New structures to support the delivery of WE1

Early Years Board

A new Early Years Board, with a focus on realising the objectives within priority one (WE1) of Warwickshire’s Education Strategy, is meeting today, Thursday 20th December.  

The purpose of the board is to:

• work in partnership to provide a range of knowledge, experience and expertise across the broad spectrum of early years to improve outcomes for children and their families;
• provide vision, strategic direction and challenge; working within shared values, ensuring that Warwickshire’s schools and settings provide a high quality and cost-effective service;
• raise awareness and understanding about the importance of the early years;
• engage with research, promoting and sharing best practice.

The Early Years Board will learn about and monitor the impact of the wide ranging work already in place for early years. This is related to business and sufficiency, early years safeguarding, quality improvement and early years special educational needs.

Keep a look out for updates throughout the year in Heads Up on the work of the Board, as we will keep you informed on progress, opportunities for involvement and also available support. You can also find more information on the Education Strategy webpages.

Strategic Lead for Early Years

In October we shared the news that Amanda King, Executive Headteacher of Bedworth Heath and Atherstone Nursery Schools and a National Leader of Education, was successful in being appointed to the role of Strategic Lead for Early Years across Warwickshire and Coventry. You can read this article here.

Amanda will divide her time between Coventry and Warwickshire, working with colleagues across the early years sector to develop the priorities within WE1. This will build upon the excellent structures already in place and ensure the continued partnership working that is already evident amongst professionals in the early years. Amanda joins the team in January 2019, initially for a two year period.

Government announces new measures to support SEND

Education Secretary, Damien Hinds, has written to all local authorities this week announcing additional measures to support children and young people with high needs.

This includes an extra £250 million of high needs funding, and the commissioning of a new research programme, 'SEN Futures' to assess impact of current SEN provision on outcomes for children and young people, and value for money.

The full version of the letter contains more detail of the various other measures to be put in place to support high needs provision.

Visit from Nadhim Nahawi MP

On Friday 14th December, Nadhim Nahawi, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education, met with Warwickshire County Council (WCC) education officers, Portfolio Holder for Education and Learning, Colin Hayfield and Neil Wallace, the head teacher of Stratford upon Avon School.

The minister heard for himself about the innovative approaches that WCC and the family of Warwickshire schools are taking to ensure no child is left behind.

Colleagues outlined how the Education Strategy is delivering better outcomes for all learners in Warwickshire, in particular our most vulnerable learners.

The Alternative Provision (AP) free school proposals were highlighted as being pivotal in ensuring that those learners in alternative provision have access to an outstanding education that improves their life chances.

Nadhim Nahawi MP was impressed by the developments around the "WCC ethical inclusion" project, the approaches being taken to reduce permanent exclusions and how the "Warwickshire Way" around inclusion is being used as a case study in a national research project with HMI and Oxford University. He is keen to follow the Education Strategy development closer and will be returning in March to follow up on this initial visit.

Attachment Aware Schools Project 2019-20

This project will help you to support all children, but with a particular focus on children who are looked after (CLA) or previously looked after (CPLA)

Come along to one of our sessions in January 2019 to find out if this is for you.  

We are looking for schools who can commit to a 12-18 month project, with training and support provided by the Warwickshire Virtual School. Current CLA/CPLA on roll is not a requirement, we just need you to be committed to whole school improvement and development through understanding childhood trauma and attachment related behaviours.

The session will cover:

• how to get involved;
• what this looks like in practice;
• sound bites of the varied CPD opportunities, which you can participate in independently or via involvement in the project.

Who is this for?

Designated teachers, SENDCOs, headteachers and deputy headteachers are all welcome, with two places available per school.

Dates

The following sessions are available:

Monday 21^st January 2019: 12:30pm – 4pm at Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington Spa

Or

Tuesday 29^th January 2019: 8:30am – 12pm at Bulkington Centre, Bedworth

How to book

For more information or to book onto one of the above sessions please email virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk or phone 01926 742018.

Training for designated teachers of CLA and CPLA

There are places still available on the designated teacher CPD sessions for the spring term 2019.

The January course is being filled quickly so please book soon if you would like to come along to this one.

Available Dates - Spring Term 2019

Wed 23rd January, Bulkington Centre, Bedworth
9am to 12pm – Attachment Awareness
1pm to 4pm – Emotion coaching

Tue 5th March, Bulkington Centre, Bedworth
9am to 12pm – Understanding trauma
1pm to 4pm – Developing resiliency

Mon 4th March, Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington Spa
9am to 4pm - Inclusive responses to behaviour that challenges

Tue 19th March, Bulkington Centre, Bedworth
9am to 4pm - Inclusive responses to behaviour that challenges

How to Book

To book, please email the Warwickshire Virtual School virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk or phone 01926 742018.

