Coventry & Warwickshire Early Years Sector Guidance

As announced on 4th January 2021 by the Prime Minister, early years provision should remain open to all children to attend their expected hours as agreed with parents and guardians. However, as we work through another period of tight restrictions and increasing positive cases of Covid-19, many families are deciding to keep their children at home.

Huge efforts have been made to support families and provide a range of interesting, active learning experiences for children who are at home. We thank you whole heartedly for 'making it happen' day after day.

As many of you will be aware, Warwickshire LA works closely with Warwickshire Teaching School Alliance who have produced the attached guidance for us to share with the Early Years sector.

As one of the lead schools in the Warwickshire Teaching School, Kenilworth Maintained Nursery School are now working in partnership with Warwickshire LA to provide free daily home learning activities that parents/carers can access.

All activities are planned using resources that may be found in the home. They are also developing various videos and leaflets on topics such as phonics and early reading aimed at parents/carers to explain how children learn through play.

Their daily activity can be found at www.facebook.com/KenNurserySch for you to share or to use as a point of inspiration to support your own programs and approaches.

Click here to access further guidance written by Warwickshire Teaching School Alliance.

Calling all Staff Parent Carers!

As you may already know, the way in which we offer support to parent carers across the county is changing. From the 27th January 2021, we will host new webpages that will detail information about this new offering, which will be renamed: The Parent Carer Support Pathway.

So, what has changed?

We will be offering a wellbeing conversation as part of the assessment – a practitioner from the Children’s with Disabilities Team will carry this out with you. This conversation will lead to better informed decisions and allow us to identify your needs and tailor available support that help you, your child and your wider family members.

Importantly, the parent carer support pathway can be completed as a standalone assessment or in conjunction with an assessment of your disabled child’s needs.

Accessing the assessment

If you already have an allocated social worker and have already completed a social care assessment or parent carer assessment – please make contact with your named social worker.

How can the Parent Carer Support Pathway help me?

The wellbeing conversation may result in signposting to an appropriate local provider. For instance, if you are experiencing health or mental health needs, a referral can be made to adult services for support in your own right.

It may be that providing an agreed one off financial payment for a specific outcome in order for you to purchase a service, piece of equipment or access an activity could help to support you in your caring role and improve your wellbeing.

The important thing to remember is access to the parent carer support pathway and a wellbeing conversation has no restrictions. It is not time limited and can be accessed as often as is required. If your needs change following the agreed outcome, parents are encouraged to contact us.

Next steps

The new web pages, available from the 27th January, will be hosted on the Warwickshire County Council website and will have information and details on how to access the Parent Carer Support Pathway.

Wellbeing Support for Staff

Resources for school staff wellbeing

COVID-19 is having an ongoing impact on our work and personal lives.

Maintaining and promoting staff wellbeing is especially important during challenging times such as this. There are a lot of resources available for promoting staff wellbeing, including specifically for staff working in the Education sector.

This document aims to signpost and provide quick links to some of the support that is available. The list is not exhaustive, and many other useful organisations and services exist, but it is hoped that the links below will help to navigate you to key resources.

Support during February half-term for pupils eligible for benefits related Free School Meals

• The COVID Winter Grant Scheme will be running again for the February half term and parents/carers of children in your school/setting who are eligible for benefits related Free School Meals will be receiving financial support for food for 7 days (15th - 21st February) to the value of £21 per child.  

• As last time (during the Christmas holiday period) a letter will be sent out to Heads this week which will include instructions on how to provide us with latest pupil data and a template letter to parents/carers.  The Council's Welfare Team will require data returns by Friday 29th January.

• Thank you once again for supporting us to ensure all eligible families receive the funding for food over February half term.

Warwickshire Road Safety Education Team – Home Learning Resources

Further to the announcement of a national lockdown and school closures across the county, we recognise that many parent’s and families are seeking support with their child’s learning.

Warwickshire Road Safety Education Team is keen to help by offering Warwickshire primary schools' access to a selection of FREE road safety resources developed by Road Safety Education Officers.

