Noticeboard - 2 February 2023

Welcome to this week's noticeboard which contains a wealth of important updates and training opportunities. We'd also kindly ask schools to keep sharing the Children and Young People Survey and promote the exciting Bring it on Brum February activities!

Change for Children and Young People 2023-2028 – Survey

Huge thanks for continuing to share the Change for Children and Young People survey! 

We’re mindful that some of our children and young people may need support in responding to the survey, especially younger children, or children and young people with additional needs. We would therefore encourage you to help them as much as possible and the survey can be accessed here: https://forms.gle/tKur9F3HihJWb8768

Get creative! Hold a workshop, have a one-to-one with a child or young person. You can even send the answers from children and young people directly to us: greatplacetogrowup@birmingham.gov.uk

Or, if you’d like us to facilitate a workshop or focus group, we’d be delighted to do so, just email the team at greatplacetogrowup@birmingham.gov.uk

We’re committed to keeping children and young people at the heart of all we do, and thank you once again for your continued support.

Birmingham Children's Partnership

Holiday Activities and Food Programme - February Events - Open for bookings now! 

We’re delighted to offer two opportunities for children and families to join in some exciting events taking place across Birmingham during February half-term.

The events are aimed at children and young people in Birmingham aged 4-16 who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

Come and Try Bring it on Brum! - from Monday, 20 February to Friday, 24 February

These FREE ‘taster’ sessions will allow children and families to experience some of the services and activities available through Bring it on Brum, and be encouraged to sign up for the Easter Summer, and Winter holidays!

There’ll be lots of activities on offer including sports and games, arts and crafts, dance and music, and sharing of information and advice for the whole family!

Bring it on Brum! Family Food Festivals - from Saturday, 11 February to Sunday, 26 February

These FREE events are designed to include a variety of practical demonstrations, workshops for children and adults alike, and offer information and advice on cooking for a family.

Open for bookings now and no HAF codes required! Visit the Bring it on Brum! website: www.bringitonbrum.co.uk

For queries or further information please contact: Birminghamholidayactivities@streetgames.org

Oracle Update – Weekly Reconciliation File Production Now Resumed From 1 February 2023

The work to resolve the technical issues that some schools were experiencing when downloading weekly reconciliation files has now been completed and the functionality successfully tested.

Weekly file production resumed on 1 February, starting with the week 21 file, so you should now start to receive notifications via Anycomms that this file is available for download.

Files for weeks 19 and 20 will also be available to download, but please do not upload the files into your schools MIS if they have already been successfully loaded to it.

We understand the impact that these technical issues have caused for schools and apologise for the delays and inconvenience.

DBS Checks for Visiting Professionals

It has been drawn to our attention by Birmingham Children’s Trust (BCT) colleagues that there have been occasions where social workers attending schools as part of a Section 47 investigation or to undertake visits as part of a CP and CIN plan, are being turned away or refused entry if they do not share their DBS details. This has prevented BCT workers from undertaking any assessment or investigation, or delivering intervention for children.

Please may we remind all schools that the policy statement issued by Birmingham City Council in 2018 remains unchanged and can be accessed here: DBS Checks for Visiting Professionals

Key points to note:

  • If the visitor is a Birmingham Children’s Trust social worker or a family support worker or from BCC education services the BCT or BCC name badge implies an in-date DBS for their first and second visit.
  • Any visitor working within the school three times within a 30-day period should be recorded on the Single Central Register (SCR). However, you only need to record their name, organisation, ID check and record sight of the letter from line manager OR the DBS number if supplied. In the case of activity that is not regulated, a note ‘DBS not required’ should be made on the SCR.

It is most crucial that BCT professionals visiting schools are allowed on site to deliver statutory support and intervention in order to safeguard and/or protect children. Any unnecessary delays to assessments or interventions may put the child at further risk.

Please kindly share this information with Senior Leadership Teams, Designated Safeguarding Leads and school reception staff as a matter of urgency.

