WE2 An empowering curriculum
New forum providing support for home educators
A group of home educators and their families from across Warwickshire attended our very first forum at Hill Close Gardens (pictured right) on Wednesday 23rd January.
The afternoon was lively and informative with debates on a range of topics including social media, special educational needs, resources and activities, signposting to pots of funding and support to access services and businesses only geared up for school term times.
Attendees talked passionately about wanting Warwickshire County Council to raise the profile of home education in a positive way, to “dispel misconceptions” and to celebrate the success of their children.
We asked the children at our forum to tell us their success stories and one great thing about being educated at home and this is what they said:
“ I’m doing physics now (I’m 14 now)”
“I did a GCSE at 13 years of age and got an A."
“I have taken Grade 5 trumpet and passed with distinction”
“I rolled a kayak and went down an artificial white water course”
“12 performances Big PlayBox Christmas Show!”
“Home Education, Better Education”
“Outside school I can run around. Inside school I’m not allowed to run around. (5 years old)”
“That I am free to be anything I want, well sort of. One of the many reasons I left school was bullying”
“You don’t have to be shouted at by school teachers and you can do what subject you want”
Parents told us the forum was really positive and they were keen to work with us on a variety of activities. As a result of the forum we are now progressing the development of a county wide directory of resources and activities for home educators (including those new or about to embark on home education) and will all meet up again in March 2019.
In Warwickshire, the numbers of home educated children mirrors a national upward trend: 480 children are currently home educated (0.6% of Warwickshire’s school age population). Nationally, there are in excess of 57,000 children now educated at home. There are proposals for reform to the current guidance for home education which is due to be debated in the House of Commons in the near future.
You may also be interested in an article dispelling some myths around home education, published in the TES last week.
For further information, queries or to offer any support for our home educating community please contact Annette Firman, Lead Professional for Vulnerable Groups:
Email: annettefirman@warwickshire.gov.uk Tel: 01926 736323
Web: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/homeeducation
Monitoring of Religious Education in schools
Monitoring visits in schools
In accordance with Warwickshire SACRE’s (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) commitment to offering support to schools and developing good quality Religious Education, during the spring and summer term 2019 SACRE will be conducting some monitoring visits in schools.
These are intended to offer support and guidance to schools and should not be seen by schools as an inspection.
If you are selected to receive a visit you will be contacted by the RE Facilitator, Jennifer Jenkins, who will arrange a visit at a convenient time. Alternatively, if you would like to nominate your school for a visit please contact the RE Facilitator directly: jenniferjenkins@warwickshire.gov.uk
Visits may also involve other SACRE members and will adhere to safeguarding guidelines in place for schools.
An outline of the nature of the visits can be further understood through the SACRE monitoring policy and visiting protocol.
Other mechanisms for monitoring RE
SACRE also uses the entry numbers and results of GCSE and A-Level examinations, as well as Ofsted reports, to form part of it's monitoring process of Religious Education in Warwickshire schools.
For more information about SACRE please visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/sacre
English as an Additional Language Coordinator network meetings
The Ethnic Minority & Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS) run termly network meetings for English as an Additional Language (EAL) Coordinators.
These meetings provide an essential networking opportunity as well as:
- Advice and support from EAL specialists
- CPD in different areas of the EAL specialism
- Presentations from guest speakers and specialists working in the field of inclusion
Spring Term 2019 Network Meetings
Secondary Network Meeting on Vocabulary Development - 4th February 2019
Primary Network Meeting on Parental Engagement - 26th March 2019
Venue: Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington Spa
Time: 1:15pm – 3:30pm
To book a place or for any queries please contact melindatwells@warwickshire.gov.uk
Autumn 2018 meeting
The guest speaker for the autumn term meeting was Dr Julia Badger, who works for the Oxford Group for Children’s Potential, based at the University of Oxford. Dr Badger ran two workshops on VESPARCH - Verbal and Spatial Reasoning for Children - an online education tool designed jointly with Cambridge Assessment to measure academic potential and raise the academic achievement of children of all abilities and backgrounds.
