Included in this update:

• New Executive Director for Education and Skills
• Managing Attendance webinar: 4th October 11am-12pm
• Managed Move webinar: 30th September 2pm-3pm
• Updated Safeguarding & Child Protection Model Policy 2021
• Team around the school
• REMINDER: Annual Participation Survey (APS) 2021
• Early Education Entitlement - 30 Hours Places for Autumn Term 2021
• EYSFF Returns for Autumn Term 2021
• Bike to School Week: 27 September - 1 October
• Moving On: Information Session (CAT)
• Services for Education training courses
• AET Governor’s Seminar: Schools Programme for Developing Provision – Delivered by the Communication and Autism Team (CAT)

New Executive Director for Education and Skills

As announced yesterday, Birmingham City Council has recruited a new Executive Director for Education and Skills. 

Sue Harrison, currently serving as Director of Children’s Services in Central Bedfordshire, will be joining the City Council later this year. 

For full details see the news release on the council's website https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/965/new_executive_director_for_education_and_skills

Attendance webinar with Edwina Langley: Monday 4th October 11am - 12pm

Edwina Langley, BCC's Lead Attendance Officer, is holding a webinar for schools on managing attendance on Monday 4th October 11am - 12pm. At the session, a presentation will be delivered and schools will have the opportunity to ask any attendance questions they may have.

To book a place, please use this Eventbrite link and the Teams link will be sent to you ahead of the session.

The slides and a recording of the session will be shared with all schools.

Managed move webinar for schools: Thursday 30th September 2pm-3pm

Steve Parton, Exclusions Coordinator, will be hosting a webinar for schools on the managed moves process.

The webinar will take place on Teams on Thursday 30th September 2pm – 3pm. To book a place, please use this Eventbrite link and a Teams link will be sent to you ahead of the session.

The webinar will be recorded and the slides presented will be shared with all schools along with the recording.

Updated Safeguarding & Child Protection Model Policy 2021

The Birmingham Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy September 2021 has been updated to rectify some minor typo errors and hyperlinks. 

Please ensure that your model policy now reflects these changes by cross referencing it with the new updated version which can be located on BESS and/or the Education: Early Help and Safeguarding website. 

An ‘Erratum’ has been created and published alongside the new updated version to assist you in identifying the changes made.  Please note that this is a ‘living document’ that will be regularly reviewed and updated by the Education: Early Help and Safeguarding Team. 

Schools will be informed if any further changes made. 

Team around the school

A spreadsheet on Birmingham's Local Offer website identifies the relevant professionals aligned to each school. We are encouraging all schools to start to develop relationships with key professionals within the database for each school. 

For some schools you will know your key personnel and partners and the directory is designed to ensure all schools know who their key partners are.

To view the names and contact details of your team please visit the ‘Local Offer’ website. 

REMINDER: Annual Participation Survey (APS) 2021

Education settings will now have received all of their annexes for completion. Please refer to the Annual Participation Survey Guidance 2021 and associated deadlines for the process which you will have recieved.

Participation rates for 16-19 year olds in Birmingham are currently below the national average. We require your full support to ensure that every young person’s participation is traced and a destination recorded for them.

In the event that you know that a young person is Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) or of any young people who leave post 16 provision early, please could you notify us immediately through the completion of the Notice of Withdrawal Form (Annex D attached) in order to ensure that the young person is contacted and supported to re-engage in education, training or employment.

Following the Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND) local area Ofsted re-inspection as part of the arrangements to improve outcomes for young people, Annex E has been introduced to collect destinations for young people whose Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) is ending aged 19-25.

Please contact the 14-19 Participation & Skills Team if you have any questions or require further clarification (insight@birmingham.gov.uk)

Early Education Entitlement - 30 Hours Places for Autumn Term 2021

For parents to access a 30 hour funded place in Autumn 2021, they must have had an eligible code on or before 31st August 2021. Parents must have applied and received their code by 31st August or reconfirmed any codes that were due to expire.

The local authority cannot fund codes that have a validity start date of on or after the 1st September 2021. It is the childcare provider's responsibility to check the code before offering a 30 hour place or part of a 30 hour place. You must do this by validating the code on ECS to make sure it is eligible for the current term. Further information about 30 hours and validating codes can be found on EYMIS: www.ted-birmingham.org.uk

• Username: PVI2 (please note this is a capital i not the number one)
• Password: PVI2year (please note this is a capital i not the number one)

If you have any queries regarding 30 hours extended entitlement please email NEF@birmingham.gov.uk

EYSFF Returns for Autumn Term 2021

Schools with Early Years provision for 2, 3 and 4 year olds are required to submit and return each term an EYSFF spreadsheet to the Fair Funding team to provide us with your numbers of 2 year olds, EYPP and FSM take up so that we can reconcile your early years funding. From the Autumn term 2021 you will no longer be provided with a spreadsheet, instead this will be completed by a simple on-line form which will be managed by the Early Years Funding Team (NEF).

