Noticeboard - 13 March 2025

This week's Noticeboard contains a message from Dr Sue Harrison, Oracle Transition for Schools and Finance updates, a request to kindly complete an Alternative Provision survey, and more.

This week's noticeboard includes:

Message from Dr Sue Harrison, Strategic Director of Children and Families

Dear colleagues

Thank you to the school leaders who have joined our Alternative Provision Working Group to help co-produce Birmingham’s Alternative Provision Strategy. As a local authority, we must ensure there is sufficient high-quality alternative provision for our children and young people. This strategy will be crucial in supporting all children, especially those who struggle in mainstream education, by providing tailored educational pathways. It will cater to diverse needs, including behavioural issues, special educational needs, and those at risk of exclusion. By offering a flexible and inclusive approach, it will re-engage children with their learning, improve academic outcomes, and enhance their social and emotional well-being. Ultimately, it will promote educational equity and reduce the risk of long-term disengagement from education.

As part of this overall initiative, we’re asking all school leaders to complete a survey to support in our planning and commissioning of the strategy. The results of the survey will provide valuable information to inform the Working Group. My sincere thanks in advance for taking the time to complete the survey no later than 27 March – Alternative Provision Strategy Survey.

More information around the survey can be found in the article below, but if you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact our Interim Head of Attendance and Inclusive Pathways, Wasim Arif at Wasim.Arif@birmingham.gov.uk.

I’m also pleased to share our Working Together to Improve Engagement and  Participation document. This initiative is an essential step towards transforming the way we engage and participate with parents, carers, and professionals across Birmingham. Developed through genuine co-production, it highlights our commitment to listening, learning, and acting on the real experiences of families. We encourage all parent carers, professionals, and stakeholders to explore the document and actively participate in this ongoing journey. Together, we can shape a future that empowers our children and young people.

I want to express my gratitude for your unwavering dedication and the positive impact you’re making in our schools. Your resilience and innovative approaches continue to inspire and drive success.

As we move forward, let's keep collaborating and sharing best practices to ensure our children and young people receive the best education possible. Making Birmingham a great place to grow up and thrive!

With my very best wishes for an enjoyable weekend ahead.

Sue 

Oracle Transition for Schools

The Oracle Transition for Schools Update and Q&A has now been split into two documents so that you can access the information you need more easily.

  1. Oracle transition for schools finance update - Q&As
  2. Oracle transition for schools HR payroll and pensions update - Q&As

Archived Q&As can be found here: Archived Oracle Transition Q&A.

For any queries or further information please contact the team at oracleschoolsrelationship@birmingham.gov.uk and they will be pleased to assist.

Thank you for your ongoing support. 

Schools Finance

Schools Year-End Workbooks

Please find below the updated year-end workbooks, which have been slightly adjusted. We have inserted a column to include non-LA Cash sheet items (income and expenditure posted to the BCC ledger). This addition will help schools differentiate between cash sheet and non-cash sheet transactions.

We have populated the non-LA cash sheet column with transactions from April 2024 to February 2025. The final workbooks, which will be posted in April, will include all items from April 2024 to March 2025.

For any queries or further information please contact schoolsfinance@birmingham.gov.uk

Schools Budgets 2025/26

Each year, Birmingham City Council sets the amount that maintained schools can spend. This includes:

  • Individual Schools Budgets for Primary and Secondary Mainstream Schools
  • Indicative High Needs Budgets for Maintained Special Schools 
  • Indicative Early Years Budgets for Infant, Primary and Maintained Nursery Schools

Cabinet approved Schools budgets on 11 February 2025. Where budgets are indicative, these will be updated at various points throughout the year.

Budget share guidance is also provided with a detailed breakdown of funding factors and the basis of allocating the schools budget share.

Budget documentation can be accessed at this link

This is the 25/26 indicative budget for Early Years Funding for all schools with the forecasting tool as requested. Any queries regarding Early Years Funding should be directed to EarlyYearsFunding@Birmingham.gov.uk. 

