Key national updates
DfE seeking views on new national plan for music education
The DfE has launched a call for evidence, seeking views to inform proposals as it develops a refreshed national plan for music education.
Views are being sought on a variety of areas, including curriculum delivery, SEND and inclusivity, music education hubs and music technology, and more. The survey gives young people the opportunity to share the music opportunities they have had but also poses some questions specifically for headteachers and other school leaders with opportunities to provide examples of good practice. Parents, teachers and music educators are also encouraged to respond.
Responses can be submitted up until 11.59pm on 13 March 2020.
Read the press release here
View the draft handbook and respond to the consultation here
Extra funding announced to help disadvantaged pupils
The government is giving schools extra funding to help improve outcomes for disadvantaged children and other pupils who need additional support.
The DfE has announced that the pupil premium rate is increasing from April 2020 by £25 for primary pupils and £20 for secondary pupils. In addition, the pupil premium plus will rise by £45 per pupil and the service premium will rise from £300 to £310 per pupil.
Read more about the upcoming changes and the DfE's latest policy paper here.
Guide to the national funding formula published
The DfE has published guidance on how the national funding formula (NFF) is used to calculate funding allocations for mainstream, state-funded schools in England. This guidance covers how the NFF will be calculated, what per-pupil funding means, and how funding will be allocated for nurseries and sixth forms.Read the full guide on schools’ 2020/2021 allocations here
Changes to The Key service for school leaders and governors from April 2020
Over the past seven years, the Council has worked with The Key for School Leaders and School Governors to offer Warwickshire schools a significantly discounted membership enabling schools to benefit from the support available from the service.
However, following an increase in subscription fees by The Key in 2019/20 and a resulting drop in the number of schools subscribing to the service, we have taken the decision to end our current arrangements with The Key effective from April 2020.
Current membership for most Warwickshire schools will end on 31 March 2020, therefore we would advise that if you would like to continue your subscription that you make contact with The Key before this date to renew your membership to avoid a gap in service. If you are unsure whether you would like to renew and would like more information about pricing then you can also contact The Key directly at enquiries@thekeysupport.com.
The School Bus - an alternative to The Key
For a limited time only, Warwickshire schools are instead able to benefit from a 5% discount off The School Bus. This provides a similar online support service to The Key, that keeps you up-to-date with the constantly shifting expectations of the Education sector by telling you what’s changed and what you need to do next, then giving you the tools to take action.
It offers schools:
- 150+ model policies made using only the latest legislation and guidance;
- Time-saving templates for every admin task you can think of from job descriptions to risk assessments;
- How-to guides breaking arduous processes into manageable tasks;
- 3-Minute Reads breaking lengthy DfE guidance into short, digestible quick read guides;
- 30 Minute Work Week - the latest must-do compliance actions turned into 5-minute jobs Smart Excel trackers that automatically turn data into powerful reports;
Plus: any question you have, any resource you require, the School Bus will send a fully referenced solution, based on the latest guidance and legislation, straight to your inbox within three working days.
With a single subscription, all your school leaders, teachers and governors can benefit from what The School Bus has to offer with no hidden costs and no extra charge for governors.
To find out more please contact Cody White - email cody.white@hub4leaders.co.uk or phone 07734604823.
School Governor Finance Trainer
Warwickshire Governor Services has a vacancy for a school or academy finance trainer to join their team.
If you have experience within school or academy finance or administration and would be interested in working with school governors throughout Warwickshire to develop their skills, knowledge and experience in all aspects of school finance we would love to hear from you.
Working as part of a small team, the applicant will be expected to build governors’ knowledge to enable them to oversee the financial performance of the organisation and ensure money is well spent.
- The work is varied and includes delivering centre-based training courses and bespoke training to individual governing boards.
- Trainers are paid according to the work undertaken and out of pocket expenses are reimbursed.
Skills and abilities required
- A confident presenter
- A knowledge, experience and understanding of school finance
- The ability to listen and answer questions confidently
- A knowledge of school governance
- Access to a car and a willingness to travel to different venues throughout Warwickshire to deliver training and development courses
If you are interested or if you would like more information, please contact Gurby Dhesi on 01926 745037 or gurbydhesi@warwickshire.gov.uk
Would you like to support and develop governors in Warwickshire?
- Do you have an interest in School Governance?
- Would you like to support and develop governors in Warwickshire?
If the answer to the above is ‘yes’, then we want to hear from you!
Governor Services offer Warwickshire School Governors access to training, support, advice and guidance and to support our increasing service provision, we are looking to strengthen our team of trainers.
Training is a vital part of the development of every governor and clerk and we are looking for people who are interested and/or knowledgeable in School Governance to join our team.
In addition to delivering training and development opportunities our trainers provide focused advice and guidance in specialist areas e.g. finance, health and safety, SEND.
The work is varied and can include:
- The delivery of centre based training courses;
- Providing bespoke/tailored training to individual governing boards;
- Analysing the work of governing boards;
- Supporting and advising governing boards of schools facing tough challenges with targeted advice and guidance.
Governors are volunteers but our trainers are paid according to the work undertaken and out of pocket expenses can also be claimed (actual remuneration will be discussed).
Trainers will also receive training, development and support to ensure they are comfortable and confident in their role
Skills and abilities required
- Practical experience in delivering training and development courses / workshops
- A confident presenter
- A knowledge, experience and / or understanding of school governance
- A willingness to learn and develop your own knowledge
- The ability to listen and answer questions confidently
- A willingness to deliver training and development courses throughout venues in Warwickshire and usually in the evenings
Still interested?
Please contact Gurby Dhesi for more information - email gurbydhesi@warwickshire.gov.uk or phone 01926 745137.