Development programme to support leadership and management
Warwickshire Governor Services has launched it's Professional Development Programme for 2019/20 for school governors, clerks and headteachers.
This provides the Warwickshire family of schools with professional, tailored governance development and support to strengthen the impact of leadership and management.
The programme brings together everything that is available to schools and academies through various subscription options and this year includes some new services such as facilitated self-reviews of governance and website compliance.
NGA initiative: lobbying fairer funding for schools
Sent on behalf of Clive Sentance, Warwickshire representative for the fairer funding campaign
On Thursday 28 February, the National Governance Association (NGA) will be leading a lobby of parliament to call for more funding for schools. Governors and trustees care passionately about the education their school provides to its pupils; tens of thousands of volunteers across the country are concerned about the adverse impact insufficient funding is having on children and young people.
This day of action will give governing boards the opportunity to join together and urge MPs to invest in the future of children. Whether your governing board has taken specific action because of funding pressures or you have concerns about the long-term picture in your school, we need governing boards from all school types, phases and locations to come along in support.
On the day, we are asking governing boards to arrange a meeting with their MP to speak to them about their concerns. NGA also plan to hold a meeting on school funding in parliament to make clear the scale and severity of the concern of school governors and trustees; by coming along you will be helping us – and thousands of other NGA members – to amplify the voice of governance on school funding.
If you would like your governing board to take part in the action, the first step is to contact your fellow governors/ trustees and encourage them to take part. You do not need to wait for the next meeting – email them today.
As governance is a collective action, governors and trustees cannot act alone and should agree a position.
If your governing board decides to take part, please register your interest by emailing Shelby Roberts shelby.roberts@nga.org.uk and we will keep you updated on the plans for the day and provide resources you can use to make the meeting with your MP effective.
DfE publishes new teacher recruitment and retention strategy
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a new strategy for recruiting and retaining school teachers in state-funded schools.
The strategy has been developed collaboratively with representatives across education, including teachers, headteachers and teachers' unions.
Along with the policy document, the DfE have produced:
EU exit: no deal preparations for education providers
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Education (DfE) have published information for local government, schools and other education providers, in preparation for Brexit and the possibility of a no deal situation.
Information includes the following topics:
- new arrivals
- school places
- data protection
- food supplies
Follow the links below to specific information depending on type of provider:
This is part of a government public information campaign to ensure that anyone who may be affected by the changes are well informed and can take practical steps to be prepared, whether the result is a deal or no deal scenario.
All information will be published on the Prepare for EU Exit website.
Ofsted consultation on new inspection framework
Ofsted is currently consulting on its consultation on the new inspection framework. There are some significant differences to the current framework for schools:
- Maintained schools and academies waiting to be brokered or re-brokered will receive monitoring visits within nine months
- The quality of education will be assessed by looking at the intent, implementation and the impact of the school’s curriculum, teaching and the outcomes achieved
- The new framework has a keen eye on gaming, exclusions and off-rolling as well as arrangements for pupils accessing off-site or alternative provision
- The safeguarding section has also been expanded to include information on the segregation of pupils whilst in school.
The consultation runs until 11.45pm on 5 April 2019.
Education Inspection Framework Consultation
Draft copies of the inspection handbooks
The proposals will affect how Ofsted inspects schools, early years settings and further education and skills providers.