Education Noticeboard 4 July 2024
Welcome to the Education Noticeboard. A round-up of news, guidance and key updates for education settings.
Included in this Edition of the Noticeboard
- Director Update
- A Summer of Cycling with Telford Bike Hub
- Funded NPQ'S 2024-2025
- CPD Courses
- Telford & Wrekin Autumn Term 2024 Leadership Conference
- Residents invited to Early Years Family Fun Day
- Access event gives learners a taste of University Courses
- School Newsletter - Sunny days and Summer Resources
- 10 Tips to help your wellbeing this summer
Director Update
An Update from Simon Wellman
Hi All,
The weather has certainly gone much cooler this week and the yellow weather warning has now been removed.
The last CPD course before the end of this Summer Term is the Autism Leads Conference on Friday 12th July 2024 so please ensure you book onto this where possible before this is fully subscribed.
We are also pleased to announce the Leadership Conference on Wednesday 23rd October 2024 as detailed in this weeks noticeboard.
This weekend is the Early Years Family Fun Day being held at Telford Town Park between 11am-4PM for residents. Experts will be on hand to offer advice about the various types of childcare support for families as well as provide guidance on what they are entitled to and how to apply.
With the Summer break just around the corner there is lots of useful information in this newsletter for you to read through to help your wellbeing and lots of handy resources to be taken advantage of.
Wishing you all a good rest of your week.
Simon
Simon Wellman
Director: Education & Skills
News
A Summer of Cycling with Telford Bike Hub!
Why not book your child onto our popular Learn to Ride courses this summer and support them in learning this essential life skill. Our patience and experienced instructors will help build your child’s confidence and teach them the skills required to ride a bike!
Learn to Ride this Summer with Telford Bike Hub
Learning to ride a bike can be tricky, that’s why our Learn to Ride sessions at Telford Bike Hub are so popular! Our cycling instructors have plenty of experience of working with children and helping them to understand the techniques and skills required.
Children learn to ride through games and confidence building activities, in an outdoor traffic free area. If your child has their own bike you are welcome to bring it along, otherwise you can use a bike and helmet from the Bike Hub at no extra charge.
Sessions last one hour and parents are asked to remain on site – there are benches next to the training area.
Spaces are available to book via Tickets Telford – search Learn to Ride or follow this link Telford Bike Hub - Learn To Ride (ticketstelford.com)
If your child can already ride independently then why not take a look at Bike Club or Bikeability Level 1&2! More info can be found here: Family (ticketstelford.com)
For an enquires please email: thebikehub@telford.gov.uk
Funded NPQs 2024-2025
Complete your NPQs locally with Shropshire and Telford Education Partnership(STEP)
Headteachers Update on NPQs - October 2024
The Department for Education application portal is now open. If you have staff wishing to take part in an NPQ starting in October 2024 and the programme is potentially funded – please apply before the end of this term to secure one of the limited funded places.
As a reminder – funding is limited to specific programmes and specific schools.
Specific Programmes (regardless of school) - NPQLPM (Learning Primary Maths), NPQSENCO (for SENCOs), NPQH (Headship)
Specific Schools - all programmes will be fully funded if your school sits in the top 50% of FSM (88 schools in Shropshire and Telford have been identified).
Funded places will be allocated on a first come first served basis based on a fully completed application (DfE and Providers applications must be completed). Applications for programmes are available here.
STEP and the Alliance of Leading Learning will be delivering the full suite of 10 NPQs in October 2024 within Shropshire and Telford. In the last 3 years STEP we have supported 597 school leaders to complete NPQs with clear evidence of impact.
To find out more please go to either the Alliance of Leading Learning website or the STEP website.
Alternatively please email - Gemma.Hargreaves@leadinglearning.co.uk or Cavelle.PriestleyBird@leadinglearning.co.uk
CPD
CPD Courses
The last CPD courses for the Summer Term 2024 is detailed here:
|
Autism Leads Conference |
Friday, July 12, 2024
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All day incl lunch |
We are currently finalising the 2024-25 CPD booklet and intend to publish early July 2024. Once published, the booklet will appear on the Telford Education Services website.