You will receive communications and reminders from NEF@birmingham.gov.uk providing you with the on-line link – the fields you will be required to complete will be exactly the same as the spreadsheet. You will be expected to submit the information between the 4th and 15th October 2021.

If you have any queries regarding the online form or the eligibility of children please email NEF@birmingham.gov.uk 

If you have any queries regarding your funding allocation please email fairfunding@birmingham.gov.uk

Bike to School Week: 27 September - 1 October

Bike to School Week is a week-long event across the UK to encourage families to cycle and scoot to school. It's a great way to celebrate the huge benefits an active school run brings. Taking part will have a positive impact on pupils' health and wellbeing as well as the environment.

Click this link to access Bike Week 2021 teacher resources for early years, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3.  

Sustrans would love to know how many families cycle or scoot to school during Bike to School Week 2021. All families that fill in their short online form to tell them their children are taking part will automatically be entered into a free prize draw to win a Frog bike. If your school is taking part in bike to school, please us know by tagging @bhamconnected and using the hashtag’#biketoschoolweek

Carry on cycling and stay active!
The Active Wellbeing Society is taking advance bookings for Bikeability training sessions. Measures have been put in place to ensure that this activity is delivered safely in the current climate. If you have any questions/queries or would like further information, please email bikeability@theaws.org.

THINK ACTIVE - Bike Maths
Schools registered with Modeshift STARS can receive one of our Bike Maths resource packs absolutely FREE. This is a fantastic team game suitable for children in KS2. If you’re interested in receiving the Bike Maths resource pack free of charge, please email connected@birmingham.gov.uk.

Moving On: Information Session (CAT)

A session focussing upon transition after Year 11 for pupils, parents and carers. This event is open to pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11. The session will provide you with the information you need about preparing for Post-16.

The session will cover: 

• Post-16 timeline
• Placements
• What are the options?
• Applications
• What to expect
• Support at Post 16

This session will be led by the Communication and Autism Team. We will also have a representative from Birmingham Metropolitan College. Thursday, 30th September 2021 6.00pm – 7.30pm. This session will be run via Microsoft Teams/remote training.

To secure your place, please book online via: https://accesstoeducation.birmingham.gov.uk/product/moving-on-information-session/ 

Services for Education training courses

Teaching and Leading MFL in Primary Schools

With the renewed Ofsted focus on middle leaders in schools, this course aims to give Modern Foreign Language subject leaders an understanding of second language acquisition and teaching foreign languages, whilst offering solutions to build teachers’ subject knowledge and ensure progression across year groups. https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk/our-offer/teaching-and-leading-mfl-in-primary-schools/ - hello@servicesforeducation.co.uk

Year 2 Phonics Check – Autumn Term

Following the announcement for Year 2 pupils to undertake the Phonics Screening check in the second half of the autumn term, this briefing session, aimed at teachers in Year 2, will look at the administrative arrangements for the Check- how, when and where the check is to be administered. https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk/our-offer/year-2-phonics-check-autumn-term/ - Tricia.bunn@servicesforeducation.co.uk

The Power of Vocabulary – Wednesday 20th October 2021: 16.00 – 17.30

Learn about the ‘word gap’ and why we need to close it. An evidence led session, focusing on recent research to inform best practice in the primary classroom.

https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk/our-offer/the-power-of-vocabulary-wednesday-20th-october-2021-16-00-17-30

Contact: Tricia.bunn@servicesforeducation.co.uk

AET Governors' Seminar: Schools Programme for Developing Provision 

The session will consider how educational settings can use the AET programme to: 

• Raise autism knowledge and awareness within the setting
• Support governors and senior leaders to meet and evidence statutory duties under the SEND Code of Practice, Teacher’s Standards, Ofsted Inspection framework, Equality Act -
• Provide a framework for school improvement and staff professional development

Date: Thursday 7th October 2021 - 9.00am – 12.30pm

This session will be run via Microsoft Teams/remote training.

To secure your place, please booking online via: https://accesstoeducation.birmingham.gov.uk/product/aet-schools-programme-for-developing-provision-governors-seminar-oct-2021/