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

Welcome back! Hopefully each and every one of you had some much needed rest and managed to spend some quality time with loved ones.

As schools reconvene, with it will be a rise in cases of flu and general illness. The Health Protection Hub have also provided an update on the rising cases of measles in the West Midlands. Please take some time to read through their update.

This week there are some updates from the DfE in regards to attendance, and also information on opportunities for training around attendance from staff. There are also some important updates to guidance around aspects such as Young Carers in our schools, and also Deprivation of Liberty.

Lastly, there are a couple of newsletters from Early Years and SEND which tell you more about the work going on in their areas.

Hoping your first full week back, as schools and settings, has been a good one.

Best wishes

Simon

Simon Wellman

Director: Education & Skills

Measles cases increasing in the West Midlands

As you may be aware, measles cases are increasing in the West Midlands and it’s highly likely that we will have cases in Telford educational settings in the not-too-distant future. We will be doing what we can to promote vaccine uptake in the community, and would encourage you to do what you can within schools/nurseries to increase uptake. Aside from the reduction in illness, this will have benefits to business continuity and continuity of education in the event that you have a case or cases in the setting.

It would be appreciated if you could share the message in italics below with parents/carers through newsletters/website/social media etc.:

Cases of measles are increasing in the UK, including in the West Midlands, and it’s likely that there will be cases in Telford in the near future.

Measles is a viral illness that can be serious and sometimes fatal. Spending 15 minutes with someone with measles is enough to get the virus. Symptoms of measles include high fever, runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes, small red spots with a bluish-white centre inside the mouth. A rash can appear later, usually on the face, upper neck, hands and feet, fading after 5 to 6 days. If you’ve not been vaccinated against measles you can be at risk, but it’s most common in young children. Someone with measles can spread the virus up to 4 days before a rash appears, and up to 4 days after.

Measles can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences, so make sure you and your children are up to date with MMR vaccinations, and ask your GP about catch-up jabs if needed. The MMR vaccine is highly effective at protecting against measles.

If you are unsure if your child is up to date with all their routine vaccinations you can check their Red Book (personal child health record) in the first instance. If you are still not sure, or if you need to bring your child up to date with their vaccines, you should contact their GP practice to check and book an appointment.

If you are concerned that your child has measles, please call your GP in the first instance, to reduce the risk of passing the disease to others in the waiting room. More information on measles can be found here and information on the MMR vaccine can be found here .

UKHSA have advised that a significant percentage of unvaccinated children who have contracted measles have been hospitalized, which highlights the severity of the issue. Other learnings are how protective two doses of the MMR vaccine are, and how disruptive the long exclusion period can be for unvaccinated contacts.

Anyone without immunity from vaccination or previous infection, identified via contact tracing as a contact of a measles case, would be required to stay away from the setting for up to 21 days. This would have significant implications for your business continuity and for affected staff members personally. Given the risk to staff working with children, we would advise that they check their vaccination status and catch up with any missed vaccines. More information is provided here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/

If you suspect you have a measles case in the setting, or are advised by a parent/carer that their child has measles, please contact the Health Protection Hub on 01952 381800 or HealthProtectionHub@telford.gov.uk Useful information to have ready would be:

Name of child
Date of birth
Class/room
Name and contact details of parent/carer
Date of onset of rash (if known)
MMR status of child (zero, one or both vaccinations) (if known)
Any known vulnerable pupils or staff in the class/year group (including pregnant staff)

Any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us on the contact details above.

Park run for children aged 4 – 14 years starting soon at Telford Town Park

🏃 Is your child between 4 – 14? Why not sign them up to join the junior park run in Telford Town Park? It’s great for being more active outdoors.

The weekly 2k runs will be taking place on Sunday mornings at 9am. The first one starting on 14 January 2024.

😃 It will be great fun and a chance for them to make new friends.

To take part your child will need to be registered on the Park Run website. This needs to be done before you attend (you only need to do this once), register for free now and for more info >>> https://www.parkrun.org.uk/telford-juniors/

#LoveParkRun

New Year Honours for members of Telford community

Two members of Telford and Wrekin’s community have been recognised in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours List 2024, which celebrates the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK.

Dr Gill Eatough, who was head teacher at Hadley Learning Community for many years and formerly CEO of the Learning Community Trust, has been awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to education.

Since October 2022, Dr Eatough has chaired the Strategic Education Partnership Board, shaping the future of education in Telford and Wrekin.

