New Fair Access Protocol Consultation
A consultation is currently being undertaken with all infant, junior, primary and secondary schools regarding the proposed new Fair Access Protocol for Warwickshire Schools which we are proposing is introduced from January 2024.
The new proposed protocol follows a period of engagement with schools between January and June 2023.
Please use the following link to respond to a survey seeking feedback on the new protocol.
Only one response by each individual school will be accepted. Headteachers are requested to complete or delegate to a named individual at their school.
A comments box is also provided for feedback. Please note, if you answer no, you are requested to detail (in the comments box) which aspects you oppose with reference to the current Admissions Code.
Please note: Nil return will be considered by the local authority as acceptance of the new Fair Access Protocol.
This consultation will run until Friday 13 October 2023.
Warwickshire’s Aspiring Headteacher Programme – Register your interest NOW
Warwickshire’s Aspiring Headteacher Programme is an innovative programme in-tended 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, Gov-ernor 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 ses-sions so informative and inspiring. Even after a tough week, attending these meet-ings 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 feed-back 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 experi-ences 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
Teacher Pay 2023
The Department for Education (DfE) has consulted with statutory consultee’s, which includes National Employers Organisation for School Teachers (NEOST), the national employers, on the draft 2023 STPCD.
DfE set a ten-week period of consultation which ended on 21 September 2023. It is anticipated the final STPCD will be published in November 2023. Based on the current expected timescales, the pay award is due to be implemented in the December payroll run, backdated to 1 September 2023.
Reimagine Clean Energy Competition
The Reimagine Clean Energy Competition is your chance to showcase your schools creativity, innovation, and passion for a greener future. Pupils of teams of up to 5 can enter so dive into the world of animation and bring your ideas to life with a short but impactful 3 to 5 minute video.
With categories like Best Overall Winner, Best Scientific Research, and Best Animation, there’s a place for every brilliant mind. Are you ready to reimagine clean energy and inspire change?
If your school thinks it can make a difference, register here.
Codifying your PP cohort to close the disadvantage gap - Course
Please find below information regarding a course that Tudor Grange Teaching School Hub are offering.
Think Active – Opening Your School Facilities, funding opportunity
Opening Schools Facilities fund is a 3 year programme by the Department for Education in partnership with the Active Partnerships National Team. Locally, this fund is being managed by Think Active (the Active Partnership for Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire).
We are currently in the second year of the programme and are still recruiting schools for both years two and three.
The fund is available to non-fee paying: primary, secondary, special and all-through schools. There will be a priority on schools who are located in an area of higher social deprivation, engage with young people from ethnically diverse communities, women and girls, pupils on free-school meals, people with special educational needs, long term health conditions and/or disability. There is also a priority for schools with pools.
The funding can be used to allow facilities outside of the normal school day for physical activity. This can be for activities for either the school community, staff or the wider community. The funding can cover a range of different things but cannot be used for capital projects.
For further information visit the Think Active website. If your school would like to express and interest in the fund please contact Lucy Wilkes (Partnership Manager, Think Active) – lucy.wilkes@thinkactive.org by Friday 13th October.
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind: September Updates
- What is available from the Rise Emotional Wellbeing Service delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Mind Children and Young People's services?
- How this service fits into wider network of Rise services?
- When and who to refer to this service?
- How to refer into our services?
- Any questions or concerns
This session will not be recorded.
If you are not able to attend, please see the service website for all information and get in touch if you have any specific questions.
https://cwmind.org.uk/supporting-children-and-young-people/
Would your school benefit from raising awareness of mental health support available and extra resources for assemblies/workshops? Could your school run a "hats on for mental health" fundraising day?
Our Hats On for Mental Health campaign is designed to support schools in raising awareness about mental health and to fundraise for Coventry and Warwickshire Mind at the same time!
Schools and organisations throughout Coventry and Warwickshire will be wearing hats, raising awareness about mental health, and fundraising for us.
Fundraise for us and your school/organisation will receive a set of resources for free!
You could make a real difference to people who have mental health issues in our community.
- £50 can provide an assembly to children and young people discussing the importance of mental health and talking about it openly.
- £30 can provide a play therapy session for one child experiencing mental ill health.
- £20 supports two people in crisis at one of our services, ensuring that support is provided in their time of need.
- £10 can provide a Safe and Well check for one person. This helps to check that they are safe, have good mental health, that they have adequate support networks, and that their needs are met.
In 2021/22:
- We delivered 56,301 support sessions (including almost 35,000 face-to-face support sessions), across 27 Coventry and Warwickshire services,
- We supported 35,770 service users, that's over 23,000 adults and over 12,000 children and young people!
Together, we will achieve even more. To support our work simply wear a hat and ask people to donate to Coventry and Warwickshire Mind.
3. Commissioners survey for young people - Have your say!
Please see the attached poster and link to the survey here: Survey link
The Commissioners (people who organise funding and services across the area) want to hear about what young people need/want from mental health services.
They have an MS Form with the aim of capturing people’s ideas on the vision for our system and its priorities.
It would be amazing if you were able to share the survey with young people. It should only take a few minutes and they could do it in a form time or as part of PSHE lesson etc.
Hearing the voice of young people in service design is super important!