Noticeboard

Noticeboard - 17 April 2026

Welcome to this week’s School Noticeboard, featuring a key message from James Thomas, the Best Start in Life draft strategy, and important finance, compliance, and support updates for schools.

This week's school noticeboard - contents: 

Key Messages & Strategic Direction

Statutory, Finance & Time‑Critical Updates

Support, Training & Opportunities

Key Message from James Thomas

Dear colleagues

Two prompts for my key message this week as we embark on the final term of the year to focus on workforce.  It is obvious but true that we depend on our people for everything that we do and that we achieve for our children. The first prompt is the government announcement this week of the local authority funding for “experts at hand” to enable us to provide a significant increase in the support available to schools in meeting the diverse needs of children with SEND. The funding is welcome, although I share in the already familiar critique that the political pride in announcing some big numbers does not really translate into big numbers when you divide up across the number of individual schools both here in Birmingham and nationally. And it already appears that a core challenge here will where we are to source these experts from? A question to which government has not yet provided any satisfactory answers. That is likely to put the onus on us all the more to work collaboratively with yourselves to design an approach and a workforce plan that we can deliver, not something that looks fine on paper but is undeliverable in practice. We can bring to bear all our experience in addressing workforce shortages in recent years which is likely to involve considerations about the skill mix, the extent to which we can build capacity through trainees, and models by which experts do share their skills effectively to be applied by other roles – all of which will only work if it delivers the kind of hands on support that schools need.

The other prompt is to share that we are commencing recruitment to a permanent Director of Education in anticipation of Martin Fitzwilliam’s departure at the start of the autumn term. We are using recruitment consultants to conduct a national search for a role that should rightly be regarded as a pinnacle of education leadership within local government; and we will depend on the support of a group of headteachers and education leaders to test candidates and whether they command sufficient confidence and credibility to be put forward to the final member appointment panel. Do share the link for the role to anyone that you think would do a great job: Director of Education job with Birmingham City Council | 199097.

Good news this morning on Primary Offer Day – the process has run smoothly with now over 99% of parents applying online – and there has been an increase in parental preferences being met with over 92% receiving their first choice and over 99% one of their top three choices.

Of course just as important as recruitment is retention, and a quick word about the importance of kindness in that regard, for our people to feel valued and cared for when that is what they need. On which I just wanted to thank my teams for their kindness, their support and their cover as I have been dealing with the terminal illness and recent death of my brother – it is deeply appreciated.

James

James Thomas
Interim Executive Director of Children and Families

Birmingham’s Best Start in Life Strategy – Initial Draft Now Live

We are pleased to share that the initial draft of the Birmingham Best Start in Life Strategy is now live on the Birmingham City Council website.

The Best Start in Life Strategy sets out a shared vision for how Birmingham will work together to ensure every child is safe, healthy, included, confident and ready to learn.

Developed in partnership with the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC), the strategy brings together early education and childcare, health, family support and community services around a common purpose: giving every child the best possible start in life.

Co‑production sits at the heart of the strategy. The draft has been shaped through engagement with early years and childcare providers, professionals, partners, and parents/carers across the city.

For early years and childcare providers, the strategy offers a clear shared direction, supports stronger partnership working, and reinforces the importance of quality, inclusion and early development.

This version has been published to support ongoing co‑production. Feedback is crucial in helping to shape the final iteration:

Update on Primary School Offer Day - 16 April 2026

Primary School Offer Day took place on 16 April 2026. We are pleased to report that 99.02% of on-time applicants were offered one of their preferred schools.

A Newsletter with key information was sent to all on-time applicants last week and is also available here https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/primary-school-offer

The School Admissions team will not generate waiting lists until 7 May 2026. This is to allow families time to consider offers made and submit any refusals to the local authority by the deadline of 30 April 2026, the outcome of which will be more robust waiting lists.

A reminder that in line with the council’s co-ordinated admissions scheme, schools should not be making direct offers to families that approach them. Any late applications received after the final closing date (15 January 2026) will be processed in date order by the School Admissions Team to ensure transparency and fairness.

