Free School Meals

As we’re sure you already know, free school meals bring advantages to children and schools. Children benefit from gaining a free school meal and eligibility for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme. Both children and schools benefit from pupil premium funding. 

To serve as a reminder, primary schools gain £1455 and secondary schools gain £1035 per eligible child per year (as per funding rates for financial year 2023-24) to help fund effective approaches to raise educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils. 

Therefore, we are asking schools to promote free school meals and encourage families who may be eligible to apply.  

Please see text below that we kindly ask you to share with families. There is a leaflet which has translated versions and an animation you can share too. The Family Information Service regularly share free school meals messaging via X/Twitter and Facebook that your school might also want to share on your platforms.   

Primary school: 

Over 18,000 children in Warwickshire already receive free school meals. 

Families who receive benefits-related financial support, including but not limited to, Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit may be eligible – check here to see if you are eligible to apply. 

If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, they will automatically be entitled to universal infant free school meals. However, if you do meet the benefits-related free school meals eligibility criteria, then it is advised you apply to receive additional benefits including access to the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme and funding for your child’s school to support their education. 

You can apply online at any time through the Parent Portal. 

If you have any questions or need support with applying for free school meals, please contact the team by emailing freemeals@warwickshire.gov.uk or calling 01926 359189. 

View the website for more information: Apply for free school meals – Warwickshire County Council 

Secondary school: 

Over 18,000 children in Warwickshire already receive free school meals. 

Families who receive financial support, including but not limited to, Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit may be eligible – check here to see if you are eligible to apply. 

Free school meals not only provide your child with a free meal, it also means your child can access the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme and gives your child's school funding to support their education.  

You can apply online at any time through the Parent Portal. 

If you have any questions or need support with applying for free school meals, please contact the team by emailing freemeals@warwickshire.gov.uk or calling 01926 359189. 

View the website for more information: Apply for free school meals – Warwickshire County Council 

Save the date - Autumn Term 2023 Headteacher Conference

Thursday 19th October 2023 (10.00am – 3.00pm - final times tbc)

Stareton Hall, Stoneleigh Park (NAEC), Stoneleigh, Kenilworth, CV8 2LZ

Warwickshire Works: Shaping Innovation out of Adversity

Post pandemic Britain is beset by a cost-of-living crisis and recession, the public sector is on its knees. The privilege of our role as educators is that we have influence, and we have choice. As a collective do we hunker down, narrowing our horizons and our aspirations for our pupils…. or, do we innovate, pressing forward together to provide the best and inspire others to follow?

This conference aims to help you as leaders uphold innovation in the face of adversity, to facilitate discussion and to share positive ways of leading education and continuing to provide the best for our pupils in these challenging times.

There will be presentations from WCC teams across education services, providing updates on partnership work, strategies, projects and, innovations to support schools going forward. We are also delighted to confirm the attendance of two fabulous and sought after keynote education speakers.

Keynote Speaker 1

David Hodgson

A wonderfully entertaining and charismatic speaker, David cut his teeth working in careers in the North East of England and created a system that took the best of personality profiling and made it real and relevant for young people. In recent years, David has become increasingly sought-after for his work looking at the neuroscience of learning, memory and achievement, something he puts across in a way that is entertaining, accessible and meaningful. It is David’s ability to take complicated and challenging insights into human nature and achievement and make these principles accessible and understandable that is part of his personal effectiveness and popularity. That, and the fact that he also comes up with creative and straightforward strategies and approaches that allow all elements of the school community to use these new distinctions to good effect.

Keynote Speaker 2

Andy Vass - Education Coach and Mentor in Leadership

When Andy suggests that leadership is about ‘people, change, bravery and people’, he is serious about the people bit. Any leader’s ability to get people on board boils

down to the power of that leader's ability to communicate. This is where Andy Vass can help.

Andy has the rare gift of being able to translate complex ideas and insights about the nature of achievement, human interactions and organisational change into clear down-to-earth language that is accessible and eminently practical.

Andy has over 40 years' experience working in schools and with schools, across the UK and internationally with organisations and individuals to support successful improvement. Andy does this through developing positive behaviours, emotionally intelligent relationships and solution focused coaching cultures.

Full agenda to follow early next week.

Codifying your PP cohort to close the disadvantage gap

Stitch in Time Project for Primary Schools

The Stitch in Time project links maths, computing with design and technology.  WMG created this project to celebrate Coventry, City of Culture, and are again continuing to offer this project to primary schools within reasonable travelling distance of the University.

Children create patterns using a language very similar to Scratch, called TurtleStitch (freely available at www.turtlestitch.org).  They give instructions to a turtle, moving it around and turning it to create their desired pattern. These patterns can then be stitched onto fabric using a digital embroidery machine.  WMG potentially can stitch students designs at Warwick, or alternatively arrange the of loan of a machine (depending on availability).

If you are interested in finding out more information, please get in touch with wmgoutreach@warwick.ac.uk    WMG are also gathering teachers feedback on this project as part of a wider project evaluation, although participation in this section is completely voluntary.

