Your help to gather parental feedback to improve School Admissions in Warwickshire

At Warwickshire County Council, we are reviewing the way parents and carers apply for a school place for their children. We want to ensure every parent and carer has the information and support they need to decide the most suitable education setting for their child to learn in.    

We have created the following questionnaire to understand from a parent and carer perspective, their experience of applying for a school place.  

Please can you encourage parents to complete this questionnaire as all feedback will be used to improve the process and how the system operates going forward.  

 

Link to Questionnaire

Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics - Secondary Programme

It's the time of year where planning for next academic year begins, and it may be that you have a teacher in your school who normally teaches a different subject but will have maths teaching on their timetable, a teaching assistant who will be responsible for teaching mathematics in small groups, or a cover supervisor who will have a regular mathematics teaching commitment next academic year.

This course will be perfect to help them feel confident and have the mathematics knowledge for teaching that they need to support their pupils to make sustained progress in mathematics.

The programme focuses on the subject knowledge, pedagogy and classroom practice required to teach maths with skill and confidence - thus enabling teachers to better understand, teach and support pupils in maths in the classroom.

Find more here. 

Ofsted inspection data summary report (IDSR) newsletter

Welcome to the Schools Pre-Inspection Data and Insight team’s second inspection data summary report (IDSR) newsletter. It contains important information about the redeveloped IDSR, the latest release, the new website and other key information.

2022 Inspection Data Summary Report (IDSR) external newsletter

 

Please can you forward to all schools in your authority.

Educate Against Hate newsletter

The Educate Against Hate provides a range of extremely useful information which is updated regularly. In their latest newsletter they have promoted learning resources which may be of use given national and international events. Firstly, there is a link to materials designed to discuss why conspiracy theories are more common in times of crisis, why people spread them and how they should be debunked.  Secondly, there is a section on resources for teachers and schools regarding the Russian and Ukraine war that may be of use.

To access this resource register on the Educate Against Hate for their newsletter.

Art for Wellbeing courses February to April

The new Art for Wellbeing courses February to April can now be booked through Arty- Folks website. 

Or the Recovery and Wellbeing Academy 

 

It would be much appreciated if you could support to reach adults in Warwickshire who may be struggling with low mood, anxiety, depression and social isolation.   A range of online and in-person courses are being run, to help people get connected and creative, including

• daytime - online or in-person and outdoors
• evening - online for people in employment
• courses specifically for unpaid carers

Arty Folks has been teamed up with the Heart of England Carers Trust in support of unpaid carers across the region.

Carers can choose to attend an online course or a course in-person in Coventry or Leamington

• for Coventry residents at Arty Folks art studios

 

To find out more about what the programme and meet the tutors enrol on Come Connect, an informal 1hr workshop.

To see the whole programme February to April see the attached pdf with clickable links.

All courses are free but please note that places are limited and booking is essential.

“Plant a tree for the Jubilee” - The Queen’s Green Canopy

Warwickshire County Council and the Warwickshire Lieutenancy are encouraging individuals, schools, community groups, and businesses to get involved in a unique tree planting initiative, The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

With a focus on planting sustainably, The QGC celebrates Her Majesty’s 70 remarkable years of service and will create a legacy in honour of The Queen’s leadership of the Nation. Anyone can get involved in planting a tree for the Jubilee, or mark the occasion with a physical or virtual commemorative plaque in keeping with the environmental focus.

 

The best time to plant a tree is from October 2021 to the end of March 2022. To get involved in planting a tree over the next few weeks, or to set-up a commemorative plaque for The QGC, visit https://queensgreencanopy.org/get-involved/, and remember to add your tree to the QGC map which will be presented to Her Majesty The Queen as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations: https://queensgreencanopy.org/map-education-hub/qgc-map/#/

 

For more information, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/2768/-still-time-to-plant-a-tree-for-the-jubilee-says-warwickshire-s-lord-lieutenant

Hardship support for residents

We know that many of our residents are struggling financially as the cost of living rises. We have attached a pack of information outlining the support available for you to share with parents/carers. 

One month left to switch Post Office card accounts - HMRC Press Notice

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding about 7,500 tax credits, Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance customers they have just one month left to switch their Post Office card account.

 

HMRC will stop making payments to Post Office card accounts after 5 April 2022 so customers must notify HMRC of their new account details, so they don’t miss out on vital payments.

 

In November 2021, HMRC extended the deadline to the end of the financial year. The one-off extension to the contract meant customers could temporarily continue to receive their payments into their Post Office account, giving them extra time to set up new accounts and notify the department.

 

Nearly 138,800 customers have already switched their accounts and provided HMRC with updated bank account details. Time is running out for the remaining 7,500.

 

Customers can choose to receive their benefit payments to a bank, building society or credit union account. If they already have an alternative account, they can contact HMRC now to update their details.

 

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

 

“We want to make sure that no customer misses out on the benefit payments they are entitled to. If you still need to switch your Post Office card account, contact HMRC to update your bank account details by 5 April.”

 

Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance customers can use their Personal Tax Account to provide revised account details, change their bank account details via GOV.UK or by contacting the Child Benefit helpline on 0300 200 3100. Tax credits customers can change their bank account details by contacting the tax credits helpline on 0345 300 3900. If customers cannot open a bank account, they should contact HMRC.

 

If a customer misses the 5 April deadline, their payments will be paused until the customer notifies HMRC of their new account details.

 

The Money Helper website, provided by the Money Advice and Pensions Service, offers information and advice about how to choose the right current account and how to open an account.

 

HMRC has been contacting customers recently to encourage them to take action and will continue to contact them to remind them.

Agenda for Spring Term Headteachers' Conference (9th March 2022)

May we remind our headteachers that this term’s conference will be taking place next Wednesday 9th March 2022 (9.30am – 12.00pm) and will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams.  To join the conference on the day, please click on the below link:

Spring Term 2022 Headteachers' Conference 09.03.2022

Please find below agenda with further details.  We hope you will be able to join us.

Programme		Lead
9.30am	Welcome and Conference Opening	Mark Ryder Strategic Director for Communities, Warwickshire County Council
9.40am	Positive OFSTED experiences	Abi Huggins Headteacher, St Andrew's Benn C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School   Kate Worthington Headteacher, Cawston Grange Primary School
10.00am	SEND Update	Marie Rooney Head of SEND and Inclusion and Education Entitlement Services, Warwickshire County Council   Conrad Bourne Whole School SEND   Inclusion at Clapham Terrace Community Primary School Clapham Terrace Staff Team   Inclusion at Myton School Amy Hawkes Assistant Headteacher/Vulnerable Students and SENCO Leader, Myton School
10.35am	Break
10.55am	Safeguarding Updates	Claire Reynolds Front Door Operations Manager   Carl Lewis Headteacher Coach, Early Help and Targeted Support Team (Countywide), Warwickshire County Council
11.15am	Attendance Developments	Andy Danks Delivery Lead, Attendance Service, Warwickshire County Council
11.35am	Headteacher well-being and policy updates	Margot Brown School Improvement Lead Commissioner, Warwickshire County Council
11.45am	Close	Chris Baird Interim Assistant Director for Education Services, Warwickshire County Council

 

 

Dedicate a Warwickshire honeysuckle to a social care worker for Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection

Warwickshire residents, social care services and the voluntary sector are being encouraged to take part in Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection, which takes place on Thursday 17th March and is dedicated to those working in adult social care.