If you have any queries, please contact:  EducationSafeguarding@birmingham.gov.uk

With many thanks for your continued support and cooperation.

School Attendance

New Department for Education Guidance on Providing Remote Education

The DfE have released new guidance on the application of remote learning in schools and academies. You can find the guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providing-remote-education-guidance-for-schools

The headlines from the guidance include:

  • Full attendance in school must be prioritised
  • Pupils absent from school and receiving remote education need to be marked as absent in the register using the appropriate DfE codes
  • In applying the guidance to individual pupils, remote learning should be short term, regularly reviewed and with a view to re-integrating the child back into school full time
  • Remote education should be used only when it is judged that providing it would not adversely affect the pupil’s return to school (this may apply to children where there is ‘emotionally based school avoidance’ for example – please used #you’vebeenmissed in these instances https://bwc.nhs.uk/youve-been-missed )
  • Parents must be in agreement with the arrangement and where there is a social worker or an EHCP, the local authority must also be involved in the decision making
  • Remote education should not be used as a justification for sending pupils home due to their misbehaviour. Any time a pupil is sent home due to disciplinary reasons, this is a suspension and must be done in line with the law on disciplinary suspensions
  • Remote education should not be viewed as an equal alternative to attendance in school, and providing remote education during a pupil's absence does not reduce the importance of bringing that absence to an end as soon as possible

DfE Attendance Data

For the last year, the DfE have asked schools and academies to share daily attendance data partly to address safeguarding concerns raised by various agencies such as Children’s Commissioner but also to enable real time analysis of attendance across England in order to support schools. Wonde have been commissioned to collect the data and once signed up, schools will be able to access helpful reports relating to their school. Eventually, the database will enable real time attendance comparison data with the local authority, and like for like schools. The DfE have announced an intention to make the submission of data mandatory within the next year or so.

Around 70% of schools nationally and in Birmingham are already signed up but to enable accurate analysis all schools need to be sharing data. Once signed up the data is collected automatically.

If your school hasn’t yet signed up, you can learn more about Wonde’s secure portal via this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/share-your-daily-school-attendance-data

Attendance Procedures – Training Presentations

A reminder to schools that there are training presentations online to assist with the application of both FAST-track to Attendance and the Leave in Term Time (legal) processes. You can find the guidance for both procedures and the presentations here: www.birmingham.gov.uk/school-attendance

For queries or further information please contact: attendance@birmingham.gov.uk

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in Education Buildings

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in Education Buildings

FOI Requests

Some schools have been receiving FOI requests in relation to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in education buildings, please refer to the information below to aid in answering the FOI’s.

What is Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)?

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete RAAC is a lightweight aerated concrete used in construction including school buildings from the 1950 to the 1990’s. As RAAC panels have material and construction deficiencies this makes them less robust than traditional concrete. This increases the risk of structural failure, which can be gradual or sudden with no warning. Sudden failure of RAAC panels in roofs, eaves, floors, walls, and cladding systems would be dangerous, and the consequences could be serious.

Where is RAAC Found?

RAAC can be found in any school building that was built or modified during this time. RAAC panels can be found in flat and pitched roofs, eaves, floors, and walls.

How to Identify RAAC Panels

The panels can span between steel, concrete, brick, or block work supports and are typically hidden behind finishes including suspended ceilings or plasterboard and can be difficult to identify.

Actions Education Infrastructure (EDI) is taking to address RAAC in Maintained School Buildings

DfE Guidance

EDI are following the DfE guidance in relation to RAAC in school buildings. Further information can be found on the DfE website, in your search engine please type in DfE and RAAC or follow the link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance

DfE (RAAC) Education Estate Safety Questionnaire

EDI are completing the DfE (RAAC) Education Estate Safety Questionnaire as the responsible body for each of the maintained Birmingham Schools which have buildings or blocks which fall within the parameters of RAAC.