Delivering key road safety messages remains a priority during this period and in recognition of the need to continue to develop knowledge of safe choices we have developed a range of age appropriate, timely road safety resources that can be accessed in school and from home. The available resources focus on key, age appropriate, timely road safety messages, including:

· Reception: The Warwickshire Road Safety Code, holding hands, stopping before the kerb

· Key Stage 1 - Year 1 and Year 2: Scooter Safety

· Key Stage 2 - Year 3: Crossing between parked cars and at junctions

· Key Stage 2 - Year 4: Be Bright Be Seen / Improving visibility

· Key Stage 2 - Year 5 and Year 6: Independent Travel

All resources have been designed to be used flexibly by schools, teachers and parents.

If your school is interested in accessing any of these resources or would like to find out about our FREE road safety packages, including becoming a member of the Warwickshire Road Safety Club, contact us today:

• roadsafetyeducation@warwickshire.gov.uk 
• 01926 418062.

Headteacher Coaching Part Two - Thursday 28th January 2021

Coaching as a Leadership and Communication Style

As part of our Mental Health and Wellbeing Support for Headteachers we are encouraging heads to explore the benefits of coaching.

We have commissioned Gateway Alliance to provide 3 webinars led by expert leadership coaches (see below). These webinars are for Headteachers and are FREE to Warwickshire schools. The webinars explore different aspects of leadership coaching and will provide excellent CPD for headteachers who are interested in finding out more about this approach, whether they wish to become a peer coach themselves or not.

• State of Mind – Coaching as a Leadership and Communication Style - 28 January 2021 @ 10:00am - BOOK NOW

• Using Perspectives in Coaching to Encourage a Different Mindset - 20 April 2021 @ 10:00am - BOOK NOW

You can book your place at these webinars through the Gateway Alliance website:  just search subject ‘Coaching’.

To browse Gateway’s full CPD programme for 2020-21 please visit: www.gatewayalliance.co.uk/finder/.

If you have any questions or queries please contact Gateway Alliance on 02476 347697 or email: info@gatewayalliance.co.uk

Severn Trent to deliver free, live education lessons during lockdown

Severn Trent has launched it’s new, live online education sessions, to support its customers and communities who are home schooling during lockdown.

The company has created the live interactive sessions and made them easily available for anyone to join, and will run four times a day throughout lockdown.

The education sessions will be hosted live, where the children can see the host, but the host will not be able to see those who join. 

They will run up to one hour, four times a day from Monday to Friday, at 9:00, 10:30, 13:00 and 14:00, giving children and adults the flexibility of when to join at a time that works best for them.

To join one of the sessions, simply visit www.facebook.com/OfficialSTW/events

For more information click here

The PIPA Trial - exploring the effectiveness of an online resource for parents/carers

The PIPA Trial (Parenting Intervention to Prevent affective disorders in high-risk Adolescents) is exploring the effectiveness of an online resource for parents/carers to help prevent depression and anxiety in young people. The trial is being coordinated by the University of Warwick.

We will be recruiting families of young people aged 11-15 years from Birmingham, Coventry and surrounding areas and we are looking to collaborate with secondary schools to promote the trial and engage with families. The involvement for schools is very easy and minimal – we will work with a key contact in your school (a mental health/safeguarding lead or similar) to sign a letter of agreement and send out an invitation to families (we will provide all necessary documents).

The PIPA Trial is completely free of cost to families and schools and is conducted completely online. Parents/carers and young people who are eligible to take part will be asked to complete some questionnaires and will receive access to a range of online parenting resources.

This is a great opportunity for schools to get involved in the drive to improve youth mental health and to support students and families, particularly during these unprecedented times.

If your school is interested in getting involved and would like more information, please contact the PIPA Trial Team:

• Email: PIPA@warwick.ac.uk

• Phone: 02476574316 or 02476575078

• Website: www.warwick.ac.uk/pipa

Warwickshire County Council consultation on the refreshed Local Transport Plan

Warwickshire County Council’s consultation with residents is now live as the Council seeks views of residents and businesses to help refresh the Council’s Local Transport Plan.

The current Local Transport Plan is scheduled to go through until 2026 but is now felt to be outdated due to a number of factors, notably the shift in attitudes towards fighting climate change and the latest developments in technology

The initial consultation will be categorised into five themes with residents and businesses being invited to give their views around them. These are

• Environment: How the refreshed plan can encourage and promote sustainable travel
• Economy: How it will provide the infrastructure to attract and retain investment into the county
• Place: How it will help to create an attractive place
• Wellbeing: How the stress of being on the transport network can be alleviated

Following the consultation and analysis of its findings, Cabinet will be asked to approve the drafting of a revised plan which will also go to consultation before going to the County Council for approval prior to being published in 2022.

