Included in this week's noticeboard:

• A message from Sue Harrison - Strategic Director for Children and Families
• Review of the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education Guidance
• Early Education Entitlement
• Free SEND Training: Dingley's Promise Early Years Inclusion Programme
• Healthy Eating Week 2024
• University of Birmingham Knife Crime Perception and Experience Study
• Google for Education Leaders Series Event - 4 July 2024
• Services for Education - Training Opportunities

A Message from Dr Sue Harrison - Strategic Director for Children and Families

Dear colleagues

It’s always a privilege to meet you in your schools and I’m looking forward to visiting Blakesley Hall Primary, Wyndcliffe Primary schools tomorrow. It’s a pleasure to see you and your teams in action, and get to meet the children and young people in their learning environments, so please do continue to invite me.

We’ve recently updated our 'Meet the Team' Directory where you’ll find details of who to contact within the Children and Families directorate, and how to reach them. We hope it continues to prove a useful resource, and will aim to tweak it regularly so any senior staff changes are reflected as soon as possible. In the meantime, we’re also working on a calendar of events which we’ll look forward to sharing with you in the next couple of weeks.

For those schools who were unable to join us at the recent live Balanced Education System workshop sessions, I’d like to extend an invitation to join a webinar on Tuesday, 21 May at 14:00-15:00. The presentation can be accessed at this link: Balanced Education System workshop presentation. This session is an opportunity for discussion and for you to ask me directly any questions you may have. You can join the session by clicking on this link, and I look forward to seeing you.

A reminder that I’ll also be holding a webinar for schools on the Oracle Finance, Payroll and HR System on Thursday, 23 May 2024 at 11:00-12:00. The session will provide an opportunity to hear the latest information and ask any questions you may have. You can join the webinar by simply clicking on this link, and we’ll ensure a recording is made available soon afterwards for those who can’t attend or to act as a refresher.

Wishing you a fabulous weekend ahead.

Sue

sue.m.harrison@birmingham.gov.uk

Review of the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education statutory guidance

The Department for Education has published its draft updated statutory guidance on relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) for consultation.

The consultation will run from 16 May until 11 July 2024, and is an opportunity for schools to submit their views on the proposed changes to the statutory guidance on teaching, including:

• Relationships education
• Relationships and sex education
• Health education

The draft updated consultation can be found at this link: Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education guidance and should be read prior to completing the online consultation here: Review of the RSHE statutory guidance - Department for Education - Citizen Space

We would encourage schools to complete the consultation as your views are important to help ensure that this guidance supports schools to provide high-quality RSHE which meets the needs of children and young people. &

If you have any queries or would like a further conversation before completing the consultation, please don’t hesitate to contact the team at educationsafeguarding@birmingham.gov.uk and they’ll be pleased to support.

Early Education Entitlement

2-Year Funded Places – Eligibility

Before a disadvantaged 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: www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oeye/birmingham

Every application generates a code or reference number – it's important to 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, providers will need to view evidence of eligibility, complete the Eligibility Override Request Form (on EYMIS) and email it to the team at: earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk.

Once the EEE team has amended the application to eligible, providers will receive email confirmation so that the place can be offered. For children starting before headcount please ensure that any override requests are submitted before 16 May 2024. Please do not offer places or submit claims for children whose eligibility has not been confirmed. For children starting after headcount, please follow the flexible or exceptional agreement process.

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

For the new working entitlement for 2 year olds, please refer parents to the Childcare Choices.

Thank you for your support and any queries can be directed to the team at earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

2-Year Funded Places – Summer Term

Providers should please take the following steps to ensure that 2 year olds can be funded for their Summer term place: Working Entitlement – www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

• Have parents who are eligible for working entitlement applied for their codes? Parents must have received their eligible code on or before the 31st March at the very latest to access a place from April.
• Have parents who are eligible for working entitlement provided their code? Please encourage parents to provide the eligibility code as soon as possible so that confirmation can be provided.
• Codes will start 114 / 500 / 501 / 400
• Providers must validate the codes on ECS - it is really important to validate all codes as soon as possible so that you can identify any issues and confirm eligibility.
• Information for Disadvantaged Entitlement – Help paying for childcare: Free education and childcare for 2-year-olds - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Parents can apply for their code or providers can apply on their behalf with permission.
• There is no deadline to apply for the code other than parents must give providers a code before they start a place.
• Codes will be a mixture of 5 numbers and / or letters.
• Providers must validate the codes as soon as possible on ECS to check that the codes are eligible.
• If the codes are not eligible providers must view evidence and submit an eligibility override request form (found on EYMIS)
• Providers should please ensure the new parental declaration form for all existing and all new children for Summer term has been completed.

• Please prompt all parents to be ready for April! EYMIS – www.ted-birmingham.org.uk/ - Username PVI2 / Password PV12year

Thank you for your support and any queries can be directed to the team at earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Free School Meal Claims

Free School Meals (FSM) are now available for eligible 2 year olds attending in line with the terms and conditions.

In order to claim Free School meals for eligible 2, 3 and 4 year olds providers must be delivering their funded place in line with the terms and conditions of funding which state: ‘To access a FSM the child must be attending their EEE funded entitlement for a minimum of 5 hours during core hours (9am to 3pm), and parents/carers must be in receipt of specific benefits.

Providers must complete an eligibility check so that they have an eligibility code. Please note that the checker cannot always confirm that the child is eligible, so in this instance, if the parent believes that they are eligible please view evidence of eligibility and inform the EEE team. The EEE team will then override the code to eligible.

