This week's noticeboard includes: 

• A Message from James Thomas - Chief Executive Birmingham Children's Trust and Interim Executive Director of Children and Families
• Important Update: School Noticeboard Timings
• Ramadan 2026 - Support for Schools
• Schools Finance Updates
• Action Required: Access Budgets Contracts Changes
• Changes to the Early Years Qualification Checking Process
• SEN Experts Needed for Exclusion Review Hearings
• International Women's Day - Free online workshops
• Neurodiversity and Physical Activity Training

A Message from James Thomas

I’m grateful for the support and kindness shown me by those headteachers I have been speaking with as I get to grips with the role as Interim Director of Children’s Services, and I will do my utmost to repay that support. It is a genuine pleasure to be back in the DCS role with responsibility for education, to be working again with headteachers and education leaders, and I’m looking forward to the rhythm of regular school visits once I can wrestle my diary to create the time for that – it has always been a highlight of the week for me.

So many of the issues that the team and heads are briefing me on are familiar, and I know all too well the multiple pressures that school and setting leaders are facing – with rising levels of need, squeezed resources and multiple demands from all quarters. The same pressures that we face across the public sector, and one of many reasons that I am a strong believer in systems leadership. I see my role as one rooted in collaboration to bring partners together with a shared focus upon the outcomes and experiences of all our children, and for all the changes to the educational landscape in recent years, I know from my experience elsewhere that it remains doable to bring everyone together in a culture of a shared system to achieve shared goals. I have already invested a lot in the development of our Birmingham Families First programme as the way to make improved partnership working a reality on the ground, and schools need to be at the core of the model we are testing in the Hodge Hill district with more of a wraparound approach from a range of partners in a Team Around the School model. To give just one example, it has been enlightening to bring together Birmingham Children’s Trust, BCC Children & Families and school leaders in Hodge Hill to review the experiences of children who have been excluded – and striking to see how often those children could have benefited from family support from BCT that the school had not sought to draw in.

More personally, I am proud to be the son of a teacher and headteacher, and I still remember the take your child to work day which I spent in my mum’s reception classroom… as one of the most exhausting days I ever experienced as a teenager. And I am proud of the contributions I have made elsewhere in a leadership role, whether in planning ahead to have the right number of places in the right locations, supporting effective school to school improvement, working together to increase the diversity of teaching staff and leadership that reflects the community, or simply gaining more recognition for the community leadership role that schools have always played. I hope to be able to make a contribution in Birmingham in the time that I hold this role.

James

Important Update: School Noticeboard Timings

We wanted to let you know about a change to the timing of the weekly School Noticeboard, which will take effect after half term. From Friday, 27 February, the Noticeboard will be made live on Friday mornings, with a notification sent at the same time, rather than on Thursday afternoons.

This change has been made in response to feedback from school leaders. We recognise that Thursday afternoons are often extremely busy, and moving the notification to Friday morning is intended to support workload and give you greater flexibility in choosing the most suitable point in your working day to read the information.

Although the email will be issued at around 07:30am, we want to be absolutely clear that there is no expectation whatsoever for leaders to read the Noticeboard outside of their normal working hours. The early timing simply ensures the information is available for you to access at a time that best suits your schedule.

If there are colleagues in your team who would benefit from receiving future notifications, please let us know and we will be happy to add them to the mailing list. We are also continuing to develop and improve the Noticeboard, so if there is anything you would like to see included, or if you have any comments or suggestions, we would very much welcome your feedback.

Ramadan 2026 - Support for Schools

The holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin around 18/19 February, depending on the sighting of the new moon. We have updated the guidance provided by NAHT last year to assist schools in supporting Muslim pupils who will be fasting.

During Ramadan, it is common for children, young people, and their families to follow the timetable of their local mosque. This period is marked by prayer, fasting, self-control, and goodwill towards others. Ramadan is anticipated to start on 18/19 February and will last for approximately 30 days, culminating in the celebration of Eid ul-Fitr.

Please find the following documentation to support schools:

• Ramadan guidance 2026
• Ramadan model letter 2026

If you require any further support and advice, please do not hesitate to contact Ayisha Ali, Senior Education Advisor at Ayisha.Ali@birmingham.gov.uk.

Schools Finance

VAT reimbursement Claims from Schools

Please ensure all School VAT reimbursement claims have been submitted for the current financial year.

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

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 the aim of clearing the deficit within three full financial years.

