Home to School Transport information for families

Attached with this update is information for parents and carers about home to school transport ahead of the full return to schools next week.

Public Health webinar for schools

Birmingham Public Health are hosting a webinar for schools next Wednesday 10th March 2pm – 3pm where officers, including the Director of Public Health, Dr Justin Varney, will provide updated information and answer any questions schools may have.

Please book places using this Eventbrite link and a Teams link will be sent before the session.

Holiday Activities Fund (HAF)

We know schools are currently focused on the safe return of all pupils from 8th March. Schools will also be aware of the Government’s recent update regarding the catch-up fund for disadvantaged pupils. We are also aware support for transition between year groups is being planned by some schools.

The DfE funded Holiday Activity & Food programme is a grant to local authorities aimed at young people ages 5-16 who are eligible for free school meals, of which we have around 70,000 in Birmingham. There is an allocation of up to 15% for other disadvantaged groups such as CIC/ LAC, SEND or other young people in need that may not be on census as FSM.

The scheme covers funding for four weeks in the summer holidays and one week at Christmas. Each week would need to consist of a minimum 4 hours, 4 days per week. (A separate communication will be issued shortly about the planned virtual activities for Easter).

The main key outcomes and priorities for the scheme are to help young people who attend:

a) to eat more healthily over the school holidays; 

b) to be more active during the school holidays; 

c) to take part in engaging and enriching activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment; 

d) to be safe and not to be socially isolated; 

e) to have greater knowledge of health and nutrition; and 

f) to be more engaged with school and other local services.

g) access food each day, either breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Whilst this is a great opportunity for young people and families in Birmingham, we also understand the great work our schools are doing to keep schools COVID safe and the need to continue with this. The Council has started engagement with key Council services and external partners in order to support the large scope and scale needed to deliver the programme.

We would be grateful if schools could complete a short survey to let us know how they would like to engage with the Holiday and food programme and how we could support any activities already planned’. The survey is available at this link. Reponses would be appreciated by Wednesday 11th March.

Possibilities being considered include:

• Supporting /enhancing schools’ plans for summer holiday activities
• Providing ‘wrap-around’ activities and food to support in-school ‘catch-up’ learning
• Providing support to Out of School settings on or near to school locations
• Partnering with third party activity & food providers on school sites, or community-based locations

The council is looking to establish a grant-based model for schools and community organisations to be able to apply for funding to provide activities in line with the DfE requirements for the scheme.

Due to the current Covid situation, we will continue to monitor Government advice and build in business continuity arrangements into our planning. There is no expectation for schools to be a hub for holiday activities, however schools can consider joint funding bids and working together if they wish to form local hubs or locality hubs, if practical this may mean still separate delivery at different sites but the same offer. If you are wishing to form a hub, please can you let us know on the questionnaire.

If you have any further questions or would like to be part of the core working group for the scheme, please let us know at holidayactivities@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham Parent Carer Forum

Please find attached with this update information about Birmingham Parent Carer Forum to share with families.

Eyes open campaign - raising awareness about county lines

Eyes open is a campaign funded by West Midlands Police and Violence Reduction Unit looking at county lines awareness raising in particular areas such as Lozells and Sparkbrook.

The campaign aims to warn how drugs gangs are grooming children in Birmingham and urging everyone to be alert to the signs that young people are at risk. Information for children, their families, parents, carers and professionals is available at https://west-midlands.police.uk/news/eyes-open-new-campaign-launched-protect-children-drugs-gangs