Education Noticeboard 10 October 2024
Welcome to the Education Noticeboard. A round-up of news, guidance and key updates for education settings.
Included in this edition of Education Noticeboard
Included in this update:
Directors Update
Dear Colleagues
I am pleased to announce that last week we officially opened the completed expansion to Lawley Academy. Telford & Wrekin Council, in partnership with the REAch2 Academy Trust, has created capacity for the school to grow which will a great boost to the local community. I was also a privilege to be invited to the official opening of New Road Academy, which is now operated by LCT, with the highlight being a truly stunning performance by their choir. Well done to all!
October is also Black History Month, and the theme this year is “Reclaiming Narratives”. This marks a significant shift towards recognising and correcting the story of Black history and culture. There are several events planned to take place across the Borough throughout the month.
Bookings are now being taken for The Telford Skills show in March 2025 at the Telford International Centre. This year aims to be even bigger and better, offering a wider range of opportunities for our young people.
There is also some important information on Supermarket School holiday vouchers, and a reminder to use the School Closure line in the event of your school or setting being closed due to adverse weather conditions.
Also, this week in addition to the usual CPD training opportunities there are several free training courses offering quality specialised training to equip school staff with valuable skills and knowledge.
Finally, a reminder about the upcoming Telford & Wrekin Education Strategic Partnership Board Autumn Term Leadership Conference, which is taking place on 23 October 2024. There are a few spaces left so, if you would like to attend the event then please book a place
Wishing you a good rest of the week
Best wishes
Simon Wellman
Director of Education and Skills
News
Council’s major investment in borough schools continues
Telford & Wrekin Council is excited to reveal the completed expansion to Lawley Academy, increasing available school places to benefit local families. In partnership with the REAch2 Academy Trust, the expansion has created capacity for an additional 210 primary school places and 30 nursery places from the 2024/25 academic year.
The expansion is a strategic response to the growing demand for high-quality educational facilities in the area. By increasing its capacity, Lawley Academy aims to continue its mission of providing exceptional education and nurturing environments for more children in the community.
Cllr Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education, Employment and Skills (Lab) said: "In recent years, our council has been investing heavily in schools across the borough, expanding schools’ capacity by hundreds of places.
“As more people are choosing Telford and Wrekin as a place to live and raise a family, we are firmly committed to continue this investment. We want to create hundreds more school places to ensure every local child and young person can attend a local school and benefit from modern facilities.
“We are thrilled that Lawley Academy will be able to offer more places to local children. As one of our largest new build estates, the expansion will not only enable Lawley Academy to accommodate more students but also further support the development of the young minds in Telford."
Claire Freestone, Headteacher at Lawley Village Academy, said: “We are really pleased with how the expansion has come together.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for us to support more children in their local community to thrive, learn and grow in a modern learning environment.”
Cathie Paine, CEO of REAch2 Academy Trust, said: "Our commitment to providing great schools for local communities is reflected in the expansion of Lawley Village Academy. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have by giving more families the opportunity for their children to benefit from attending the school.”
This work is part of Telford & Wrekin Council’s ‘20 pledges in 20 weeks’ campaign which will see the local authority deliver 20 actions on the things that matter most to local people during the first 20 weeks following Cllr Lee’s Carter’s appointment as Leader on 18 July. The pledges reinforce the council’s ongoing commitment to protect, care and invest to create a better borough.
Further expansion and refurbishment works are planned at other school sites across Telford and Wrekin in the coming months.
You can track the council’s progress on its 20 pledges at www.telford.gov.uk/20pledges
Official Opening of New Road Academy
We were delighted to attend the official opening of New Road Academy formerly Telford Priory School.
It’s great that students have chosen the new name which represents the school’s forward-thinking approach. We know staff are committed to making the school one of the best academies in our borough and the country. We wish them every success.
Black History Month
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust is proud to host a Black History Month event, offering a meaningful opportunity for young people across the borough to engage in this year’s theme: "Reclaiming Narratives." Join us on Saturday, 19th October, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, for an enriching afternoon featuring guest speakers, spoken word performances, Radio 1Xtra DJ playing the latest in Afrobeats, reggae and soul. A variety of stalls focused on empowering, engaging, and supporting young people.
