Noticeboard

Noticeboard - 8 January 2026

Welcome to the first School Noticeboard of 2026! Highlights include a message from Dr Sue Harrison, key finance and compliance news, admissions and attendance updates, plus immunisations information, webinars, and more.

This week's noticeboard includes: 

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

Happy New Year! I hope you had a restful break and are feeling refreshed as we start 2026. Thank you for everything you do to support Birmingham’s children and families – your leadership makes a real difference, and I’m excited about what we can achieve together this year.

It’s been a chilly start to the term, with snow and icy conditions making things challenging for many of you. I know this brings extra pressures around safety, transport, and keeping schools open, so thank you for everything you’ve done to keep learning on track and support families during this cold spell.

As we’re aware, big changes are coming for SEND nationally. The Department for Education is expected to publish a SEND White Paper soon, building on previous work to create a more inclusive, consistent system across England. These reforms will shape how support is delivered in schools, and we’ll make sure you’re kept fully informed. Together, we’ll prepare so Birmingham schools are ready to respond and make these changes work for every child and family.

The Education Board is back with renewed energy, meeting termly to share insights and data with schools. Our shared priorities remain attendance, achievement, and inclusion – because these aren’t just schools’ priorities, they’re everyone’s priorities.

We’re also looking forward to holding regular webinars and face-to-face sessions throughout the year to share updates and provide opportunities to engage with key priorities. These sessions will help keep everyone connected and informed as we work together to deliver the best outcomes for Birmingham’s children.

Finally, I’m pleased to share some positive news: Birmingham Children’s Trust’s adoption agency, Adopt Birmingham, has been recognised for its outstanding work in finding stable and safe homes for children, with Ofsted inspectors praising the agency's child-centred approach. Adopt Birmingham maintained its "Good with Outstanding Leadership" rating following a recent inspection that saw children, families and professionals all speak positively about the service. You can read the full details here: Adopt Birmingham celebrates Ofsted judgement of Good with Outstanding Leadership | Birmingham Children's Trust.

Please continue to share your good news stories – I’m always delighted to celebrate them with colleagues across the council. It’s so important that we keep shining a light on the fantastic work happening in our schools. Your achievements make a real difference, and I love being able to showcase them. 

Thank you again for your continued support and commitment. Here’s to a year of progress, inclusion, and collaboration for every child in Birmingham.

With my very best wishes

Sue

Schools Finance

Schools Finance Website

The Schools Finance team is pleased to invite schools to explore the refreshed Finance in Schools landing page on the council website.

We’ve simplified navigation, removed outdated links, and made key information easier to find, so you can quickly access what you need.

As you browse, you’ll discover training videos, templates, and practical resources designed to support schools. We’ll continue to update and expand the site to meet schools’ needs.

Sections include:

The link to the website can be found here: Finance in schools | Birmingham City Council

Should you have any feedback or issues navigating the website, please e-mail schoolsfinance@birmingham.gov.uk

Quarter 3 Financial Monitoring Return 

A reminder that all maintained schools are required to submit their Quarter 3 Financial Monitoring Return by 15 January 2026.

The updated Quarter 3 guidance can be found here: Guidance for Q3 monitoring 2025-26 | Birmingham City Council

The Quarter 3 template can be found here: Q3 monitoring template 2025-26 | Birmingham City Council

Recordings for training sessions which took place on the 6 and 7 January can be found here: https://youtu.be/Bn8SNwmaa7I

Early Years Funding Notification and Calculator 2025/26 Autumn Actual Update

Schools Finance has produced an updated Early Years Funding Notification and Calculator tool to support schools in identifying the breakdown of their funding payments against the various Early Years factors. The updated calculator tool can be used by schools to forecast their termly actuals based on their census figures prior to it being calculated by the LA, which can then be compared against the actuals once calculated.

The spreadsheet will be updated at the end of each term and can be accessed via the following link: Early years funding notification and calculator.

Any queries should be sent to SchoolsFinance@Birmingham.gov.uk in the first instance.

January 2025/26 Cash Sheets

We hope you find this useful in reconciling the monthly instalment as well as grant payments the authority will pay during the financial year. 

If you have trouble accessing the file, you may need to save the spreadsheet to your personal desktop, then unblock the file by right clicking, properties, and clicking unblock and applying changes. 

Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) 2025/26

The DfE requires that local-authority-maintained schools submit the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) checklist to their local authority annually. This checklist helps to provide assurance that they are meeting the basic standards necessary to achieve a good level of financial health and resource management.

