WE1 Early Years

Our challenge is to foster children's love of learning from birth through early childhood and in to Year 1 so that all young children achieve their potential.

WE2 An empowering curriculum

EpiPen and EpiPen junior shortage – please ensure you are aware of the following information

We have received a number of enquiries from schools stating that they have been instructed by parents/carers to use out of date Epipen autoinjectors. There is a shortage of Epipens at this time. We have consulted with the statement from Department of Health and Social Care and SAPHNA (School and Public Health Nurses Association), and we have spoken to the Anaphylaxis campaign helpline.

Please see the advice below:

The school may wish to get a letter from a GP or pharmacist to explain that adrenaline is safe to use after its expiry date if no colouring or discoloration of the liquid has occurred, however the efficacy of the drug is reduced. In our view, adrenaline is a very safe drug and again it can be administered out of date as long as there is no discolouration, but may not be as effective as an in date adrenaline autoinjector.

Please note it is a GP or pharmacist who take responsibility for stating the adrenaline is safe to use.

It is reasonable for those schools who are in the situation where they have an out of date auto injector and no covering letter to ring 999 and seek medical assistance. This is the advice we can give schools at this time.

Please encourage schools to use the Anaphylaxis campaign website and helpline if they would like further advice and support. Please also see the statement from the Department of Health and Social Care for additional information.

The national helpline is available from Monday - Friday between 9 am - 5 pm. Tel: +44 (0) 1252 542029 email: info@anaphylaxis.org.uk

WE3 Family of schools

Ofsted inspectors and safeguarding arrangements 

You may find the following information useful. We are told that Ofsted inspectors may ask heads during inspections about future arrangements for safeguarding children in their local area. A new independent chair has now been appointed for the adults and children's safeguarding boards - Elaine Coleridge Smith.  Elaine came into post on 7 September 2018. 

The strategic lead partners, as defined by the new Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2018 (the local authority, police and health) are currently working on preparing proposals for Warwickshire's new children's safeguarding partnership and transition arrangements. These should be ready for publication by / before June 2019.  Once drafted, the proposals will be shared with the adult and children's safeguarding boards.

KS3 RE peace building curriculum

Later this term Coventry Cathedral will be launching the first installment of the KS3 RE (Religious Education) peace building curriculum. We need key stage 3 RE teachers willing to trial some or all of the lessons and give us critical feedback. Your school will be credited in the publication as part of this exciting development.

Please contact emma.griffiths@coventrycathedral.org if you are interested in joining the trial, or look out for details in the next few months of how to acquire this ‘off-the-shelf’ resource.

Warwickshire Music

Empire of the Sikhs exhibition

Empire of the Sikhs is an exhibition that has been recently showing at the Brunei Gallery in London. A similar exhibition will be showcased locally at Guru Nanak Parkash Gurdwara in Coventry during November 2018.

The Sikh community of Coventry and Warwickshire will be holding two exhibitions at Gurdwara Guru Nanak Prakash, Harnell Lane, West Coventry, CV1 4FB. The first exhibition will run from 3 November 2018 until 10 November 2018. It will focus on Sikhs in Coventry. The second exhibition will run from 11 November 2018 until 18 November 2018. It will focus on the Sikh contribution to World War One.

Tours of the Gurdwara, linked to peace and reconciliation, will also be available. Children will be able to carry out art / craft activities e.g. making a nishan sahib (Sikh flag), making a table (Indian drum), looking at Punjabi letters, creating a pretend holy book for role play and painting a poppy with a Khanda symbol.

Early booking is recommended as slots for visits will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

You may wish to email Mr Jatinder Singh at jatsta@gmail.com to make an initial booking.

FREE TSST courses maths, physics and MFL

Subject knowledge enhancement for qualified teachers

 TSST training is offered FREE of cost to participants and is aimed at teachers with QTS who are already teaching or would like to be able to teach mathematics, core maths, physics or languages at secondary KS 3 and 4, in any of the following categories:

• Teachers whose initial training was not in the subject
• Teachers who are returning to teaching after a career break
• Teachers from a different phase of education (primary teachers who teach KS2/3 are able to apply for this or those considering moving into secondary)

Delivered in partnership with the CAT teaching school, based in Polesworth, and The University of Plymouth, the aims of the course are to:

• Enhance subject knowledge for non-subject specialists who wish to change focus, and to give confidence to teach the new subject in the classroom
• Inspire enthusiasm for the subjects
• Provide teachers with motivating activities and tasks for teaching the subject at KS3 and KS4
• Train staff to be able to deliver, with confidence, subject content for Key Stages 4 and 5
• Provide mentoring and support throughout the course and beyond

For teachers meeting the criteria, this course is FREE through funding provided by the Department for Education.  There is also a contribution towards costs of up £400 for successful completion and attendance on the course.

The training is bespoke, designed to meet your existing needs and for physics and languages, can be tailored to the training needs of your department. 

For further information or to book a place, please email catts@thepolesworthschool.com

See the links below for flyers with further information about training in:

• Maths and core maths
• Physics
• French

WE4 Employability

Fair workload charter - correction

In last weeks Heads Up (11 October) there was an error within the text for the fair workload charter article. Applications for the fair workload charter must be submitted by 26 November 2018. A nominal subscription cost to cover administration and the materials is £50 per school.  

To participate or for any queries please email at the earliest opportunity: fairworkloadcharter@warwickshire.gov.uk