Securing the Best Start to Life
Early Years SENDCo Information:
No child should miss out on the next stage of their education because they are not yet toilet trained; ‘Admission policies and practices that require a child to be toilet trained are discriminatory and potentially unlawful; under the Equality Act issues should be dealt with on an individual basis and Settings and Schools must make “reasonable adjustments” accordingly’ (Guidance on Special Toileting Needs in Schools and Early Years Settings).
The guidance, written by Warwickshire County Council applies to ‘children who have not yet achieved full independence in using the toilet before attending preschool or school settings and to school age pupils who, for a variety of medical, emotional or social reasons, require toilet training or special arrangements with toileting in school’.
ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity also produce a range of resources to support children and their families: https://www.eric.org.uk/guides-to-childrens-bowel-and-bladder-problems?fbclid=IwAR2az2WyCSqt1hdvmVPZ-g2gmxRZaE-L2H-h4xr_hlJmAX39zeT4yufkaL4
Government guidance on staying safe in the sun: Protecting children outdoors.
During periods of high temperature, the following steps should be taken:
- children should not take part in vigorous physical activity on very hot days, such as when temperatures are in excess of 30°C
- encourage children playing outdoors to stay in the shade as much as possible
- children should wear loose, light-coloured clothing to help keep cool and sunhats with wide brims to avoid sunburn
- use sunscreen (at least factor 15 with UVA protection) to protect skin if children are playing or taking lessons outdoors for more than 20 minutes
- provide children with plenty of water (such as water from a cold tap) and encourage them to drink more than usual when conditions are hot
Transition support package – Nursery to Reception 2020
As we move through the second half of the summer term, it is essential that enhanced transition planning and arrangements are prioritised to ensure the best outcomes, especially for those children with additional needs and their parents/carers.
There are lots of resources, ideas and support available to settings and families on the WCC page.
Summertime Fun & Brain Building Activities
Executive function and self-regulation (EF/SR) skills provide critical supports for learning and development, and while we aren’t born with these skills, we are born with the potential to develop them through interactions and practice. Harvard University have created an activity guide that offers a variety of age-appropriate activities and games to support and strengthen various components of EF/SR in children.
Each chapter contains activities suitable for a different age group, ranging from 6-18 months to adolescents. The full guide is available in Arabic. Two sections—5 to 7 year-olds and 7 to 12 year olds—are available in French.
Deafblind Awareness Week 2022
Deafblindness is far more common than many people realise… around 400,000 people are affected by sight and hearing loss in the UK. That’s enough to fill Wembley Stadium nearly five times!
It affects everyone differently, some might need to adjust the settings on their TV or turn up the volume on the phone, and others might need assistance dogs, canes and more formal care. But for anyone Imagine trying to book a doctor’s appointment, meet a friend for coffee, or even make dinner if you can’t see or hear very well.
Deafblind Awareness Week is always at the end of June to commemorate Helen Kellar’s birthday, 27th June. Helen Keller’s work made a huge difference to the field of sight and hearing loss. Without her efforts, the world today may be very different for deafblind people.
Find out more: https://deafblind.org.uk/get-involved/our-campaigns/deafblind-awareness-week-2022/
Children’s Art Weeks
Children’s Art Week is a fantastic opportunity to encourage families, children and young people and schools to take part in fun, creative activities that they might not have tried before.
In 2022, to support the advocacy work of the visual arts engagement and participation sector, Engage will celebrate the amazing health and wellbeing work delivered through the sector.
Check Engage’s website, E -bulletin and social media for details.
https://engage.org/happenings/childrens-art-week/
We Are Educators campaign
The Early Years Alliance has launched the #WeAreEducators campaign: a positive, empowering campaign that aims to help those working in the early years settings highlight to parents, local communities and policymakers the unique importance of these settings, and the role that this fantastic workforce plays in shaping children’s lives.