It is essential that schools submit their SFVS checklist to the LA by the 27 March 2026 by emailing SchoolsFinance@birmingham.gov.uk.

The form for the 2025-26 SFVS submission can be found on the GOV.UK Schools financial value standard website.

Please note that the Statement of Internal Control and Pre-certification checklist for Governors and Governors Financial Assurance Checklist report are no longer needed and will be replaced by the SFVS.

The SFVS 2025/26 Guidance note can be found here: Schools financial value standard 2025-26 guidance | Birmingham City Council

Pay and Policy Compliance

This month’s (January) Pay and Policy Compliance briefing provides important updates on:

  • Teachers start dates – Spring Term
  • Early Payroll Deadlines/Pay dates – January 2026
  • Teachers Pay Policy 2025 update
  • Schools Assurance Data returns – January 2026
  • Changes in your HR/Payroll provider
  • Teacher Salary Assessments and Qualified Teacher Status

The full briefing can be found here: Compliance | Birmingham City Council

Please take a moment to read through these points carefully. They are essential to ensuring we remain compliant and informed. For any questions or queries, please contact the Pay and Policy Compliance Team directly at pay.compliance@birmingham.gov.uk.

BCC Schools Contracts Data Collection for Lease Accounting (IFRS 16)

FAO: Head Teachers and School Business Managers/Bursars

As part of preparing the 2025/26 Final Accounts in line with updated accounting policy requirements, the BCC Final Accounts Team will be reviewing all contracts, including vehicle leases, to assess them under IFRS 16.

We kindly ask you to complete and submit the 2025/26 Final Accounts return  to Kiran Gill at harkiran.gill@birmingham.gov.uk by 30 January 2026, providing details of:

  • All lease arrangements
  • Vehicles owned
  • Any other contract arrangements

Please include enough detail in the contract description field to help us determine whether the contract involves physical assets and whether these assets are leased by the school.

As previously advised, schools are only permitted to borrow with the written consent of the Secretary of State. Entering into a lease is considered borrowing. Up to 31 March 2024, the framework applied the finance/operating lease distinction. The Department for Education Guidance explains this in more detail. Items covered include IT, telephony, catering equipment, and vehicles. Consent is backdated to cover leases entered into before 1 April 2024.

Please note:

  • Specific written consent will be required for any lease involving items not covered by the Schedule, regardless of when they were entered into.
  • A nil return is required if your school has no leases or contracts to report.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us meet these requirements. If you have any questions or need clarification, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at harkiran.gill@birmingham.gov.uk.

School Admissions and Fair Access

Reception and Year 2-3 Admissions - September 2026

A reminder that the final closing date for Reception and Year 2-3 admissions for entry in September 2026 is 11.59 pm on Thursday 15 January 2026.

Online applications need to be submitted via the Birmingham City Council website www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions

Please can schools help raise awareness of the process as parents who apply late are less likely to be offered one of their preferred schools. 

All the information parents/carers need to support them with making their application is available on the council's website www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions 

More advice and support are also available from Children’s Services on 0121 303 1888 or by emailing admissions@birmingham.gov.uk

Places will be announced on Primary National Offer Day, Wednesday 16 April 2026.

Thank you for your support.

Schools Portal Training

All schools are required to submit the following information to the Local Authority via the Schools Portal:

  • Pupil Movement Forms (PMF)
  • In-Year Applications
  • Places Available

To support you with these processes, we have scheduled bitesize training sessions in January. These sessions are suitable for both new and existing users and will focus on specific in-year processes that must be completed throughout the academic year.

No booking required – simply click the link to join the sessions you wish to attend.

For new users who would benefit from a comprehensive overview, we are offering an End-to-End Schools Portal Training session on 14 January 2026 09:30-13:30.

To book a place, please email ADMICT@birmingham.gov.uk with:

  • Attendee Name
  • Attendee Email Address
  • School Name

For any queries regarding the training sessions, please contact: ADMICT@birmingham.gov.uk

Attendance and Inclusive Pathways

Developing a Directory of Alternative Provision Providers

We are starting work on a comprehensive directory of Alternative Provision (AP) providers across the city. Every provider listed will be quality assured by the local authority, and from September 2026, schools should aim to use only providers included in this directory.

To help us build this directory, we need your input. Please let us know about any AP providers you currently use so we can contact them regarding inclusion in the directory and the quality assurance process.

