This week's noticeboard includes: 

• A Message from James Thomas, Interim Director of Children's Services
• Schools Finance
• Equal Pay Programme
• Save the Date: Birmingham's Attendance and Inclusion Conference
• BCC Schools Contracts Data Collection for Lease Accounting (IFRS 16)
• Support for Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
• Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn: Supporting Young People’s Mental Wellbeing
• Opportunity to Share Your Views on the Daily Mile
• RISE: Responses to Food Insecurity in School & Educational Environments
• School Nursing Support for Health and Wellbeing in Education
• Support for Siblings of Disabled Children
• STEM with Wings: Space Weather - FREE Digital Events

Message from James Thomas, Interim Director of Children’s Services

I’ve been asked by the council to temporarily oversee delivery of the council’s children’s services and act as Director of Children’s Services, in addition to my role as Chief Executive of Birmingham Children’s Trust, while Sue Harrison is absent from work.

I'm confident that this arrangement can work effectively given how closely I was already working with Sue and the C&F leadership team, and the extensive experience I can bring as a DCS and leader of children’s services.

I look forward to working more closely with you all while I'm providing this support – and do get in touch if you have any specific questions or concerns.

James

Schools Finance

Schools Closure of Accounts 2025/26

The draft closure of accounts guidance and year-end workbook will be published on the School Noticeboard on 29 January.

We invite all schools to attend an initial briefing on 30 January between 10:00-11:00am. To join the meeting, please use the following link:

Microsoft Teams meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/36577374258432?p=MHUe7CLEhyvSj66FaS

January 2025/26 Cash Sheets

The updated cash sheet for maintained schools as of 06 January 2026 can be found here:  Cash sheets 2025/2026 - Maintained Schools | Birmingham City Council

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. 

Deficit Recovery Procedure

Schools with a deficit of more than 5% of their section 251 budget are required to complete and submit a robust deficit recovery plan (DRP), with a view to clearing the deficit within 3 full financial years. Please refer to the links below which outlines the procedure for schools who fall under this category, as well as the role and responsibilities of schools and the DRP template to be completed. Please complete and return the DRP to SchoolsFinance@birmingham.gov.uk.

• Maintained schools deficit procedure - November 2025 | Birmingham City Council
• https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/downloads/file/31157/schools_deficit_recovery_plan_template
• The link to the schools in financial difficulty page is here: Schools in financial difficulty | Birmingham City Council

VAT reimbursement Claims from Schools

There have been delayed claims in January for December’s claim.

Please see below the link to the template, website with training video for assistance in completing, and timetable for submission.

• Schools VAT reimbursement template | Birmingham City Council
• Day-to-day financial operations | Day-to-day financial operations | Birmingham City Council

Cheque Book Schools - 2025/26 Timetable for Submission of VAT Returns to BCC
Return Required	Period Start	Period End	Report to be Produced On	Reports to reach BCC By	Payment Processed By BCC	Payment Received By School
December VAT return	01/11/2025	30/11/2025	05/01/2026	12/01/2026	23/01/2025	30/01/2026
January VAT return	01/12/2025	31/12/2025	03/02/2026	11/02/2026	20/02/2025	27/02/2026
February VAT return	01/01/2026	31/01/2026	03/03/2026	11/03/2026	20/03/2026	27/03/2026
March VAT return	01/02/2026	28/02/2026	tbc- Closedown timetable	tbc- Closedown timetable	tbc- Closedown timetable	tbc- Closedown timetable

For any queries please contact: schoolsfinance@birmingham.gov.uk

Equal Pay Programme

Pay and Grading Grant Funding

Thank you to schools who have made their returns for pay and grading grant funding.

Please reach out to eppschools@birmingham.gov.uk if you have any queries or need support with sending in the quarterly return.

Batch 1, Administration and Finance JDQ Process

25 roles have been progressed to the next phase of Job Evaluation, the JDQ, as Batch 1A. JDQ workshops commence next week.

We will be releasing the remaining Batch 1 roles on a weekly basis due to the complexity of finalising JDPSs. This is to allow the time needed to respond appropriately to all of the feedback provided from JDPS Review.

We will issue a set of updated JDPSs to progress to JDQ each Monday as we work our way through the remaining roles in Batch 1. We anticipate it may take a further 4 weeks to complete the updating of JDPSs for all of the admin and finance roles. We would be grateful if you could please let your staff know so that they understand the timescales we are working to.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Save the Date: Birmingham City Attendance and Inclusion Conference 2026

We’re delighted to announce that the Birmingham City Attendance and Inclusion Conference will take place on Tuesday, 16 and Wednesday, 17 June 2026 at a central Birmingham venue.

Attendance is free for all primary, secondary and special schools, early years settings, and governors.