To sign up to the #WeAreEducators campaign, and receive a free toolkit, click here: https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/we-are-educators-campaign
The first five years count campaign (#firstfiveyearscount)
NDNA’s #firstfiveyearscount campaign has launched to celebrate the early years sector and all they do to make the first five years of a child’s life count.
NDNA are striving to:
- increase understanding of the importance of early childhood education
- better the perception of the early years workforce as educators of young children 0-5
- address the recruitment and retention crisis
- boost the positive feedback the workforce receives about their work
- support the uptake of early years places within settings.
As part of the campaign, the NDNA has produced toolkits for nurseries, posters, banners and other resources to promote the message, including a five-point pinwheel which signifies the first five years of a child’s life.
To sign up as a campaign supporter, use the campaign supporter logo on your website and find our more here: https://ndna.org.uk/firstfiveyearscount/
Supporting Inclusion for SEND and Vulnerable Groups
Request for Autism pre-assessment information from schools before summer holidays
As part of the SEND Written Statement of Action and delivery of the All-Age Strategy for Autistic People, work is underway to reduce the waiting times for autism assessments. As more assessments are being carried out, schools may be experiencing a higher demand for pre-assessment information for students that are on the autism waits register.
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust (CWPT) will be contacting families and the child's school prior to the child’s assessment asking for a pre-assessment pack to be completed. As we are approaching the end of term, we would appreciate the support of schools in completing and returning this pre-assessment information before the summer holidays so that appointments can be offered to families over the summer period. Please note that no action is required until this request is received by the school.
An update on the All-Age Strategy for Autistic People
Coventry and Warwickshire's All-Age Strategy for Autistic People sets out our ambition to improve the lives of autistic people and their families across five priority areas. It will serve as a complementary tool to the national autism strategy launched by the government last year.
Over the last 18 months we have been working with key organisations to address the current challenges with long waiting times for autism diagnosis.
A Neurodevelopmental Transformation Programme has been established with representation from across the local health, care and voluntary/community sector including people with lived experience, to focus on the review of all age diagnostic services and improve pre and post diagnostic support.
Coventry and Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group have agreed over £10m of system investment over the next two years to reduce the back log of assessments, deliver timely diagnostic assessment, and deliver improved pre assessment and post diagnostic support for children and adults. The additional funding will allow us to increase capacity for diagnostic assessments and post diagnostic support to meet demand. We are working closely with Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust to reduce the longest wait for a diagnostic assessment to 13 weeks, by March 2024.
The investment will allow us to commission additional provision of autism assessments from external providers, such as St Andrews Healthcare and Helios. We will work in partnership with these providers to offer an increased number of quality and timely diagnostic assessments. This investment will be allocated to the specialist neurodevelopmental team along with other external organisations which will help to provide the assessment capacity needed. The investment into the specialist service will enable an increase in post diagnostic support over time as the waiting times reduce.
A better self-help offer will be provided for people by improving awareness of local services and support via an online portal for information and advice. An e-booklet is being produced, plus the
Dimensions of Health and Wellbeing Tool can be accessed, both of which will make it easier to find details of how to access local and national support.
Following the success of the Act for Autism conference in Warwick in April this year, two further events are planned in September in Coventry and November in Nuneaton. The free conferences are for professionals, parents and carers of autistic children, autistic adults and for anybody wanting to better understand autism.
Furthermore, we are developing and enhancing our All-Age Community Support Service for neurodiverse children, young people and adults including enhanced triage, signposting and peer mentors.
Autism remains a top priority and through working with partner organisations from across Coventry and Warwickshire, we aim to improve the lives of autistic children and adults and help them feel part of their communities.
We are keen for this update to reach Coventry and Warwickshire individuals awaiting Autism assessment and support, parents and carers and professionals working with Autistic people so please do take any opportunity you can to share this. Here is a PDF version of this update that can be shared, as well as a set of FAQs produced by the Neurodevelopmental Service in partnership with education, parents/carers and commissioners.
