Heads Up 25 November 2022

Securing the Best Start to Life

Online safety educational resources by UK Safer Internet Centre

UK Safer Internet Centre has released a set of online safety educational resources to support professionals working with or for children and young people.

The resources are tailored to 3– to 18-year-olds and include lesson plans, assemblies, games and other activities for children.

Reflecting Realities

Reflecting Realities is the CLPE's publication which researches ethnic representation in UK Children's Literature. It is the only research of its kind in the UK. This work is funded by Arts Council England. In CLPE's fiftieth year, we are publishing the fifth Reflecting Realities report.

You can use the questions at the end of the report to reflect on and review your own book provision.

The impact of Covid-19 on provision for young children with SEND/neurodiverse needs

Julia Lumb, SEND Specialist Co-ordinator for Early Years and Portage and Specialist Inclusion Manager at Calderdale Council, shares some insights on the impact of Covid-19 on supporting young children with SEND and neurodiverse needs.

Blog: The impact of Covid-19 on provision for young children with SEND/neurodiverse needs

Foundation Years vodcast on outdoor learning

Foundation Years is pleased to share with you a new vodcast exploring the benefits of outdoor learning in the early years.

Gill Holden, Principal Officer of the Early Childhood Unit at the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) speaks to Jo Gordon and Jacqui McDermid, Early Years Consultants, Communication and Language Development Leads at the Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) and co-founders of the Natural Thinkers programme.

Foundation Years vodcast on outdoor learning

Supporting Inclusion for SEND and Vulnerable Groups

Warwickshire Partners Leading the Way on Inclusion

Schools across Warwickshire are making their pledge to inclusion to reinforce the county’s commitment to providing an inclusive education for all children and young people.

To support this commitment, a new Inclusion Charter has been created to set out a shared vision for schools across the county using the four cornerstones of ‘Welcome and Care’, understanding that every child is an individual; ‘Value and include’ remembering that inclusion is everyone’s responsibility; ‘Communicate’ and ‘Work in Partnership’, working together to recognise need and support families on their journey.

The Charter; which has been coproduced with Warwickshire schools, Warwickshire Parent Carer Voice, young people from IMPACT and Warwickshire County Council, will support schools and families to consider and develop how they can work together to improve the experience of all children and staff in schools and demonstrate to others how they are doing this.

For more information on the SEND support in Warwickshire visit the Local Offer webpages or the Local Offer Facebook page. The Schools Charter can be found here

SEND top-up funding trial update

The SEND top-up funding trial, which launched in January 2022, piloted two systems to make the process of applying for top-up funding simpler and more transparent.

It is recognised that the current banding system for top-up funding is not fit for purpose and the costed individual education plan is too bureaucratic.

The trial has now come to a conclusion. A new method of calculating top-up funding has been developed using a 6x4 matrix, using the four main areas of need and six levels of support from Quality First Teaching to the highest level of specialist support. This matrix has been tested and there is evidence to demonstrate the new system is financially sustainable.

It is proposed that this new system will be rolled out across early years, mainstream and special school settings from 2023. This will be a phased roll out and further detail will be provided over the coming months.

We would like to extend thanks to those who have helped us get to this point, there has been a lot of effort from all those involved.

Improving outcomes for children and young people dealing with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)

Warwickshire’s SEND and Inclusion Change Programme (SCIP), which aims to improve the educational outcomes for children and young people, aged 0-25, with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), has begun a new project to look at how to improve support for children and young people experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

During a child or young person’s education, there can be times when they have severe difficulty in attending school. This is often associated with emotional and physical distress, such as anxiety, and can lead to prolonged absences from school. The term used to describe this is Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). This can affect all children and young people, not just those with special educational needs and disabilities.

Most recent government figures suggest that there are approximately 770,000 persistent absentees in England and local data highlights an increase in the number of children absent from school as a result of their emotional needs. It is predicted that this number will continue to rise. Young peoples’ educational experience has also been impacted by COVID-19 and anxiety about returning to school has been more evident following the pandemic.

