Noticeboard - 12 October 2023

This week's noticeboard contains important updates on Oracle and RAAC, a reminder to please complete the Alternative Provision Survey, information on Early Education Entitlement, EYFS Support and more!

Included in this update

Oracle System Update

Ongoing commitments to address priority finance and HR related Oracle system fixes and impacts on financial close priorities continue and information will be shared in future updates in due course.

Information has also been shared via recent engagement opportunities, including a Finance Oracle online session last month and the participation of council colleagues from Finance and People Services at the BASBM autumn conferences on 3 and 10 October.

The sections below provide a summary of this week’s Oracle updates.

Finance Update

Paying in slip income

Several queries have been received regarding missing paying in slip income with over 1,000 identified cases that still need to be reconciled and allocated. To do so, the Schools’ Transactional Service Team needs the following additional information:

  1. Date
  2. School Name
  3. School Code
  4. Breakdown including individual amounts (send a copy of the paying slip with details)
  5. Total Amount
  6. Paying In slip number
  7. Any references used.

So, if you have any paying in slip income that has not yet received, please email the above details to SchoolsTransactionalServicesQueries@birmingham.gov.uk with ‘paying in slip’ in the subject heading.

HR Services Update

As well the range of online Oracle guidance, here are some useful tips and key points that have emerged from a recent series of live Oracle demo sessions:

  • OTL (Overtime) 

Ensure the correct payment type is selected for overtime submissions. 
Whilst you can amend timecards you are not able to delete them.

  • Absence – when entering an absence use the submit button, do NOT use SAVE as this can trigger an overpayment of salary to your employee.
  • Maternity/Adoption and Paternity – use the Document of Record to advise HR of this type of absence - do NOT add it yourself or use the absence types.
  • Accident/Injury – please speak to your HR Office if you need to process, do not use these absence types.
  • Paid Leave – when processing, please ensure you use paid leave hours and not paid leave days.
  • Parental Leave - only use Parental leave for processing the unpaid element of the scheme.
  • New Hires- 

Please ensure you request a new position. 
Positions should not be used more than once. 
Please insert the position number into the comments field as this will allow your HR Officer to check that the position remains vacant, thus speeding up the processing of the pending worker.

Schools Relationship Managers’ Update

With this half term in full swing, Chris and Karen have been delighted with the many opportunities to meet with you, providing updates at Primary Consortia and Secondary Networks, and listening to what works well with Oracle and what remains a challenge. This helps put Oracle challenges into a very real context and perspective, informing the updates they share with all forum reps for wider circulation. Particular recognition goes to the resilience and hard work of a focus group of SBMs who have been providing fantastic support to council colleagues, including Oracle fix testing to address priority functionality challenges.

The Birmingham Association of School Business Management (BASBM) is the largest regional network with almost 400 members benefiting from networking and professional development opportunities, details of which are on the www.basbm.org website. Working closely with the BASBM enables Chris and Karen to support this vital aspect of school leadership across the region. Their popular drop-in sessions during the autumn conference intervals helped resolve issues relating to Oracle and other matters and raise awareness of further support and guidance information. They have also promoted awareness of key responsibilities via fortnightly Spotlight on Governance updates and continue to work closely with School and Governor Support on governance matters.

Oracle Support and Contact Information

Conflict in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories

The evolving situation in Gaza and Israel is extremely concerning to all of us and for those working directly with children and young people this brings its own exceptional challenges.  Thank you for all that you continue to do to support your school communities and to scaffold children's learning about complex global events.

Schools will have recently been provided with information and links to resources,  but if you have any concerns, or would like to talk to us about anything in relation to this, please get in touch as usual at:  Prevent@birmingham.gov.uk

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)

Education Infrastructure (EDI) has instructed Waterman Infrastructure and Environment Ltd (Waterman) and Birmingham City Laboratories (BCL) to carry out surveys to confirm if there is any presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in schools.

Identification of RAAC is a high-priority and we request all schools to fully assist Waterman and BCL by providing access to conduct the surveys. Any staff attending schools will have been DBS checked.

Should RAAC be identified in your school, you will be fully supported by EDI and the DfE.