NHS dental services for children on school premises

For: All Warwickshire Headteachers

From: NHS England Dental Team

NHS England have asked us to pass the attached letter on to all schools to clarify the contractual arrangements that have been agreed with primary care dentists in the West Midlands. This is as a result of schools in some parts of the region arranging NHS dental treatment from an NHS Primary Care Dentist on the school premises.

Please ensure you read this important information.

Supporting English leaders with developing writing outcomes

Education Challenge Board update

The Education Challenge Board met on Wednesday 14^th December at North Leamington School. As always the focus of the meeting was on school improvement strategy across the county and looking at how we could work together to improve opportunities for pupils in Warwickshire schools.

The board spent some time considering:

• how we could ensure national initiatives are brought in line with existing Warwickshire strategies, ensuring that they complement the plans already in place. As part of this, we focused upon ways to work with the office of the Regional Schools Commissioner and Ofsted to ensure a consistency of message and approach;

• how groups from across the local authority could work together to support existing school improvement projects in Nuneaton and Bedworth;

• the role of Teaching Schools and developing models to coordinate their work;

• feedback from our recent headteachers’ conference and the future focus of the Closing the Gap Board;

• Warwickshire’s future strategy for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND);

• the need to work with the Schools Forum in order to maximise the resources available for school improvement.

As part of our discussion, we heard that the process of appointing a permanent Assistant Director for Education is well advanced and it is hoped interviews will take place in early January.

As always, the Challenge Board did not discuss individual schools but instead broad, system wide interventions that would have an impact across Warwickshire.

It has been a privilege to work with members of the board, local authority colleagues and school leaders across Warwickshire during 2018. I hope that everyone has an enjoyable Christmas break. 

Dr Peter Kent

Chair of the Education Challenge Board 

2019 Headteachers' Conferences

Warwickshire Headteachers' Conferences are an excellent opportunity to hear from the County Council on the latest updates impacting on education.

They also give you, as education leaders, the chance to network with your peers enabling you to share good practice and make useful links with colleagues across the different phases, from early years through to post-16.  

Please save the dates below in your diaries for the spring and summer term conferences. We will share further details including an agenda and how to book in future Heads Up bulletins.

Spring Term 2019

Thursday 21st March at Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, CV8 2LZ

Time: 8.30am arrival for a 9.00am start. Finish at 12.30pm

We are pleased to have confirmed Amanda Speilman, Ofsted Chief Inspector, as keynote speaker for the spring term conference. 

Summer Term 2019

Wednesday 12th June at Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, CV8 2LZ

Time: 8.30am arrival for 9.00am start. Finish at 4.00pm.

For any queries in relation to the conferences please contact el-businessimprovement@warwickshire.gov.uk

Celebrating the success of disadvantaged young people

Carlos' Story

To celebrate the achievements of some of our most disadvantaged children and young people, we would like to share with you a series of case studies.

The first case study tells the story of Carlos*, who has been on an inspirational journey from homelessness to part-time employment, and ultimately a much brighter future.

(* The name in this case study have been changed to keep the identity of the individual anonymous).

Carlos - Prince’s Trust

Carlos had completed little schooling and was homeless. He was receiving support from local agency Doorway and was known to the Police, he had lost all motivation and direction in his life.

Carlos was referred to the Prince’s Trust Team programme at college to work on his social, emotional and employability skills. Carlos admitted that he had given up all hope of finding a long term career or being able to achieve success and felt held back by the numerous barriers he faced.

Carlos came across as really lacking in confidence and had an unwillingness to try new things or interact with new people. His mood was agitated and snappy, and he had a very poor diet which impacted his ability on the programme.

Through the support of the programme, Carlos started to realise that he should not be defined by his past, and saw the team programme being an opportunity to achieve something positive to move forward with in his life. Carlos began to see that he was now taking part in something that could open doors for him towards a brighter future. This was when he found his motivation to succeed.

Fundraising was a key memory in Carlos’ participation on the team programme. The team raised over £600 in their local community and his improved confidence was clear to see. His leadership and teamwork throughout this week was the key to the team’s success. Carlos was awarded “team member of the week” by staff and peers.

Carlos’ attendance improved, he secured and sustained a supported accommodation place and a work placement. This was such a success that Carlos was offered part-time employment following his course. Alongside this, he is also now completing a Level 2  Leadership course at college.

He has recently won the Prince’s Trust Breakthrough award.

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The above case study, and a series of others will be shared with the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January, following a request from the committee for Education and Learning to demonstrate the achievements of some of our most able disadvantaged children and young people.

At the same meeting, the committee will be asked to consider a report by the Department for Education looking at research into understanding successful approaches to supporting the most academically able disadvantaged pupils.

This piece of work supports WE2 of the Warwickshire Education (WE) Strategy with a focus on closing the gap between the achievements of learners eligible for pupil premium and those of their peers, as well as learners achieving highly who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

We are sharing one of the case studies in this edition, and will include others in subsequent Heads Up bulletins. This particular case study has a focus on employability which is why you will find it in WE4.

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