Since the workshops, four Warwickshire secondary schools and one primary are now using VESPARCH working with Dr Badger, who offers this service at no cost to schools. Recently, Dr Badger has received requests from another secondary school, one junior school and two primary schools to join the programme.
Warwickshire Music introduces Direct Parental Billing for secondary schools
In time of considerable change for education, a growing number of secondary schools are embracing the opportunity to work even more closely in partnership with the Warwickshire Music Hub to support and increase their music provision.
We are pleased to announce that from September 2019, Warwickshire Music will be offering Direct Parental Billing to all secondary schools in the county.
The main advantage of moving to Direct Parental Billing is that Warwickshire Music will take on the administration, organisation and parent invoicing for in-school music lessons, helping to reduce school time and budgetary pressures.
If you would like to discuss moving to Direct Parental Billing from September 2019, please complete the Google Form to register your interest and arrange a meeting with Warwickshire Music.
Sydenham Primary awarded Gold Standard for EAL
Sydenham Primary school in Leamington Spa have achieved the GOLD award - the highest accolade available to schools working towards the EAL Quality Mark Award (English as an Additional Language). The award recognises a schools' work with pupils, parents and communities whose first language is not English.
EAL specialist, Sara McLaughlin, from The EAL Academy in London visited Sydenham Primary School on 29 November, 2018. The inspection visit was rigorous; consisting of meetings with staff members, EAL parents, pupils and EAL governor, Nikki Ajibade from the Warwickshire Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS). Tracking data, children’s work and practice against policies was also closely scrutinised.
In her email to the school, Sara wrote: “The Gold award is only given where the school can demonstrate that supporting pupils with EAL is part of a successful whole school culture of teaching and learning, leadership and working with parents.”
Some of the key strategies mentioned in the full report include:
- promoting the first language both in terms of celebrating linguistic diversity but also as a tool for learning
- engagement with EAL parents to support school learning effectively at home
- the Language Ambassador’s Scheme
- Talking Partners Oral Language Programme
- Talk for Writing (Pie Corbett) which is embedded across the school
- EAL training provided by an experienced EAL specialist (EMTAS)
There are over 27 languages spoken in Sydenham Primary and nearly half the pupils in school are learning through EAL.
The school, assessed by OFSTED as outstanding in 2011 and 2015, demonstrates that when a whole school approach is adopted and practice is embedded, the strategies and techniques that support EAL learners also work for every pupil. Quality EAL provision has all the hallmarks of quality first teaching. It is often said that what is good for EAL is good for ALL learners.
Get talking on 7 February to tackle mental health head on
In Coventry and Warwickshire, we are working throughout our Year of Wellbeing 2019 to inspire and empower people to make changes that will improve their wellbeing, and the wellbeing of people around them. That’s why we’re supporting Time to Talk Day. And we hope you will want to join in, too!
This year’s Time to Talk Day, on Thursday 7th February, is all about bringing together the right ingredients to have a conversation about mental health. Whether that’s tea, biscuits and close friends, or a room full of people challenging mental health stigma, we want to get talking.
There are lots of things you can do to support Time to Talk Day 2019 and ways to help you promote Time to Talk in the run up to the day:
- Free editable Time to Talk resources are available for you to customise and print out
- Time to Talk Conversation Packs featuring ideas, materials and prompts to action, are available for schools here
- Visit Coventry and Warwickshire Mind’s campaign bus which will be stationed in Broadgate, in Coventry city centre, on Thursday 7 February, 1.00pm - 3.00pm. Please come along, and do tell your friends and colleagues!
- Email us to request further Year of Wellbeing resources to support your activity
- Please join in, and post pictures of your activity on social media with the hashtag #letsdothistogethercw
- Join the national conversation at #timetotalk
Read more about Coventry and Warwickshire's Year of Wellbeing here.