Please click here for booking form
Telford & Wrekin Autumn Term 2024 Leadership Conference for Headteachers, Principals and CEO’s
An exciting opportunity to book your place for this pivotal and unmissable event for local leaders, taking place Wednesday 23 October 2024
The Autumn Term Leadership Conference for Telford & Wrekin Headteachers, Principals and CEO’s is taking place Wednesday 23 October 2024 from 8.45am to 1pm, including lunch.
We are pleased 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 flyer for further information about our keynote speakers.
There will also be a full school performance data presentation, looking at trends over time across the Borough - including achievement, SEND, CiC, Fairshare and suspensions – which will help to focus a strategic discussion on a range of issues challenging our schools.
The delegate fee for this event remains unchanged from 2023 at £60 per person, with a discounted offer of £100 for two delegates from the same school - with lunch included! Please note that we have priced this event to simply cover costs.
The Partnership Board is delighted to welcome all Headteachers, Principals and CEO’s 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 before the end of term.
Early Years
Residents invited to Early Years Family Fun Day
Our new family fun and information event in Telford Town Park takes place this weekend to help families understand more about the different childcare support options which are available to them.
This new event will help families understand more about the different childcare support options which are available to them.
The Early Years Family Fun Day will take place on Saturday 6 July between 11am and 4pm in Telford Town Park.
The event is at providing families with vital information on the different funding entitlements and resources which are available to them as they navigate their way through parenting. This includes:
- Childcare funding entitlements for 0–5-year-olds
- Happy Healthy Activity Holiday clubs for 5–16-year-olds
- Wrap around childcare options for 5- 11-year olds
- Family Hubs
Experts will be on hand to offer advice about the various types of childcare support for families as well as provide guidance on what they are entitled to and how to apply.
As well as being an information event, there is also plenty of family fun activities organised to keep the whole family entertained from storytelling with Sal Tongue to workshops by Telford & Wrekin Music and Lola’s Caribbean Kitchen who will be demonstrating her exquisite Caribbean cooking.
There will also be a sporting theme to the event as local provider ‘Active Future’ offer children the chance to take part in their Nerf battles and ‘Cyclone’s Football’ who will be encouraging children to improve their footballing skills whilst having fun.
Please click here for flyer
Other Information and Resources
Access event gives learners a taste of university courses.
Telford & Wrekin Council is hosting its latest free Access to Higher Education taster event this month to help people decide whether the university journey is right for them.
The free, short course on Tuesday 16 July (10am-2.30pm) at The Ramada Inn, Telford will highlight the Council’s Learn Telford Access to Higher Education programmes.
Anyone interested in progressing to Higher Education can find out how the Access courses can provide the perfect route to universities up and down the UK and how HE qualifications can also help them to secure a future career.
Learn Telford is a council programme which aims to provide high quality learning opportunities for people living in the borough.
It encourages people across different communities to experience the joy of learning and take advantage of the wider benefits that participation in learning brings, such as increased confidence, reduced social isolation and improved wellbeing.
The service also aims to contribute to improving the skills and employment levels of the borough by supporting adults who are low skilled or unemployed.
A limited number of free crèche places are also available on the day and you can pre-register for them via email support@learntelford.ac.uk
Simon Wellman, Director for Education & Skills at Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “Our Access to Higher Education programmes are a fantastic part of the Learn Telford package and a great stepping stone to university.
“This short course will help people to find out all they need to know about the Access programmes as they consider their next steps and make a decision about whether university is right for them.
“We’d encourage anyone who is interested to register and attend the session where they will be able to gain valuable information, ask questions and decide whether they want to sign up for an Access programme with university as the end goal.”
