Noticeboard - 12 January 2023

Welcome to this week's noticeboard which contains an Oracle System Implementation update, new direct contact details for SENAR Case Officers, information on the launch of a new survey for Change for Children and Young People 2023-2028 and much more!

Oracle System Implementation Update for Schools

Discovery workshop

Engagement continues, with a workshop on 24 January, covering more detailed progress updates and timelines for technical improvements, as well as an opportunity to identify and discuss actions to resolve any new issues.

Finance

Reconciliation Files:

  • Functionality went live on 6 January, with files for weeks 16, 17 and 18 now available to download via the Anycomms system, with subsequent report dates rolling forward for each week, from Monday to Sunday. It is currently anticipated that all files will be available within a period of 2 to 3 weeks.
  • Supporting guidance is available online via the Schools Oracle information web page.
  • Availability of files only relates to schools that have transactions relating to them recorded within a report file. These schools will receive auto-generated emails direct from Anycomms when a file is available for download.
  • There may be a slight delay in transactions appearing within reconciliation files, as the report records the actual date that the transaction is processed against your school Oracle code.

Payroll Report:

  • The report is now ready to be released into the live system, with work progressing to set up the required access for Schools. The aim is to introduce the reporting functionality from mid-January, starting from January’s payroll. Supporting guidance on accessing the reports will be made available when the new functionality is introduced.

People Services (HR)

Salary Statements:

  • The Oracle report to produce salary statements is still being developed. More detailed progress information will be communicated as it becomes available.

Reminder of main points of contact and other information

  • Information on contact points and escalation channels to support technical issues and complaints is available on the ’how to get in touch’ section of the Schools Oracle information web page. Over the coming months, this page will become a central source of Oracle guidance and other supporting information.
  • To help ensure that important Oracle information reaches intended audiences, please email OracleCommunications@birmingham.gov.uk, with details of any alternative or preferred channels, or formats. Please also let us know if you are missing email bulletins, so that your email address can be added to the distribution list.

SENAR Case Officers – Direct Telephone Contact

We are delighted to announce that with effect from 9 January 2023, professionals, parents and carers will be able to telephone their child or young person’s Birmingham City Council SENAR case worker directly.

Feedback from parents and carers made it very clear that being able to talk to someone who knows and understands their case, their child/young person and their situation is a top priority.

All emails from SENAR officers will now include: 

  • their direct contact telephone number that they can be reached on
  • the hours in which they are available to be reached by telephone
  • information identifying their non-working days
  • arrangements for any leave they may be taking

It will also be possible to leave a voicemail outside of the available hours and officers will endeavour to return calls within one working day.

Contact information for the SENAR team can be found on the Local Offer Birmingham - SEND Advice and Support website. Details of schools’ link officers can also be found here.

Additional resource has been allocated to our Parent Link service and officers can be reached between 09:00 and 17:00 on 0121 303 8461. The options you hear when calling Parent Link have also been reviewed, so you can now speak to an officer without delay.

We would be very grateful if you would share this news widely with families, parents, carers and school staff and thank you for your continued support.

Change for Children and Young People 2023-2028

Birmingham Children’s Partnership, including Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Children’s Trust, the NHS, the Police, Birmingham Voluntary Service Council and local community groups, have drafted a 5-year plan titled Change for Children and Young People 2023-2028. The plan was drafted to reflect the voice of children and young people who shared their vision for the city. Over 4000 young people responded in 2020 and 2021.

As the plan develops, we know the wider landscape has also changed. We have, therefore, launched a new survey to build on previous work and ensure the children and young people’s voice continues to shape the framework of the plan and influence change in Birmingham.

We would like your help to reach children and young people with the survey, and support and encourage them to make their views heard. The link for survey can be found here: https://forms.gle/8wHH4ujLPWgKksVF6

The survey will be open until Friday, 24 February 2023.

Should you have any queries, or require any further information please contact: greatplacetogrowup@birmingham.gov.uk

Thank you for your support! 

