Welcome

Welcome to Heads Up this week.

I hope you all enjoyed a restful half term break. This week’s issue as ever is an opportunity to share news and information to support you to support your school communities.

At our recent Headteachers’ Conference shortly before the break, we shared with you how we are implementing new ways of working to help families to access the right support, at the right time.

One area we are investing in is restorative practice, with the aim of helping communities to find their own solutions by building on existing strengths and relationships. You can catch up with the headlines from the Children & Families session here, and also find more information and booking details for some upcoming sessions for practitioners providing more details about the restorative practice approach here.

We have been making great strides in Warwickshire to address the need to think creatively about our provision for learners with additional needs and to offer more opportunities for inclusive practice within our mainstream schools. I am really encouraged to see an excellent example of this at Rokeby Primary School, where 18 months ago they set up a specialist partnership with their local special school, Brooke School in Rugby, and the impact this has had already on the learners and whole school community has surpassed expectations. You can read more in this week’s Heads Up here.

Now the weather is getting colder, we are reminding everyone, including schools, that the flu immunisation programme is proven to be a safe and effective way of protecting against the virus and we would ask for your support in sharing this message with families too. All children in reception and years 1-6 are eligible to receive the free vaccine - read more here.

Warwickshire is also working with Coventry City Council and the NHS to support the “Keep Antibiotics Working” campaign and are inviting schools to take part in a poster competition to help raise awareness of this more widely across the area. The winning poster will be used to support the campaign in the media – see here for more details.         

As we head towards December, I am sure you will all be getting into the festive spirit, and with nativity, carol concerts and other Christmas events in the diary I understand you may be concerned about potential disruption from the general elections planned for 12 December. I would recommend that all schools and multi-academy trusts familiarise themselves with this pre-election guidance, to ensure they are aware of the activities that are prohibited during the run up to the election. 

With best wishes

Ian Budd

Assistant Director for Education Services