Telford resident and county captain of Shropshire Ladies Bowls Team, Mabel Finnigan, has also been recognised, receiving a British Empire Medal (BEM) for her services to bowls. Made a life member of the Mid-Shropshire Bowing League in 2020, Mrs Finnigan has been described as the rock of women’s bowling in Shropshire.

Councillor Shaun Davies (Labour), Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said:

“On behalf of the council, I would like to offer my warm congratulations to Dr Eatough and Mrs Finnigan on this recognition of their services in public life.

“I would also like to extend our thanks for their commitment to making a positive difference for our community in Telford and Wrekin through education and leisure.”

Ofsted pause inspections

Inspections of schools and further education providers in England will begin from 22 January, following mental health awareness training for all lead inspectors.

All school inspections will begin from w/c 22 January.
All inspections of further education and skills providers will begin w/c 22 January.
Inspections of initial teacher education providers will begin w/c 22 January.

Inspections have continued where they are undertaken with partners – these include prison education inspections, area SEND inspections and joint targeted area inspections.

Social care and early years inspections and regulatory visits have also continued. In these sectors, Ofsted is the regulator as well as the inspectorate and work is driven by regulatory requirements. All social care and early years inspectors will complete the mental health awareness training as quickly as possible – and in full by the end of March.

SEND Newsletter 2024

Discover all the current news and information about Special Educational Needs and Disability in Telford & Wrekin in the SEND Newsletter January 2024.

Major National Drive to Improve School Attendance

Driving up attendance and tackling persistent absence is at the centre of new stronger measures launched today as pupils return to school.

More than one million children and young people will be supported into regular education as part of a major expansion of the attendance hubs, which provide a range of tailored support to families and pupils to boost time in school.

There will be 18 new attendance hubs across six regions, bringing the total to 32 and will see nearly 2,000 schools helped to tackle persistent absence.

Hubs are run by schools with excellent attendance that share practical ideas with other primary, secondary, alternative provision and special schools in England who need help to boost their attendance.

From direct pupil engagement initiatives like breakfast clubs and extracurricular activities, to improving their processes and analysis of attendance data, lead hub schools provide a range of support to schools that they can tailor to their pupils and families.

The government is also increasing the direct support offered to children and their families with the expansion of the attendance mentor pilot programme.

To Read the Full Article see the link below:

Major national drive to improve school attendance

Further advice from the DfE on Improving School attendance

For the majority of pupils, the best environment to learn in is school, where being surrounded by teachers and friends helps keep them safe. It’s important for your child’s academic achievement, as well as their wellbeing, wider development and mental health. There is also evidence that the students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A level results. For example, data from 2019 shows that 84 percent of Key Stage 2 pupils who had 100% attendance achieved the expected standard, compared to 40 percent of pupils who were persistently absent across the key stage.

To read the full article please see the link below:

Improving School Attendance

Young Carers in our schools

Telford & Wrekin only have 36 Young Carers identified & recorded in our schools, though we know the actual number is much higher.

79% of all schools nationally recorded 0 young carers on roll.

On average, Young Carers are un-identified nationally for three years.

In an effort to address this, schools are asked to take steps to identify all Young Carers on roll so that they are able to access the support they deserve and recognise them as Young Carers on the January 2024 (and any subsequent) census.

Please find attached a letter from The Carers Trust for your information.

Delivering Early Help in Education – Telford & Wrekin Conference – Tuesday 6 February 2024

This conference will take place on Tuesday 6 February 2023 at a local Telford hotel – exact times and venue will be advised with the joining instructions 10 days before the event.

Telford & Wrekin’s Achievement and Enrichment Service including the Education Safeguarding Team and key partners are pleased to announce an important conference for all schools and colleges focused on early help in education. Attendance will support schools and colleges in delivering early help.

Who should attend?

This conference is designed for strategic leaders with responsibility for the delivery of early help in schools and colleges.

Content:

The conference will provide strategic leads with an opportunity to consider your setting’s delivery of early help and to build even stronger partnerships with partners.

Keynote speakers will be confirmed. In addition delegates will have the opportunity to attend three workshops throughout the day. The focus of these workshops will be attendance, neglect and models of delivering early help.

Each school including independent schools and post 16 institutions will receive one free place for their strategic lead.

Places must be booked by Friday 19 January 2024. After this date, and depending on capacity, one additional place per institution may be able to be offered on a first come first served basis at a cost of £25 per person.