Watch this short animation to find out more

The consultation can be found here

WCC changes to Mileage Rate

WCC has agreed through the Staff and Pensions committee to increase the Council’s mileage rate to be in line with the HRMC approved tax-free amount, which is currently 45p for the first 10,000 miles and then 25p thereafter.   

The Council rate has been 40p for the first 10,000 miles and 25p thereafter since 1st April 2011, which at the time was in line with the HRMC tax-free approved rate, however when the HRMC increased their rate to 45p in April 2012 the council did not increase its rate at that time.  It has now been agreed to increase the Council rate to always be in line with the HRMC rate. 

Traditionally schools have followed the Council mileage rate for both teaching and NJC staff, therefore we recommend that all schools continue with this and bring their rates in line with the HRMC tax-free approved rate. For community and voluntary controlled schools where they follow WCC terms and conditions, it is proposed that the rate will change to 45p from the 1st April 2021.    

Therefore, for Academies and Foundation schools, you are able to set your own mileage rates, but may wish to consider bringing the rate in line with the HRMC tax approved rate.  If we are your payroll provider, you will need to either raise a request through the Hornbill or by email to hrandpayroll@warwickshire.gov.uk. If we are not your payroll provider, and you wish to increase the mileage rate you will need to let your payroll provider know. 

For Community and Voluntary schools, we are consulting with head teachers on the proposal, we would welcome your responses by the 12th February 2021.  We will then consider the responses and have further discussions with you prior to the final decision being made.  Please forward your responses to katesullivan@warwickshire.gov.uk.  

Please contact your finance link should you wish to discuss the financial impact on the school. 

Save the date - Spring Term Headteachers' Conference

The focus of this term’s conference will be wellbeing for headteachers and school staff.  

We hope you will be able to join us. 

Save the Date! 

Spring Term 2021 Headteachers' Conference 

Thursday 4^th March 2021 (2.00pm – 3.30pm) 

To be held virtually on Microsoft Teams 

An agenda with further details will follow. 

National Apprenticeship Week 2021

National Apprenticeship Week 2021 will take place from 8 to 14 February 2021.

Amazing Apprenticeships is a leading organisation in the education sector, founded to tackle misconceptions about apprenticeships and promote the benefits.

As experts on apprenticeships and vocational education, we influence the way that apprenticeships are perceived and drive forward innovative and creative work in England and internationally, to ensure that more individuals and businesses can access the benefits of apprenticeships.

We actively help and support a variety of audiences to navigate apprenticeships by:

• Working with schools and colleges to understand their challenges in positioning apprenticeships as a credible option for their students.
• Creating, testing and distributing a wide range of resources and activities for educators to use with students and their families.
• Working with employers to understand their recruitment processes and supporting them to share this information with individuals to help to widen participation.

Click here to access resources

Click here for more information

Apprenticeships in Technology

Real Apprentices talking about Real Experiences

Please see here for information on apprenticeship opportunities from Telent, (a technology company with headquarters are based in Warwick).

The event runs over national apprenticeship week which takes place from 8 to 14 February 2021.

The session will discuss what students can gain from the apprenticeship pathway, provide valuable hints and tips on how to get the right apprenticeship, and feature talks from our current and past apprentices (showing how apprenticeships are a great option for people of every background) – as well as one or two engaging activities!   2021 opportunities will be introduced for those students who may be considering a programme this year.

Date: 9^th February 2021

Time: 10am – 11am

Delivery: Through Microsoft Teams

Age: 14+

The event will also be recorded and be available to watch anytime from 9am on the 11^th February. Registration here will be required to view either option.

Empowering our Youth - Partnering with Defence

This online event will feature presentations from the Royal Navy, Army and RAF on what Defence can offer youth and community groups.

You will also hear from organisations who have worked with the Armed Forces, and the positive impact this has had.

Click here for more information

The session will be held via Zoom on Tuesday 9 February 2021 from 11am to 12.15pm. 

Click here for the Zoom link - the meeting ID is 852 0923 8983

Register your interest for this event by emailing - wm-eeao1@rfca.mod.uk