Free Stationery Available for Schools

As part of the clearance of the council’s offices at 1 Lancaster Circus, stationery no longer required is available free of charge for Birmingham schools to collect. The stationery available includes:

  • Envelopes
  • Binding machines (small number)
  • Plastic wallets
  • Filing cabinet dividers
  • Lever arch files
  • Staplers

Any interested schools should contact Fiona Rhodes (Fiona.Rhodes@birmingham.gov.uk) who will be able to advise in more detail of the items available and arrange a time for collection from the Lancaster Circus offices this month.

EYSFF Returns for Spring Term 2023

For schools with Early Years provision for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds

Each term schools are required to submit and return an on-line EYSFF submission to provide the council with numbers of eligible 2-year-olds, EYPP and FSM take up so that early years funding can be reconciled.  It is the schools responsibility to ensure that the form is completed within the time frame and failure to do so will result in incorrect budget allocations.

The link to the form will be emailed to schools during Census week and schools will be required to complete the form between 19 and 26 January 2023. The email is sent to the enquiry@ email address so please ensure that the person responsible for this mailbox knows who to forward the link to within your school. Unfortunately, we do not have the facility to use individual email addresses.

Please only include your Early Years Children on this form – do not include children in Reception.

Please remember that all 2-year-olds that you claim for and all 3- and 4-year-olds that you are claiming EYPP and FSM for must have an eligible code that you are advised to keep a note of on the children's records for the purpose of EEE audit. If the system does not confirm eligibility, you can contact earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk for support.

Please note there is no facility to receive a copy of your on-line submission, however the details of numbers of eligible children should be held on your records in line with the terms and conditions of EEE funding.

The EEE Provider Agreement detailing the terms and conditions of delivering early education entitlement can be found on EYMIS: http://www.ted-birmingham.org.uk

To access EYMIS please use:

  • 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 the on-line form or the eligibility of children please email earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

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

Early Education Entitlement - 2-Year Funded Places

If you would like to promote 2-year funding to parents, you might like to consider using this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jagU4sv9LE

Before you offer a 2-year Early Education Entitlement (EEE) place, please ensure that the 2-year-old child is eligible. A parent (or provider on the parents behalf with permission) should complete an eligibility application to confirm eligibility by using this link: www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oeye/birmingham

Every application generates a code or reference number – please keep a note of this code for audit purposes. If the code is eligible then you can offer a place. However, as the eligibility checker does not always confirm eligibility, you may need to view evidence of eligibility and email earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk with the child's name, date of birth and the eligibility application code/reference, and confirm specifically what evidence you have seen confirming the child's eligibility. For example, you may have seen a confirmation letter that the child receives DLA. On receipt of this information the EEE team will override the application to 'eligible' and email confirmation so a place can be offered. Please do not offer a place unless you know it is eligible.

2-year-olds can get an EEE funded place if they live in England and meet the 2-year eligibility criteria which can be found here: www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds

If you have any queries, or would like further information please contact: earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Early Education Entitlement – 30-Hour Places for Autumn Term 2023

For children to access a 30-hour funded place in Spring 2023, parents are required to have received an eligible code on or before 31 December 2022. Unfortunately, the local authority cannot fund codes that have a validity start date on or after 1 January 2023.

It remains the childcare providers responsibility to check the date on the code before offering a 30-hour place or part of a 30-hour place. Please do this by entering the code on ECS and then check the validity start date to make sure it is eligible for the current term: www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oefe/birmingham/la/schools

Please check the date before allowing a child to access a 30-hour place this term.

Further information about 30-hour places 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 contact: earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Early Education Entitlement - 30-Hour Places for Foster Children

Foster parents can apply for 30 hours extended entitlement for their 3- and 4-year-old foster children if they are in paid employment outside of their foster care role.

As these applications cannot be made via the usual route of the Childcare Choices website and need to be sent directly to the local authority, the foster carer or social worker should email earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk for an application form. The Social Worker and Birmingham Virtual School Advisor need to be in agreement that the application is in the best interests of the child.

The same deadlines apply – a code is required by 31 December 2022 in order to access 30 hours from January 2023 for Spring term. If you are aware of any looked after children that might be eligible for 30 hours extended entitlement please signpost them to earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Codes still require validation on ECS before agreeing the 30 hours start date. This can be done by entering the code on ECS and checking the validity start date to ensure it is eligible for the current term : https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oefe/birmingham/la/schools

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 contact: earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Early Education Entitlement - Parental Declarations

For Spring 2023 term children need to be in attendance with you for headcount day as per the terms and conditions of funding detailed in the EEE Provider Agreement in order for you to receive funding.