Training to support SEND and inclusion
The following training courses are offered by Warwickshire's SEND and Inclusion service. For full details, including costs and how to book, please click the title of each course to view the attached flyer.
Talking Partners
Talking Partners is a structured oral language programme which raises levels of achievement by improving learner’s listening and speaking skills.
Target audience: Teacher and TA required to attend to run programme successfully
Talking Partners Primary: 1.5 day training course: 8th and 15th Feb 2019 at Northgate House, Warwick
Talking Partners Secondary: 1.5 day training course: 22nd and 29th March 2019 at Northgate House, Warwick
Fischer Family Trust Wave 3 Programme
This is a three-day training package designed for the class teacher and the teaching assistant. They will be expected to deliver a programme aimed at Year 1 children who despite targeted interventions have made little progress.
When & where: 1st, 8th and 15th March 2019 at Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington
Target audience: It is essential that a teaching assistant who has worked within the Literacy Hour delivers the programme.
Assessing EAL new arrivals: build EAL capacity in your school
1.5 day training course. Two free funded places for all local authority primary schools.
When & where: 8th March 2019, 9.30am – 4pm & 15th March 2019, 9.30am – 12.30pm at Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington
Target audience: An essential criteria for participating schools is to send two staff members, ideally one senior teacher coordinating whole school provision and one TA to deliver direct pupil support.
Mike Askew Expert Event - "First Among Equals: The importance of reasoning in primary mathematics"
The course will cover: The three curriculum aims and how they relate to teaching for mastery; why is reasoning so important in primary mathematics and making a start on reasoning.
When & where: 18th March 2019, 9.15am – 3pm, Nuneaton
Target audience: Primary headteachers. Senior Leaders, Mathematics Subject Leaders
Inference Training: improve students ‘ reading, vocabulary and comprehension
When & where: 25th March 2019, 9.30am – 4pm, Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington
Target audience: SENCos, teachers and teaching assistants
Autism Education Trust Training Tier 2
Develop capacity to meet the needs of Pupils on the Autism Spectrum
When & where: 29th March 2019, 9am to 3.30pm, Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington
Target audience: For all professionals working with pupils with Autism across educational settings
Maths learning difficulties – exploring successful strategies to support
When & where: 21st May 2019, 1pm to 4pm at Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington
Target audience: TAs, LSA, teachers and SENCos who wish to explore maths difficulties further in the primary phase
Training for designated teachers of CLA and CPLA
There are places still available on the training sessions in March for designated teachers of Children Looked After (CLA) and Children Previously Looked After (CPLA).
Available Dates - Spring Term 2019
Tue 5th March, Bulkington Centre, Bedworth
9am to 12pm – Understanding trauma
1pm to 4pm – Developing resiliency
Mon 4th March, Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington Spa
9am to 4pm - Inclusive responses to behaviour that challenges
Tue 19th March, Bulkington Centre, Bedworth
9am to 4pm - Inclusive responses to behaviour that challenges
How to Book
To book, please email the Warwickshire Virtual School virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk or phone 01926 742018.
WE3 Family of schools
A Framework for Ethical Leadership in Education
Since my term as ASCL (Association of School and College Leaders) President finished I have mainly gone back to my ‘day job’ as a headteacher. However, I have continued my involvement in one national project because it seemed such an important area to focus upon.
Around two years ago a range of leadership groups came together to form the Commission for Ethical Leadership. The group formed as a direct response to the many pressures that our increasingly diverse system creates upon those who exercise leadership - not just school and college leaders, but also those working for local authorities, taking a role in governance or working across groups of schools or other educational institutions.
I was one of 18 commissioners and worked alongside Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools, a member of the Commission for Standards in Public Life, Professors of Education, the National Governors Association, faith groups and a cross section of school leaders. Together we grappled with the challenge of how to foster the highest standards of ethical behaviour in those who lead education.
