Noticeboard - 23 October 2025

This week’s noticeboard includes a message from Dr Sue Harrison, key updates from Public Health on MMR vaccination, details of the Birmingham Local Offer’s new district mapping tool, upcoming training opportunities, and more.

This week's Noticeboard includes:

A Message from Dr Sue Harrison, Executive Director of Children and Families

Dear Colleagues

With half term just around the corner, I know schools across Birmingham are looking forward to a well-deserved break. This is a chance to reflect on the incredible effort that’s gone into supporting children and young people this term; from navigating challenges to celebrating successes. Thank you for your continued commitment and resilience; it makes a real difference every day.

Half-term is also a great opportunity to focus on children’s health and wellbeing by catching up on MMR immunisations. With recent measles cases in Birmingham, Sally Burns, Director of Public Health, is asking schools to share a letter with parents and carers encouraging those who have missed doses to take action during the break.

You’ll find the full article and a link to the letter below – please share it widely, and thank you for your support!

I’m also delighted to share some fantastic news from Birmingham Children’s Trust. Having been nominated for two categories at the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2025, they won both!

  • Supportive Employer of the Year – recognising the Trust’s commitment to creating a positive, supportive environment for its workforce.
  • Children’s Social Worker of the Year – awarded to Andrea Bassi, celebrating her outstanding dedication and impact in supporting children and families.

This is an incredible achievement and a true testament to the professionalism and care shown by colleagues across the Trust – showcasing Birmingham as a place where social work excellence thrives.

If you’d like to read the full story, you can do so here: Double award scoop for Birmingham Children's Trust at 2025 Social Worker of the Year Awards. I’m sure you’ll join me in congratulating the Trust on such a fantastic achievement.

Thank you, as always, for everything you do for our children, young people and families. Enjoy a well-earned rest, and have a fabulous break!

Sue

December and January Payroll Update

As is customary, most schools and organisations arrange for earlier pay dates in December and January. This adjustment ensures there is sufficient time to address pay queries before the Christmas period begins and narrows the gap between the December and January pay dates. Moreover, many employees depend on this earlier pay schedule to make plans for the Christmas holiday season.

With schools now working with payroll providers, it is important to coordinate with them to implement these changes. We recommend finalizing this by the end of October to give payroll providers enough time to accommodate the request and inform employees about the adjusted pay dates for this period.

Catch Up on MMR Immunisations This Half-Term

There have been recent measles cases in Birmingham. It’s vital that anyone who is not up to date with their MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) immunisations takes this opportunity to catch up. The upcoming half-term break is an ideal time to do so.

Sally Burns, Director of Public Health at Birmingham City Council, has written a letter to parents and guardians encouraging those who have missed out on their MMR immunisations to take action during the holiday.

Please share this letter with your parents/guardians and help protect children and families across Birmingham: Measles and MMR letter for parents from DPH Sally Burns - 201025 | Birmingham Healthy Schools

Thank you for your continued support. 

Stay Protected This Winter – Flu and COVID-19 Vaccinations

As we move into winter, rates of illness and infection typically rise.

In Birmingham, winter illnesses are currently at normal levels for this time of year. However, there are simple steps you can take to protect yourself, your family, and your community from common winter illnesses and help reduce the spread of infection.

Immunisation is the most effective way to protect against flu and COVID-19. Free vaccinations are available for those most at risk of severe symptoms.

To check if you’re eligible and book an appointment, visit the NHS pages for flu and COVID-19.

Additional support for school staff:

If you work at a school where Birmingham City Council is the employer and you do not qualify for a free NHS flu vaccination, you can now claim a free flu vaccine voucher through Birmingham City Council Occupational Health.

To request your voucher, complete this short form: Flu Voucher Request Form.

If you have any questions, please contact Occupational.Health@birmingham.gov.uk.

Birmingham's Local Offer: Explore What’s Happening Near You!

We’re pleased to share that district mapping is now available on Birmingham’s Local Offer website. This new feature makes it easier than ever to find information, services, and support available in your local area helping children, young people, families, and professionals see what’s happening nearby.

With the new district maps, you can:

  • Find local SEND services and activities in your community
  • See which organisations are active in your area
  • Access contact details and resources tailored to your area

There’s also so much to see and do in Birmingham for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. Whether you’re looking for fun days out, relaxed play sessions, creative workshops, or quiet places to explore, there’s something for everyone.

Use the maps on the Local Offer to discover inclusive activities, clubs, events, and attractions near you.

We’re continuously improving this tool to make sure it meets everyone’s needs. If you notice anything missing or incorrect, or if you have suggestions for what could be added, please let us know by emailing localoffer@birmingham.gov.uk.