For any queries, please email rachelbarnes@warwickshire.gov.uk
Celebrating Warwickshire’s Family of Schools
Gateway Alliance & Staffordshire Research School Primary Cognitive Science Programme
Primary Cognitive Science
A modular programme for Primary practitioners, brought to you by Staffordshire Research School & Gateway Alliance.
Applied Cognitive Science: Evidence into Practice
Through this ONLINE programme, based on robust research & evidence, participants will explore…
- What does the research say?
- What are the implications for my planning?
- Examples, case studies & avoidances
- A chance for reflection – What do I need to do more of & less of to apply these principles of research?
- So how do I do strategically put this evidence to work to give it the best chance of success?
Programme Overview:
This modular programme is being run over 4 online sessions:
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Weds 5th October
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15:45 – 17:15
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Memory – Research - ST, LT, capacity, retrieval and encoding, dual coding & misconceptions
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Weds 19th October
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15:45 – 17:15
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Explicit Instruction and Deliberate Practice
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Weds 9th November
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15:45 – 17:15
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Retrieval, Spacing, Interleaving - Evidence and practical application
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Weds 23rd November
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15:45 – 17:15
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Generative Learning & Schema and considerations for the curriculum, lesson structures and varied examples
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Facilitated by Evidence Leads in Education (Staffordshire Research School) – Jade Pearce & Jeremy Baker
With Primary Specialist Co-Facilitators:
- Bryony Harrison – Hillmorton Primary School
- Matt Tyler – Claverdon Primary School
- Jen Taylor – St John’s Primary School
PRICE… £150 per person
BOOK NOW AT…
https://gatewayalliance.co.uk/product/pri-cog-sci/
View the Programme Flyer
Gateway Alliance CPD Subscriptions 2022-23 - NOW AVAILABLE
The Gateway Alliance CPD Subscriptions for academic year 2022-23 are now available. Purchasing the CPD Subscriptions early offers schools the best value for money.
The programme provides targeted CPD for senior leaders, subject leaders, SENCos, early years specialists, classroom teachers and teaching assistants, school business managers and early career teachers.
Through these programmes you will have access to the best new and innovative practice from leading national and international speakers, authors and educational thought-leaders. GA networks are facilitated by a range of experienced trainers and consultants working alongside school practitioners, providing a fantastic opportunity for colleagues to learn together, network and share practice.
The programme for 2022-23 will be a really great mix of both face to face and online sessions and full details of speakers, dates and venues will be published early in the autumn.
WHOLE SCHOOL BUNDLE…
To celebrate ten years of providing high quality professional development to schools, this year we have a unique offer for schools to access all courses for just £2,300, which is a saving of £1,000! With Gateway providing 42 different training events, this equates to just £54 per event!
To access this great offer… Purchase ALL 10 CPD subscriptions (you will need to purchase 2 Curriculum CPD subscriptions to access all 10 curriculum subjects) and, at checkout, use voucher code: WHOLESCHOOL+
Other offers and discounts*…
Small Schools - (less than 120 pupils) receive a 10% discount
Recommend a Friend – recommend a new school & you receive a £50 voucher + they receive a 20% introductory discount.
For more information please visit: https://gatewayalliance.co.uk/subscriptions-guest/
or contact:
NPQ Registrations Open for an October Start
John Taylor Teaching School Hub have partnered with Ambition Institute to deliver NPQs. There are 4 Specialist and 4 Leadership National Professional Qualifications, and an additional support offer for Headteachers.
Please check below for more information.
Download here the file.
FREE Primary Mathematics Professional and School Development Opportunity
Origin Maths Hub (funded by the Department for Education) are delighted to offer primary, infant and junior schools in Warwickshire access to places on this free, fully funded programme of mathematics support.
This opportunity involves teachers taking part in free collaborative mathematics training through half-termly workshops, and free bespoke support with half-termly school visits, to help schools to introduce teaching maths for mastery approaches into maths lessons - key to promoting a deeper and sustained understanding for all students.
