress, particularly in light of recent developments. 

The course is aimed at staff with overall responsibility for EAL learners in Early Years settings. 

It will cover: 

  • An overview of good practice in EAL provision.  
  • Delegates will be provided with an audit tool that can be used in their own settings and sample EAL/ language policies. 
  • Assessment of EAL learners through gathering information on skills in first language and monitoring progress in English language acquisition. 
  • Using the monitoring process to identify targets and next steps in language learning.

Delegates will receive guidance on how to carry out an audit of their setting’s EAL provision and developing an appropriate EAL/ language policy for their setting.  
They will be equipped to: 

  1. Gather and record appropriate information about their EAL learners.
  2. Gather information on their EAL learners’ skills in home language. 
  3. Monitor EAL learners’ progress in English language acquisition using the NASSEA EAL Assessment Framework.
  4. Use this information to feed into the EYFS assessment process.
  • Wednesday 18 November 2020
  • 1.15pm - 4pm
  • Online via Microsoft Teams

Download: Course Flyer

MDT support for individual schools to deliver quality bespoke CPD is available upon request.

If you would like to attend or express an interest in the training, please contact the MDT team
To book a place on the training course please use the CPD course booking form

Kirsty Holden and Qamar Maqsood

Email: Multicultural.Development@telford.gov.uk
Telephone: 07855148693 or 07800 671756
MDT Website


CPD courses – to the end of the Autumn Term

Please note that we have now reverted back to sending joining instructions 5 days before the course date, rather than up to 10 days in the early part of the Autumn Term.

Unless stated otherwise, all of our CPD courses are currently being provided online via Microsoft Teams.  Only in very exceptional circumstances, where courses need to take place face to face, will this happen, but understandably these courses will not run during a period of national lockdown.

Further details of all of our courses can be found in the CPD Booklet, available on the Telford Education Services website.

Bookings can continue to be made in the normal way by completing a CPD booking form and sending it via email to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk.

Table of CPD Courses to the end of autumn term.
The role of key person in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EY 106) Tuesday 17 November 2020 1.15pm to 3.15pm
EYFS Early Adopter meeting (for ‘Early Adopter’ schools and nurseries only) 
please contact lisa.seymour@telford.gov.uk 
Wednesday 18 November 2020 4pm to 5pm
Managing English as an Additional Language (CPD 710) Wednesday 18 November 2020 1.15pm to 4pm
Recently Qualified Teacher Development Programme (CPD 507) Wednesday 18 November 2020 4pm to 5.30pm
Primary ICT Coordinators' Update (CPD 512) Wednesday 18 November 2020 4pm to 5.30pm
Governors’ Responsibilities for SEND (LSAT 212) Thursday 19 November 2020 5pm to 7pm
Breaking Barriers in Maths with Numicon (LSAT 406) Monday 23 November 2020 9.15am to 12noon
Assessment - termly update (morning) (CPD 502) Tuesday 24 November 2020 9.15am to 10.45am
Assessment - termly update (afternoon) (CPD 503) Tuesday 24 November 2020 4pm to 5.30pm
Teaching Children with SEND – meeting the needs (LSAT 508) – new 9 part course Tuesday 24 November 2020 4pm to 5.30pm
Designated Safeguarding Leads Refresher (SG 107 – webinar via Ollie) Wednesday 25 November 2020 1pm to 2.30pm
Early Years Coordinators' Update (EY 007) Wednesday 25 November 2020 4pm to 5.30pm
Teaching and delivering outstanding EAL provision for 'new to English' pupils 
and advanced bilingual learners in secondary schools
(CPD 711)
Wednesday 25 November 2020 3.30pm to 6pm
AET: Leading Good Autism Practice (EPS 107) Wednesday 25 November 2020 1pm to 4pm 
(revised time – now a two part course)
Managing Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment in Schools (SG 201) Wednesday 25 November 2020 9am to 12noon
Prevent (SG 101) Thursday 26 November 2020 9.30am to 11am
Newly Qualified Teacher Development Group: Supporting and Accelerating your Progression  (CPD 522) Thursday 26 November 2020 4pm to 5.30pm
Weaving Literacy and Mathematical  Development into a Broad EYFS Curriculum (EY 304) – part 1 Thursday 26 November 
and Thursday 10 December 2020
1.15pm to 4pm
Early Years and Childcare Partnership Hub Meeting (EY 305) Tuesday 1 December 2020 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Attachment and Trauma - Emotion Coaching Level 2 (PSS 0042) 
(face to face – currently under review)
Wednesday 2 December 2020 9.15am to 3.30pm
Observing Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EY 011) Thursday 3 December 2020 1.15pm to 4pm
MAPA Refresher (BSAT 212) Thursday 3 December 2020 9am to 12.30pm
MAPA (BSAT 201) two parts
(This training has been moved from 19 November 2020 and 26 November 2020 due to the national lockdown)
Tuesday 8 December 2020
and Wednesday 15 December 2020
8.30am to 4pm 
and 8.30am to 12.30pm
Child Protection Supervision (SG 203) Tuesday 8 December 2020 9.30am to 12.30pm
Supporting pupils with specific literacy difficulties: A whole school approach (LSAT 501) Wednesday 9 December 2020 1.15pm to 4pm
Effective Support and Supervisions in the EYFS (EY 306) Wednesday 9 December 2020 4pm to 5.30pm
Weaving Literacy and Mathematical  Development into a Broad EYFS Curriculum (EY 304) – part 2 Thursday 10 December 2020 1.15pm to 4pm
Positive Behaviour Management in the Classroom (PSS 008) Thursday 10 December 2020 1.15pm to 4pm
Teaching Children with SEND – meeting to needs (LSAT 508) – new 9 part course not yet on Ollie Tuesday 15 December 2020 4pm to 5.30pm
SEND: Building Capacity in your school (LSAT 403) – part 2 of 4 Tuesday 15 December 2020 3.45pm to 5.15pm
Understanding Early Language Development 2 to 4 years (EY 112) Tuesday 15 December 2020 1.15pm to 4pm
Solution Focused Therapy (PSS 102) Tuesday 15 December 2020 9.15am to 12noon

Sue Dyson
Traded Service Specialist, School Performance and Development

Email: sue.dyson@telford.gov.uk

For bookings please email cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk.

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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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