Eligibility checks can be completed here: www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oefe/birmingham/provider

Please note that checks can be undertaken on behalf of the parent with their permission.

Thank you for your support, and any queries can be directed to the team at earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Parental Declarations

The EEE Parent Declaration Form has now been updated to reflect the new entitlement offers that are being introduced from April 2024 – September 2025.

Providers must use the revised form for all funded 2, 3 and 4 year olds accessing a place from Summer term 2024 onwards.

The parent declaration form is used to determine where funding is paid, for example in the case of an EEE audit or when investigating duplicate claims. It is therefore imperative that the form is completed with parents so they understand what they are agreeing to.

The declarations need to be signed each term (please do not agree more than one term in advance) and state clearly what term and what hours are being agreed. Incomplete forms can result in loss of or claw-back of funding.

The parent declaration forms 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)

Thank you for your support, and any queries can be directed to the team at earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk

Free SEND Training: Dingley’s Promise Early Years Inclusion Programme

Dingley’s Promise Early Years Inclusion Programme offers free courses for all Birmingham early years and childcare settings, including nurseries, childminders, out-of-school settings, holiday playschemes, maintained nursery schools and all school settings caring for children with special educational needs (SEND)

The courses include:

• Introduction to Early Years Inclusive Practice
• Behaviours That Challenge
• Level 3 Certificate in Early Years Inclusive Practice
• Early Years SEND Transitions
• Having Difficult Conversations with Families
• The Voice of the Child

The courses consist of workbooks, videos and activities, and a further four courses will be developed based on the needs of the city. Training can be completed at your own pace and offers flexibility with timings suitable for all schedules.

Learning is assessed through the learner’s experiences rather than a formal assessment and is available to all practitioners in each setting. The courses are also available to parents/carers, children centre staff and partner professionals currently supporting or are likely to support children with emerging or identified SEND. Early years settings that complete the training will be awarded an ‘Inclusion Friendly’ Dingley’s Promise Mark of Achievement.

To access the training or for more information simply follow this link: Early Years Inclusion Programme - Dingley's Promise or email training@dingley.org.uk

Healthy Eating Week 2024

The British Nutrition Foundation's Healthy Eating Week is taking place from 10-14 June 2024.

This year, they are encouraging everyone to ‘Give it a go’! Resources will be available (next week!) to support this year's themes, which are:

• Get at least 5 A DAY
• Stay hydrated
• Move more
• Focus on fibre
• Reduce food waste

To receive the latest updates, help you plan, or get involved in Healthy Eating Week simply register this link.

More information can be found at the British Nutrition Foundation website

University of Birmingham Knife Crime Perception and Experience Study

FAO: Schools Senior Leadership and Safeguarding Teams

In Birmingham under 18s are responsible for 31% of all knife crime. Olivia Cunningham is a fourth year Medical and MSc Trauma Science student, and in conjunction with the University of Birmingham is investigating why this is and where interventions need to be targeted to help reduce this. Currently no large scale study has been run in the UK to ascertain young people's perceptions, experience and education surrounding knife crime.

With the information collated it's hoped that interventions can be more appropriately targeted. The aim is to collate the information via an anonymous survey set up to take less than 5 minutes and completed in schools. The survey does not have to be completed in full by the children due to its sensitive nature.

Please contact Olivia Cunningham at oec039@student.bham.ac.uk if your school would be able to help facilitate this research or if you have any questions regarding the aims of the study.

Google for Education Leaders Series Event – Thursday, 4 July

As senior leaders and C-level executives from trusts, schools and colleges, Google for Education invites you to a hands-on and inspirational day, to learn more about driving positive pedagogical impact with technology.

Learn about:

• Raising learning attainment through personalised learning
• Empowering and elevating teachers by giving them back time, and improving staff retention
• Building an edtech plan that is financially sustainable (and can save money in the long run)
• Building a safer environment for learning by improving your cyber security practices

Join a community of fellow peers to learn from one another, share experiences, brainstorm and get hands-on with Google for Education technology. Drinks and refreshments will be provided along the way.

Space is limited, so early booking is recommended by following this link: Leaders Series Birmingham: Empowering Educators & Learners (rsvp.withgoogle.com)

Services for Education (SFE) – Training Opportunities

SFE Prospectus 2024/2025

• SFE works with schools and educational settings to improve practice, policy and ethos in all areas of teaching and school leadership.
• We offer a comprehensive programme of professional development and school improvement for teaching and support staff, school leaders and governors across the EYFS, primary and secondary phases and special schools.

Find out more from the SFE 2024/25 prospectus at this link.

Safer Recruitment – Thursday, 6 June 2024: 09.00-16.00

Delivered by accredited Safer Recruitment Consortium trainers, this course enables schools to meet statutory requirements and to improve processes that help deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children or who are otherwise unsuited to working with them and identifies ways settings can create safer environments with a culture of vigilance. Book your place by simply following this link.

Safeguarding and Child Protection for Headteachers and Nominated Governors – Friday, 5 July 2024: 09.00-16.00

This full-day course will equip Head Teachers/ Principals (who are not DSLs) and Governors with the information, knowledge and understanding to undertake their responsibilities in respect of safeguarding, including supporting staff members acting in the DSL/DDSL role and dealing with allegations against staff. Book your place by simply following this link.

Developing Fluency in Reading and Increasing Vocabulary (Online) – Wednesday, 10 July 13.00-16.00

Book your place by simply following this link.