The Provider Agreement states:

2.32. The Provider must ensure that a parental declaration is completed in English for each child entitled to an early education entitlement place. If a parent is unable to understand what they are declaring or agreeing to, the provider should provide the appropriate translation support. If this support is not available the provider must contact earlyeducation@Birmingham.gov.uk requesting the appropriate support .

A parental declaration should be fully completed and signed, or updated for each term the child is in attendance at a provider, even if there is no change. The parental declaration form will confirm when a parent is using multiple providers to access their entitlement. Providing the declarations confirms that the parent is receiving their eligible entitlement; funding will be split and paid in accordance with the signed parental declaration forms.

Parental declarations should be signed at the start of each term by both parent and provider. Please note that children must be in attendance on or before headcount date in order to claim a funded place for Spring term. If children don't start with you until very close to headcount date, please ask whether they have visited / attended / signed up to another setting before coming to you. If they have, check that they have informed the other setting that they are not returning and that they are aware they may have to pay fees to the setting they are leaving. Duplicate claims will be investigated and may mean that the funding is split between providers.

Please ensure any eligibility codes are included and complete the schedule of planned attendance.  This provides a clear picture of what hours and days the child is attending, the start date for each term, and if they attend more than one provider. It also shows if children stretch their provision over more than 38 weeks of the year. For 30-hour parents who use two providers, it is also really important to state who the Universal provider is, and this must be the parent's decision.

Please complete the parental declaration form with your parents – this is an opportunity to get to know them and have conversations about whether they have registered at another provider. You can then discuss the implication of funding and the potential costs for parents and the provider involved in duplicate claims.

Please also remember to keep your parental declarations on file as they may be required for audit purposes.

You can use your own parental declaration, but it should include as a minimum all the information contained in the Birmingham City Council parental declaration. A parental declaration template and an example of a completed one 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 please contact: earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Pupil Place Planning - Proposals to Reduce PAN for 2023 Entry

In order to address the sustained impact of surplus Primary places and lower intakes in schools, we are proposing a variation to admissions arrangements for a number of schools to enable a reduction to PAN for 2023 entry. The business case will be evaluated and decided upon by the School Adjudicator in due course. We will publish the outcome of the decisions.

We are currently seeking a proposed PAN reduction at the following maintained school:

  • George Dixon Primary School - reducing from 60 to 30 for Reception 2023

We continue to discuss reductions in PANs for Reception 2024 entry. Community and VC school PANs are currently being consulted on with a decision due in Spring 2022. If you are an academy and would also like to discuss proposals for Reception 2024 please also get in touch.

For further information, please contact Education Infrastructure: ediplaceplanning@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham Careers Service News

New Year, New Start’ – the latest edition of Birmingham Careers Service interactive newsletter is available now and can be accessed here: Birmingham Careers Service Newsletter January 2023

Please circulate to any other professionals you feel would benefit from access to this information to support working with young people.

If you have any queries or require further information, please contact BCareers@birmingham.gov.uk or visit www.birminghamcareersservice.co.uk

Special School Outreach Support (SSOS)

The Special School Outreach Support (SSOS) part of the Developing Local Provision (DLP) initiative, which enables schools to ‘buy in’ specialist SEND support from other schools, has supported 67 mainstream students in 46 schools since January 2022. Initially all the support provided will be funded by the DLP funding and the service, which can be accessed by all schools through a jointly managed referral system run by our Special Schools and the Local Authority, will be open for referral again in January 2023.   

Reminder of the Process for Referrals:

  • Pupils/schools requiring SSOS support will be raised at the individual school planning meetings where LA specialist inclusion teams are in attendance.  
  • There may be other times that support around a pupil, small group of pupils or whole school is needed.  If this is the case, the school (SENCO) will need to contact the most relevant LA team (linked to the area of need of support required). For example SEMH, EP, CAT, Early Years.
  • LA specialist team leads will then agree the appropriateness of the request (referral cannot be processed without this approval) and the specialist teacher/EP will communicate this approval to the school SENCO.
  • The school SENCO will then make a request via the SSOS website by completing the Request for Support
  • Support can be offered once a Parental Consent Form is completed and arrangements around the type of support required is agreed.  

