Noticeboard: 17 March 2022

This week's Noticeboard includes the latest SENAR update, concerns about YUBO app, information about attendance, a school organisation proposal about Oscott Manor School, training opportunities and more.

Included in this update: 

SENAR update

Please find the latest SENAR update here, which continues to show tangible progress. We have decided to reduce the frequency of these updates so that we are providing information on really meaningful changes and not overloading already busy inboxes.

We will of course let you know of any significant changes that are made between the now monthly SENAR updates and of course, all information is always uploaded on the SEND Local Offer website

Online safety concerns raised over YUBO APP

The Violence Reduction Unit has shared an online safety alert for the YUBO app. Please be aware and share with your networks that young people are using the app YUBO which is a social/ chat room/ live stream type app.  There are concerns raised of the potential of adult abusers using this site to exploit children and young people. 

  • Poor Age Restrictions/Privacy Settings: Although the terms and conditions state that Yubo is strictly for users above 13, there is nothing to prevent a young child from joining the platform. Young people have been observed to connect with adults or mature teens on the app to chat with or even ask to be ‘rated’. There is a growing concern that the app could be used for grooming. Adult predators have been known to create fake profiles displaying a teenager’s persona to lure unsuspecting kids into conversations. It is almost impossible to verify the true identity of a Yubo user.
  • Livestream: The livestream feature is the most worrying. Children can initiate live video streams of their day, in their bedrooms or any other location. Any number of strangers can view the stream and can send questions or interact via live text chat. These are not restricted to friends alone and are often open to strangers; users are then encouraged to add unknown attendees/viewers as friends during the stream. In addition, questions from strangers on livestream may result in teenagers giving away personal information and the most disturbing part of this feature is that anyone can record a livestream.

School Attendance update: Training and DfE data collection  

School Attendance – Early Help and Legal Processes online training

The next School Attendance – Early Help and Legal Processes online training will take place on Wednesday 30th March 9.30am-12.30pm.

The course will cover FAST-track to Attendance and the Leave in Term Time (Legal) process as well as early help, children with frequent illness absence and what to do next when all else fails.  

To book your place, please use this link. To ensure this popular course is open to as many schools as possible, only two places per school are available. 

DfE Attendance Data Collection

The DfE is trialling collecting daily attendance data from schools. Collecting data daily will give schools, local authorities and multi-academy trusts (MATs) access to more timely pupil level attendance data. This collection will not add to your school's workload and is a voluntary data collection for schools who complete the school census.  It is not related to the establishment settings forms sent in by schools on a weekly basis.

If your school is interested in taking part you can find more information here.

School Organisation: Oscott Manor School 2022

Birmingham City Council published the following proposal for statutory consultation on 10th March 2022:

  • Increase pupil numbers at Oscott Manor School (up to 180) with creation of an additional site. Implementation: 1st September 2022.

For a copy of the full proposal document and details of how to submit comments, please visit this link.  

All comments must be received no later than 7th April 2022.

Archdiocese of Birmingham meeting: Welcoming Arrivals from Hong Kong

The Archdiocese of Birmingham is holding a meeting for parishes and schools in Sutton Coldfield and North Birmingham with a special focus on issues facing arrivals from Hong Kong on the British National (Overseas) visa including jobs, housing and school places together with English speakers of other languages (ESOL). The meeting will take place on Sunday 20th March at 3pm at Holy Cross and St Francis, Signal Hayes Road, Walmley B76 2SJ.

Speakers will include Bal Dhanjal, British National Overseas Project Manager (on jobs, housing and school places), a representative from the Mayor’s Office, and a Skills Officer on ESOL Support.

For those schools or parent/carers that wish to attend, please complete the reply slip available here and return it to co-ordinator.ethnic.chaplaincy@rcaob.org.uk 

Reminder

There is also general information available on the Birmingham School Admissions website that is applicable to all arrivals from Hong Kong on the British National (Overseas) visa. 

Free ‘Education is the Commonwealth’ sessions run by brap

Whilst the arrival in Birmingham of the Commonwealth Games is exciting and fun – a coming together of different nations where athletes can show off their skills – we shouldn’t the miss the opportunity the event presents to talk about some more serious topics. Does the concept of the Commonwealth Games imply that we have tackled discrimination and are anti-racist in areas beyond sport? Have we created a city which is inclusive and fair? The ‘Education is the Commonwealth’ project will take advantage of the attention being paid to the games to ask these important questions. We want to bring together school leaders, parents, carers, and young people to really take some time to talk about education, race, inclusion, and anti-racism.

Education is the Commonwealth is a project offering facilitated group discussions, either online or in person. We want to explore, learn, and challenge together. The sessions are free and can be delivered online or in person. Sessions include:

  • Leading a Commonwealth School (for school leaders) Explore how to use leadership to improve deep seated inequalities in the education system. Consider the role of head teachers and school leaders in modelling a more equitable school culture
  • Free Movement: The Commonwealth at School (for young people in school) Explore how racial prejudice is experienced. Discuss how we can start to dismantle racism
  • Free Movement – The Commonwealth at Home (for parents or carers) Explore the role parents can play in creating positive change around race equality.

We only have a limited number sessions / dates so if you want to find out more or make a booking for your school then please email: dianer@brap.org.uk or visit www.brap.org.uk

Access to Education training course: Maximising the Practice Of Teaching Assistants 4 April 2022

Date: Monday 4th April 2022
Time: 9:00am – 12.00pm
Venue: Prince Albert High School, Perry Barr
Audience: SENCOs, Senior Leaders and Head Teachers in all settings and at all stages.