If your school uses full-time or part-time alternative provision for any child on roll, please email the provider’s contact details to: inclusivepathways@birmingham.gov.uk

School Attendance

How to Contact Us

We now have dedicated inboxes for all districts – this is the best way to reach your NPOC:

District Mailboxes:

Important Reminder

The attendance service is a local authority to school service and is for schools to use directly. We do not provide direct support for families.

We therefore kindly ask that you do not share team contact details with families or include them in emails sent to the team. All correspondence with families should be handled by schools. When families contact us directly, we refer them back to schools, which can cause delays and understandable frustration.

You may refer to the BCC Attendance Service or NPOC in your attendance policies, but please avoid using officer names or email addresses in those policies.

Thank you for your support.

Webinar Updates

Our latest two webinars are available to watch again:

Upcoming Spring Term Webinars:

We look forward to seeing you!

Early Education Entitlement

Working Hours Places

Children aged 9 months to 3 years may be entitled to 30 hours of funded childcare each week if parents meet the working entitlement criteria. For 3- and 4-year-olds, all families can access 15 universal hours, and those who qualify can receive an additional 15 working hours.

To secure a funded working hours place for the Spring term, parents must have received an eligible code on or before 31 December 2025. Unfortunately, codes with a start date of 1 January 2026 or later cannot be funded for this term.

Childcare providers are responsible for checking the code before offering a place. Please do this by entering the code on ECS and confirming the validity start date:
https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oefe/birmingham/la/schools

Further guidance on working hours and validating codes can be found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RfNczGD8H5vCJRYpjezp6_KnmCwSFWJs?usp=drive_link

2 Year Funded Place

Before offering a 2-year Early Education Entitlement (EEE) place, please make sure the child is eligible. Parents (or providers with permission) should complete an eligibility application using this link: https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oeye/birmingham

Every application generates a code or reference number – please keep this safe for audit purposes. If the code shows as eligible, you can offer a place. If the checker does not confirm eligibility, you’ll need to see evidence (for example, a letter confirming the child receives DLA). Then email earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk with the child’s name, date of birth, the application code/reference, and details of the evidence you’ve seen. The EEE team will review and override the application if appropriate, and send you confirmation so the place can be offered.

For children starting before headcount, please submit any override requests by 14 January. Places should not be offered, and claims should not be submitted, until eligibility is confirmed. For children starting after headcount, please follow the flexible or exceptional agreement process.

Children can get a funded place if they live in England and meet the 2-year eligibility criteria, which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds

If you’d like to promote 2-year funding to parents, feel free to share this helpful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jagU4sv9LE

Parental Declarations

This notice applies to all providers of early education entitlement places – including maintained schools, independent schools, academies, and PVIs. It’s essential that you have a signed parent declaration form for every funded child aged 9–23 months, 2, 3, and 4 years. Please make sure you are using the most up-to-date version of the form.

The parent declaration form is important because it determines where funding is paid and is used during audits, duplicate claim checks, and to evidence late claims. It’s vital that the form is completed with parents so they fully understand what they are agreeing to.

Declarations must be signed each term (you cannot agree more than one term in advance) and should clearly state the term and the agreed hours. Incomplete forms can lead to loss or claw-back of funding.

If you choose not to use the BCC parent declaration form, you must provide an equivalent signed document that includes all the required information and declarations. Failure to do so may result in funding being withdrawn or reclaimed.

Termly Census Claims

Each term, you must submit your early years child data on Collect for your Census submission. Your final DfE-authorised Census submission is used to calculate your early years payments, so it’s essential that your claim is complete and accurate.

Please ensure every child has the correct number of funded hours recorded. Children with zero funded hours will not receive any funding – even if other hours are entered for the setting.

For working entitlement claims, you need to include valid eligibility codes for the term you are claiming. Check code eligibility on ECS:
https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/oefe/birmingham/provider

For children eligible for 2-year disadvantaged funding, Free School Meals, or EYPP, please make sure the correct codes are recorded on signed parent declaration forms. We may request these codes to confirm eligibility.

Full details on funding terms and conditions, working entitlement claims, eligibility checks, and parent declaration forms can be found in the EEE Provider Agreement on BCC Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cq6RnLio2Z8CgDv2CvAwbtbN4Bi62SF

Contact and Support

New DfE Guidance: Restrictive Interventions and Use of Reasonable Force in Schools

The Department for Education has published updated guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-reasonable-force-in-schools

Key points to note:

  • This guidance includes both statutory and non-statutory elements and comes into effect from 1 April 2026.
  • Updates include:
    1. New statutory requirements for recording and reporting the use of force (effective April 2026).
    2. Advice on the new legal duty to record and report the use of seclusion (effective April 2026).
    3. Clarification on the safe and appropriate use of reasonable force.
    4. Guidance on the use of seclusion.
    5. Strategies to minimise the need for restrictive interventions.
    6. Specific support for staff working with pupils with SEND.
    7. Clearer responsibilities for school staff, governing bodies, and proprietors.