The key areas focused on are effective leadership, structures to support change, teacher CPD relating to teaching for mastery, classroom culture and attitude to mathematics (within teachers and pupils).
Support is tailored to each school’s specific needs, working with teachers and leaders within a school, as well as giving teachers the opportunity to work closely with teachers from other schools in the Work Group.
It is free to take part, and after successful completion next academic year, you can move automatically to a Teaching for Mastery Development Work Group in Autumn 2023 (which is also free, and includes a £1000 participation grant to be paid to each school for taking part).
Please use this link to find out more and register.
Working together to improve attendance
Guidance to help schools, academy trusts, governing bodies, and local authorities maintain high levels of school attendance including roles and responsibilities
From September 2022, this will replace all previous guidance on school attendance except for statutory guidance for parental responsibility measures. The Secretary of State has committed to it becoming statutory when parliamentary time allows (this will be no sooner than September 2023).
Attendance Network Week
The Warwickshire Attendance Service are running an attendance week in July 2022, aimed at school attendance leads and attendance coordinators. This will be informal meetings using Microsoft Teams. The Warwickshire Attendance Service Leadership team will be available to provide updates and to answer your questions in relation to new requirements.
The week will be 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th July 2002 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Additional time will be available afterwards if required.
Should a member of your school wish to attend and ask questions, please can they email was@warwickshire.gov.uk and include their name, school, position and all the dates they wish to attend. Please can they put as many dates as possible, as we may sort the meetings by school type, depending on the demand. It would be beneficial to have questions in advance with this email but not essential. We will email invitations to the appropriate meetings during week commencing 27th June 2022.
Modernising school attendance and admission registers and setting national thresholds for legal intervention
Government consultation - Launch date 17 June 2022, respond by 29 July 2022.
The DfE are seeking views on new regulations for keeping school registers and draft thresholds for legal interventions to improve consistency across England.
The main proposals relate to the following:
- All registers should be kept electronically
- Local authorities should have access and be able to take extracts from the admission register and attendance register of all schools to enable them to carry out their statutory functions
- Schools should make a ‘sickness return’ to inform their local authority when the authority should arrange alternative education for one of their pupils
- The current Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 should be changed in relation to the reasons a child can be removed from the admissions register. This includes additional requirements where a pupil has a EHCP, CPP or CiNP.
- Recording in the attendance register should be simplified
- Proposed thresholds relating to the issuing of penalty notices for a national code of conduct
The consultation can be found through the following link:
School registers and national thresholds for legal intervention - Department for Education - Citizen Space
Data Sharing
We are being asked by the DfE to encourage all schools to sign up to data sharing. We have been told that we will be provided with access to the shared data by the end of June 2022 and will then contact those schools not currently sharing to provide support. Further details can be found at the following link:
If you are in the process of changing your MIS or have plans to and have any questions, then please contact us. We will arrange a call back from our ICT team to discuss this in more detail.
Improving attendance: good practice for schools and multi-academy trusts
To support the transition to the new ways of working, the DfE is holding a series of webinars. These webinars are a good resource with schools sharing how they have improved their attendance.
Webinar theme
30 June 2022 (16:00-17:00)
TBC
- Effective governance which supports stronger attendance
Previous Webinars can be found at the following Link:
‘Working together to improve attendance’ can be found at the following link:
‘Improving school attendance: support for schools and local authorities’ can be found at the following link:
If you wish to discuss this further, please feel free to contact the Warwickshire Attendance Service.
was@warwickshire.gov.uk
Warwickshire’s Aspiring Headteachers Programme
Warwickshire’s Aspiring Headteachers 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.
The programme will consist of approximately 7 sessions, delivered via a mix of online and face to face sessions. The programme will be hosted by Debby Hughes (Former Headteacher of High Meadow Community School, Learning Improvement Officer for Warwickshire LA and visiting fellow for Ambition Institute – NPQSL) and there will be a range of guest speakers inputting into the sessions, including local headteachers, key colleagues from LA services as well as some national speakers.