A half-day session aimed at SENCOs, Senior Leaders and Head Teachers in all settings and at all stages. Based on research, this course helps teachers to understand and improve their deployment of TAs and ensure TAs make a valuable contribution to learning and helping pupils towards independence. Teaching assistants are well placed to assist teachers in obtaining evidence on pupils’ performance and to help pupils develop and practice independent thinking skills, but teachers need guidance in how to release this potential within the TAs that work in their classroom. 

Key features

  • Research and guidance on the complementary roles of teachers and TAs
  • Scaffolding as a framework for developing pupil independence
  • Reflect on practice and developing specific scaffolding strategies
  • Using TAs to ensure quality assessment for learning
  • Resources to support the strategic development and review of TA deployment. 

The MPTA training content has been developed and approved by University College London presented by a licensed Maximising the Practice of Teaching Assistants (MPTA) trainer.

More information, including how to book is available at this link or by contacting pssinfo@birmingham.gov.uk

Safety Net - keeping Children Safe Online - Fully funded teachers VIRTUAL live CPD webinar 

Wednesday 27th April 9.15 am (Duration 90 minutes)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION -This is a virtual session and places are limited. Resources will be sent out to you by post, so it is important that you register using the link straight away to ensure that you receive the resources prior to the session. 

Safety Net is a unique educational programme designed to provide teachers and frontline practitioners with the tools and confidence to engage parents, and their children, in a concerted effort to encourage keep safe online. Many parents worry about what their children are doing online, yet very few know of the real dangers. The training aims to raise awareness to what parents need to be aware of and embeds a realistic approach to help young people stay safe online.

Learning Outcomes. By the end of this hard-hitting live CPD webinar session, you will have gained:

  • an increased awareness to the real and emerging dangers children are unknowingly at risk of when using the Internet, social media and playing online games
  • an understanding of perpetrators and the models used for online grooming, to include sexting, child sexual exploitation, gangs, radicalisation, bullying and becoming an unintentional victim.
  • an insight into fake news, social influencers, as well as inaccurate and pervasive information that children are exposed to online.
  • an understanding of how to access advice and support to be able to better engage and support your parents, taking a realistic approach

There is also access for a limited number of schools to receive a subsidised virtual parental session. More information will be provided during the CPD. 

Please use this link to book a place. 

Services for Education webinar: Managing Anxiety in Children and Young People 

Some worry is a normal part of every child’s experience, often changing from one developmental stage to the next. However, when worry or stress make it hard for a child to function normally, anxiety can be seen as limiting their ability to access learning, their lives and the world around them, and at worst, preventing those things. And as if growing up didn’t have enough anxieties associated with it, now we have a whole new level of stuff to worry about.

Anxiety is a normal response to something dangerous or stressful and has nothing to do with strength, courage or character. It becomes a problem when it shows up unexpectedly and takes a particularly firm hold. When anxiety is in full swing, it feels awful. Awful enough that anticipation of the feeling is enough in itself to cause anxiety. Anxiety in children can be especially confusing, not only for the ones who are feeling anxious, but also for the adults who care about them.

With many children experiencing levels of anxiety not experienced before, this video course will explore the feelings, thoughts, language and behaviour of anxiety with strategies and links to resources to support you to support children and help them return to school.

This 60-minute video-based course is suitable for teachers and other adults working with children. It is not confined to children affected by covid 19 but also addresses how anxiety can be a result of other fears and experiences.

The course considers the natural physiological responses and how adults can help children to manage them. It also looks at how anxiety can limit and prevent learning and suggests ways to support children in the classroom.

The course references easily accessible resources such as ‘Myg and Me’. 

More information is available at this link.

Services for Education webinar: Dealing with Loss and Bereavement 

Whether sudden or expected, few life events have a greater impact on families than the death of a family member. The ways in which we make sense of, and cope with grief vary greatly and are unique to each of us, but grief is normal and to be expected.

Supporting a bereaved child can seem daunting but there are ways you can make a difference. You may not be able to remove the pain and make things better, but you will be able to provide support, strategies to help to manage overwhelming feelings and create a safe space in school for a child who is grieving.

Whilst the current crisis is uppermost in our minds, this webinar takes account of the fact that many children will also experience bereavement which is unrelated to covid 19 – roughly 24000 children each year are bereaved of a parent. This 60-minute video-based course is suitable for supporting all of those children.

This video-based course is suitable for teachers and other adults working with children. It begins with useful knowledge to further understand the determinants of grief, age and levels of understanding, and trauma. It then moves on to look at the way in which schools can respond, both reactively and proactively, and concludes with a consideration of policy and long-term planning. There are also references for useful and informative resources.

More information is available at this link. 

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Governor Elections 

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is looking for candidates to stand in their Governor elections and new members to help shape their future priorities. They are seeking to elect eight public governors and will open the election process in mid-March. 

Please support BCHC in promoting their elections and sharing the opportunity to either stand as a Governor or vote for the person you would like to represent you. Public membership is open to all aged 16 and over who live in the West Midlands region.

Please encourage people in your local area to become members and have their say. Nominations opened on Tuesday 15th March 2022.

For more information, please visit www.cesvotes.com/BCHC2022

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