Attendees can enjoy authentic Caribbean cuisine while exploring thought-provoking discussions on reclaiming and celebrating Black narratives. This free event is open to all, but spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
To secure your spot, please email Robert Wilson at robert.wilson@telford.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can reach out to Andrea Nelson, EDI Community Manager for Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust on 07768244717 or andrea.nelson@ironbridge.org.uk.
Don’t miss out on this exciting and empowering event!
This year’s theme for Black History Month is “Reclaiming Narratives,” and marks a significant shift towards recognising and correcting the narratives of Black history and culture.
Black History Month is in October and many pupils and staff have expressed a desire to learn more about key figures and events in history that have an impact on our world today. This cross-curricular topic not only covers many elements in History but addresses many fundamental SMSC and PHSE aspects of the curriculum as a whole.
MDT support for individual schools to plan and develop staff knowledge is available upon request. The FREE MDT Black History Month resource pack attached can be downloaded and is suitable for use in all schools.
TAARC are offering workshops to schools and can booked, at a discounted rate, by contacting TAARC directly.
BHM Teaching pack
TAARC flyer
Safeguarding
School Swimming – risks of pop-up pools
In line with advice from Swim England, the Swimming Teachers Association and Swim Wales, Telford and Wrekin Council does not endorse the provision and use of pop up pools in educational settings as “no pop up pools in use for school swimming lessons meet the guidance provided by the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG), specifically Technical Note 65 or the HSE’s guidance document HSG 179 (Health & Safety in Swimming Pools).
This view is shared by several local authorities and the National Education Safeguarding Network. For more information, please view the statement online at: www.sta.co.uk.
educationsafeguarding@telford.gov.uk
Education & Skills
Your invitation to Telford Skills Show 2025
Book your space to The Telford Skills Show on Thursday 27th March 2025 11am - 6pm @ The Telford International Centre.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s JobBox will be hosting The Telford Skills Show 2025.
The event will showcase employment, training and apprenticeships opportunities across the region. It is completely free for visitors of all ages to attend and is open to everyone from across Telford, Shropshire, and the West Midlands.
Attendees will be able to try hands-on activities on the day that employers and training providers are offering to get a better understanding of roles which are available.
This year we had more than 50 of the biggest local and national employers and education providers to highlight the wide range of opportunities they offer.
Employers will also offer support, advice and help people make that all important decision about their first career or even a change in career.
To book please complete the event booking form and return to jobbox@telford.gov.uk
Early Years
Wraparound Childcare Conference 2024
Exciting news – we are holding the first Wraparound Childcare Conference in Telford and we are inviting you to join us on the 9th November 2024 10am – 4pm at the Telford Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort. Each Wraparound Childcare provision will be allocated one FREE place for the conference any additional places will cost £40 per person and £50 per person out of area T&W Providers.
A little insight about the conference:
Keynote speaker
Ben Kingston-Hughes, Inspired Children - Ben is an international keynote speaker, author and multi award-winning trainer. He is also the Managing Director of Inspired Children and has worked with vulnerable children across the UK for over 34 years. He has appeared on television several times working on a variety of children’s projects and his distinctive blend of humour, neuroscience and real-life practical experiences have made his training invaluable for anyone working with children. His game-changing book about play, “A Very Unusual Journey into Play.” has gained widespread acclaim and his brand new book, “Why Children Need Joy”
We will also be joined by
Rebekah Jackson Reece, Out of School Club Alliance - Rebekah is a highly respected childcare success coach and consultant, specialising in the out-of-school and wraparound childcare sector in England. With over 20 years of experience, she is the founder of The Bold Type Training & Consultancy Limited, a specialist childcare consultancy company, and the CEO of Out of School Alliance, the leading support and advocacy organisation for out of school provision in England. Rebekah has made significant contributions to the childcare sector, advocating for greater government support and investment, sector recognition and policy change. As a passionate playworker, Rebekah believes that running a childcare business can be both rewarding and enjoyable. Her approach is grounded in her deep commitment to play work and the belief that quality childcare should prioritise children’s lived experiences. Through her leadership at the Out of School Alliance, she has been instrumental in shaping national policies, including working alongside the UK Government in the development of the National Wraparound Childcare Programme.
