Hungry Little Minds - national three-year campaign launched

The Department for Education has launched a new three-year campaign to support parents and carers to play a bigger part in boosting early literacy and communication. 

Hungry Little Minds, launched on 2 July, aims to support the government’s ambition, over the next ten years, to halve the proportion of children who finish reception year without the communication, language and literacy skills they need to thrive.

In his announcement, Education Secretary Damian Hinds, outlined how families will be given access to videos with tips and advice, as well as ideas for building literacy into everyday opportunities, like going shopping and playing imaginary games, as they aim to tackle some of the barriers parents face when trying to support their child's learning at home.

A coalition of businesses and organisations will support the campaign, including the Lego Group, Penguin Random House and Pearson to provide opportunities for parents to access activities and support so they can play a bigger role in their child's early language development and education.  

As part of the ambition to target intervention to disadvantaged families all across the country, £22 million will be invested in up to 1,800 new school-based nursery places in disadvantaged areas. Despite the increase in the number of children reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception over the past five years, data shows that children from the lowest-income families are more likely to leave without achieving this standard. 

You can read the full press release here.

The Hungry Little Minds website has lots of ideas and activities for different age groups.

There is also a campaign toolkit available to help promote Hungry Little Minds to partners and parents.

Introducing a new integrated model for safeguarding across Warwickshire

Warwickshire is introducing a new, integrated model for safeguarding children and adults in the county. This means that the Warwickshire Safeguarding Children Board (WSCB) and Warwickshire Safeguarding Adults Board (WSAB) will be replaced by a single body called Safeguarding Warwickshire.

The new model will build on the strengths of both pre-existing safeguarding boards to enable the partnership to develop new ways of working, avoid duplication, and improve outcomes for children, young people and adults.

The creation of Safeguarding Warwickshire follows the Children and Social Work Act 2017, introducing new flexible arrangements for safeguarding children. The local authority, the Police and Clinical Commissioning Groups now have an equal and shared duty to work together (in partnership with other relevant agencies) to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in a local area. Previously, the responsibility for establishing local safeguarding board arrangements has been the sole duty of the local authority.

Warwickshire has taken this opportunity to integrate the safeguarding arrangements for children and adults within a single model to allow for a family focused approach to working across the safeguarding landscape.

The Warwickshire Safeguarding model will be governed by the following structure:

• Warwickshire Safeguarding Executive Board – Accountable body for safeguarding children and adults
• Four subgroups – Education, Safeguarding Reviews, Exploitation, and Prevention & Early Intervention. These groups will report to the Executive Board and link into the wider partnership work
• Warwickshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Group and Warwickshire Safeguarding Adults Partnership Group – These groups will be responsible for driving quality, learning and improvement work

The new safeguarding partnership will develop and strengthen working relationships with:

• Health and Wellbeing Board
• Safer Warwickshire Partnership Board
• Local Family Justice Board
• Quality Surveillance Groups
• Corporate Parenting Board
• Youth Justice Board
• Youth Cabinet
• Local Healthwatch

Warwickshire’s new partnership arrangements will officially come into effect from 29 September 2019.

To read more and read the 'NEW: Safeguarding Partnership Arrangement', please go to www.safeguardingwarwickshire.co.uk/

Warwickshire Music announce two major new orchestras

Warwickshire Music, in partnership with Coventry and Solihull music services, is delighted to announce the creation of two exciting new ensembles hoping to attract musically-minded students from across the region. 

Regional Youth Orchestra

The new Regional Youth Orchestra will meet three times a year for a two-day orchestral course, led by tutors from all three music services and top quality guest conductors, followed by a performance in a major local venue.  The University of Warwick Arts Centre has agreed to be the home for this exciting new group and will host the first two courses, (January and March 2020), with a performance in the Butterworth Hall in March. The third orchestral session will take place at the Warwick Schools’ Foundation in Warwick at the end of June as part of their week long Arts Festival.

Working in partnership with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, the courses will provide many more opportunities for collaborative adventures with both the NYO and NYO Inspire Orchestra.

Brass, wind and percussion students will be invited to take part in the Regional Youth Orchestra and further details on membership will be available soon.

Regional Strings Orchestra

The Regional Strings Orchestra will form the core of the brand new Regional Youth Orchestra launching in January 2020. 

Applications are invited from advanced players of grade 6 standard and above who are in full time education.

Orchestra rehearsals will take place on Fridays from 7pm to 9pm at Kings High School, Warwick and will be directed by Artistic Director of Music at the school, Mr. Alex Laing, who also conducts at a national level for the Children's Orchestra and Youth String Orchestra. The first rehearsal will be held on Friday 20 September.

Further information about both groups can be found at www.warwickshiremusichub.org/

Space Chase Summer Reading Challenge

FAO Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher, Literacy Coordinator, Librarian, SENCO

It's FUN!    It's FREE!    It's LOCAL!

Every year, the Reading Agency run a Summer Reading Challenge for children aged 4-11 with libraries across the country participating. Last year, in Warwickshire, over 3700 children took part in the challenge.

The theme of this year's challenge - Space Chase - commemorates the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. 

Once again children of primary school age are encouraged to join the challenge to read six books of their choice over the holidays.  A fun way to keep up reading levels for the return to school!  They collect incentives along the way, and a medal and certificate if they complete the challenge. There are also space-related activities in libraries across the period....and it is all FREE.

