WE3 Family of schools

Message from Public Health Warwickshire

We would like to remind schools of the guidance issued on 23/09 and methods of communicating with Warwickshire County Council.

You should continue to communicate with DfE and action as per the Guidance.

Communication of positive cases to Warwickshire County Council

Complete the form Informing WCC of Positive COVID Cases to report positive cases to Warwickshire County Council.

You can access the form here

If you have a further query to which a response is required

Schools please email: education-corona@warwickshire.gov.uk

Early Years and Childcare Providers please email: earlyyearsadvisors@warwickshire.gov.uk

Telephone the Education, Early Years and Public Health Helpline on 01926 412011 (the line will be open 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday).

Continue to follow Public Health Guidance here.

OFSTED Interim Visits

Please find here the slides and the operational note that were shared with Coventry headteachers last week.

Rob Hackfath, senior HMI, has kindly given permission for them to be shared with colleagues in Warwickshire.

Autumn Term Headteachers' Conference

Wednesday 21st October 2020, 10.00am – 11.30am

GUEST SPEAKER: DAME CHRISTINE LENEHAN DBE

We are delighted to announce that our guest speaker for this term’s headteachers’ conference has been confirmed. Dame Christine Lenehan DBE is the Director of the Council for Disabled Children which is part of the National Children’s Bureau.
Christine is a passionate advocate for disabled children, young people and their families working tirelessly to see a fully inclusive society where all children can achieve their aspirations.

Christine began her career as a social worker in 1980 and worked extensively with children and their families in specialist roles in both residential and community settings. As she moved from frontline support to management Christine continued to champion the rights of children and young people working with public sector and voluntary sector and with practitioners from across health, education and social care.

Dame Christine is often asked by ministers, civil servants and statutory agencies to advise on policy and practice and draw on her considerable experience including Reviews for both the Department of Health and Department for Education.

A full agenda will follow in due course. The conference will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams. We hope you will be able to join us.

Schools Forum Update

The new Schools Forum met for the first time on Thursday 1 October 2020. The agenda and papers for that meeting can be found here

Current membership is attached.

Schools Forum has no representation from Primary Academies. If you are a Headteacher, member of your school Senior Leadership Team or Governor in a Primary Academy and would like to join schools Forum please email schoolfunding@warwickshire.gov.uk with your details.

Themed webinars to support Leadership and Management in schools

A reminder to all senior leaders that WCC School Improvement Team and Gateway Alliance have teamed up to provide a series of webinars over this academic year to provide some inspiration within the current climate. The second of these webinars is on Thursday 8th October, 10.00 - 11.00, delivered by Alex Quigley, focussing on 'Tackling the Language Gap and Accessing the Curriculum'. For booking details and information about the remaining webinars, click here.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service’s annual Firework Safety Competition.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service is inviting children from across the county to enter Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service’s annual Firework Safety Competition.

There are two competitions running:

Pre-School/Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 - Design a Firework Safety Poster
Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6- Write a Firework Safety Poem or Rhyme and Decorate It

The aim of the competitions is to remind children about the dangers of fireworks and to encourage them to use them safely.

Each winner will receive a prize of a £10 book token and a winners certificate. In addition to their prize, they will also have their poster/poem enlarged and reprinted in time to be used as part of this year’s campaign.

Please find here more details about the competitions.

RSE information and signposting

Following the email from Ian Budd in relation to the offer of one year's subscription to either the PSHE Association or the Sex Education Forum to support schools in their preparation for the mandated RSE requirements for all schools as stated in the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019, we have had a number of responses so far.

Can I please ask that if your school has not yet communicated your preference to the Sexual Health Commissioner (helenearp@warwickshire.gov.uk), that this is undertaken before the October half term - Friday 23rd October. Unfortunately, any requests after this date will not be accommodated.

No Racism Here

As a result of the campaigning this summer regarding Black Lives Matter Safeline have designed a programme for schools focusing on Racism and equal opportunities for the BME community.

"No Racism Here" gives students the opportunity to discuss their experiences of Racism, the effects on individuals and the community and the existence of prejudice.

The course also educates young people on Hate Crimes and how to support young people affected.

Young people may have grown up hearing prejudiced views at home in school or amongst friends. For some their judgements about people from ethnic minority communities may be unfair or hurtful.

Hopefully through discussion and understanding participants will make a commitment to fight Racism wherever they find it.

All students who take part in this school's program will receive an accredited award by ASDAN

Please contact Shanta Sweeney, Safeline on - 07958573951

Heads Up 2 October 2020