WE2 An empowering curriculum
New local multi-agency panel to tackle permanent exclusions
The Fair Access Protocol (FAP) & Assessment Gateway is a newly formed multi-agency panel which facilitates partnership working between schools and the LA to implement the FAP and to prevent permanent primary exclusions.
Representation on the panel is comprised of a headteacher from each of the local consortia groups.
1. Primary Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
- The Primary MOU with the Specialist Teaching Service (STS) is no longer in action as from 1 September 2019.
- Historically, the Primary MOU supported students (without an EHCP) who were at risk of permanent exclusion or had been permanently excluded.
- All traded STS services continue.
2. Fair Access Protocol (FAP)
3. Fair Access Protocol (FAP) and Assessment Gateway
4. Key contacts
- STS Area Managers should be your first port of call for advice for pupils at risk if exclusion
- All referrals into the Assessment Gateway are to be made to Jamie Goodall-Barber at the following email address: JamieGoodall-Barber@warwickshire.gov.uk
Please watch out over the coming weeks for updates on:
- The W-code project
- Ethical Leadership
- Developments in primary alternative provision options
Counter terrorism training specifically for head teachers
There are still places left on this FREE counter terrorism training, available only for Warwickshire headteachers and senior leadership teams.
Project ARGUS is an initiative developed by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) and delivered throughout the UK with the aim of raising awareness of the threat from terrorism, providing practical advice on preventing, handling and recovering from an attack.
The training is being offered by the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Resilience Team.
Headteachers were sent an email during the last week of term and should also have received a reminder earlier this week, including a flyer and information on how to book.
For any queries please contact Debbie Hibberd on 01926 743015 or 07932007324.
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019 now in force
The Department for Education has published the finalised version of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019.
There are no further changes from the draft document published in the summer term.
Schools should be aware of the following key changes that are now in place (from Sept 2019):
- From September, safeguarding training must include upskirting and serious violent crime
- Section 128 checks should be carried out on all maintained school governors, if not already done so
- Schools need to know and follow the new local arrangements set by safeguarding partners
- should use the DfE's new online safety guidance
Bring your road safety lessons to life with the Arility augmented reality app!
Following it's successful trial, a 'world-first' augmented reality app aiming to bring road safety lessons into the 21st century, has now been rolled-out nationwide, meaning all of Warwickshire's primary and junior schools can benefit from this free resource.
The Arility app, developed by Road Safety GB, uses entertaining sound effects and 360 degree visuals to teach children about the risks associated with roads and how they can make choices to stay safe when out in the community.
Virtual objects and characters are layered over real world settings to test primary school children (aged 7-10) on a range of common scenarios, including how to use a pedestrian crossing, retrieve a ball from the road and cross the road with a bike.
Benefits of the app for schools are that:
- it is linked to the curriculum
- no special equipment is needed - just an iPad or Android device
- it is easy to teach with
- it is suitable for all group sizes
Westgate Primary School in Warwick was selected to trial the app before it was released nationwide in July - with teachers describing it as a 'fun and interesting' way to engage children on important road safety topics. Watch the Road Safety Minister's visit to Westgate to see Arility in action below.
The app and associated resources will be made available on the Road Safety GB website and as it will also be made available to all Road Safety GB member organisations, Warwickshire's Road Safety Club will be using it during their sessions delivered to Year 3 pupils.
For further information and support email roadsafetyeducation@warwickshire.gov.uk
SENCo Network Meetings
The local SENCo network meetings provide an excellent opportunity for your SEN lead to benefit from professional development and sharing evidence-based good practice.
The meetings are also a valuable opportunity for SENCos who may be new to the area or new to the role to seek reassurance and advice on situations that they have not faced before, helping them to feel less isolated and more supported.
Network meetings are FREE to attend and usually take place termly, with separate meetings for primary and secondary SENCos. See below for details of autumn term meetings:
Primary SENCo network meetings
8 Oct 2019 - Bloxham Centre, Rugby - 1.30 to 4.30pm
10 Oct 2019 - Alveston Primary School, Stratford - 1.30 to 4.30pm
21 Oct 2019 - Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington - 1.30 to 4.30pm
23 Oct 2019 - Ambleside Sports Club, Nuneaton - 1.30 to 4.30pm
Primary EAL network meeting
6 Nov 2019 - Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington - 1.15 to 3.30pm
Secondary SENCo network meeting
5 November 2019 - Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington - 1.30 to 4.30pm
Secondary EAL Network meeting
9 Oct - Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington - 1.15 to 3.30pm
For more information or to register your attendance at any of the above sessions please email melindatwells@warwickshire.gov.uk
Headteachers needed to drive strategic direction of School Games
Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire School Games engages with over 56,399 pupils from primary, secondary, special and higher education each year, inspiring pupils to take part competitive school sport each year. Over 10% of these pupils (6,524) have a special educational need or disability.
