Hello and welcome once more to Heads Up after last week’s break. I hope that you all had the opportunity to get some rest and relaxation.

It was gratifying to see the wider opening of schools at the top of the agenda in the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday. The important role of schools has been strongly recognised by the government.

I know for some there will be some nervousness and anxiety about the return, but I feel that we are in a good place.  The main difference between the wider opening last September and now is that we have been here before and we know what to do.  Vigilance will be key, though, and it will be imperative that staff and pupils alike all keep on following the guidance both in and out of school hours.

School transport arrangements are in place and are as they were before. Again, though, it will be vital that pupils follow the rules on the buses and keep their distance from those not in their bubbles and wear face coverings.  Any reiteration of that message to the young people will be helpful.

For all those who will be doing Lateral Flow Device testing, I can only take my hat off to you.  To have those arrangements in place so quickly and effectively has been another monumental achievement and will play such a key role not only in keeping our children at school without the need for large scale absences and self-isolations, but will also help contain the virus and stop its transmission into the wider community. So, thank you for all your hard work.

In other news, we are working at pace to plan and organise a Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for Easter to make the most of funding from this national scheme.  The HAF programme will provide food together with activities for all children eligible for free school meals over Easter but don’t forget that the separate COVID Winter Grant administered by the Warwickshire Local Welfare Scheme will also be available over Easter.

The Warwickshire HAF offer for Easter is being worked up now with providers and a programme of activities together with information about the scheme will be communicated to schools and posted on the County Council’s Family Information Service’s webpages. Your help in sharing this information with your pupils and their families and promoting the scheme would be most helpful and please note the programme will also be rolled out over 4 weeks during the summer and next Christmas.

You will see in the footnote to this introduction there is a contact email address for all schools,  early years settings and providers.  There is still time to get involved – the deadline is next Friday 5th March – so if you have not registered and wish to, or know of an organisation who might want to get involved, please do contact the dedicated team.

The programme will include digital activities which is another reason that I have been so delighted with the speed with which the laptops that the county purchased have been rolled out.  The distribution is now complete. Even if there were no further outbreaks of the virus, these laptops have a huge role to play in our recovery work and helping our young people to catch up on their education and to help us to address any potential gaps in attainment.

Finally, a save the date reminder – next Thursday afternoon is the Head Teachers Conference with an important theme on wellbeing. I know you’ve all got a lot on next week but it’s so important to keep in touch and I’m looking forward to seeing you there.

That’s it from me.  Enjoy the weekend, try to relax and I’ll see you next week.

Take care.

Ian.

Footnote

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme

In 2021, a £220m programme will roll-out nationwide in all 151 English local authority areas. It aims to offer valuable support to families on lower incomes, through access to rewarding activities alongside healthy meals. Grant funding will cover coordination and provision of free holiday places for 6 weeks a year: 4 weeks in the summer, 1 week at Easter (2021) and 1 week at Christmas. The policy aims that there should be free holiday clubs available for school-aged children eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals (FSM). 

In Warwickshire we are working on the HAF programme for the Easter holidays.  Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we are looking to provide a blended offer of both face-to-face activities and remote/digital activities such as food parcels and activity packs being delivered to homes.  We are hoping to be able to offer a range of activities and food across all districts and boroughs.

We have set up a project group with a dedicated e-mail address haf@warwickshire.gov.uk.  Schools, early years settings and providers were sent an e-mail on 24th February from this e-mail address asking them to complete an expression of interest form by Friday 5th March.  We will be contacting everyone who expressed an interest in working with us on the Easter project week commencing 8th March with next steps.

If you didn't receive this e-mail or know an organisation who didn't receive the email but would be interested in taking part,  please contact haf@warwickshire.gov.uk and we will arrange to send a form out to you.

For any enquiries relating to the HAF project please contact haf@warwickshire.gov.uk

Link for further information - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/holiday-activities-and-food-programme/holiday-activities-and-food-programme-2021