Statutory collection deadlines and useful contacts

There are number of important statutory collections coming up in May and June:

 *STA may consider it maladministration if schools do not meet the DfE submission dates of 30 June for EYFSP and 29 June for KS1 and KS2. To ensure this does not happen, we are asking schools to submit data earlier than the STA deadline  so we can help with any submission queries and data validation.

Key Stage 2 data is submitted directly to the DfE via the NCA tools website: https://ncatools.education.gov.uk/

School Census deadline - Friday 19 May

Data from schools' May census returns will be used to match against your Key Stage submissions in June. This exercise is vital for the moderation process as it identifies those children that have missing Key Stage results and enables the Local Authority to support you with any submission queries.

Therefore, please ensure you return your school census file to the LA by the deadline of Friday 19 May. Many thanks.

For academies – Please can you ensure that you upload, clean and submit your school census file to the DfE’s COLLECT system as close to 19 May as possible.  We would be grateful if you could continue to send a copy to the LA via the School Upload System.

School Upload System

Prior to 18 May, please ensure that you can access the School Upload System: https://apps.warwickshire.gov.uk/SchoolUpload/users/sign_in  and that you know your username and password.  

If you do not have access or cannot remember your username or need any other guidance on this system please e-mail insight@warwickshire.gov.uk

Useful Contact details

For any technical queries regarding your SIMS system and generating your returns please contact the ICT Development Service Desk on (01926) 414100

For any School Upload System queries, please contact Michelle Ali or Andrew Cartledge on (01926) 742169 or (01926) 742068

For any moderation or assessment queries regarding the primary assessment returns, please contact Debbie Hibberd (01926) 743015 or Elaine Smith (01926) 742089

For any other general queries relating to the returns please contact Michelle Ali or Andrew Cartledge on (01926) 742169 or (01926) 742068

EHC Plan Referrals in the Summer Term

WCC Guidance on The Safe Management of Public Events

FAO Headteachers & School Business Managers in Community & Voluntary Controlled Schools, Community Special Schools & Maintained Nursery Schools (Schools where WCC is the employer).

The WCC Guidance on The Safe Management of Public Events has been revised and updated and can be accessed on the WCC Schools Health & Safety Document Library.

This guidance is to assist with the safe management of public events which could be anything from a simple one day outdoor school summer fete to a week- long Heritage event of different crafts and activities. 

The guidance is applicable to anyone who has either the overall responsibility for the planning, organising and/or management of a public event or for any part of it.

The guidance has been simplified so that those who need to refer to it are clear on what they have to do. For example, an event plan table listing the key factors of an event for consideration has been included.

For further advice and guidance, contact the WCC Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Service on 01926 476803 email healthandsafety@warwickshire.gov.uk

Advice for schools - reviewing current attendance and persistent absence figures

Department of Education Statistical Release

In March the Department of Education released the attendance statistics for England for 2015/16.  Warwickshire’s attendance for compulsory school age pupils (years 1 to 11) was 95.7% which is 0.3% above the National Average.  In the last 4 academic years Warwickshire’s attendance has improved from joint 51^st in 2012/13 to joint 22^nd in 2015/16. 

The DfE reports the data of reception children separately. Warwickshire’s attendance for reception children was 95.4%, which was 0.6% above the national average.  This was an improvement on the previous year from joint 34^th to joint 12^th.

In 2015 the DfE reviewed the level at which pupils were defined as Persistently Absent (PA) and the methodology used to calculate this.  Pupils are no longer defined as PA based on a number of sessions they have missed but when they have missed 10% of their possible attendance. For example, if a pupil is only on roll for 50 days (100 sessions) and misses 5 days or more they would be deemed as PA for that academic year. 

Due to this methodology change the PA levels across England have risen.  However during 2015/16 Warwickshire’s PA levels were 1.3% below the National Average at 9.2%.  

Attendance in 2016/17

The Attendance, Compliance and Enforcement Service (ACE) has identified a drop in attendance during the autumn term 2016 which has continued in many schools during the spring term, with schools reporting an increase in absences due to illness and holidays.  Currently data is not available to compare this to national trends.

It is therefore advised, if it has not already been done, that schools review their current attendance figures and PA levels in direct comparison with the last 2 years and, where appropriate, collate the required evidence on how the drop in attendance is being addressed or how the school will maintain any improvement. It is also advised that similar comparisons are made for vulnerable groups as this evidence may be invaluable in the future, especially if you are expecting an Ofsted visit.   

The Supreme Court outcome

The Supreme Court has decided that ‘regular attendance’ means that a child must attend school on every day that they are required to do so. Failure to do so for any period of time from half a day upwards will be considered as a breach by parent(s)/carer(s) of Section 444 of the Education Act 1996, and they will therefore have committed the offence of ‘failing to ensure that their child attends school regularly’. The Supreme Court makes clear that it is up to local authorities to have a ‘sensible prosecution policy’ which considers when to issue penalty notices.

The court’s decision did not change the law concerning head teacher decision making, which remains that a leave of absence should only be granted in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

If you have any queries in relation to Leave of Absence you can contact the Attendance, Compliance and Enforcement Statutory Helpline which is free to access.

Helpline number for Leave of Absence queries only: 0845 1550990. Open 8.30am to 12.30pm term time only.

New reporting mechanism for Prejudice Related Incidents

The Equalities team have launched a new way to report Prejudiced Related incidents that may be occurring in schools. The form can be found here: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/equalityanddiversityforschools along with guidance to help schools tackle incidents of discrimination. The form was created to ensure that there is consistency in collecting the data of these types of incidents. If you have any queries please contact Claire Bonnet, Equality and Diversity Adviser, on  01926 418199.

Risks of students carrying knives or dangerous weapons in school

A MORI Survey for the Youth Justice Board found that 29% of secondary school children, along with 57% of those excluded admitted to routinely carrying knives. Correspondingly, our hospitals report a rise in ‘stab wounds’ particularly among young males. Knives and the reasons for carrying them, is a self-perpetuating, dangerous trend with horrific consequences. Here are some of the reasons given for their use:- 

• Fear and/or self-protection/defence.
• To steal, by threats to harm.
• Harass, intimidate or even for ‘kicks’
• Peer pressure
• To command ‘Respect’ and status
• Perceived threats such as the “Killer Clown” scare mongering fad recently.

There has been an increase in students being caught in possession of knives in schools in South Warwickshire in particular. We would strongly encourage that all schools make students aware of the legal aspects:

• It is a criminal offence to have a knife or other weapon on school premises.
• It is illegal to carry a knife in public without good reason or lawful authority, for example, a chef carrying their own knives to and from work.
• It is illegal to threaten anyone with any knife or other object.

There is also legislation that states that a bladed or pointed article legally cannot be taken onto school premises.

Despite the fact that one of the reasons given for carrying a knife is for protection, research has shown that someone carrying a knife is actually more likely to become a victim of crime. The medical implications associated with blade injuries are of course very serious.

The new offence of threatening a person in public or on school premises will result in a youth aged 16 or over going straight to charge, as this offence carries a minimum sentence of a four months Detention and Training Order.

We are highlighting this to schools so that you can increase awareness amongst staff and pupils of the risks and wider implications of carrying or using knives in school and in the wider community.

The following resources may be useful to help schools to raise and tackle this issue with students:

http://educateagainsthate.com/

Statutory guidance on the use of force, which includes guidance on rights of school staff to search and confiscate:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-reasonable-force-in-schools