We look forward to supporting many more students for the remainder of the academic year and beyond.

In the meantime, If you have any queries or require further information please contact Simon Harris – s.harris@wilsonstuart.co.uk

Supporting Children and Young People with Down Syndrome – Training Video

BCHC Speech and Language Therapy Team have produced a new training video aimed at parents and professionals who support children and young people with Down Syndrome, and which can be viewed at various times during a child’s development. 

The video explains about the Specific Learning Profile and the Specific Communication Profile and goes through strategies and principles which are important for supporting Children and Young People with Down Syndrome.

The video can be viewed here: www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/childSLT-videos

If you have any queries or require further information, please contact bchnt.childrens.slt@nhs.net or telephone 0121 466 3370.

BCHC Plus – Makaton Workshops

Levels 1 and 2

These workshops are suitable for Professionals who need to use Makaton in their work (as well as for others who wish a more in-depth training) and Parents and non-professional carers e.g., child-minders; who need to use Makaton in everyday situations The sessions cover current best practice around sign and symbol use and an overview of alternative systems of communication.  At the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to use signs from stages 1-4 plus the Additional stage of the Makaton vocabulary.  Participant manuals containing all the signs and symbols will be provided.

  • Level 1: Tuesday, 7 March 2023
  • Level 2: Tuesday, 14 March 2023

Level 3

The workshop builds on the signs and symbols learnt in Levels 1 and 2.  It aims to increase participants’ knowledge and skills.  It develops ideas and confidence in using signs and symbols and teaches accurate interpretative skills.  Sign analysis is considered and Stages 5 and 6 signs and symbols are taught.  Participant manuals are provided.

  • Level 3: Tuesday, 14 February 2023

For further information regarding these workshops, or to make a booking, please contact Helene Elia by emailing Helene.elia@nhs.net, or telephone 07966 762943

Refugee Education UK (REUK) – Online Training Sessions

Designed to provide the practical tools for supporting young refugees and enabling them to flourish in education in the UK.  

Drawing on REUK’s research and experience of working with young refugees and asylum seekers for over 12 years, these training sessions will:

  • provide an introduction to supporting refugee students who arrive in schools
  • outline the previous educational and displacement experiences of children and young people seeking safety in the UK 
  • explain the educational implications for newly-arrived students with a focus on barriers to progress and achievement
  • outline practical strategies that schools can adopt to overcome these challenges
  • share details of free REUK and partner resources that can help schools engage with refugee learners and develop policies and practices

Training Session Dates:

  • Wednesday, 18 January 2023 (16:00-17:15) – focus on Afghan refugees
  • Wednesday, 22 February 2023 (16:15-17:30) – focus on Ukrainian refugees
  • Tuesday, 7 March 2023 (16:15-17:30) – focus on Afghan refugees
  • Wednesday, 26 April 2023 (16:15-17:30) – focus on Ukrainian refugees

To book your place simply follow this link: Refugee Education UK Training

If you have any queries or require further information please contact: training@reuk.org

The PIPA Trial

Mental Health and Parenting Resource for Families

The PIPA Trial is exploring the effectiveness of an online resource for parents/carers to help prevent depression and anxiety in young people. The trial is coordinated by the University of Warwick (UoW).

UoW are working with families of young people aged 11-15 years from across the UK and are collaborating with secondary schools to promote the trial and engage with families. Involvement for schools is very easy and minimal – UoW will work with a key contact in your school (mental health/safeguarding lead or similar) to sign a letter of agreement and send out invitations to families. All necessary documentation will be provided.

The PIPA Trial is ‘FREE’ to families and schools and is conducted completely online. Parents/carers and young people who are eligible to take part will be asked to complete questionnaires and will receive access to online parenting resources.

This is a great opportunity for schools to get involved in the drive to improve youth mental health and support students and families.

If schools are interested in being involved or would like more information, please contact the trial team at PIPA@warwick.ac.uk or telephone 02476 574316. www.warwick.ac.uk/pipa

 

 

This entry was posted by Dawn Evans on 11/01/2023.