Please ensure this guidance is shared with relevant staff.

School Aged Immunisation Service

Protecting Individuals and communities against infectious disease

From January 2026, the School-Aged Immunisation Service will be visiting schools to offer the following immunisations:

  • Year 8 HPV Immunisation
    Protects against a virus that can cause certain types of cancer.
    • Scheduled for the Spring term.
    • Catch-up sessions will be provided for any students who missed the Year 8 HPV vaccine.
    • Information is available in other languages by emailing bchnt.birminghamimms@nhs.net.
  • Year 9 Teenage Booster Immunisations
    • One vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria, and polio.
    • One vaccine for meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning).
    • Scheduled after Easter.

The service is introducing a new e-consent platform, MAVIS (Managing Vaccinations in Schools), starting with the Year 8 HPV programme. Please advise pupils and parents/guardians when the immunisation team will visit your school and remind them to complete the e-consent form via the link provided – even if they decline the immunisation(s).

Additionally, the service will offer Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) immunisation to any pupil who has missed one or both recommended doses.

Important:

  • These vaccines do not contain pork gelatine.
  • If pupils miss their school immunisation, they can attend one of the service’s clinics. To book an appointment, call 0121 466 3410 or email bchnt.birminghamimms@nhs.net.

For more information, visit: https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/immunisation-services/

Thank you for your continued support in helping protect individuals and communities against infectious disease.

Upcoming Webinars for Schools – January & February 2026

From Funding to Impact: How Schools Can Access National Grid Support
Date: Tuesday 13 January | Time: 10:00am – 10:30am
Audience: Headteachers, SBMs, Trust Leaders, Governors, Estates Leads
Join National Grid and hear a real-world case study from Adderley Primary School on how funding can deliver sustainability and energy cost savings.
Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/26ec5c2d-2af2-4932-b991-342a8312a88b@1aa578e2-4d37-46d2-a53a-6621d297f5f1

Building Healthier, Happier Schools: Well Schools
Date: Wednesday 21January 2026 | Time: 12:30pm
Audience: All school-based staff (especially wellbeing leads)
Join our Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn session to explore why health and happiness matter as much as academic achievement and how to start your Well Schools journey.
Register here: Building healthier happier schools: Well Schools

Reframing Masculinity for Young Men and Boys
Date: Tuesday 3 February 2026 | Time: 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Audience: Primary, Secondary, Special School staff and School Leaders
Facilitator: Dr Sophie King-Hill, University of Birmingham
This session will share practical strategies for supporting boys’ mental health and wellbeing, tackling societal expectations, and creating safe spaces for positive dialogue.
Book via BESS | Reframing Masculinity for Young Men and Boys | Birmingham Education Support Services

Teaching Assistant Apprenticeships

Do you have a passion for education and a desire to make a real difference in the classroom? If you’re ready to take the next step in your teaching career, our Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship could be the perfect opportunity for you.

This programme is designed for individuals already working in educational settings who want to deepen their knowledge, enhance their practice, and gain a nationally recognised qualification – all while continuing in their current role.

Why choose this apprenticeship?

  • Develop core support skills
  • Build your confidence and professional credibility
  • Connect with peers and mentors across BCC schools
  • Shape your future and contribute to excellence in education

Join an Information Session

To learn more before applying join us at our session by clicking the link below: Level 3 Teaching Assistant – 20th November 2025, 4:00pm – 4:45pm

Ready to Advance Your Career?

Speak to your headteacher or business manager and submit your Expression of Interest HERE. 

If you’d like further information, please contact the team at apprenticeships@birmingham.gov.uk – they’ll be pleased to help!

Exciting Opportunity for Secondary Schools!

MACE Construction is offering FREE sessions for pupils in Year 10 and above during Spring Term 2026.

  • Green Skills Day – Explore sustainability and the future of construction.
  • STEM Sessions – One-hour workshops on a range of exciting topics.

Don’t miss this chance to inspire your students and connect learning to real-world careers!

For more information, please contact: Tonia Clark (Net Zero Team) at tonia.clark@birmingham.gov.uk

This entry was posted by Dawn Evans on 07/01/2026.

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