Our report, 'Navigating the Educational Moral Maze', was launched as part of a conference at the University of London in January. Rather than looking to create a charter mark or getting overly caught up in specific cases, we decided that the best way forward was to offer a framework which provided a description of what ethical leadership might look like. Drawing heavily upon the Nolan Principles for Public Life, this was the structure that we came up with:
The Framework for Ethical Leadership in Education
Selflessness School and college leaders should act solely in the interest of children and young people.
Integrity School and college leaders must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. Before acting and taking decisions, they must declare and resolve openly any perceived conflict of interest and relationships.
Objectivity School and college leaders must act and take decisions impartially and fairly, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias. Leaders should be dispassionate, exercising judgement and analysis for the good of children and young people.
Accountability School and college leaders are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
Openness School and college leaders should expect to act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from scrutiny unless there are clear and lawful reasons for doing so.
Honesty School and college leaders should be truthful.
Leadership School and college leaders should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles, and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs. Leaders include both those who are paid to lead schools and colleges and those who volunteer to govern them.
One colleague summed up the dilemma we all face as leaders when they said: "ethical leadership is easy, just do the right thing. The trouble is, how do you know what the right thing is?" The framework helps all of us involved in leadership within Warwickshire, at whatever level, to answer that question, providing a routemap that helps us ‘do the right thing’ in the interests of the young people that we serve.
Peter Kent
Chair of the Education Challenge Board and Headteacher at Lawrence Sheriff School
Spring Term Headteachers' Conference
Join us on Thursday 21 March 2019 for the spring term Headteachers' Conference.
Time: 8.30am - 12.30pm
Venue: Stareton Hall, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Kenilworth, CV8 2LZ
Register now to confirm your place
On the agenda
In light of the proposed OFSTED Inspection Framework reforms for 2019, which promises to make sure that inspection 'values and rewards those who educate effectively and act with integrity’, we are delighted to have as our key note speaker HMCI Amanda Spielman, who will be participating in a question and answer session.
We are also hoping that there will be the opportunity to hear from local leaders or OFSTED-trained colleagues who have been involved in pilot inspections using the new framework. Finally, we will provide our regular LA update.
A full agenda will follow.
Put your questions to Amanda
We are taking questions for Amanda prior to the conference. Please submit your question/s in advance using the form below and we will make every effort to have as many of them answered during the event.
Submit your question to Amanda Spielman HMCI
Who should attend?
Please note due to venue restrictions this invitation is for headteachers or their senior representatives only.
Cost
This is a free CPD and networking opportunity.
Queries
Please email schoolpartnerships@warwickshire.gov.uk with any queries.
We look forward to seeing you all there.
Secondary school performance tables published
These illustrate the achievements of pupils at key stage 4, and how they compare with other schools in their local authority area and in England.
Ofsted consultation on new inspection framework
Ofsted is currently consulting on it's consultation on the new inspection framework. There are some significant differences to the current framework for schools:
- Maintained schools and academies waiting to be brokered or re-brokered will receive monitoring visits within nine months
- The quality of education will be assessed by looking at the intent, implementation and the impact of the school’s curriculum, teaching and the outcomes achieved
- The new framework has a keen eye on gaming, exclusions and off-rolling as well as arrangements for pupils accessing off-site or alternative provision
- The safeguarding section has also been expanded to include information on the segregation of pupils whilst in school.
The consultation runs until 11.45pm on 5 April 2019.
Education Inspection Framework Consultation
Draft copies of the inspection handbooks
The proposals will affect how Ofsted inspects schools, early years settings and further education and skills providers.
WE4 Employability
Skills Conference will reveal latest data and offer solutions
How can higher level skills help drive economic growth?
This year Warwickshire County Council's Skills Conference will reveal the latest forecast for higher-level skills shortages through to 2026 and present delegates with all the latest skills forecasts specific to Warwickshire, compiled from new research undertaken by the county council.