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

Please note that our standard terms and conditions apply for any cancellations within 5 working days or any ‘no shows’ on the day – for both free places and any chargeable places. Please refer to the CPD Booklet on the Telford Education Services website for further details.

SOS+ Criminal Exploitation Training for Education Professionals – new dates for 2024

This online event is provided to Telford & Wrekin schools and academies free of charge and is led by St Giles Education Trust in partnership with the T&W Education Safeguarding Team.

There is no limit to the number of delegates from each school.

Thursday 1 February 2024 from 4pm to 5.30pm

Monday 11 March 2024 from 1.30pm to 3pm

Monday 29 April 2024 from 10am to 11.30am

Wednesday 12 June 2024 from 4pm to 4.30pm

Each session will consist of a 60 minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session.

Delegates only need to attend on one of the above dates and will leave the session able to:

understand how county lines are set up
understand how young people are groomed, recruited and exploited; specifically exploring examples that involve educational settings
recognise key signs and indicators that children and young people are being exploited or at risk of county lines involvement by unpacking what this looks like within an educational setting
understand how school exclusions can increase the risk of students on the periphery
recognise how to mitigate risks practically when considering exclusions learning from successful examples
understand the perspective of an expert witness who is a survivor and/or perpetrator of a county lines operation, including how county lines operations use girls and young women
develop initial interventions and long-term strategies to prevent and reduce the risk of students of criminal exploitation, and gang and county lines involvement within educational settings

Bookings can be made by sending a completed CPD booking form via email to: cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk

Securing good attendance webinars

In the first webinar (Securing good attendance and tackling persistent absence ), we discuss how inspectors look at attendance during an EIF school inspection. We give an overview of the findings from our research into how schools secure good attendance and some of the things that schools do when they tackle persistent absence well.

In the second webinar (Update on attendance with Ofsted and the DfE) , we provide an update on attendance matters for maintained schools and academies in England. We look at how Ofsted inspects attendance and at the Department for Education's updated attendance guidance.

School Attendance Surgery – Friday 26 January 2024

Schools will be aware that the DfE guidance ‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance’ expects the LA to be sharing good practice and also have a responsibility for communication and advice.

Therefore, we introduced these surgeries for schools to refer cases or to join us to listen to how schools and AST have worked together to manage complicated cases. Or, where school attendance related individual cases can be discussed (anonymised) in the surgeries.

We had a very productive and varied discussion relating to some complex cases at the first surgery, we now invite you to book a slot on the next one on Friday 26 January.

We invite you to attend these TEAMS sessions for free by requesting a place via the CPD booklet. Please see the surgeries details attached. There is a copy of the booking form attached then send to CPDSchool.Improvement@telford.gov.uk or alternatively, here is a link to the CPD booklet:

Telford Education Services Website

CPD Booking Form

School Attendance Surgery Dates

Leave in term time updates and documentation

The DfE have recently consulted on leave in term time and the Penalty Notice Regulations, but changes will not be introduced until September 2024 at the earliest.

Therefore, please find reviewed and updated documentation and a quote for schools website to use for the remainer of this academic year.

A recent T&W Court case resulting from an unpaid Penalty Notice issued after leave in term time, found that a school was using the wording ‘special circumstances’ in their letter to parents. It is advised to all schools the wording used should be ‘exceptional circumstances.

Thank you for your continuing support.

Leave in Term Time Information

School admissions deadline - January 2024

Children born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020 can start Primary School in September 2024. The deadline for on time reception & junior applications is 15 January 2024.

Applications can be made here.

Any questions can be directed to Admissions@telford.gov.uk

CPD courses to February half term 2024

As this is the first CPD Education Noticeboard article for 2024, please may we take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year!, and very best wishes for the Spring Term.