Desktop Surveys

Schools are not required to undertake their own inspections for RAAC and EDI have instructed Acivico to undertake a desk top survey to identify the education buildings which fall within the identified parameters of RAAC. However, should you suspect that you have RAAC in your school buildings please inform EDI.  The desk top survey will use, google maps, GIS, existing condition surveys and property data to identify buildings which potentially may have RAAC construction.

Site Surveys for Visual Inspection

  • Following the desk top survey Acivico will visit each identified school site to visually inspect for the presence of RAAC.
  • During the visual inspection if RAAC is identified, samples will then be taken for laboratory analysis for confirmation of RAAC.
  • If laboratory analysis determines that the sample is RAAC then a structural survey will be required. 
  • The structural survey will determine the action to be taken with the RAAC, including periodic monitoring, maintenance and repairs or replacement.  

RAAC in Birmingham Educational Buildings

Acivico and Birmingham City Laboratories who are our technical advisors on these matters have been aware of the RAAC issue in buildings for some time and they have advised that they have not found any RAAC construction to date in any Birmingham Education buildings.

If you require further information, please email edsi.enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk

Keeping Children Safe in Education – FREE Webinars

During February and March, the DfE are offering FREE webinars to support Keeping Children Safe in Education.

They will focus on four important topics: Low level concerns; single central record; safeguarding partners and sexting/online harms.

The DfE say that "These topics have been carefully selected to help school staff feel supported in safeguarding children and following KCSIE. The webinars will provide an opportunity for all school staff, including headteachers, designated safeguarding leads, teachers and teaching assistants, to hear from experts, who will share their knowledge and experience of these sensitive topics."

To book your place simply follow this link.

Launch of Child Protection Medical Assessment Toolkit

A new safeguarding toolkit aimed at supporting professionals working with children to take the appropriate action when identifying worrying marks, bruises or injuries has been launched.

The child protection medical assessment toolkit has been developed in partnership between health, social care and police and is aimed at anyone in Birmingham and Solihull who works with and has safeguarding responsibilities for children of any age – this includes nursery and teaching staff, voluntary organisations, health and social care professionals and police officers.

The toolkit includes a step-by-step guide for professionals to follow if they have concerns about any marks, bruises or injuries as well as a simple screening tool graphic to help professionals to quickly recognise concerning bruising on the body. The toolkit also provides guidance around what a child protection medical assessment is and explanations of language and medical terms that may be used in reports.

Download a copy of the toolkit here.

Consultancy Opportunity - Birmingham Education Partnership School Improvement Team

The Birmingham Education Partnership is looking to grow its network of diligent, committed and talented consultants to support evidence-based School Improvement across Birmingham schools.

If you are an experienced school leader who uses research to inform and evaluate your own practice of School Improvement and who supports colleagues in their professional learning, BEP would love to hear from you!

Successful applicants would belong to a team that is committed to outreach work and who understand what effective leadership of School Improvement looks like.

Do you have flexibility to support schools on an ad hoc basis? Are there areas of School Improvement that you are particularly knowledgeable and passionate about?

This is a great opportunity to deliver support to schools in Birmingham through BEP’s array of specialised School Improvement Packages.

If this opportunity is for you, please email a one-page cover letter, no later than Tuesday, 28 February to: productsandservices@bep.education.

If you have any questions or would simply like to find out more, please also email: productsandservices@bep.education.  

Update for Existing DSLs on Safeguarding and Child Protection

This centre-based course is for existing Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and Deputy DSLs who have previously attended the two-day DSL training course. It will focus on best practice, current issues of concern and the leadership and management aspects of safeguarding. It ensures that existing DSLs and DDSLs meet their statutory obligation to have training updated regularly.

Simply follow this link to book your place

For any queries or further information please contact: safeguarding@servicesforeducation.co.uk

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.

 

This entry was posted by Dawn Evans on 02/02/2023.