To help address this increasing need, Warwickshire County Council will be working with parents, carers, children and young people, educational settings and key stakeholders to develop an improved offer of support for those who are experiencing EBSA. The project will build on best practice and existing work already undertaken.

The project team will analyse local data to better understand the level of need across the county and will use this to inform a collaborative approach which will involve key stakeholders.

The aims of the project will be to:

Raise awareness of EBSA needs with educational settings, those working with children and young people and with families;
Develop a pathway to enable earlier intervention for young people with attendance difficulties;
Improve advice and information for schools supporting young people with EBSA needs;
Improve support for parents, carers and young people experiencing EBSA;
Improve methods for tracking young people’s progress;
Develop a training programme to roll out across the local area.

By doing this, it is hoped that children and young people who are anxious about school will be supported to build their resilience and feel confident to re-engage with their education following non-attendance.

All children and young people should be given the opportunity to experience a rewarding and successful school career; a key stepping-stone to enable them to move on to a happy and fulfilling adult life.

Look out for further updates over the coming months as the project gathers momentum, as well as opportunities to have your say and help shape future support.

If you have any questions or would like any further information, please email sendchange@warwickshire.gov.uk.

For regular updates subscribe to the SEND Warwickshire newsletter here and follow the Local Offer Facebook page here.

Celebrating Warwickshire’s Family of Schools

Important update: Changes to the Key Stage 2 test dates

Please be aware that an additional bank holiday in honour of the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III will take place on Monday 8 May 2023.

As this date had previously been announced as the first day of the 2023 key stage 2 (KS2) test week in England, a change to the KS2 test schedule next year will be necessary.

Ministers have considered the situation carefully and have decided that KS2 tests will take place in the same week with tests following the usual order but each taking place one day later than originally planned. As such, the new schedule will be:

Tuesday 9 May: English grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) papers 1 (questions) and 2 (spelling)
Wednesday 10 May: English reading paper
Thursday 11 May: mathematics papers 1 (arithmetic) and 2 (reasoning)
Friday 12 May: mathematics paper 3 (reasoning)

The KS2 timetable variation (TTV) window for each assessment will also move back one day, in accordance with this change.

There will be no changes to arrangements for other assessments, including KS2 teacher assessments, key stage 1 tests and teacher assessments, the phonics screening check and the multiplication tables check. Dates and deadlines for these assessments remain as previously announced.

More information can be found here: Changes to key stage 2 assessment dates in 2023.

February 2023 Teaching School Hub NPQ Offers

Please find below the NPQ offers for February 2023 cohorts.

February NPQ TSHubs info for Warwickshire Schools.pdf

Supporting All Children with Social & Emotional Learning - New Dates

Help to deliver a sustainable future for Warwickshire

Have your say on Warwickshire County Council’s draft Sustainable Futures Strategy.

Warwickshire County Council’s draft Sustainable Futures Strategy establishes our direction and priorities to reduce carbon emissions, support biodiversity and promote economic growth across the County. It directly addresses the significant challenges of climate change, which poses a direct risk to Warwickshire communities and economy, and declining biodiversity, which impacts on both our wellbeing and economic prosperity.

These issues will affect every single person that lives and works in Warwickshire, so we’re keen to get as many views as possible. We’d appreciate your support in sharing the invite with as many people as possible, including your staff, parents and carers and your students. It may be of particular interest to any student group that is interested in climate change, sustainability or the environment.

The online survey has just been launched and will be open until 15 January 2023. To read the Strategy and complete the survey, please go to: https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/insights-service/sustainable-futures-strategy

Our Strategy

We have already started work towards our goals of reducing carbon emissions to net zero across the Council by 2030 and to support Warwickshire as a County to do the same by 2050 or earlier. But if we are to achieve these net zero goals, we need to do more and we need to do it faster.

Our objectives cover six key themes:

Transport - We want to have zero emissions surface transport across the County, increasing the use of sustainable modes of transport, with every resident having access to zero carbon private, public and active transport options.

Energy – We want to live and work in a County that is powered entirely by clean fuel or renewable sources.