Please can you share these links with children and parent carers so they are aware of what is happening in their area.

Wraparound Funding Opportunities

Millions in school funding still available.

Wraparound Childcare Grant Funding Opportunity  

As part of the government’s ambition, by September 2026 all parents and carers of primary school-aged children who need it should be able to access Wraparound childcare between 8:00am and 6:00pm during term time.  

Whether your school is planning to launch a new club or expand an existing one, we encourage providers to take advantage of the available funding. This is a valuable opportunity to establish new provision or increase the capacity of current clubs to better meet the needs of local families.  

What can you apply for?  

  • Creation of places: Create both new before school provision and after-school provision - where there is currently no provision.  
  • Extend hours: Extend the hours to meet full wraparound definition (8am to 6pm) - where you already provide wraparound, but it does not meet the 8am to 6pm expectation.  
  • Expand provision: Introduce before school provision or after school provision - where you have no existing provision in place to meet the full wraparound definition or increase the number of places currently on offer.  

Benefits of wraparound care provision  

  • Boost Attendance and Engagement - Children thrive with consistent routines and enriching activities that make school a place they love to be.  
  • Support Working Families - Flexible care options help parents balance work and family life, reducing stress and increasing satisfaction.  
  • Enhance Learning and Wellbeing - From homework clubs to creative arts, sports, and mindfulness — WAC offers holistic development in a safe, inclusive environment.  
  • Strengthen Community Ties - Your school becomes more than a place of learning — it becomes a trusted space for growth, connection, and opportunity.  
  • Makes your school more appealing to families - As more parents return to work, schools that offer flexible childcare options become increasingly attractive.     

Why apply?  

By applying for the Wraparound childcare grant you could receive:  

  • Thousands of pounds in funding to cover initial start-up costs for staffing, purchase of equipment, marketing and day to day premise costs.  
  • Tailored support from your own Development worker to support you through the application process.  
  • Parent survey templates to help ascertain parental demand  
  • Step by step guidance to support with hosting a PVI to run your Wraparound childcare provision  

How do you get involved?  

We’re inviting you to be part of this exciting journey. If you recognise that this is an opportunity not to be missed, complete the quick expression of interest form to determine whether your application is likely to be successful and walk you through the process.  

Still have questions? Contact us at WAC@birmingham.gov.uk   

Let’s work together to make school a place where every child has the chance to shine - before, during, and after the school day.  

Birmingham Virtual School Conference - 17 November 2025

Birmingham Virtual School is delighted to invite you to the 2025-2026 Conference:

  • Date: Monday, 17 November 2025
  • Time: 9.00am registration with 9.30am start until 3.30pm (refreshments provided)
  • Venue: The Saffron Centre 256 Moseley Rd, Birmingham B12 0BS 
  • Cost: free (cancellation costs apply if less than 5 working days’ notice given)

To book please follow this link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birmingham-virtual-school-conference-2025-tickets-1760050922689?aff=oddtdtcreator

This whole day event will begin with our fabulous keynote speaker Dr Lisa Cherry. There will then be opportunities to participate in motivational workshops with other DTs and staff supporting vulnerable children, to discuss embedding best practice and sharing ideas so you are able to best support the children known to a social worker in your provision. We will also be celebrating educational settings that are on their TIAAS journey with the annual awards being given out.

The day will be suitable for all DTs, those new to the role and more experienced ones, as well as any staff that are supporting children known to a social worker.

 Booking closes when all spaces have been allocated or by Thursday, 6 November 2025.

Curriculum Group Meetings

FAO: School leaders, PSHE/RSHE Pastoral leads, DSLs

Led by Senior Education Adviser Ayisha Ali, these sessions bring Birmingham schools together to share best practice, tackle curriculum challenges, and strengthen safeguarding in education. They provide networking opportunities, practical strategies, and resources to help teachers confidently address complex issues and embed key safeguarding principles into the curriculum.

Primary Schools

Secondary Schools

Special Schools

Key Themes for the meetings:

  • Misogyny: Understanding the rise of the manosphere and its impact on gender attitudes; resources for respectful relationships education.
  • Knife Crime – Virtual Decisions: Immersive VR experiences with Extended Learning Packages for PSHE and safeguarding.
  • Working with Young People on the Cusp of Exclusion – Pitch 2 Progress: Mentoring and enrichment programme to boost engagement and resilience.

Face-to-face training: Duty Holder and Asbestos Management Responsibilities

As part of Education Infrastructure’s traded service offer, we provide training to help your school meet statutory requirements for Duty Holder responsibilities and Asbestos Management Plans.

