New Leaders of Education (CSWLEs) appointed
We are pleased to share the news that three new Leaders of Education (CSWLEs) have been appointed after the latest round of recruitment:
Joy Mitchell - Headteacher, North Leamington School
Lindsey Oscroft - Executive Headteacher , Wellesbourne CE Primary and Tysoe CE Primary
Kate Madia - Headteacher, Our Lady's Catholic Primary, Princethorpe
Congratulations to all three headteachers, who join a growing pool of CSWLEs in Warwickshire:
Andrew Simms - Bidford on Avon Primary School
James Higham - Henry Hinde Infant School
Leah Adams - Northlands Primary School
Darren Barrow - St. John’s Primary School
Neil Wallace - Stratford-upon-Avon School
Andrew Edwards - The Revel CE (Aided) Primary School
For further information visit the CSWLE website.
SSIF Bid Launch Event
The hard work and planning of all the partners in Warwickshire's Strategic School Improvement Fund (SSIF) Bid Round 1 came together on Tuesday 21st November when we held our Launch Event at Nettle Hill Conference Centre in Ansty.
We were delighted to welcome heads and governors from the schools who have agreed to be included in the school improvement programmes offered through the bid. We had representatives from the Teaching Schools who are delivering the programme - Shires Alliance, Polesworth/Birchwood, Hillmorton, Lawrence Sheriff and Ashlawn as well as Warwick University, who are leading the Action Research strand of the bid.
Each representative spoke with passion about their particular strands and carefully planned programmes: delegates heard about the leadership programmes which are tailored to primary and secondary schools and include governance, peer review for heads and regular Task Group meetings as well as information on the primary and secondary reading and maths programmes.
There was a lot of information for schools to digest and reflect on. There are also actions that need to be completed before Christmas at a busy time of year but what was clear was that our school leaders were determined to take up the opportunities on offer. We wish all the schools good luck as they start the programmes - and will provide you with an update in the next edition of Heads Up.
Voice care for teachers - 9 top tips
Given the various bugs around at this time of year it has been suggested that voice care hints might be helpful – particularly if voices are feeling rough. I am happy to share my own ‘nine nuggets’ from over the years and welcome further comments from colleagues:
- Drink water only
- Warm up your voice – humming in the car is my favourite
- Talk less in your lessons – go on – try a lesson where you don’t talk at all!
- Get a student to lead
- Get the students to work together – perhaps on a composition project
- In class – use a physical signal to get attention – not your voice
- When giving instructions - never speak if a child is making a noise - expect silence
- When giving instructions – speak quieter, not louder – it makes children listen more carefully
- A smile is worth a hundred words
Jeremy Dibb
Director
Warwickshire Music
RE Agreed Syllabus Launch Event
Warwickshire and Coventry SACREs (Standing Advisory Council on Religous Education) held a successful fourth event on Monday 20th November at the Gurdwara Sahib in Leamington to introduce schools to the new agreed syllabus for Religious Education. 46 schools from Warwickshire and Coventry including both primary and secondary schools, attended the event. Feedback on the day was positive.
This follows three successful events when the new syllabus was officially launched in July. The additional event gave teachers who were unable to attend in the summer an opportunity to receive their copy of the syllabus and to learn practical strategies for introducing this in their classrooms.
A total of 173 (80% of those eligible) Warwickshire schools have attended across the four events.
Warwickshire Music: Singing for Sounds Programme for early years colleagues
Singing for Sounds is an innovative and dynamic programme designed to support early years language development for nursery and Key Stage 1 children.
It has been developed by Warwickshire Music and is currently led by independent early years consultant Nicola Burke.
It is having a very positive impact on colleagues who have attended training sessions with Nicola and a range of opportunities are available from Warwickshire Music to include:
- Training for cluster groups of schools with Nicola
- In-school twilights with specialist teachers from Warwickshire Music – trained by Nicola
- Weekly delivery to children
- Parent training sessions
Please click here to see feedback from 56 nursery and school based colleagues following training on October 30th 2017.
For more information contact beththompson@warwickshire.gov.uk.