Proposal to establish a new all-through free school in Warwick District

Warwickshire County Council is seeking proposals from Academy Proposers interested in sponsoring a new all-through free school in Warwick District comprising a two-form entry primary phase and a six-form entry secondary phase.

This new provision is being created to support the provision of school places as part of the urban extension that is currently building out to the south of Leamington/Warwick.

Please use the following link to access further information on the required provision and timelines for the presumption competition:

www.warwickshire.gov.uk/school-planning-policies-performance/new-schools/4

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 18 March 2022.

Apply now for funding to develop mental health in the curriculum in your setting

In November we announced a new one-off grant being made available to education settings in Warwickshire to support the development of mental health initiatives in the curriculum.  

We’re now pleased to be able to invite submissions to this fund with the first bidding window now open. Applications close on Monday 17 January 2022. 

The Mental Health Curriculum in Education Settings Grant is aimed at supporting nurseries (maintained), schools, academies and colleges to develop mental health initiatives within the curriculum to help children and young people build their resilience and improve their overall sense of positive wellbeing. 

Nurseries (maintained by the local authority), primary and secondary schools, academies, special schools and colleges within Warwickshire will be eligible to submit a bid for funding which will be used to achieve the following outcomes: 

• Children and young people will be supported through the curriculum to build their resilience and positively manage their mental wellbeing 
• Children and young people will be supported to set their own mental wellbeing goals, focussing on their strengths and abilities 
• Staff will be supported to develop their confidence in delivering a mental health curriculum 
• Education settings will have a comprehensive and accessible mental health curriculum 
• Education settings will have an environment that supports positive mental wellbeing 

Bids can be submitted for the minimum amount of £500 up to the maximum of £2,000 per project and should set out how the funding will be used to provide one of the following:  

• Training and teaching resources (for example lesson plans, assemblies etc) 
• Physical resources (for example models of the brain, yoga mats, wellbeing rooms etc) 
• Staff time to be able to develop the resources and timetable 

Settings can expect to receive the grant payment by the end of March 2022 and all funding must be spent within 12 months of being awarded. During this time, successful applicants will be required to provide at least two progress updates demonstrating how the funding has been used and its impact. 

Applications are now being accepted up to and including Monday 17 January 2022.  

Only one application per education setting can be made initially, however there may be an opportunity to apply for additional funding at a later date if not all of the money is allocated during the first round. 

For more information about the fund including eligibility criteria and to apply visit: schools.warwickshire.gov.uk/mental-health-curriculum-in-education-settings-grant-funding

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

KOOTH - supporting your pupils' mental health and wellbeing

The new year can be a stressful time with pressure to set goals, make big changes and be successful. It's important for young people not to put too much pressure on themselves and for them to remember if they're finding things difficult, that there is always someone to talk to.

It's a great time to remind your pupils, parents and carers and staff of the free online support service available in Warwickshire for 11-25 year olds - Kooth.com. This is a service commissioned by Warwickshire County Council to provide additional support for young people who may be struggling with their mental health.

Young people will find a safe space to chat about anything to do with their mental health and wellbeing and to access support and self-help resources to help them navigate the challenges life throws at them. 

To find out more about Kooth.com and how to access the support and resources, you can watch this introductory video or check out this handy list of resources to help you promote Kooth to the children, young people and families that you work with.

What's on in January

Click the image below for a large version of the 'What's on' guide for Kooth this January and please feel free to share.

Deadline approaches for Reception and Junior School Places

The 15 January deadline for school applications for children due to start school in Reception or move to a Junior School in September 2022 is fast approaching. This applies to children born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 for Reception, and any children currently in Year 2 at an infant school who want to move to a junior school.

All applications received by the deadline will receive a school offer on 19 April, which is National Offer Day. Any applications submitted after the 15 January will be much less likely to be offered a place at a preferred school.

Applications should be made online at: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/admissions where parents and carers can also find useful information on school transport, priority school areas and admissions criteria.

New Sugarsmart pilot scheme to promote healthy eating and good oral health

Above image taken from the Sugarsmart website

Many people start a diet in January and something people often try to work on is reducing sugar intake. The NHS Live Well site has plenty of ideas on how to cut down, recipes and information on daily recommended amounts.

To support our residents with reducing sugar intake, Wellbeing for Life is working with some primary schools across Coventry and Warwickshire on a pilot to become 'Sugarsmart'. By signing up to the Sugarsmart pledges and working with children and families, we can tackle healthy eating and oral health in a fun and interactive way that will have longer lasting effects.

You can sign up to Sugarsmart as an individual, community group, education setting or workplace and if you are a primary school interested in joining our pilot scheme, please contact josouthan@warwickshire.gov.uk for more details.

Careers support - routes into Children's Social Work

Young people across Warwickshire are our future and some of them will become Children's Social Workers by 2026, protecting and supporting children and families across the county.

We are always looking to recruit the social workers of tomorrow, so we have developed a useful brochure for anyone thinking of becoming a children's social worker. View the brochure here.

If you think students in your school might be interested in finding out more, WCC's Children and Families service can send representatives to support schools and colleges with any upcoming careers events to share an insight into their own career in social work.