Built Environment - We want to live and work in buildings that are energy efficient, powered by clean energy sources and connected to nature.

Resources, Waste & Circular Economy – We want a County where all waste is diverted from landfill and there is a circular economy that provides commercial opportunities and new jobs

Sustainable Communities & Green Economy - We want to have a County that is measured by prosperity and health, where people have the skills and access to new green jobs, and where all the industries contribute to sustainable, equitable and healthy communities.

Natural Capital and Biodiversity – We want a habitat-connected landscape for people to enjoy, and wildlife to thrive.

Warwickshire Fire Rescue Service StayWise Programme

This month FIRE Magazine interviewed Chris Bigland, StayWise Programme Executive and Deputy Chief Fire Officer at Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, about the rapidly developing StayWise programme and why it stands as one of the most ambitious collaborative initiatives the UK Fire and Rescue Service has ever undertaken.

Please click on the link below to read the full interview.

Share StayWise – saving lives through education | FIRE (fire-magazine.com)

WFRS are actively promoting the StayWise site and would encourage you all to spread the word as much as you can. The site can be used by teachers, emergency services and there is also a public domain, particularly useful for children who are home educated as well as for consolidation of work done in the classroom setting. WFRS also have a QR code so that when the site is accessed, StayWise will be able to log the number of visits made. Please scan this code whenever you use the site.

StayWise will continue to expand, and WFRS will keep updating you on all the fantastic developments as they arise, so watch this space for the latest information!

Santa's grotto at Nuneaton Fire Station

Community and Commercial Training are excited to bring to Nuneaton Fire Station their Santa's grotto! The grotto is happening on Sunday 4^th December 14:00 - 17:00 in the bays and yard.

We have a face painter, there will be a station where the children can write their Santa letter and leave it in our postbox, they can make reindeer food at the reindeer station and other fun games to play!

Also if anyone has any Christmas decorations that they no longer require, or are able to help on the day, please can you contact Clare Fletcher - clarefletcher@warwickshire.gov.uk or Jody Gedrim - jodygedrim@warwickshire.gov.uk

Working together to improve school attendance

An invitation for schools to share daily attendance data and use attendance reports to view severe absence

73% of schools in England (173 schools in Warwickshire) are now sharing daily attendance data with the DfE. Sharing data gives you access to daily attendance reports on view your education data.

After you share data, you will be emailed when your reports are ready to view. This can take up to 4 weeks. You can now use the reports to view severely absent pupil data. This is when a pupil is absent for at least 50% of the time. This group is a top priority for schools.

To share daily attendance data, please accept the request in your Wonde portal. If you do not use Wonde, you should have an information email from them. You can email Wonde directly if you have not received this.

If you have not been able to access your reports, please read our help article.

You can also view a public dashboard for pupil attendance and absence in England, so you can make local authority, regional and national comparisons.

Reminders

Working together to improve school attendance is now the attendance guidance that should be used for schools, trusts, governing bodies and local authorities.
Improving attendance: good practice for schools and multi-academy trusts. There are some really useful effective practice attendance webinars produced by the DfE in conjunction with schools, with good or improved attendance, sharing their good practice. It is highly recommended that your attendance lead/champion access this free resource.
Additional attendance resources are available on the Education Huband Teaching Blogs
The code ‘X’ code can no longer be used in the attendance register to record COVID-19 related absence.

Contact Us

If you wish to discuss any issues relating to school attendance, please feel free to contact the Warwickshire Attendance Service by email: was@warwickshire.gov.uk

Warwickshire Secondary Book Award 2023

We are delighted to invite all secondary schools to sign-up for our Warwickshire Secondary Book Award 2023.

Our team, with the help of our secondary school librarians, have chosen a fantastic shortlist of 6 books published over the last year. The award is aimed at Years 7/8 and takes place over the spring term. It culminates in a final award ceremony towards the end of March 2023, which all schools and shortlisted authors are invited to attend. This is a great way to encourage reading for pleasure at your schools.

For more information and to sign-up, please book HERE. Or email schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk

Please complete this form by next Thursday 1^st December.