The CPD Booklet for the remainder of the 2023-24 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)

Absence Management of Employees HR course – please book on Ollie or send an email to co-operative.admin@telford.gov.uk	Monday, January 15, 2024	2.30pm to 5pm
NEW: Filtering and Monitoring Responsibilities for Governors and DSLs (see separate article)	Tuesday, January 16, 2024	5pm to 5.45pm
Induction Training for New Governors (GO 502)	Wednesday, January 17, 2024	9.30am to 3.30pm
Get to know Sparkyard! - Online training via Out of the Ark (Free of Charge) Please book via telford.music@telford.gov.uk	Wednesday, January 17, 2024	16.45pm to 5.45pm
An Introduction to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EY 001) postponed to 16 April 2024	Tuesday, April 16, 2024	4pm to 5.30pm
Filtering and Monitoring Responsibilities for Governors and DSLs	Thursday, January 18, 2024	5pm to 5.45pm
Literacy Pathway	Thursday, January 18, 2024	Full day
Curriculum Music Conference 2024 – cross phase £25 per person Please book via telford.music@telford.gov.uk	Thursday, January 18, 2024	9am to 3.30pm
Supporting SEND in the Classroom for Early Career Teachers (LSAT 502) - part 2	Thursday, January 18, 2024	4pm to 5.30pm
Establishing Yourself as a SEND leader, for new and returning SENCOs (LSAT 302) - part 1	Monday, January 22, 2024	9.15am to 3.30pm
Primary Music Leadership Certificate. Session 1: Leading Music in your school (Free of charge) Please book via telford.music@telford.gov.uk	Monday, January 22, 2024	1pm to 4pm
EAL Network Meeting (CPD 526)	Wednesday, January 24, 2024	3.30pm to 5pm
Taking the Chair - part 1 (GO 504)	Wednesday, January 24, 2024	4.30pm to 6.30pm
Quality First Teaching for SEND (LSAT 516) - Pt 2	Wednesday, January 24, 2024	4pm to 5.30pm
Newly Appointed Designated Safeguarding Leads' Training (SG 102) - part 1	Wednesday, January 24, 2024	9.15am to 4pm
Online Safety – a Safeguarding Responsibility (CPD 609)	Thursday, January 25, 2024	4pm to 5.30pm
Newly Appointed Designated Safeguarding Leads' Training (SG 102) - part 2	Thursday, January 25, 2024	9.15am to 4pm
School Attendance Surgery (AST 005)	Friday, January 26, 2024	9.15am to 12noon
Establishing Yourself as a SEND leader, for new and returning SENCOs (LSAT 302) - part 2	Monday, January 29, 2024	9.15am to 3.30pm
Talk for Work (new LSAT course)	Monday, January 29, 2024	9am to 3.30pm
Meeting the OFSTED requirements and developing reading strategies for EAL learners at KS2 (CPD 714)	Tuesday, January 30, 2024	1.15pm to 3.30pm
Safety Intervention Refresher Training (BSAT 212) - CPI accredited	Tuesday, January 30, 2024	2pm to 4.30pm
School Attendance Briefing Updates (AST 004)	Wednesday, January 31, 2024	4pm to 5.30pm
Safety Intervention Training (BSAT 201) - Part 2 - CPI accredited	Thursday, February 01, 2024	2pm to 4.30pm
Listen with Lucy (EY 023)	Thursday, February 01, 2024	1.15pm to 4pm
Accredited Safer Recruitment Training HR course – please book on Ollie or send an email to co-operative.admin@telford.gov.uk	Thursday, February 01, 2024	9am to 4.30pm
In-person: Improvisation Project CPD Session (Free of charge) Please book via telford.music@telford.gov.uk	Thursday, February 01, 2024	1pm to 4pm
NEW: SOS+ Criminal Exploitation Training for Education Professionals (see separate article in Safeguarding section)	Thursday, February 01, 2024	4pm to 5.30pm
NEW Conference: Developing Early Help in Education (refer to separate article in Safeguarding section)	Tuesday, February 06, 2024	9am to 2pm - TBC
Improving EAL pupils' writing through Oracy, grammar and tier 2/3 vocabulary acquisition (CPD 727)	Tuesday, February 06, 2024 Moved to 12 March 2024	1.15pm to 3.30pm
The Importance of the Early Years Foundation Stage in Schools (GO 603)	Tuesday, February 06, 2024	5.30pm to 7pm
Cover Supervisors - preparing for the role (PSS 010)	Tuesday, February 06, 2024	3.30pm to 5pm
Talk Boost KS2	Wednesday, February 07, 2024	TBC
Schemas in the EYFS (EY 340)	Wednesday, February 07, 2024	1.15pm to 4pm
Taking the Chair (GO 504) - part 2	Wednesday, February 07, 2024	4.30pm to 6.30pm
Preparing for Statutory Assessment at the End of KS2 (CPD 504)	Thursday, February 08, 2024	9am to 12.30pm
Meeting the Statutory Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements of the EYFS (EY 009)	Thursday, February 08, 2024	4pm to 5.30pm
Raising Awareness of Prevent (SG 101)	Thursday, February 08, 2024	1pm to 2.30pm
Safeguarding Induction Training for Governors (SG 103) - part 1	Thursday, February 08, 2024	5.30pm to 7.30pm
SEND Music Network Meeting (Free of charge via Teams) Please book via telford.music@telford.gov.uk	Thursday, February 08, 2024	4.30pm to 5.30pm
Webinar: Kapow Primary (Free of charge via Zoom) Please book via telford.music@telford.gov.uk	Friday, February 09, 2024	4pm to 5pm