To secure your place on the conference now email talkingchildcare@telford.gov.uk
Baby room Practitioners Network - Baby Bonding - Key Practices to support attachment, self-awareness and communication
Baby Practitioners Network - Online via Zoom - 20th November 4-5pm
An online community for early years professionals, focused on supporting practitioners working with infants and toddlers. The network offers shared experiences, and discussions aimed at enhancing practices in baby rooms, fostering professional development, and improving the quality of care in early childhood settings.
Baby Bonding - Key Practices to Support Attachment, Self-Awareness, and Communication
A framework designed to promote healthy attachment between caregivers and babies, fostering emotional security, self-awareness, and early communication skills.
New Webinar Wednesday's!
If your setting is interested in joining one or all of these webinars, then please follow the links below to register your attendance!
Self-regulation and Executive Function; tuning into
tears, tantrums and passivity
By Andrina Flinders
23rd October 9.30-10.30am
Register your attendance:
Looking through a Language Lens on Understanding the
World and expressive Art and Design
By Victoria Day
20th November 9.30-10.30am
Register your attendance:
Literacy Evidence Store - Part 1
Interactive Writing
By Victoria Day
11th December 9.30-10.30am
Register your attendance:
Literacy Evidence Store Part 2
Teaching mark making
By Victoria Day
22nd January 9.30-10.30am
Register your attendance:
Inclusive Strategies for All
Attention bucket and beyond
By Andrina Flinders
26th February 9.30-10.30am
Register your attendance:
Inclusive Strategies for All
Emotion Coaching Taster Session
By Andrina Flinders
26th March 9.30-10.30am
Register your attendance:
CPD
Telford & Wrekin’s Autumn Leadership Conference for Headteachers, Principals and CEO’s of Academy Trusts
A last opportunity to book places for this important event, taking place Wednesday 23 October 2024
The Autumn Term Leadership Conference for local Headteachers, Principals and CEO’s is taking place Wednesday 23 October 2024 from 8.45am to 1pm, including lunch.
We are also delighted to announce details of our two keynote speakers – Darren Edwards, record-breaking Disabled Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker and Author – and Malcolm Reeve, National Leader of Education and Chair of the Programme Board for Whole School SEND.
Please see the attached biographical details for further information about our keynote speakers.
The conference will include a significant opportunity to share data on the performance of our schools across the borough, comparing to regional and national data, looking at trends over time and identifying hot issues. The presentation will include school performance data, SEND, CiC, Fairshare, attendance, exclusions and suspensions, and will help to focus strategic networking discussions on key issues challenging our schools.
The delegate fee for this event remains unchanged from last year at £60 per person, with a discounted offer of £100 for two delegates from the same school, including lunch. This event has been priced competitively to simply cover costs and to hopefully encourage attendance from all of our schools.
The Partnership Board is delighted to welcome all Headteachers, Principals and CEOs to this event. There is also some space for Deputy Heads to attend too, but we ask that they only attend alongside their Headteacher, and not as a replacement.
To secure your place/s please send a completed CPD booking form to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk as soon as possible.
CPD courses to the end of the first half term 2024
Further details of these and all other courses are available in the 2024-25 CPD booklet on the Telford Education Services website and on the Ollie website.
The CPD Booklet for the remainder of the 2024-15 academic year can be viewed via Telford Education Services.
As always, courses can be booked by completing and returning a CPD booking form to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk (unless denoted differently)
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Literacy Pathway Intervention Training for TAs (part 2) |
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 |
9.15am to 12noon |
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Designated Teacher for Children in Care Network Meeting (Post 16 ) |
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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EAL and SEND? (CPD 601) |
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 |
1.15pm to 4pm |
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Meeting the Statutory Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements of the EYFS (EY 009) |
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Behaviour Support Intervention Refresher Training - Non-accredited (BSAT 302) |
Thursday, October 17, 2024 |
9am to 1pm TBC |
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Messy Mathematics in an Outdoor Learning Environment (EY 341) |
Thursday, October 17, 2024 |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Absence Management of Employees (HR course) |
Thursday, October 17, 2024 |
2pm to 5pm |
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Thursday, October 17, 2024 |
9.30am to 11am |
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SEND and AP Change Programme Learning Lunch |
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 |
12.30pm to 1pm |
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Adapting High Quality Teaching for SEMH (PSS 012) |
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 |
4pm to 5.30pm |
|
The Visually Impaired Child in Your Class (SIS 001) |
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 |
9am to 4pm |
|
School Attendance Briefing Updates (AST 004) |
Wednesday, October 23, 2024 |
4pm to 5.30pm |
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Autumn Term Leadership Conference for Headteachers, Principals and CEO’s of Multi-Academy Trusts (see separate article) |
Wednesday, October 23, 2024 |
9am - 1pm |
Outdoor Education
Arthog Outreach – Autumn 2024
Arthog Outreach has availability for outdoor adventurous activities during the Autumn term.