If your school has subscribed to this service, one delegate is entitled to attend the training at no additional cost, and discounted rates apply for any additional attendees. Each certificate issued is valid for three years.

Based on feedback from previous courses, we are pleased to offer upcoming face-to-face training sessions for staff who would benefit from this approach. The scheduled dates are:

Autumn term:

Summer term:

There are other sessions available online if preferred: Training & Events | Birmingham Education Support Services

For more details on the service: Education Infrastructure 2025/26 Traded Offer | Birmingham Education Support Services

Contact Education Infrastructure for any queries: edsi.enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk

Education Infrastructure - Autumn Term Bulletin 2025

The Education Infrastructure Autumn bulletin is available on the Birmingham Education Support Services website.

This bulletin covers:

  • Published Admission Number Changes
  • Caretaker Houses
  • Training Dates 2025/26
  • Condition Surveys
  • Landlord Approvals

Please get in touch with the Education Infrastructure team for school place planning, capital projects and asset management queries: edsi.enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk 

Have Your Say: Help Us Make Local Services More Inclusive

FAO: All teaching staff, parents, and pupils aged 15+

Are you passionate about equity, inclusion, and ensuring every family in Birmingham feels represented?

We’re inviting school staff, parents, and students aged 15 and over to share their views on how we collect demographic information like age, ethnicity, or gender.

Your feedback will help make these questions clearer, more inclusive, and more comfortable to answer, so that services delivered by Birmingham City Council can better reflect the diverse communities they serve when accessing these services.

By taking part, you’ll be helping to shape fairer and more representative services for everyone in Birmingham.

  • Survey open until 30 November 2025.
  • Each completed survey will be entered into a £25 prize draw (participants aged 18+ only)

You can complete the survey using this link.

If you need the survey in another language, large print, or with support to complete it, please let us know by emailing admin@acesoghc.com.

Contact Name:  Jordan Francis

Contact Email Address:  Jordan.Francis@Birmingham.gov.uk

Invitation to DfE Webinars on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn’s Law)

The Department for Education invites schools to attend a webinar on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, also known as Martyn’s Law.

What the webinar will cover:

  • An overview of the Act and its relevance to education settings
  • Next steps for implementation
  • Q&A (time permitting)

Background:

The Act received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025 and will have an implementation period of at least 24 months. This gives those responsible for premises and events time to understand their obligations and prepare. While compliance is not required until the Act comes into force, you may wish to start planning now.

The Home Office will publish statutory guidance before the Act is implemented. This guidance will be clear and practical, requiring no specialist services. Additional resources and engagement activities, including these webinars, will support schools during the implementation period.

Helpful resources:

The DfE recommend reviewing these materials before the webinar.

Big Ideas presents: Celebrating… Amazing Mathematicians!

Each term, Celebrating introduces students to inspiring mathematicians – past and present – and explores their fascinating fields of maths. From logic to long division, measurements to mental maths, proportions to planets, there’s something for everyone!

This November, Celebrating kicks off with the remarkable story of Francis Williams, an 18th-century Jamaican mathematician, scholar, astronomer, and poet.

Event Details:

  • Celebrating… Francis Williams
  • Date: Wednesday 19 November
  • Time: 10:00 AM or 2:00 PM
  • Format: Free, fun, 50-minute digital workshop
  • Age Group: Students aged 8 to 11

Hosted by journalist and academic Dekan Apajee, with special guest Dr Luke Davis, a theoretical physicist and mathematician conducting groundbreaking research at the University of Edinburgh.

Register your class now: https://www.big-ideas.org/celebrating-francis-williams/

For questions, contact: Maths@big-ideas.org

ICT for Education Conference - 7 November 2025

The ICT for Education conference programme will take place at the Cranmore Conference Centre, Solihull, on Friday, 7 November 2025. Attendance is free of charge.

The event welcomes computing teachers, Digital Leaders, school leaders, local authority education professionals, and school IT professionals from all sectors. Expert speakers will explore the use of technology in schools and highlight the importance of computer science in preparing students for future education, careers, and life in the 21st century.

Delegates will also have the opportunity to visit an exhibition of leading technology suppliers. Exhibitors will showcase and demonstrate products and services designed to support schools and enhance teaching and learning.

Conference sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including an update on AI in education, the importance of digital and media literacy, the digital dilemma, first steps in coding, and the transformative power of EdTech for SEND pupils. Attendees will also discover free resources to inspire and motivate students, along with much more.

Further details and registration are available at: https://www.ictforeducation.co.uk/conferences/solihull-conference-07-11-2025/

 

About

Recent posts

Archives

Tags


Social Links