If you'd like to find out more or let us know about an upcoming careers fair, please email workforus@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Share your views on family health programmes

Researchers from Coventry University, together with Warwickshire County Council and Connect for Health/Compass, want to hear from parents and carers about their views on family health programmes and the National Child Measurement Programme. Parents and carers in Nuneaton & Bedworth with children in reception through to year 6 are invited to complete a short online survey.

Survey link: tinyurl.com/ConnectForHealth

QR code: 

The researchers would also like to talk directly with parents and carers (online or via telephone) to better understand their views about family health programmes. If you are interested, please email Lauren.Bell2@coventry.ac.uk for more information.

Free professional development for KS3/4 maths teachers and teaching assistants

Origin Maths Hub are offering primary and secondary schools in Solihull, Coventry and Warwickshire the opportunity to participate in this free, research and innovation Work Group.

This Work Group is for primary and secondary (key stages 2 and 3) teachers and teaching assistants of mathematics, and will explore what you can do to help children with SEND to engage, overcome barriers and make progress in mathematics.

Each of the six sessions, which start on 11 January 2022, will be followed up with individual support and reflection.

Find out more here.

National Professional Qualifications - apply now for February start

Did you know that the newly revised suite of NPQs are now fully funded by the DfE for all state schools?

Courses available:

• National Professional Qualification for Headship
• National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership
• National Professional Qualification for Leading Teacher Development
• National Professional Qualification for Leading Teaching
• National Professional Qualification for Leading Behaviour and Culture

The following Teaching Schools will be delivering these courses - please follow the links below for further information:

Coventry and Central Warwickshire Teaching School Hub in partnership with UCL. The deadline for submitting applications to UCL is 28 January 2022. For more information visit the UCL website.

The John Taylor Teaching School Hub in partnership with Ambition Institute. For additional information about each course please click the link below for the corresponding flyer.

• NPQLT – Leading Teaching
• NPQLTD – Leading Teacher Development
• NPQLBC – Leading Behaviour and Culture
• NPQSL – Senior Leadership
• NPQH - Headteacher

Additional information can also be found at www.jttshub.co.uk. To apply, please send your name, email address, school name, TRN number and the NPQ you wish to apply for to j.taylor-perks@jths.co.uk. 

Regardless of which provider you register with, you will need to complete the DfE registration first to obtain government funding via this link: https://register-national-professional-qualifications.education.gov.uk/

Fully Funded NPQs & Fully Funded EEF Twilights

This new offer of two free online sessions, will support schools to purposefully identify key development priorities for their setting in the wake of the pandemic. It will give guidance on using evidence to identify potential solutions to challenges schools are facing, and provide tools and worked examples of putting new initiatives into practice.
The content explores current challenges, and models how to utilise EEF evidence, before clarifying how school leaders can engage further, with RSN and EEF activity. These twilights will include:

• Twilight 1 is a 90-minute remote session – ‘Exploring the challenges’. It has a focus on exploring the challenges of educational recovery, recognising school efforts, whilst signposting our relevant evidence and resources.
• Twilight 2 is a 90-minute remote session – ‘Preparing and planning for recovery’. It has a focus on restating the value of the tiered model as a central lens to explore challenges and evidence-led approaches, with the twilight offering a more sustained exploration into how we ‘ensure curriculum access’ via reading and a stronger awareness of language challenges.

Schools in the West Midlands can sign up using the link below to attend these after-school online 90 minute sessions, which will run monthly from January 2022.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-3gEsz0fn5llcqZjO-6nfodhn0fQUep8snuwznx3tOSAPRw/viewform

Upcoming CPD, Preparing for Ofsted - SEND The Deep Dive, Metacognition and SEND through the Curriculum

The following courses are being offered by the John Taylor Teaching Hub this half term:

Preparing for Ofsted – the SEND Deep Dive

Tuesday 11 January 2022

1pm - 4pm

John Taylor Teaching School Hub

Beccie Hawes

£65 per delegate

This session will explore:

• How to explore and develop the quality of SEND provision through every subject;
• Ensuring that your SEND vision is clearly communicated and comes to life in every subject;
• Using your own school information to develop your own lines of SEND specific enquiry to develop policy, procedures and practice;
• Effective pupil and parental engagement;
• What an OFSTED inspector may explore.

 

Metacognition

Tuesday 18 January 2022

13pm - 4pm

John Taylor Teaching School Hub

Beccie Hawes

£65 per delegate

This session will explore:

• What metacognition is and how we can use it to enhance teaching and learning
• What cognitive load is and the impact it can have upon learning
• How our memories work and how we can effectively support memory from learning
• Supportive quality first teaching and intervention approaches
• Transferring learning

             

SEND through the Curriculum

Wednesday 26 January 2022

1pm - 4pm

John Taylor Teaching School Hub

Beccie Hawes

£65 per delegate

This session will explore:

• Ensuring that the curriculum intent, implementation and impact for each subject is appropriate in meeting the needs of learners with SEND;
• Ensuring that your SEND vision is clearly communicated and comes to life in every subject;
• SEND friendly knowledge organisers and concept maps;
• Effective teaching for recall strategies;
• Subject specific teaching tweaks and non-negotiables to make every subject accessible for learners with SEND to maximise engagement and progress.

If you would like to book a place on any of the above courses please provide the delegate name and email address to j.taylor-perks@jhs.co.uk.