This year’s conference will bring together colleagues from across the city for a day of learning, collaboration and inspiration. The programme will include keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and opportunities to connect with peers from Birmingham’s education community.

Each day will offer a full programme, and colleagues only need to attend one date. While some speakers may vary, the focus and key themes will remain consistent.

Further details – including the full programme and registration link – will be shared soon as plans develop.

For now, please save the date in your calendars – we look forward to welcoming you in June!

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.

Support for Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)

January can be a difficult time for young people unsure about their next steps. The Birmingham Careers Service Newsletter shares opportunities, advice, and one‑to‑one support from qualified careers advisers. Please feel free to signpost young people and families to the latest edition for guidance on education, training, and employment options.

Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn

For the attention of Secondary Schools

Supporting Young People’s Mental Wellbeing – Living Well Consortium:  Wednesday 4 February, 12:30pm

This webinar is open to all secondary school staff involved in supporting children and young people’s mental wellbeing, including pastoral teams, teachers, teaching assistants, and wider support staff.

The session will provide a clear overview of the low‑level mental health and wellbeing support available for young people aged 11+ through the Living Well Consortium. By attending, you will gain a better understanding of the support options on offer and feel more confident in identifying students who may benefit from additional interventions.

In this session, we will cover:

• Available therapy groups and workshops
• How support is delivered (face‑to‑face, online, telephone, video call)
• How to access support for students, including self‑referral and professional referral routes
• Opportunities for collaboration with external providers and details of funded initiatives that can enhance your school’s wellbeing offer

Register here: Supporting young people’s mental wellbeing - Living Well Consortium

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

Opportunity to Share Your Views on The Daily Mile

For the attention of Primary and Special Schools

Queen’s University Belfast is conducting research into participation in The Daily Mile across the UK and Ireland. All primary and special education schools are invited to take part in a short online survey (approximately 5–7 minutes), whether or not your school currently runs The Daily Mile.

The aim of the study is to understand how The Daily Mile is delivered and supported in schools. The findings will help shape future guidance and support to encourage physical activity and promote pupil wellbeing.

Take part in the survey here: The Daily Mile™ in the UK and Republic of Ireland

The research team is hoping to collect responses by 28 January 2026, and your contribution would be greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact: dailymile@qub.ac.uk

Thank you in advance for your time and participation.

RISE: Responses to Food Insecurity in School & Educational Environments

Invitation to UK School Leaders

A PhD researcher at the University of Birmingham is exploring how schools support students and families facing food insecurity. School leaders across the UK are invited to take part in a 30‑minute online survey about current approaches to food support, with an optional follow‑up interview.

Who can take part?

Senior staff involved in school food support, including:

• Headteachers/Principals
• Pupil Premium Leads (or equivalent)
• Members of the Senior Leadership Team

Take part in the survey: https://redcap.link/RISEPROJECT

For further information, please contact Ellie Ansell at: ema440@student.bham.ac.uk

School Nursing Support for Health and Wellbeing in Education

Birmingham Community NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of school nursing support to help schools promote positive health and wellbeing among pupils. This can include additional input where schools identify specific health‑related needs within their setting.

Areas of support may include:

• Health and wellbeing curriculum input
• Advice on issues in school that may have a health component
• Support around wider health‑related challenges within the school community
  Liaison with GPs, Health Visitors and other professionals
• Health education and health‑promotion activities

Schools interested in exploring the support available can contact the BCHC team for further information: Tel: 0121 466 6266 or Email: bchc.bchcplus@nhs.net. www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk

Support for Siblings of Disabled Children

Sibs is a national charity that supports brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults. Their website includes a range of information, guidance and resources to help schools, families and professionals understand and meet the needs of siblings.

They also offer a variety of opportunities for professionals who are interested in developing support for young siblings, including guidance on setting up local sibling groups.

Schools can find out more on the Sibs website: www.sibs.org.uk or email: info@sibs.org.uk

STEM with Wings: Space Weather

Free Digital Events for Primary & Secondary Schools

Join Big Ideas for an exciting journey into deep space with Dr Helen O’Brien, the engineer working on a NASA mission nearly a million miles from Earth. Helen and her team monitor the Sun’s magnetic field and have a new instrument on NASA’s IMAP spacecraft.

Event dates:

• Tuesday 24 February – Primary Schools
• Thursday 26 February – Secondary Schools

Give your class the chance to explore space weather with a leading space scientist and ask Helen questions about her extraordinary work.

Register your class: https://www.big-ideas.org/stem-with-wings-space-weather/

These fun, FREE 50‑minute digital sessions are suitable for ages 8–14 years.

For queries, please contact: STEM@big-ideas.org