The breakfast meeting will take place on Wednesday 6th March, 8am to 10am at the National Agricultural Exhibition Centre, Stoneleigh.
Who is it for?
It is for businesses and education providers with a real interest in enabling local young people to move into higher level jobs in the local workforce.
What delegates can expect
The programme will include:
- The Council’s latest forecast for the demand and supply of higher level skills in the county through to 2026 and its plans to support development of more higher level education and training
- The Council's aim to increase the range of Degree and Higher Apprenticeships available locally to enable businesses to develop their workforce
- How local universities would like to work with local businesses to enable more of their graduates to gain jobs in the county and help develop their existing workforce to higher levels
- Information about schools with A Level students interested in finding jobs with development to higher levels when they leave in Summer 2019
- The Council’s new all-age careers strategy which aims to enable residents of all ages to find new employment or progress to higher levels in their current employment
There will also be an opportunity for delegates to take part in Q&A sessions and round table discussion of the issues raised during the morning. As always, pre and post conference refreshment breaks will allow time for networking. A complimentary breakfast is available from 7:30am and the conference will begin at 8:00am. Ample free parking is available.
How to book
For more information, and to book your place, visit the Eventbrite page.
For any queries please email skillsforemployment@warwickshire.co.uk
Digital Schoolhouse: Calling all teachers with a passion for computing!
You could become the next Digital Schoolhouse...read on to find out more....
Thousands of primary school children across Warwickshire are enjoying a head start in digital skills thanks to the groundbreaking Digital Schoolhouse programme, and after securing crucial funding the initiative is expanding to a total of 50 Schoolhouses by September 2019. Keep reading to find out more about the schools that have already successfully joined the initiative and for how to apply to become the next Digital Schoolhouse...
Currently, Digital Schoolhouse is running in four secondary schools in the county - Campion School, Kineton High School, The Coleshill School and King Edward VI School, Stratford - and there is scope for more to join.
The programme, delivered by the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE), is backed by Warwickshire County Council along with industry leaders PlayStation, Sega and Ubisoft.
It offers computing and digital skills training to secondary school teachers which they then pass on to local primary school staff and children. The focus is very much on fun-based learning with a range of inventive ways to engage youngsters in the subject.
The results have been spectacular with more than 90 per cent of primary school children in the programme in Warwickshire left feeling more confident about computing and programming.
Almost 3,000 children and more than 200 teachers in 32 schools across the county have benefited from the programme in the last academic year, which also serves to strengthen links between secondary and primary schools.
You can read the full write-up of this initiative in January's edition of Warwickshire Means Business.
We are looking for exceptional, creative and forward-looking teachers who are excited and passionate about furthering quality computing education in their schools and beyond.
If you fit this description, then you should consider applying today to become the next Digital Schoolhouse. This application round closes at midnight on 31 March 2019.
For further information visit the Digital Schoolhouse website
TeenTech is coming to Warwickshire!
TeenTech is coming to the West Midlands and Warwickshire with a series of events and exciting opportunities for schools.
TeenTech provides students aged 8 to 19 with the opportunity to experience contemporary industry and explore the skills needed to make the most of their future. Young people work on exciting science, technology and engineering challenges whilst enjoying a unique chance to network with local and national industry experts from leading companies. A huge range of career paths and options are explored, helping students to take hold of their future in the most hands-on way.
Schools are invited to sign up immediately for the TeenTech City of Tomorrow (KS2 and KS3) and TeenTech Award programmes (KS3, 4 and 5) . Both programmes offer students the chance to work with leading experts to create prototypes of their own designs aimed to make the world a better, safer and simpler place.
Registering will mean you will receive alerts to existing innovation days taking place on employer premises across the region in 2019 and you’ll also be the first to know about the exciting new TeenTech Festival being planned for the West Midlands.
TeenTech in the West Midlands and Warwickshire - introductory flyer
You can find out more at www.teentech.com or contact the TeenTech team.