LEGO® based ‘Think Bricks Therapeutic Approaches Course

‘Think Bricks’ empowers and inspires young people to creatively build symbolic models to help to communicate their thoughts and feelings. The box of specially selected metaphors allows young people to convey their own personal feelings, thoughts, hopes and wishes in a powerful and constructive manner. On a one to one, or in small groups, children can explore and find solutions to personal issues. Children will really open up and find it easier to talk once they have built their models.

This inspirational workshop will teach you to coach children and young people in a therapeutic way using hands on learning. Get children talking!!

Course Leader: Claire Osbourne M’ED (Special Education – Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties) Therapeutic Coach, Lego Education Academy Certified Trainer with 30years + experience in education with young people presenting with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health Challenges. Former Team Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council Behaviour Support Advisory Team.

Date: Wednesday 24 January 2024

Location: Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury

Time: 10am to 3pm

Cost: £220pp

All training includes a ‘Lego® ‘Think Bricks’ suitcase of resources kit and therapeutic activities cards worth £85 to take away on the day, plus electronic resources to enable delivery of the intervention. Limited additional kits can be ordered in advance to enable small group work.

To book a place on this training, please send an email to:

claire@thinkbrickseducation.co.uk

www.thinkbrickseducation.co.uk

Facebook: Think Bricks Education

Contact No: 07789003459

Early Years Newsletter Autumn 23

The latest Early Years newsletter is now available and you can view this here:

Early Years Newsletter

Latest Sport England report on young people’s activity levels

Whilst the latest Sport England Active Lives Children and Young People report shows that the number of active children (those who achieve 60+ minutes of activity a day) remains unchanged (47%), Telford and Wrekin has seen a significant decrease in the number of active children – down by 4.1% to 39.3%.

Inequalities continue to exist:

Girls have lower activity levels than boys (44% vs 51%)
Year 3 and 4 have the lower activity levels of all school age groups
Asian and black children are the ethnic group least likely to be active (40%)
Lower affluence groups are less active than higher affluence groups (44% vs 55%)

Read the key facts and full report here: https://www.energizestw.org.uk/news/latest-report-on-young-peoples-activity-levels

Interested in finding ways to help support your pupils to be more active? Read more here:

https://www.energizestw.org.uk/Pages/Category/primary-schools

https://www.energizestw.org.uk/Pages/Category/secondary-schools

New targeted support toolkit for school staff

Schools in Mind have just launched a new targeted support toolkit on their Mentally Healthy Schools website, in partnership with and funded by the Department for Education.

The toolkit gives balanced, evidence-based advice to help staff choose the most effective support for their students. It is user-friendly and helps staff with mental wellbeing responsibilities identify need, review their current offer, and filter targeted support options by education phase, outcome and delivery method.

Schools in Mind Toolkit

Deprivation of Liberty guidance for schools

Education Safeguarding have developed a guidance note for school leaders, including governors. The guidance is to assist them in their understanding of Deprivation of Liberty, and to support their approach to create a positive environment where children can learn and where staff interact positively with children.

The guidance considers types of restriction, the use of isolation and seclusion in schools and provides some key points to consider.

Deprivation of Liberty Guidance

A message to all provider data leads from Future Focus

Happy New Year and thank you for all your support throughout 2023 with the following.

Template September Guarantee (Offers of Learning)
Template Settled Activity (September starters)
Cohort Checks
Template Monthly Starter & Leaver data return

Please can you continue to update us monthly your Starters and Leavers

Template Monthly Starter & Leaver data return (please return a null value if you have nothing to report)

In line with our Statutory Duty we will continue to use SharePoint to share data with you securely and to collect data from you relating to young people.

If we are able to help in anyway or If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to contact us on Data.Support@telford.gov.uk

This entry was posted by Oliver on Tuesday, 09 January 2024.

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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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