Telford and Wrekin Council has grown an amazing Outdoor Educational Service beyond the excellent Arthog in Wales.
At the heart of all our provision is the individual. We will work with you to plan each day, course or program to fit with your desired outcomes, our planning may help discover what these outcomes might be.
Arthog for all, leaving no one behind!
A residential experience at Arthog Wales is a significant rite of passage and life experience but there have always been those young people unable to attend.
Arthog Outreach want’s no one to miss out, whether it is a single day of adventure, five days developing or a short residential. We have options to ensure every child has the opportunities available and stories to compare with their residential peers.
Our highly qualified and experienced staff are experts at adapting plans and activities to meet the particular requirements of the day, taking into account the weather and individual’s needs. The following are a sample of the activities we offer.
Activities
Team building and Problem solving: Activities to challenge and develop teams and individuals using purpose built equipment including our low ropes course. We can also run many of these activities at your site. These development outcomes run throughout all of our activities.
Climbing: Outside on real rock in the scenic surroundings of Shropshire. Climbing offers an exhilarating and rewarding challenge, actively involving all participants, where self-confidence, co-operation, trust and teamwork develop. We also have our mobile climbing tower which can travel to your site.
Climbing wall: We have our own recently extended indoor wall for all weather climbing and we run courses and clubs offering NICAS and GCSE qualifications.
Canoeing & Kayaking: Venues to suit all abilities and weathers from our on-site swimming pool, to local lakes and pools, local canals and the River Severn. Opportunities to work together and to independently gain skills.
Caving: A real experience exploring the tunnels and chambers, formed by man and nature, at Llanymynech cave. Or visiting the mining ‘ghost town’ at Snailbeech, once one of the biggest Lead mines in the world. Provides the opportunity to learn geological and human history and overcome challenges together.
Hill Walking: Students discover the beauty of our local landscape by journeying in the Shropshire hills. This gives opportunities to learn about the formation of the landscape, develop map work skills, raise awareness of the environment, and discover the fascinating human history of the area as well as discovering local fauna, flora and habitat.
Bush Craft: We introduce students to basic skills which allow them to identify, look after, and use natural materials available in local habitats. Students build their confidence and gain a greater appreciation and understanding of the outdoor environment.
Orienteering: Use our purpose-built course to develop map skills and fitness, working independently or in small teams. We have a variety of other sites mapped or can develop new sites.
Archery: For all ages inside our sports hall, or outside if weather allows. This can also be brought to your site.
Arthog @ Telford Town Park – Variety of activities from orienteering, canoeing, teambuilding and can include our high ropes course. This activity in the heart of Telford has been designed to cater for school groups. Really accessible and with our very Arthog Outreach supportive instructional staff.
Introduction to the outdoors: This approach is very child centred with an emphasis on learning by discovery. Groups of younger students gain confidence in the outdoors, studying mini beasts or other projects, making stories come alive.
For more information contact Angela Meakin please email outreach@arthog.co.uk
Other Information and Resources
Supermarket School Holiday Food Vouchers
The government has provided the council with further funding via the Household Support Fund for the period from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025, which will allow the continuation of supermarket school holiday food vouchers for eligible pupils.
We will be using part of this funding to continue providing food vouchers to pupils in receipt of income-based Free School Meals, the Pupil Premium, Service Pupil Premium, Talking 2s and Early Years Pupil Premium for the following school holidays:
- October 2024 half-term: £15 per eligible child. Due to be issued around 18 October 2024.
- Christmas 2024: £15 per eligible child per week (representing a total of £30 per child for the two-week holiday). Due to be issued around 13 December 2024.
- February 2025 half-term: £15 per eligible child. Due to be issued around 7 February 2025.
Please note: there is always a small possibility that the value of vouchers issued per pupil or their planned distribution dates could change.
As previously, we will send voucher codes out directly by email to all parents / carers that we hold a working email address for. In this regard, please ensure that you continue telling us about any changes to this information you become aware of as soon as possible.
