HEADS UP

COVID-19 News and Information

Latest COVID guidance for schools.

COVID remains present this winter, to support schools to reduce the risk of COVID transmission, below is the latest guidance from Warwickshire County Council’s Public Health team.

Anyone who has tested positive for COVID is recommended to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days if they are an adult, or 3 days if they are a child and while they are unwell and have symptoms.

While this is no longer a legal requirement, this is strongly recommended, particularly in schools and other settings where outbreaks can escalate. Further information about the guidance is available here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-symptoms-and-what-to-do/

Adults and children with symptoms of a respiratory illness are recommended to stay at home until they are well and no longer have a temperature. National guidance recommends that children with only mild symptoms of a runny nose, sore throat, slight cough but who are otherwise well can still attend settings. Further information is available in the letter to schools, issued by CMO Professor Chris Whitty https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-to-school-leaders-on-mild-illness-and-school-attendance/letter-to-school-leaders-on-mild-illness-and-school-attendance

When a school has rising cases or suspected cases there is no expectation to carry out routine testing of staff or carry out contact tracing. However, it is worth being extra vigilant of staff with symptoms during this time to avoid further spread and ask staff not to attend work if they are feeling unwell. It is also important to consider a risk assessment for any vulnerable persons, for example, pregnant staff, during this time. Further information about COVID-19: guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk is available here. people whose immune system means they are at higher risk

To help reduce the spread of COVID and other winter viruses, remember to:

  • Maintain good hand hygiene - regular hand washing with soap and water
  • Have good cleaning practices in place
  • Ensure all areas throughout the school are well ventilated - open doors and windows and let fresh air in
  • Ensure eligible groups are supported to take up their vaccinations

In the event you have rising case numbers or any concerns, please contact: Warwickshire's Public Health - Health Protection Team - phadmin@warwickshire.gov.uk   

Reminder

The children's flu programme is under way - please remind parents to complete consent forms to ensure their child can receive the vaccination and be protected. Flu vaccination programme

Securing the Best Start to Life

Eat better Start better Guidance

The Eat Better, Start Better guidance and supporting  materials have been developed to help Early Years  providers and practitioners to meet the Early Years  Foundation Stage Welfare Requirements for the provision of healthy, balanced and nutritious food and drink.

 Click here for more information.

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The Eat Well Guide

The Eatwell Guide is a policy tool used to define  Governments recommendations on eating healthily and achieving a balanced diet. Resources available within this tool include example menus and useful guidance for Early Years settings to help meet the Early Years  Foundation Stage Requirements for food and drink.

Click  here for more information

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Food Safety for Early Years Providers provides guidance on  Food safety advice for children age 5 and under, Foods and drinks to avoid, Safe weaning and how to prepare infant formula bottles. It also provides advice on Food Allergies and Hygiene.

Click here  for more information.

Aspiration Network

EY Aspiration Networks (EYAN) link schools and PVIs and aim to encourage networking opportunities,  supporting workforce development and quality improvement. Meetings are free to attend and open to all EY practitioners working with children aged birth to five. Members benefit from free training and signposting to EY resources and research.

The focus this year is on developmentally appropriate learning and exploring emotional barriers.

To receive information about being involved in the EYAN and joining the meetings, please fill in the  consent form . This will ensure you are included in all the relevant communications.

You can contact your area lead directly for specific details - WEYH Aspiration Network Leads

For more information you can access the Warwickshire Hub

The Autumn Term Timetable will be emailed with this week Early Years and Childcare briefing.

Sense of self - Guidance

How do babies and young children develop a sense of self? Learn more about sense of self as part of the early years foundation stage (EYFS), including advice from experts and suggested activities.

Click here to access the guidance

Valuable resources

Have a look at this useful webpage and also the collated valuable sources of Information from various national organisations/ charities.

Helpful Sources of Information (earlyyearswellbeingweek.co.uk)

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NSPCC Resources

NSPCC Learning has published a new page with information about Childline, the UK’s free 24-hour service for children and young people, up to the age of 19, run by the NSPCC. This new page is to help anyone who works with children and young people to signpost to Childline’s support and advice. The page collates information on: Childline and its confidentiality promise; the support provided by the service; and campaigns and posters. Childline | NSPCC Learning

NSPCC Learning has published a blog on the use of the term ‘non accidental head injury’ (NAHI) in place of ‘shaken baby syndrome’ as part of their Why Language Matters series. Discussions include: where the phrase ‘shaken baby syndrome’ came from; why the phrase ‘shaken baby syndrome’ should be  replaced by NAHI; and working with parents to prevent NAHI. Using ‘non-accidental head injury’ and not ‘shaken baby syndrome’ | NSPCC

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Useful APPS

 Apps are a great way to encourage good oral care at home

@communitydentalservices have some great recommendations along with other fun and educational oral health activities to do at home.

Activities - Community Dental Services

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Immunising pre-school children against flu

This year’s flu vaccination programme is underway. Children aged 2 and 3 years old (on 31 August before flu vaccination starts in the autumn) are eligible for a free flu vaccine given as a nasal spray. Those working in the early years sector have an important role to play in raising awareness amongst parents about the annual flu vaccination programme for preschool children.

Annual vaccination of children helps provide protection to each child and reduces the spread of flu to their families and the wider community, protecting others who are at increased risk of becoming seriously ill from flu. The flu vaccine also promotes a healthy working environment in nurseries and childcare settings by reducing the risk of flu being spread to others including staff.

A leaflet for early years providers giving information about the programme is available and it includes details about how to order free resources to display or give to parents including translations in multiple languages. 

