Message from WCC school admissions service
Can we please remind all own admission authority schools to send a copy of your determined 2022/23 admissions arrangements to admissions@warwickshire.gov.uk. This will ensure all potential parents and carers have the full details to hand when visiting our Warwickshire County Council website.
Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics - Primary Teacher and Teaching Assistant Programmes
These sessions are taking place online and have been incredibly popular
Origin Maths Hub are offering primary schools in Solihull, Coventry and Warwickshire the opportunity to participate in these free programmes. They are a fantastic opportunity for primary teachers and teaching assistants to enhance and develop their mathematics subject knowledge and pedagogy. Teaching mathematics for mastery approaches are explored, relevant for both Key Stages 1 and 2. Teachers and teaching assistants will receive support with big topics, representations and connections in mathematics; so that they are better placed to help children to make effective progress following the missed learning opportunities due to Covid 19.
These programmes are completely free to participating schools; and several teachers and/or teaching assistants from the same school are welcome to take part. Programme sessions will take place online.
If you are not already on the Origin Maths Hub mailing list, please subscribe so that you can find out about more of our free opportunities for teachers.
Senior Leaders’ Webinar – Developing “Expert” School Leadership led by Tom Rees
Senior Leaders’ Webinar – Developing “Expert” School Leadership led by Tom Rees
As outlined in Heads Up at the beginning of the year, we have partnered with Gateway Alliance to offer you access to a series of educational leadership webinars. These webinars have been running throughout the year and have featured a range of prominent inspirational speakers who have addressed key leadership themes through the current context in which schools are operating.
The next webinar is coming up on Wednesday 17th March (10:00-11:00am), is entitled “What is “expert” school leadership and how can we develop it?” and is being led by Tom Rees – Executive Director for School Leadership at Ambition Institute.
OVERVIEW:
Successful school leaders have a positive impact on pupil outcomes as well as teacher quality, retention and job satisfaction. But what is it that they do which leads to this impact?
In this session, Tom will explore the expert mental models that sit behind the work of successful school leaders, the role of knowledge in this and draw on insights from evidence to suggest how we can better develop school leaders in the future.
This is the 6th in a series of 7 webinars which form part of Gateway Alliance’s Senior Leaders’ Network - CPD Programme. The Local Authority have funded schools’ access to 3 of these 7 webinars. Schools can choose which 3 are most relevant to them and, if schools wish to access more of the sessions, these can be purchased through Gateway Alliance.
HOW TO BOOK
You can book your place at these webinars by visiting the Gateway Alliance website: www.gatewayalliance.co.uk/finder/ just search subject ‘Senior Leaders’. In order to access your 3 FREE sessions you will need to use voucher code: SLweb3! when making your booking. If you already subscribe to Gateway programmes please remember to log-in before booking your places.
To browse Gateway’s full CPD programme for 2020-21 please visit: www.gatewayalliance.co.uk/finder/.
If you have any questions or queries please contact Gateway Alliance on 02476 347697 or email: info@gatewayalliance.co.uk
Heritage Education: Virtual workshops
The Heritage Education team have created some new virtual workshops for schools and are now taking bookings for the summer term.
Team Teach update
Thank you to all schools for your patience and understanding regarding Team Teach training postponed during the COVID pandemic.
We are continuing to plan our catch up programme and more information will follow to individual schools.
We know that many schools are waiting for 6 hour Open courses to start again. In order to support Team Teach schools who are in current accreditation and need to train new staff we are offering the full day 6 hour Open training during the Summer holiday. This will be at a rate of £85 per delegate; this includes refreshments and lunch. The dates are 22nd July and 23rd July. There is a maximum of 24 delegates per day so it will be on a first come first served basis. The venue will be Brooke School Rugby. Please book via juliajessup@warwickshire.gov.uk
Closing date for bookings is 21st June 2021
Opportunity for free whole school coaching training: School Genie pilot summary and details of webinar
As leaders, you have multiple demands on your time and skills. Few schools have a specialist on hand to help them build the social capital in their
staff body so that all can truly flourish.
In your school you may have someone with the latent skills and disposition to become a school Genie - someone who can be trained in the art of seeing and
being, catalysing trust and coaching so that your staff can thrive.
The Schoolgenie Programme provides 7 days of training throughout the year - a combination of weekdays and weekends - and is an empowering and transformational journey for your Genie or Genies.
Find out more at a bespoke webinar on 24th March at 5pm or 25th March at 8pm. Just email info@schoolgenie.co.uk to sign up for either event.
More information can be found here.
Advice for NQTs and NQT tutors for Induction 2020 – 2021
We are coming towards the end of the spring term and the need for NQTs to have their next assessment. This particular cohort of NQTs have had a double blow in terms of continuity for their career. They experienced a disrupted final assessment in gaining their QTS and now have had a second disruption due to the tier and national lockdowns.
The TRA have not issued any further advice for NQT induction this year. We are therefore reminding NQTs and tutors of the options available to them with regard to the assessment to be made at the end of the spring term. Any decisions should be made jointly with the NQT and the school:
- For NQTs who have had the opportunity to continue to build evidence towards meeting the teaching standards in their particular setting, who are progressing well towards meeting the standards at the end of their induction, the option to be assessed at the end of the spring term, as usual is open to them.
- For NQTs who have not had a fair opportunity to demonstrate that they are meeting the teaching standards and who are not on track to meet the teaching standards at the end of their induction, it may be possible to pause their induction for the spring term. Please contact Debbie Hibberd (07932 007324 debbiehibberd@warwickshire.gov.uk) to discuss the options for the NQT and the school in these circumstances.
- There are a range of options open to schools and NQTs, in discussion with the Appropriate Body, including:
- pausing induction and re-starting it in the summer term, so the final assessment is made at the end of the autumn term
- continuing with induction and if required, offering an extension to the induction year, either in the same school or a portable extension that can be carried forward to a new teaching job in either the same Appropriate Body or another Appropriate Body
- bespoke arrangements that fit the circumstances of the individual case.