The programme will run over the course of 2 terms starting in autumn 2022 and will cover themes such as:
- Leading the organisation - moral imperative, vision, innovation in the curriculum
- Leading teaching and learning – curriculum, CPD, preparing for Ofsted, using data and closing the gap
- The school as a business - finance, HR, legislation and policy
- Applying for headship and working with governors
This programme is fully funded by Warwickshire County Council and further details will be made available in due course.
The Aspiring Headteachers Programme is being organised by the Gateway Alliance on behalf of Warwickshire LA.
ACTION: If you are interested in securing a place on our 2022-23 cohort of this fully funded programme, starting in the autumn, please complete this expression of interest form as soon as possible.
If you have any queries, please contact Helen Martin on martin.h@welearn365.com.
EUSS settlement scheme support
Migrant Help Charity provides support and assistance vulnerable EU nationals and their families who wish to remain in the UK and have yet to still apply to the EUSS Settlement Scheme.
They provide a free support service to the most vulnerable EU nationals only, this includes:
- Gypsy/Roma/Traveller Communities
- Victims of Modern Slavery/Trafficking
- Victims of Domestic Violence
- Elderly
- Young children who have left Care
- Children in Care
- Homeless /Rough Sleepers
- People with Disabilities or Serious Health Conditions
- May require “Other” support such as Technology, Digital assistance, Language Needs etc
They have immediate access to interpreters in all languages and accept referrals from professionals and clients directly. Referral into their service is a simple process – just an email with client’s name, contact number and any language needs.
Migrant Help is happy to arrange a clinic in your area if this is something that can be set up.
Homes For Ukraine Welfare Checks
As part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme the local authority are required to carry out a welfare check for each guest family/group, part of this check is to see each member of the family/group.
As part of this visit we need to see each member of the guest party, however increasingly children have school places and so aren't present at this check. We don't want to ask children to be kept off school to enable this check to take place, therefore we are going to send an email to the school asking school to confirm that the child(ren) is on role and that they are attending school.
Schools would need to deal with any safeguarding concerns in the usual way to the Integrated Front Door. Should you have any more general queries we have a Homes for Ukraine helpline available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday ukraine@warwickshire.gov.uk, 0800 408 1447.
Information: cost of school uniforms
Schools will be aware that the Department for Education published new statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms in November 2021.
Schools should be compliant with much of the guidance by September 2022. The ‘requirements for schools’ section sets out the actions that schools need to take before parents seek to purchase or acquire uniform items in summer 2022.
This includes a requirement for schools to make sure that second-hand uniforms are available for parents to acquire (either from the school directly or from an established scheme). While schools can decide the particular method they are going to use to make the provision of second-hand uniforms available, all schools should ensure that information on second-hand uniform is clear for parents of current and prospective pupils and published on the school’s website.
DfE expect schools to be engaging with parents and pupils to ensure that any required changes are in place ahead of September 2022.
School Readiness Health Questionnaire
Connect for Health is promoting their service and School Readiness Health Questionnaire with parents/carers of children who are starting school for the first time.
Starting school for the first time is a significant milestone for every child, and often a scary and exciting time for them and their parents/carers. Connect for Health wants to make sure all children and families have the support they need with their health, wellbeing and development to prepare for this. This questionnaire helps to identify when families may need support and advice in order to help children meet their full potential as they enter education. A school nurse will review the questionnaire and may be in contact with parents/carers.
The questionnaire should be completed online by all parents/carers with a child due to attend a Warwickshire school for the first time in September. It will be open for completion from June through to August.
Further information about the questionnaire and how to complete it can be found here: https://www.compass-uk.org/sr-hq
The following leaflet about the questionnaire is available for families: A5 leaflet – https://cutt.ly/sr-hq-a5leaflet