New online hub for Primary Schools

This hub will feature a host of digital content and resources for literacy leads, teachers and other education professionals to use to support children to keep reading for fun and pleasure as they progress through school. You can find further information here

For Primary Schools | BookTrust

It has been designed in consultation with teachers, and new content will be added each half term. Please do share details with colleagues working in this area. We are keen to ensure as many schools as possible find out about this new digital offer and access the support available. Schools can also sign up to the schools newsletter, which they can do here

Newsletter sign up · BookTrust Portal

Immunising pre-school children against flu

This year’s flu vaccination programme is underway. Children aged 2 and 3 years old (on 31 August      before flu vaccination starts in the autumn) are eligible for a free flu vaccine given as a nasal spray. Those working in the early years sector have an important role to play in raising awareness amongst parents about the annual flu vaccination programme for preschool children.

Annual vaccination of children helps provide protection to each child and reduces the spread of flu to their families and the wider community, protecting others who are at increased risk of becoming seriously ill from flu. The flu vaccine also promotes a healthy working environment in nurseries and childcare settings by reducing the risk of flu being spread to others including staff.

A leaflet for early years providers giving information about the programme is available and it includes details about how to order free resources to display or give to parents including translations in multiple languages. 

Celebrating Warwickshire’s Family of Schools

Warwickshire Safeguarding Exploitation Subgroup Strategy Review – Partnership Questionnaire

Sent on behalf of:  Pete Hill, Detective Superintendent / Chair of Warwickshire Safeguarding Exploitation Subgroup, Warwickshire Police

Dear Colleague,

Warwickshire Safeguarding is undertaking a review and refresh of its existing Exploitation Strategy which has been in place since 2020 and has so far, guided the work of the safeguarding partnership in this arena. 

To help shape the content of the refreshed strategy we are seeking your support in completing this short questionnaire.  

It is recognised, that schools can often have increased awareness of emerging issues exhibited through the behaviour of children and young people within their establishments, which may not necessarily be ordinarily known to other agencies working towards keeping children and young people safe in the area.

Hence, your input into this survey will help the partnership ensure it has accurately captured professional opinions, concerns and identify barriers you come across when supporting those being exploited within Warwickshire.

The Partnership’s end goal is to develop a solid plan tackling the big issues facing Warwickshire and develop key objectives that lead to prevention.

This questionnaire is open to all sectors within Warwickshire and to those who not only work directly with adults, children and/or young people, but those who also work indirectly perhaps in management, administration or at a strategic level.

The questionnaire should take no longer that 15 minutes to complete and we welcome the circulation of this email among your colleagues, team members and wider services within your organisation, so that we can achieve a wide and varied response.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Jennifer Coxley via wscb@warwickshire.gov.uk

Parents and Carers Invited to Join “Applying for a Primary School Place” webinar

Parents and carers with a child that is due to start in Reception or move to a Junior School in September 2024 are invited to join the school admissions team on Thursday 9 November at 7pm to get advice and guidance on how to apply for their school place.  

This applies to children born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020 for Reception, and any child currently in Year 2 at an infant school who is planning to move to a junior school.  

The webinar is open to everyone and free to join. A recording of the event will also be made available via the School Admissions YouTube Playlist shortly after for those not able to join on the day. 

To book a place, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/737955162757  

Please note:

Applications for primary school places can only be made after 1 November 2023. All applications received by the deadline of 15 January will receive a school offer on 16 April next year, which is National Offer Day. Any applications submitted after the 15 January deadline will only be considered after this, meaning the child is much less likely to be offered a place at a preferred school. 

Applications can be made online after 1 November at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/primaryplace. 

Updates from TSH

Appropriate Body

The claims deadline was the 18th October.  After this date, new registrations for Appropriate Body will not be able to start their induction at the beginning of September. Their induction will start from the point of registration.

Invoices for Appropriate Body Services will be sent in the next few weeks – please ensure that you have signed the SLA in advance of this. Please get in touch if you have any questions via tsh@tgacademy.org.uk

Early Career Framework

If you have ECTs or Mentors who have not received login details for the platform or any communication from the TSH please get in touch via tsh@tgacademy.org.uk

in case there is an issue with the registration.

NPQs

NPQ registrations are now open for the Spring cohorts. We are running an NPQEL, NPQH and NPQSL from Solihull and working with the Shires MAT to run NPQLT, NPQLTD and NPQLBC.

Find out more on our website.

DfE approved - Supporting All Children with Social & Emotional Learning

Child Friendly Warwickshire

Don't miss out on half-term fun at Warwickshire’s Country Parks

The October half-term holiday is just around the corner, and with a variety of exciting and educational activities taking place across Warwickshire’s Country Parks, it’s the perfect opportunity for kids to step out into the great outdoors. From arts and crafts to outdoor adventures, the rangers have organised something for every child to enjoy.

These events are hugely popular and tickets are selling like hotcakes, so don't wait until the last minute to secure yours. For more information about any of the events, or to book tickets, visit the Warwickshire Country Parks Eventbrite page: https://bit.ly/3rhMtqG

Adapting Shakespeare for Children: Creatively Re-Imaging the First Folio.

Join libraries team via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 8th November for a virtual creative writing workshop with Dr Anjna Chouhan an Independent Shakespeare scholar, and Lorna Giltrow-Shaw a Doctoral researcher.

Fancy having a go at turning some verse into prose? How about an epic drama into mini play? Join Warwickshire Libraries for their virtual creative writing session on adapting Shakespeare for children.

They will look at key moments from a play, explore some language, and think about adapting some of the most iconic plays in the English language for younger audiences.

The session runs from 7.30 – 9pm on 8th November, to mark the exact date of the 400th anniversary of the First Folio.Places are limited. To book a place for the Virtual Event, sign up on the EventBrite page:

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