The deadline for appeals which are subject to infant class size legislation is 15 May 2026. Appeals received after this date will be classed as late and may not be heard before the start of September 2026. Parents who have applied for non-Birmingham schools should make enquiries with the relevant local authority regarding the operation of waiting lists and their process for submitting appeals.

Finally, if you are aware of any families who have not submitted an application for their child to start reception class in September, please advise them to apply online asap by visiting https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions

Thank you for your continued support. If you have any queries regarding your new reception class intake, then please email admissions@birmingham.gov.uk  

Schools Finance Updates

VAT Reimbursement File 2026/27

The VAT reimbursement template has been updated to reflect submission dates for the 2026/27 financial year: Schools VAT reimbursement template | Birmingham City Council

Schools are asked to download the updated template and save it locally prior to submission.

A VAT training call will be held on 7 May 2026: Join Microsoft Teams meeting

Training Timetable

A full programme of Schools Finance training calls for 2026 is available on the Schools Finance webpage. Schools are encouraged to update calendars to ensure attendance at all relevant sessions.

Links to each call, including dates and times, can be found here: Attend school finance training | Day-to-day financial operations | Birmingham City Council

Submission Timetable

The rolling timetable for key financial submissions and deadlines for the 2026/27 financial year is available here: Financial year 2026 to 2027 timetable for schools | Day-to-day financial operations | Birmingham City Council

Changes to High Needs Funding payments

Mainstream schools will now receive their high needs funding through monthly payments, replacing the previous system of termly CRISP/ESN allocations. This change is intended to provide a consistent funding profile across the year and ensure schools have more regular access to the resources they need. The authority will make termly adjustments to the instalment to reflect the SENAR actuals funding statements. The schedule of the monthly instalment is available in the maintained and academy cash sheets.

Cash Sheets – April 2026/27

Updated cash sheets (as at 6 April 2026) are available for:

These cash sheets support reconciliation of monthly instalments and grant payments made during the financial year.

If you experience difficulty accessing the spreadsheet, please:

  1. Save the file to your local desktop
  2. Right‑click the file and select Properties
  3. Click Unblock, then Apply

Deficit Recovery Plan Template – Updated

The Deficit Recovery Plan template has been updated for the 2026/27 financial year. Schools in financial difficulty should ensure this version is used when submitting a recovery plan.

Schools deficit recovery plan template | Birmingham City Council

Notice to All Schools

Birmingham City Council will be undertaking a review and correction of system balances over the coming months. To support this work, Keystone Knowledge has been commissioned to carry out the required activities.

If your school is contacted as part of this process, the main points of contact will be:

  • Mary Oluwaseun (Birmingham City Council)
  • Stephen Mitchell (Keystone Knowledge)

For queries relating to any of the above Schools Finance updates, please contact: schoolsfinance@birmingham.gov.uk

Thank you for your cooperation.

Reminder: Schools Financial Services SLA 2026–2027

Some schools may not have received the SLA information issued on 27 February 2026, so this reminder is being shared. Thank you to schools that have already responded.

Key actions and deadlines

Timely submission supports effective planning and helps ensure there is no disruption to your school’s financial services.

For any queries, please contact SFS@birmingham.gov.uk.

Pay and Policy Compliance

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

  • BCC Teachers Pay Policy update
  • Continuous Service Dates
  • Contract end dates for Teachers in April 2026
  • Contract end dates for Term-Time Only Support Staff in April 2026
  • April milestones: Support staff pay progression & Annual leave and TTO calculations
  • Support Staff – Rules for 6‑Month Increments for newly appointed staff
  • Support Staff – Pay on appointment
  • Assurance checks – data requirements
  • Assurance Data Returns – May 2026
  • Schools converting to Academy 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.

WellComm Spring Term Data Collection – Deadline Extended

FAO Primary Schools and Maintained Nursery Schools

Thank you to all settings that have already submitted their Spring Term WellComm Data Collection Form. We recognise that the end of term is a busy time, so the deadline has been extended to 20 April 2026.