By championing the Summer Reading Challenge in your school, you will be continuing to support your pupils’ learning during the holidays, ensuring they return ready for a great start to the new academic year.

The challenge launches on 13 July and ends on Friday 6 Sept. 

You can use this powerpoint presentation in your school assembly to help encourage pupils to take part in the challenge and there are additional free resources including posters and activity sheets on The Reading Agency website.

For any queries please email libraryevents@warwickshire.gov.uk

New Autism Lead joins the Specialist Teaching Service

My name is Eve Godwin and I have just been appointed as the Autism Lead for the Specialist Teaching Service.  I lead a team of autism specialists who are passionate about supporting schools to ensure the best outcomes for Warwickshire pupils with autism.

Within the team we have a wide range of experience and post graduate qualifications that enable us to provide schools with the best possible advice, strategies and training so that schools feel well supported to meet the needs of their learners. 

We can work in a wide variety of ways with schools to support pupils with autism.  Some of the services we are able to provide include:

• Developing or enhancing strategic systems
• Building staff knowledge to ensure higher outcomes and greater inclusivity
• Offering advice and support for parents
• Working directly with pupils

We recognise every person with autism is unique and every school is different, we can adapt the services we offer and personalise provision to suit the needs of the people involved. 

I look forward to working with you in the future and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email me at evegodwin@warwickshire.gov.uk

An update on the work of the Education Challenge Board

I would love to report that the June meeting of the Education Challenge Board was characterised by bright sunshine and soaring temperatures. However, as we took shelter from the torrential rain, our disappointment with the weather was balanced by heartening progress with several aspects of our work.

Whilst Paul Senior was with us he encouraged us to look at distinct solutions for particular regions of Warwickshire and this approach continues to bear fruit in the development of a broadly based group working on a distinct strategy for Nuneaton. It has to make sense for education to work alongside a whole series of other agencies in order to develop solutions which ‘join up’ the services offered to local residents. We are very fortunate to have the expertise of Hayley Good to provide the educational input to the broad based discussions that are taking place.

I think it is also encouraging that other education-based groups such as the Office of the Regional School Commissioner are also taking part in the discussions. Our ultimate aim is to develop a set of ideas that impact upon schools but also many other aspects of community life. Like all solutions of this nature, they will take time to develop and have an impact. However, I think it is very encouraging that a serious attempt is being made to address long-standing issues by bringing together so many different groups across Warwickshire.

Many of us were inspired by the keynote presentation on Ethical Leadership delivered to our June Headteacher’s Conference by Carolyn Roberts. Echoes of that keynote appeared in our discussion with Marie Rooney on the development of Warwickshire’s strategy for Ethical Inclusion. As with many areas of ethical leadership, developments in this area take some courage and a willingness to take risks. However, it was very encouraging to hear about the progress that Marie and her colleagues have already made and the Board strongly welcomed the strategy that they were developing.

We are continuing to look at models of good practice elsewhere in the country and ways in which we can borrow ideas. Hence we looked at developments in Bradford and Berkshire and ways in which they could be adapted to our context. However, it is worth noting that the approach of Warwickshire educational leaders, in working together to find realistic solutions to complex problems, is increasingly being recognised as an example of good practice that others should seek to follow.

Peter Kent

Chair of the Education Challenge Board and headteacher, Lawrence Sheriff School

Have your say in shaping Warwickshire’s Careers Strategy

Warwickshire educators, businesses and local residents are to have their say on shaping a new Careers Strategy for the county. The strategy will support achievement of priority WE4 of the Council’s Education Strategy which is to champion employability by promoting the best opportunities for all learners.

The Council is undertaking a public consultation from 19 June – 26 July, to allow a wide variety of voices to give feedback on the Council’s draft Careers Strategy.

Effective careers and employability advice and support are critical components of a successful local economy.  They can help people gain the skills needed by local employers, and pursue careers that match their talents and interests, as well as support those who want, or need, to change occupations. Good careers advice can also facilitate social mobility by raising aspirations and highlighting career pathways individuals may not have thought of.

Key audiences for the consultation include residents - particularly, vulnerable groups such as care leavers; young people, parents and adults looking to retrain; businesses; education and training providers.

To take part in the online consultation follow this link: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/ask

Moral dilemma

“Using the Framework to establish a whole school approach to ethical behaviour”

How might ethical behaviour be embedded in all areas of your work? Reflect on the needs of your school, college or trust by using your development plan or other central planning documents?

We are attaching the ethical leadership audit toolkit (downloads as Word document) to help you with this question.

Please return your thoughts and any dilemmas you may face to Marie Rooney email marierooney@warwickshire.gov.uk. 

Last week's dilemma answer

“It is about supporting heads who want to take time to see both sides of the argument before making a reasoned judgment, or those who would prefer to support and be kind to a teacher who is under pressure in the hope of helping them through a difficult patch, rather than feeling that they are compromised because people expect them to be instant judges and zero-tolerant of failure.”

Carolyn Roberts, Commission Chair, March 2019

Last week's focus was on using the framework to explore the dilemmas organisations face when recruiting staff.

Model response (click image of table to view larger version):