• Birmingham Children and Young People's Partnership - Five Year Children and Young People's Plan 
• Birmingham Head Teacher Reference Group 
• 2-year Funded Places - Early Education Entitlement
• Childcare Choices Campaign 
• Pearson National Teaching Awards 2023
• Leading Primary History Course - 6 February 2023 
• Peer Mediation Plus
• Introduction to Restorative Practice 

Birmingham Children and Young People’s Partnership – Five Year Children and Young People’s Plan

We’re delighted with the response we’ve received so far from children and young people since the launch of our survey last week, and our heartfelt thanks for your support.

Please continue to share the survey, so it can reach children and young people across the city and encourage them to make their views heard. There’s still plenty of time before the closing date of Friday, 24 February, and the survey can be found here: https://forms.gle/8wHH4ujLPWgKksVF6

If you have any queries or would like further information please feel free to contact greatplacetogrowup@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham Head Teacher Reference Group

A reference group of headteachers was established in May 2022 with the purpose of coming together to:

• Plan - To work together to shape different aspects of the Children and Families Improvement Journey
• Share - To share progress regarding the Improvement Journey
• Listen - To understand the impact of improvement and learning from schools and settings
• Create - To test hypotheses and ideas

We are really grateful to the headteachers who volunteered to be part of this group which has met on a termly basis since last May. Any headteachers who would like to find out more about the group or to join are very welcome to email laura.hendry@birmingham.gov.uk

2-Year Funded Places - Early Education Entitlement

If you would like to promote 2-year funding to parents please feel free to use this video: https://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. To confirm eligibility, a parent (or provider on the parents behalf with permission) is required to complete an eligibility application using this link: https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oeye/birmingham

Each application will generate a code or reference number – please keep a record of this for audit purposes. If the code is eligible then you can offer a place.  If the eligibility checker does not confirm eligibility, please ensure you view evidence of eligibility and email earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk with the child's name and date of birth along with the eligibility application code/reference and confirm 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 you confirmation so that a place can be offered.

Please do not offer a place unless you know it is eligible.

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

If you have any queries or require further information please contact the team and they’ll be pleased to help – earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Childcare Choices Campaign

Over a million families in the UK are entitled to support with the costs of childcare from the government, but many are missing out because they do not realise they are eligible.

The Childcare Choices campaign aims to raise awareness and understanding of the support available from the government with the costs of childcare. You can support the campaign and help ensure your parents and carers aren’t missing out by directing them to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk where they can easily find the right offers of childcare support for them.

They could be entitled to:

• up to £2,000 a year of Tax-Free Childcare per child (or £4,000 if disabled) for children up to 11, or 17 if they’re disabled
• help with up to 85% of their childcare costs for children up to 16 with Universal Credit
• 30 hours of free childcare for 3- and 4-year-olds if they’re a working family in England.

Government childcare financial support is not limited to just nurseries and childminders, depending on eligibility criteria, this support could be used for breakfast clubs, after-schools clubs, activity clubs, holiday clubs, and play schemes.

The Department for Education has also developed a parent toolkit that provides social posts and assets for use on your social media (if applicable) to inform parents and carers of the support available and ensure they aren't missing out.

Pearson National Teaching Awards 2023

The Pearson National Teaching Awards offer schools the opportunity to showcase the incredible work taking place in early years, schools or college communities. Share your stories by entering today!

• It’s easy to enter, it’s FREE, and every eligible nominee is congratulated with an official certificate
• More staff celebrated than ever before with bronze, silver and gold announcements
• 16 categories covering early years, primary, secondary and FE – both individual and team awards
• Winners celebrated in regional press stories, on national TV as well as in-person at free and highly prestigious awards ceremonies 

Established in 1998, the awards are an annual celebration of excellence in education, recognising the amazing work of teachers, schools and colleges across the UK.

The closing date for entries is 24 February 2023. Find out more and enter by simply following this link

Please direct any queries to info@teachingawards.com

Leading Primary History Course

Monday, 6 February 2023 - 09:00-16:00 - Services for Education, Holt Street, Birmingham B7 4AX

Develop confidence and knowledge in practical approaches to effective subject leadership, whilst gaining the skills to help meet the challenge of primary history teaching within the new Ofsted inspection framework.

Course content:

• Understanding the National Curriculum for History
• Sequencing an effective primary History curriculum – approaches
• Subject leadership in challenging times- the role of the subject leader
• Intent, Implementation and Impact – and how these relate to History.
• Diving deep into primary History
• Auditing where you are now and what you want to achieve
• Key documentation
• Raising the status of the subject in your school

Please book your place by simply following this link

For queries or further information, please contact Emma.mudge@servicesforeducation.co.uk or telephone 0121 366 9950.

Peer Mediation Plus

Funding is available for schools in the West Midlands to help set up a Peer Mediation scheme and train staff to get the most out of the scheme in the Spring or Summer terms 2023.

Peer mediation involves children being trained to mediate their peers’ conflicts at school. It is underpinned by the same values that inform adult mediation. It is voluntary, inclusive and leads those people who find themselves in a dispute, to find their own solution to their problem, rather than being told what to do.  It is conflict resolution for young people, by young people. 

What’s included:

• Pupil workshop
• 3 days mediation training - with up to 24 selected peer mediators
• Staff CPD (3 twilights or one-half day and one twilight)
• Lunchtime Supervisor Training (a 90-minute session)
• Invitation to a WM Peer Mediation Leads Network
• Evaluation including a follow up visit to the school once the scheme is established

Schools are asked to commit to all aspects of the offer and to make a financial contribution towards the costs. The total cost to deliver this work is £2,270 per school, but each school will be asked to contribute just £500.00.

For further information please contact Libbs Packer at Peacemakers:  Libbs@peacemakers.org.uk or telephone 0121 236 4796.

Introduction to Restorative Practice for Schools & Community Settings

Monday, 6 February 2023 – 09:00-16:30: The Priory Rooms, Birmingham B4 6AF - £150 per person

Restorative Practice is a way of being, thinking, interacting, teaching and learning – with relationships at the centre. Many schools are using restorative approaches to foster an inclusive, child-centred and relational learning environment. Children develop emotional and social skills and learn to take ownership of conflicts and solutions to conflict.

This training course will provide participants with the knowledge and skills required to use informal restorative practices in their day-to-day work, introducing participants to the philosophy and language of restorative practices. Using a mix of theory, skills practice and group work, participants will learn how to apply this innovative and relational way of dealing with conflict in their daily work.

The course is delivered by a practitioner, who is accredited by the Restorative Justice Council and bookings can be made here: Introduction to Restorative Practice

Discounts may apply for bookings of more than one person so please contact Yvonne Hunt at Peacemakers to discuss: office@peacemakers.org.uk or telephone 0121 236 4796.