To complete the data collection, please submit your information via the online form: Primary Schools and Maintained Nursery Schools WellComm Data Collection Spring 2026 – Fill in form

To support settings with collating screening results, an optional WellComm Spreadsheet has been developed. This includes guidance for use, a page to record pupil‑level screening results, and an automated summary page which provides the information required to complete the online form.

Use of the spreadsheet is optional, and settings may continue to use existing systems where appropriate. The spreadsheet is for internal use only and does not need to be returned. All data should be submitted via the online data collection form.

The spreadsheet and guidance can be downloaded here: Guidance for using the Excel spreadsheet to record pupil level data for WellComm - Schools | Birmingham City Council

For queries about WellComm screening or early years speech and language support, please contact: eyduty@birmingham.gov.uk or 0121 675 4996.

Reminder: Annual Statutory Compliance Return 2026

Maintained schools are reminded that the Annual Statutory Compliance Return, which opened on 13 March 2026, must be completed via Microsoft Forms.

The return covers statutory testing and safety arrangements and must be submitted to the Education Infrastructure Team (EDI) by 8 May 2026. The form is available for six consecutive term‑time weeks only and will not reopen after the deadline.

Free Schools and Academies are not required to complete the return.

Access the form here: Annual School Compliance Return 2026 (BCC) – Fill in form

Please note: schools that do not submit a return may be prioritised for a compliance audit.

For queries or support regarding the form, please contact: EdICapitalProjects@birmingham.gov.uk

For other safely related issues, please contact: Education Safety Services at 0121 303 2420 or via email at schoolsafety@birmingham.gov.uk

Dual Funding 2026/27 – Applications Now Open

Applications are now open for the 2026/27 Dual Funding initiative, following the success of previous schemes.

The scheme is open only to Community, Foundation and Voluntary Controlled schools.
(Voluntary Aided schools, Academies and Free Schools are excluded).

Eligible schools may apply to the Local Authority for funding to support key building condition priorities. Completed applications must be submitted by 15 May 2026: Dual Funding Application.

Traded Service and charges

Schools subscribed to the 2026/27 Education Infrastructure Traded Service receive processing of both Dual Funding and Landlord Approval applications as part of their subscription.

For non‑subscribed schools, charges are:

  • £362.60 to process the Dual Funding application (payable only if approved)
  • £362.60 to process the Landlord / Project Approval application

Further details on the Traded Service are available at: Education Infrastructure Traded Service Offer 2026/27 | Birmingham Education Support Services

Evaluation and next steps

Applications will be assessed, with outcomes notified during the summer term.

To enable works to be scheduled for the summer break, schools are advised to submit Landlord Approval requests as early as possible.

Schools unable to meet the 15 May 2026 deadline should contact edicapitalprojects@birmingham.gov.uk to discuss available options.

All applications are subject to the scheme’s full terms and conditions. Guidance and support are available via edicapitalprojects@birmingham.gov.uk.

Briefing for New SENCos

SENCOs who are new to role this term, or new to post within Birmingham, are invited to attend a New SENCO Briefing.

This session is designed to introduce SENCos to senior leaders within the Local Authority SEND teams and representatives from the Local SENCo Consortia. It will also provide an overview of key systems, support, and contacts across Birmingham.

The briefing will cover:

  • who the LA SEND teams are and the support they offer
  • the Birmingham SEND funding system
  • Local SENCo groups and communication processes
  • the Balanced System approach to SALT
  • the role and offer of the Parent Carer Forum
  • SEND OT locality therapists and their support
  • networking with other SENCos

Briefings are held termly. The next session takes place on Tuesday 21 April, 9.00am–12.00pm.

A place has been reserved for each new SENCO, please confirm your attendance by return of email to david.w.hill@birmingham.gov.uk.

For further information, please contact Heather Wood, Head of SEND Advisory & Inclusion at heather.wood@birmingham.gov.uk.

We are Launching the Online Ordinarily Available Guidance (OAG)!

We are delighted to share that Birmingham’s Ordinarily Available Guidance (OAG) will be available online from Monday 20th April 2026!

localofferbirmingham.co.uk/online-ordinarily-available-guidance

The OAG sets out the support all mainstream schools and settings are expected to provide every day for children and young people, including those with SEND. It provides a shared, citywide framework to support consistent and inclusive practice.