The High Needs Budget has also been updated. Any queries regarding High Needs Funding should be directed to HNBDSGFinance@birmingham.gov.uk. 

2024/25 Year-End Guidance and Workbook

We have published this week, the draft year-end guidance and workbook.  The workbook must be completed by all schools by 9 April 2025 and Schools Finance will be holding mandatory training sessions for schools on how to complete the workbook as well as daily drop-in sessions for schools to attend between 3-9 April 2025.  Please ensure you attend at least one of the training sessions and use the drop-in sessions as necessary to complete and submit the year-end workbooks on time.

You must ensure that you read the draft guidance and look at the workbook prior to attending a training session so that you are prepared to ask questions if necessary.  Completed workbook must be submitted by the deadline for BCC to meet statutory obligations by producing a Statement of Accounts for 2024/25. 

Year End guidance and workbook can be downloaded at this link

Training sessions have been arranged as follows:

We hope you find this resource helpful. If you have any queries please reach out to the team on SchoolsFinance@birmingham.gov.uk

School Unofficial Funds Audits/Finance Assistant Support

A reminder that Schools Financial Services are available to carry out the audit of your Unofficial Funds (School Funds) from now and during the summer term. 

If you wish someone to collect your School Fund records to be audited, please contact your Finance Officer for further details. 

Alternatively, please contact Elaine.A.Leith@birmingham.gov.uk for collection arrangements or for further details.

Also, a reminder that if you require Finance Assistant support, short or longer term, please get in touch and we will be happy to discuss your requirements.

Alternative Provision Survey and Strategy

Further to the information shared last week, we are working with a number of school leaders currently who have put themselves forward via our School Noticeboard communication on 21 November to join a working group to develop our AP strategy, sufficiency and governance; data, and workforce. 

We would like to ask all schools to support us in our Alternative Provision Sufficiency planning and commissioning by completing the AP survey that can be accessed here: https://forms.office.com/e/p92xBEFdYG

Schools are advised to have your school information such as the number of students in alternative provision to hand as you complete the survey. We would be grateful if you can complete the survey at your earliest convenience. The survey will close on Thursday, 27 March at 7pm.

The AP Working Group has Head Teacher representatives from Post 16, Primary, Secondary, Special and Alternative Provision who work alongside senior local authority leaders to help drive the AP strategy in Birmingham. For any queries or for more information please feel free to contact Wasim Arif at Wasim.Arif@birmingham.gov.uk. 

Channel 4 Documentary with Birmingham Children’s Trust

Channel 4 is producing a current affairs documentary that follows frontline social workers from Birmingham Children’s Trust. The documentary aims to provide an accurate portrayal of their work, highlighting the complexities of decision-making and the vital role of multi-agency safeguarding.

Full details can be found here: Channel 4 Documentary with Birmingham Children's Trust

Bursaries Available for Peacebuilding

Peacemakers – Educating for Peace has secured significant funding to grant bursaries for the following new offer to schools:

Working with one year group, year 4 or 5:

  • An 8 week Peacebuilders course bespoke to that class and their needs. 1-1.5 hr session per week, covering cooperation, affirmation, emotional literacy, empathy, exploring conflict and conflict resolution.  
  • At the end of the course, the children would have the option to be selected for Peer Mediator training. These Peer Mediators would then have 2 full days of Peer Mediation training.
  • In order to help the Peer Mediation scheme work in school, Peacemakers would offer 2 twilights/ 1 half day with classroom staff and 90 minutes Lunchtime Supervisors training, exploring different responses to conflict and understanding the purpose of Peer Mediation, its script and where it sits within the restorative approach to conflict. 
  • Peacemakers would also invite the Peer Mediation Lead to a 'Train the Trainer' day, where they would be given everything needed to be able to successfully train mediators within their school going forward, ensuring the longevity of the scheme, with ongoing support from Peacemakers.

Please contact Libbs at Libbs@peacemakers.org.uk if you would like to find out more and apply for a bursary.