Please use the links below for full guidance on the process, including the procedure for schools that fall within this criterion; the roles and responsibilities of schools, and the DRP template that must be completed:

• Maintained schools deficit procedure - November 2025 | Birmingham City Council
• Schools deficit recovery plan template | Birmingham City Council
• Schools in financial difficulty | Birmingham City Council

Please complete and return the DRP to SchoolsFinance@birmingham.gov.uk.

Schools Finance Training Timetable

The Schools Finance training timetable for 2026 is now available.

Each session includes a short description and a direct Microsoft Teams link for easy access.
Please save the page to your intranet or add the relevant links directly to your calendar.

You can view the full timetable here: Attend school finance training | Day-to-day financial operations | Birmingham City Council

Action Required – Access Budgets Contract Changes

Birmingham City Council has agreed a new contract with Access to provide budgeting software for all Birmingham schools.

If your school currently buys Access Budgets (directly or through a reseller), you must take action to avoid duplicate billing and to ensure your data is transferred safely.

Please read the full guidance document linked below, which explains:

• what your school needs to do
• which draft email to send
• who to contact depending on how you currently purchase Access Budgets

Completing these steps will ensure your data is kept safe and future billing is managed by Birmingham City Council.

Please follow the instructions in the full guidance document here: Access budgets contract requirements | Birmingham City Council.

Changes to the Early Years Qualification Checking Process

There has been a change to the way Early Years qualifications are checked.

UK National Information Centre (also known as UK ENIC/Ecctis) will no longer provide advice or information on UK‑based Early Years qualifications. From now on, all checks for domestic Early Years qualifications must be completed using the Check an Early Years Qualification (CEYQ) service.

Link to Check an Early Years Qualification (CEYQ) service: Start - Check an Early Years qualification

The Check an Early Years Qualification service helps managers and practitioners to:

• Confirm whether a qualification is full and relevant.
• Understand which staff:child ratios the qualification meets.
• Receive a clear, printable result based on qualification details.
• Follow up-to-date statutory guidance with confidence.

Please note: The UK National Information Centre will continue to assess qualifications gained outside the United Kingdom.

What settings need to do:

• Remove any references to the UK National Information Centre (UK ENIC) from your documents or webpages.
• Direct staff to the Check an Early Years Qualification service for UK qualification checks.
• Share this update within your teams and networks.

Using the new service ensures you receive accurate, current information.

SEN Experts Needed for Exclusion Review Hearings

Birmingham City Council’s Education Appeals Team is seeking SEN experts to support independent reviews of governing boards’ decisions not to reinstate permanently excluded pupils. SEN experts are invited to take part when parents request their involvement.

This is a voluntary role, but reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed. Hearings are held in person at the Council.

Further information about the role of the SEN expert can be found in the statutory guidance here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66be0d92c32366481ca4918a/Suspensions_and_permanent_exclusions_guidance.pdf

If you are interested, please contact the Education Appeals Team at edappealsadmin@birmingham.gov.uk, quoting ‘SEN Expert’.

International Women’s Day – Free Online Workshops

To mark International Women’s Day, Big Ideas is hosting free online workshops for schools. These interactive sessions explore and celebrate the contributions of British and Canadian women to the armed forces during the World Wars.

Join to discover untold stories, take part in meaningful activities, and meet very special guests.

These enjoyable, informative and FREE 45‑minute digital workshops are designed for children and young people aged 8–14 and will run on 5 March at 9:30am and 2:30pm.

Register your class here: https://www.big-ideas.org/stories-behind-the-poppy-international-womens-day/

For queries or further information, please contact: remembertogether@big-ideas.org

Neurodiversity & Physical Activity Training

FAO: SENCos and PE Leads (all schools)

Access Sport is offering two free Neurodiversity & Physical Activity training sessions. Both sessions follow the same format but are delivered in different parts of the city:

• Monday 23 February, 1pm–4pm: Calthorpe Academy (Central) – sign up here
• Thursday 26 February, 1pm–4pm: Wilson Stuart School (North) – sign up here

The Neurodivergence Inclusion Training will cover:

• An introduction to neurodiversity and key neurodivergences (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia)
• Why understanding neurodivergent experiences matters in sport and physical activity
• Common barriers neurodivergent people face in physical activity settings
• What a neuro‑inclusive sport environment looks like
• Practical ways to adapt and tailor programmes and sessions to support neurodivergent participants

This training is suitable for anyone delivering or supporting sport or physical activity in a school environment, including:

• PE teachers
• Learning Support Assistants
• After‑school sports deliverers
• Any staff involved in physical activity provision

There will be opportunities to share experiences, learn from peers, and deepen understanding of the barriers faced by neurodivergent students.

For queries or further information, please contact Sophie Humphries – Sophie.humphries@accesssport.org.uk