More information about the Stitch In Time project is here: www.warwick.ac.uk/turtlestitch/stitchintime

There will be an introduction to TurtleStitch on the 4th of October at 4.30pm online. Register here: www.warwick.ac.uk/turtlestitch

Warwickshire’s Aspiring Headteacher Programme – Register your interest NOW

Warwickshire’s Aspiring Headteacher Programme is an innovative programme intended to support senior and experienced middle leaders who aspire to headship in a Warwickshire school. This course is appropriate for school leaders who have a minimum of 2 years senior leadership experience and are considering applying for a Headship, in Warwickshire, in the next 2 years. It is fully funded by Warwickshire County Council and is being organised by the Gateway Alliance. 

The course runs over 2 terms and includes a mix of both face-to-face and online sessions. This year, at the face-to-face sessions, the cohort have heard from a range of practicing headteachers as well and some national speakers. The online sessions included a discussion with a current, serving Ofsted inspector as well presentations from a wide range of Local Authority leaders from HR, Finance, Governor Services, etc. 

Here’s what some of the previous participants have said about the programme:

“I embarked on this course, with a nudge from my current Head, thinking it would give me a little more information about being a Headteacher and some all-round beneficial CPD. In fact, what it did was quickly make me realise I had the skills and experience to go for it! Using the tips and learning from the course, I secured a post with my first application and feel that the many inspirational speakers have given me the confidence to make the leap. This is well worth enrolling on for any senior leader in a Warwickshire school.”  

Laura 

“Just wanted to send you a quick thank you for such a fab year. I found these sessions so informative and inspiring. Even after a tough week, attending these meetings filled up my cup and made me feel excited for the next steps in my career. I think I felt this way because you delivered it with such care and a real a down to earth nature. It is so evident that you care about and want to nurture this cohort of potential heads. I also enjoyed the 'me' time the course provided - it isn't often we get to indulge in some 'self' work, stepping back and thinking about who we are and how we want to lead.”  

Rhian  

“Really well paced, useful and interesting content from all speakers, opportunities to reflect and talk to colleagues.” 

Esther 

“Thank you so much for the time and effort you have put in to running the course. Every one of them has been completely inspiring. I genuinely don't have any feedback on how to improve as I think that you've found exactly what aspiring headteachers need (for me anyway), which is valuable time to listen to the experiences of a variety of current and former heads. This was then followed up with small chunks of pedagogy and good practice. Thank you!” 

Nick 

JOIN THE NEXT COHORT… 

If you or one of your team are thinking about Warwickshire Headship in the future, then we’d be delighted to welcome you to join our next cohort starting in January 2024.  

To express your interest, please complete this google form or contact Helen Martin on helen@gatewayalliance.co.uk  

Primary Engineers Programme

HS2 Ltd, the company responsible for building the new high-speed railway, is offering an opportunity for ten schools in North Warwickshire to be part of a curriculum-mapped engineering project.

The programme will be delivered by Primary Engineer. The Primary Engineer Programmes take the form of themed projects that include physical resources for two classes, teacher training for up to two teachers, digital teaching resources, curriculum mapping, links to engineers and invitations to Celebration Events.

The programme is scheduled to take place over the autumn on dates to be confirmed.

The opportunity is open to primary schools in North Warwickshire in the first instance. The offer will then be extended to other areas in Warwickshire if any places remain available.

To register your interest, please contact Christopher Cresswell at the county council’s HS2 team before Friday 29 September by email at christophercresswell@warwickshire.gov.uk

Register your ECTs for ECF and Appropriate Body services!

PODCAST - Money Matters with Sally

Sally Roberts, Financial Inclusion Shared Services Manager at North Warwickshire Borough Council has launched a new Podcast, Money Matters with Sally.

The first episode is out live and covers ‘The Benefits of a Free School Meal’ with  guests Alis and Deborah from Family Information Services. Although her Podcast generally covers Northern Warwickshire, this is important and applicable to all parents across Warwickshire.

Please send the podcast to parents or you can have a link available on your website.  The more parents we can get to listen the better!

This podcast, touches also, on Health Start Vouchers and the importance and value for mums to be and new mums….

 

Listen here:https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-2prp8-1498289 

Primary Engineers Programme

HS2 Ltd, the company responsible for building the new high-speed railway, is offering an opportunity for ten schools in North Warwickshire to be part of a curriculum-mapped engineering project.

The programme will be delivered by Primary Engineer (https://www.primaryengineer.com/courses/) The Primary Engineer Programmes take the form of themed projects that include physical resources for two classes, teacher training for up to two teachers, digital teaching resources, curriculum mapping, links to engineers and invitations to Celebration Events.

The programme is scheduled to take place over the autumn on dates to be confirmed.

The opportunity is open to primary schools in North Warwickshire in the first instance. The offer will then be extended to other areas in Warwickshire if any places remain available.

To register your interest, please contact Christopher Cresswell at the county council’s HS2 team before Friday 29 September by email at christophercresswell@warwickshire.gov.uk 

Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service bonfire competition 2023

It’s that time of year again when we look forward to celebrating all the sights and sounds of a fun filled bonfire night. It is important that whilst having fun, safety advice is followed to raise awareness and reduce the risk of incidents.

We would like to invite children to take part in our bonfire competition and will be selecting winners and awarding prizes for entries in each year group.

We are hoping for some fantastic, original stories and poems which highlight how we use all our senses to enjoy the celebrations, but also the important things to remember to keep us safe whilst having fun.

Please find here more information.