Birmingham Community Healthcare Plus - Occupational Therapy Service

FAO: Head Teacher/SENCO

BCHC Plus Occupational Therapists time can be purchased by schools to work with children and young people in mainstream and specialist settings to help them achieve their full potential in activities of daily living that they need, want, or are expected to participate in. These activities include washing, dressing, feeding, toileting, school-based activities such as handwriting and play based activities. We provide additional services supplementing those currently available through locally commissioned NHS provision. Therapists are able to upskill staff in the classroom and support with embedding strategies to meet the needs withing your setting.

BCHC Plus can provide universal support through whole school approach to training and improving occupational performance/environmental assessments; targeted support via group work/parent workshops/classroom observations and specialist 1:1 assessments and interventions of identified priority children.

To find out more about how BCHC Plus can benefit schools, please visit https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/bchc-plus-occupational-therapy or contact BCHC Plus on 0121 466 6266 or e-mail bchc.bchcplus@nhs.net.

Sparkbrook Children’s Zone NHS

Health Promotion in Sparkbrook, Sparkhill and Balsall Heath Schools

A Health Promotion Officer is available to visit schools within Sparkbrook, Sparkhill, and Balsall Heath to join for coffee mornings with parents and carers of pupils to promote local health resources. The Health Promotion Officer will chat to parents/carers about:

  • The Sparkbrook Children’s Zone Clinic Offer
  • How to register with a dentist/ GP
  • Key oral hygiene tips
  • The importance of vaccinations
  • The Healthier Together App and other support systems such as Healthy Start vouchers and Healthier Families resources.

To learn more about how Sparkbrook Children’s Zone can benefit your school and pupils, send an email to: scz@greendquareaccord.co.uk or visit www.sparkbrookchildrenszone.org.uk.

Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel 2025 - Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn webinar

FAO: All school staff

The Birmingham Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn series are online information/training sessions, around 20 minutes long, aimed at school staff.

The next session is about Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel 2025 on Monday 17th March at 12.30pm. It is available to all school staff interested in the wellbeing of their students and particularly those who want to help make the school run more active and fun.

Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel is the UK’s largest inter-school walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling challenge. It inspires pupils to make active journeys to school, improve air quality in their neighbourhood and discover how these changes benefit their world.

This year’s challenge will run from 24 March to 4 April 2025. It is free to enter for all UK schools, including SEN, ALN and ASN schools, and there are fantastic prizes to be won each day. Participating also contributes towards Modeshift Stars accreditation.

Join this session to:

  • Find out more about the Big Walk and Wheel and what it involves
  • Get guidance on how to sign up and log your active journeys to school.

To register for this session, follow this link: Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel 2025

Free 'Rockets for All' Workshop - 17 March 2025

Big Ideas delivers community and education projects locally, nationally and globally. Change the way you see the world with Big Ideas.

Don't miss this special opportunity for your class to meet the UK's first astronaut, Helen Sharman. Hear from a real life astronaut first-hand about what it’s like in space!

Sign up now for a free one-hour workshop, open to secondary and upper primary classes https://www.big-ideas.org/rockets-for-all/

'Rockets for All' is a Big Ideas event in partnership with Imperial Space Lab for the UK Space Agency.

For any queries or further information please contact: STEM@big-ideas.org

Last Chance to book Free Access to YogaBugs' Online Yoga and Mindfulness Platform!

If mental health is a priority at your school, don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity! YogaBugs is offering FREE access to their online yoga and mindfulness platform up until May Half Term! 

Why YogaBugs? YogaBugs is the largest children's yoga company in the UK, dedicated to supporting schools with mental health and well-being. Their programmes help improve children's concentration, behaviour, emotional regulation, and readiness to learn.

What You Get:

  • Access to over 120 YogaBugs sessions for Nursery to KS2
  • Classroom yoga sessions
  • Bugs brain breaks
  • Mindfulness activities

How to Sign Up:

For more information about YogaBugs, visit their website at www.yogabugs.com or get in touch at 0121 777 7792 or zoe@thebugsgroup.com.

This entry was posted by Jaspal Shambi on 10/03/2025.