You can find out all about Learn Telford programmes here: www.learntelford.ac.uk
Schools newsletter: Sunny days and summer resources
As you prepare for the summer break, take a look at our resources that students and families in your schools can use over the holidays to support children's mental health. Below, we’ve also included some food for thought as you plan ahead
for the next academic year, including training opportunities for your school with our Senior Mental Health Lead and Mental Health Champion Foundation trainings.
Finally, if you are considering mental health support services for your school in the next academic year, we are here to help.
See below our service offering or get in touch via our enquiry form if you’d like to learn more.
Place2Be’s school-based support may not be available over the holidays – but there are still lots of ways that you can look after your child’s wellbeing and get support.
If you or a family member needs urgent help, please visit our Urgent Help page for a list of organisations that can provide support.
10 tips to help your wellbeing this summer
The summer holidays can be a great time to build your wellbeing. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and students at Northgate High School have shared their tips.
With more freedom, some (hopefully) great weather, and a little more time on your hands, the summer holidays can be a great time to build your wellbeing.
With this in mind, researchers from the University of Cambridge and students at Northgate High School have come up with 10 top tips to really maximise your summer.
1. Take time out
We know the school year can be extremely hectic and full of expectations, so it’s important you allow yourself a minute to decompress. For some people, this means rest and relaxation, whereas others prefer to reset by doing something they love. Prioritising recovery is important as it’s harder to build healthier habits when you’re feeling stressed.
2. Build a routine
Keeping a regular routine is great for your wellbeing. This can help you establish balance and structure in your day. It will also make it easier to transition back into school mode in September. Try building consistency, whether going on a morning walk to start your day or always having a cup of tea at 3pm.
3. Get active
Physical and mental wellbeing are often linked. This means doing something active can be a great way to boost your mental health, and heading outside into green space can have even greater benefits. Consider walking or cycling instead of going in a car - it’s cheaper and will help the planet to be healthier too!
4. Prioritise sleep
Getting your zzzs in is super important! It can help our bodies and minds recover and reset from the day. Young people are thought to need an average of 8 to 10 hours a night—so make sleep a priority this summer.
5. Stay connected
Networks and communities can help us keep connected. Whether you are a social butterfly or an introvert, making meaningful connections can be great for your wellbeing.
Not sure how to connect with people? Why not start with something you enjoy … and join a club or help out your community this summer? A shared passion means you already have something in common, which can be a great place to start.
6. Try a digital detox
Phones can be a great way of keeping in touch with your friends and finding out what’s going on in the world. But they can also add to social and image pressures and make it difficult to switch off. Why not try a digital detox this summer and aim to reduce your screen time? This doesn’t have to be drastic! It can be as simple as sleeping with your phone under your bed or in another room to remove the temptation of late-night scrolling.
7. Share your thinking
We have lots of different relationships in our lives, but there will be times when we don’t always agree. Whether it’s with your friends or family… good communication can help you navigate difficult situations. The more you can describe your thoughts and feelings, the easier it will be for others to see your point of view.
8. Break work down - don’t put it off
If you’ve been set work to complete over the summer, it can be tempting to ignore it until the last minute. But there’s nothing worse than starting a new school term with work to catch up on (trust us). Try breaking it down into small pieces and doing a small part each week. This approach can help work feel more manageable.
9. Be kind to yourself
We’re often reminded to be kind to each other, but sometimes we forget to be kind to ourselves. You won’t always get it right on the first try, and that’s okay. Everyone’s version of success will look different, so try not to compare yourself to others. Remember to celebrate your journey.
Something didn’t go to plan? No problem! Take a moment and reflect on what you’d do differently next time. All progress (no matter how small) is an achievement. Keep turning up - and one day, you’ll get there.
10. Talk to a professional
Experiencing ups, downs and changes to your wellbeing is normal. However, if you are concerned about how you or a friend or family member has been feeling lately, it’s important to get some extra support.
There are lots of great websites and services out there which can help support you/provide further information. This includes YoungMinds and Shout.
You can also talk to your GP or a trusted adult about how you’ve been feeling lately.
If you need urgent support, visit Place2Be's Get urgent help page.