EDI are following the DfE guidance in relation to RAAC in school buildings. Further information can be found on the DfE website, by searching ‘DfE and RAAC’ or following the link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact Education Infrastructure: edsi.enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk

A reminder to please complete the Alternative Provision Survey

Schools will have received a message from Sue Harrison, Strategic Director for Children and Families, back in September regarding Alternative Provision in the City, and asking for support in completing a short survey. The information provided will be used to develop future strategies and plans, all of which will be co-produced with Birmingham school leaders.

The survey can be accessed here Alternative Provision Survey and we thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Schools Three Year Strategic Forecast

The requirement for schools to submit a three year strategic forecast by the end of the Autumn Term has been removed for the financial year 23/24. This is to allow schools time to clear reconciliation files and resolve outstanding queries. We will still require a three projection as part of the budget plan 24/25.

If you have any queries please contact Husham Khan at Husham.Khan@birmingham.gov.uk  

2 Year Funded Place - Early Education Entitlement

If providers would like to promote 2 year funding to parents, please feel free to use this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jagU4sv9LE

Before a 2 year Early Education Entitlement (EEE) place is offered, 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:https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oeye/birmingham  

Every application generates a code or reference number - it's important you keep a note of this code for audit purposes. If the code is eligible then a place can be offered, however the eligibility checker does not always confirm eligibility so if it doesn't, you will need to view evidence of eligibility, then email earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk with the child's name, DOB 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 that the 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

For Summer 23 term (and subsequent terms thereafter), unless it is part of an agreement for a late term start, we will not override any 'not eligible' codes received from on or after headcount day (5th October) which means that you will not be able to add the children to your claim and you will not receive funding for them. Please therefore ensure that the eligibility of any children you wish to claim for is confirmed with the EEE team no later than 4th October.

EYFS Support for Primary Colleagues

Each year the BEP team identify areas of improvement that reflect the needs of the city based on key data, horizon scanning, and most importantly through school leader’s feedback.

This year, one of our established priorities is support for Early Years by providing a range of professional development activities to assist primary colleagues in delivering the Early Years Statutory Framework and providing provision of the highest quality for our youngest pupils.

The focus for our EYFS offer is leadership and teaching and learning in EY classrooms in primary schools, however some segments of the offer may be suitable for other settings.

Click here to see upcoming EYFS training events taking place in the month of October. To discover the entire EYFS training schedule for the year, please click here.

Services For Education Online Conference and Training Course

Full Day Online Conference - 9 November 2023

Services for Education (SFE) are pleased to present a full-day online conference covering all aspects of reading!  

SFE have the pleasure of sharing presentations from some of the very best national experts from universities and organisations around the country. They will be covering such intrinsic elements of our practice as: Building a Reading Culture, How to Teach Reading Fluency, Phonics Teaching, Developing Comprehension, and more! Simply follow this link for more information and to book your place

Improving Primary Writing Attainment - 19 October 2023

With writing results suffering more than other core subjects in the wake of the pandemic, class teachers and school leaders are grappling with the inevitability of needing to raise expectations and attainment levels in this area. Simply follow this link to book your place

Get Online Week

Join the 'Get Online Week' with Birmingham Adult Education Service

10.2 million people in the UK lack the basic digital skills needed to use the internet, with millions still living without access to a device or data to get connected. Unable to connect with loved ones, job and training opportunities and everyday services moving online, people are experiencing digital exclusion and are being left behind. This has caused a digital divide between those connected and those disconnected.

Get Online Week is a digital inclusion campaign in which Birmingham Adult Education Service (BAES) is taking part. To learn more and to participate in fun, daily activities please register your interest here!

Daily fun, free and informative activities for the week

  • Monday 16 October - Creating strong passwords
  • Tuesday 17 October - Your digital footprint
  • Wednesday 18 October - Spam and how to recognise it!
  • Thursday 19 October - What’s the difference between personal and private information?
  • Friday 20 October - The pros & cons of online shopping
  • Saturday 21 October - What is social media?
  • Sunday 22 October - Overcoming your fear of computers and technology?

This entry was posted by Laura Hendry on 09/10/2023.