The OAG is for everyone working with children and young people in Birmingham’s education settings, not only teachers, classroom support staff and SENCos, but all adults who contribute to inclusive environments every day.

It can also support parent carers, children and young people to understand what inclusive practice looks like in Birmingham and what support should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings.

We’d like your feedback

As a living framework, the guidance will continue to evolve. We welcome feedback from schools, settings and families on what is working well and where further development may be helpful.

We encourage SENCos to explore the site with staff, use it in practice, and share it across their setting and wider professional networks. Please send feedback to: SENCONoticeboard@birmingham.gov.uk

Share your practice

We are keen to continue building the OAG Digital Library. If your setting has examples of inclusive practice, resources or approaches that align with the guidance, we would love to hear from you.

These can be developed into showcases to support and inspire practice across the city.

To get involved, please contact: SENCONoticeboard@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham Careers Service RONI (risk of NEET) Offer 2026  

Careers Leads are invited to submit a fully completed referral form for any 2026 year 11, 12 & 13 leaver they consider is at risk of not progressing into education, employment or training.

For full details and a referral form, please visit: www.birminghamcareersservice.co.uk/roni

Please be aware this does not replace the school's statutory duty to provide impartial and independent careers guidance. 

Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn – School Nurse Support: ChatHealth & Attend Anywhere

The next Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn webinar will take place on Wednesday 22 April 2026 at 4pm and will provide an overview of two school nursing services: ChatHealth and the School Nurse Virtual Drop‑In. This session is open to staff in mainstream primary and secondary schools, alternative provision, and virtual schools.

The webinar explains how ChatHealth enables young people aged 11–19 to contact nurses via confidential text messaging, and how the Attend Anywhere Virtual Drop‑In allows parents and young people to speak to a school nurse online without an appointment. This is a repeat session for anyone who missed the earlier webinar.

Register here: ChatHealth messaging service and Attend Anywhere drop-in
For questions, contact healthyschools@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham RE Webinar – Supporting Inclusive Education Through Dispositions

Wednesday, 20 May 2026 – 16:00-17:00

Book your place here: Birmingham RE Webinar – Supporting Inclusive Education Through Dispositions | Birmingham Education Support Services

Birmingham’s Religious Education (RE) continues to focus on developing informed, empathetic citizens who can engage meaningfully with the city’s diverse communities. At the heart of this approach is character development, guided by 24 shared dispositions agreed upon by local faith communities. These help students learn from and about religious traditions and worldviews, fostering personal growth and mutual understanding.

This upcoming webinar will:

  • Refresh the foundations of the disposition based RE model
  • Understand statutory RE duties
  • Explore how the dispositions can support inclusive RE delivery
  • Introduce the new “learning to discern” element, essential in the digital age
  • Showcase sample lessons and planning strategies for effective teaching
  • Include a Q&A session on RE and Collective Worship

We warmly invite educators and school leaders to attend and reflect on how this evolving approach can enrich RE across Birmingham’s schools.

We would also like you to complete a short survey on your experience of using the Birmingham Agreed Religious Education Syllabus: https://forms.office.com/e/AhTLXWRpfm

Media Literacy Programme for Birmingham Primary Schools – Funded by Ofcom

Primary schools in Birmingham are being offered a whole‑school media literacy programme delivered by local provider Loudmouth Education and Training and commissioned and funded by Ofcom.

The programme supports pupils across Years 1–6 and includes animated resources and lessons for Years 1–3, a live assembly for Years 4–5, and Loudmouth’s established Screen Time programme for Year 6. Schools also receive cross‑phase lesson plans, online teacher training, and parent support materials.

The Screen Time programme helps pupils to recognise misinformation and disinformation, understand respectful online behaviour, and know where to access help and support.

Funding is limited to 30 schools and places are filling quickly.

To book your whole‑school programme, contact Loudmouth Education and Training on 0121 446 4880 or email enquiry@loudmouth.co.uk.

 

This entry was posted by Dawn Evans on 31/03/2026.

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