Our communication to them will continue to include appropriate contact details, should they experience any problems with their voucher code, plus a link to our Frequently Asked Questions web page at www.telford.gov.uk/fsmvoucher. In the unlikely event that a parent contacts the school with a query regarding a voucher code they have not received, please direct them to winterfunding.grant@telford.gov.uk. If the query instead relates to problems downloading or spending the e-voucher(s) they have chosen, please refer them to our voucher provider, Select Essentials. They can be contacted on 0800 587 2294 or by completing a form online at
www.select-essentials.co.uk/ContactUs
There continue to be a small number of families who will require your assistance obtaining their e-vouchers or who we don’t have an email address for. Their voucher codes will again be distributed to schools, and this will happen on about 22 October for the October 2024 half-term voucher round, about 17 December for the Christmas holiday 2024 round and about 11 February for the February 2025 half-term voucher round. As before, please forward or redeem these as appropriate to the parents / carers of the specific child that each has been allocated to. This will help us track who has received them in the event of queries.
Thank you very much for your ongoing support with providing us your data and distributing these vouchers for eligible pupils at your school.
The current funding we have been given ends on 31 March 2025, so at this stage we don’t know if vouchers will be provided for any holidays beyond the February 2025 half-term. Unfortunately, based on past experience, we only receive very last minute notice about whether the scheme will be extended and how the new funding can be used.
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 www.telford.gov.uk/householdsupportfund. We have also created two financial advice leaflets – one for people of working age (www.telford.gov.uk/financialadvice) and one for pensioners (www.telford.gov.uk/pensioners). The council has also developed Cost of Living web pages, which contain a range of help, support and advice that can be found at www.telford.gov.uk/costofliving. Please feel free to share these links.
School and Setting Closure Line
As we move into the Autumn and Winter terms, just a gentle reminder to use the School and Setting Closure Line to report whether your school or setting is closed for any reason (e.g. adverse weather conditions, maintenance issues etc.).
Each school/setting will be responsible for keeping the information up to date about their respective school/setting.
Your School or Setting will need to be registered to be able to access and use the system. You will need to ensure that you have nominated /designated persons who will be given administration rights and be responsible for keeping the closure line for your school or setting up to date (this can be either a general admin person/email address, head teachers, PA’s or a mix of).
Please complete the form below if there has been any changes to the designated persons for your schools and settings.
Schools Closure Line (Data Collection Form)
All the information reported on the school closures line automatically updates the Telford & Wrekin website this is used to keep staff, pupils, parents and the residents in Telford & Wrekin aware of the latest school /settings closures
If you have any issues with accessing the closure line or require any further information please email schoolclosures@telford.gov.uk
Young Carers Guide / Young Carers School Award
Free young carers guide for schools made available for schools.
Designed with teachers and education staff, Young Carers in Schools has a step-by-step guide to make it easier for all education staff to identify and support the young carers at their setting.
Designed to be as flexible and helpful as possible, each step is accompanied by tools that you can use and adapt to suit your setting’s structure and local circumstances.
Do you fancy some recognition for the good practice at your setting when meeting the needs of young carers? Apply for the Young Carers in School Award. The next deadline for applications is 28th November. We wish you the best of luck and would love to hear how you do.
Apply for the Young Carers in School Award
Preventing and Dealing with Racist Bullying
Strategies to identify racist incidents and bullying in schools and how to deal with them effectively and prevent reoccurrence.
Telford and Wrekin are aware of the ever increasing need to ensure racial incidents are identified and recorded. This training covers key topics such as recognising signs of racist bullying, implementing proactive strategies to foster an inclusive school culture and responding appropriately to incidents. The session will provide an opportunity for participants to:
• understand the statutory duties of schools in this area in the light of current legislation
• develop confidence in the identification of racist incidents
• consider best practice in preventing and responding to incidents for the most positive outcomes
• review the process of recording and reporting, both internally and to the Local Authority.
Delegates will receive guidance on how to:
- recognise racist incidents
- meet statutory requirements
- implement strategies to minimise racist incidents and redress the damage caused by them
- explore strategies to prevent racist incidents and bullying
Thursday, 24th October 2024 1.15pm to 3.30pm online via Microsoft Teams
MDT support for individual schools to deliver quality bespoke CPD is available upon request.
To book a place on the training course please click here