The Games, delivered by Think Active (previously CSW Sport) on behalf of Sports England, offer four levels of activity, making it fully inclusive and accessible so that all can take part in competitive sport irrespective of their experience, talent or ability.
As we move into the new academic year, there will be a renewed focus on ensuring the School Games are relevant to more children and young people in their lives today, allowing more of them to achieve their potential.
We are looking for primary, secondary and special school headteachers to join our restructured Local Organising Committee (LOC) to help us check, challenge and drive the strategic direction of School Games across the area. Meetings take place three times per year and usually last no longer than 1.5 hours. The first meeting of the new group will be held on Wednesday 18 September, 9.30am to 11am. Venue to be confirmed.
This is an exciting time to join this partnership, as we look to become a leading county area for increasing the physical activity levels of all young people.
Our partners include British Blind Sport, Coventry Public Health, Solihull Council, EnV and Coventry & Warwickshire Year of Wellbeing.
If you are interested in being part of this new group, please contact Emma Sadula on Emma.Sadula@coventry.gov.uk or phone 07885 2004763.
DfE's 0-25 SEND newsletter
The most recent Department for Education’s 0-25 SEND Newsletter (published July) has some useful updates and is available via the NAHT website here.
It includes information on the following:
- Restraint guidance and consultation
- Bercow: Ten Years On – first anniversary update
- Further Education and Training Centres for Excellence in SEND
- Teaching online safety in schools guidance
- Relationships and sex education and health education guidance
- Assistive technology and edtech
- NHS Long Term Plan Implementation Framework
- Cross-government initiative to tackle injustices faced by disabled people in the workplace, at home and in the community.
WE3 Family of schools
NEED TO KNOW: Latest national updates
£17 million fund available to support trust growth and development
- The Trust Capacity Fund (TCaF) will provide £17 million of capital funding to help grow and accelerate the development of trusts across England. An eligibility checker is available on the Gov.uk website so trusts can ascertain whether or not they would be eligible to apply for the fund.
- Further guidance and application forms are yet to be released, although the website states that applications will open in September and close in December 2019.
Schools judged 'outstanding' by Ofsted will no longer be exempt from routine inspections
Support for schools identified as 'requires improvement'
- Different levels of support will be offered to schools entering the 2019/20 academic year with a 'requires improvement' judgement for overall effectiveness and to schools receiving an RI judgement during the 2019/20 academic year - read more
Plans for new Ofsted financial management rating
- The recent announcement from the DfE mentions plans to work with Ofsted to introduce a new "rating for financial management and oversight" within the school or trust - read more
Plans to raise teacher starting salaries to £30,000 from September 2020
- The DfE have announced that they propose to increase teacher salaries by £6,000 (25%) over the next three years - read more
New specialist academy trust to take on struggling schools
- A new model will be piloted in the north of England with "the most challenging schools" being taken on by a specialist academy trust led by those with a "proven track record of turning around underperforming schools"
For action: Primary and Junior Schools - 2019 Key Stage 2 Performance Tables
This exercise provides schools with the opportunity to check that the correct pupils have been attributed to them for the purpose of calculating performance measures and if this is not the case, allowing them to submit amendment requests.
The 2019 key stage 2 performance tables checking exercise opened at 9.30am on Monday 2 September and closes at 5.00pm on Friday 13 September 2019 for schools and LAs to check and amend their KS2 pupil cohort details. Any amendments made during this period will be reflected in December performance tables and in the Analyse School Performance release in early 2020, but not in the October data release.
Please note: if a pupil removal request needs supporting documentation, or if you submit a key stage 1 result amendment request, the evidence must be uploaded using the secure website. Documentation submitted by post or by an encrypted email will not be considered and the request will be automatically rejected. If you experience any problems with the uploading of evidence, please contact the schools helpline via email at examshelp@rm.com or by telephone on 0845 3077867
Website details
To access the checking exercise, please go to: https://tableschecking.education.gov.uk
Select '2019 Key Stage 2 Performance Tables Checking Exercise' and log in with your username and password.
- If you have forgotten your username, please use the 'Forgotten Username' link on the website
- if you have forgotten your password or it has expired please use the ‘Forgotten Password’ link on the website
If you need further help please follow the appropriate instructions on the checking website which can be accessed via the 'Help' link.
Action required by Friday 13 September 2019
You need to submit online confirmation of data via the website. Please submit confirmation of data even if you have no amendments to make. The performance tables, when published in December, will indicate whether the data has been checked.
Please note: all amendments to the performance data should be made by the deadline. The four week errata period, which follows publication in mid-December, cannot be used to make amendments that could have been made in the checking exercise.
Helpline enquiries
For enquiries regarding the school checking exercise only, please contact the helpline via email at examshelp@rm.com or by telephone on 0845 3077867.
The deadline for submitting marking reviews to STA was Friday 19 July and reviews outcomes will be available on Wednesday 11 September. For enquiries about results or reviews, please contact STA via email at assessments@education.gov.uk or by telephone on 0300 303 3013.