Update for schools: 19 April 2021

This update includes guidance and a model letter on Ramadan, an update on attendance for the summer term, a short survey on pupils abroad and more.

Ramadan: Guidance from ASCL and model letter

Every year, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) produces guidance on Ramadan for leaders and staff in primary and secondary schools and tertiary colleges. It is also relevant to anyone involved in this year’s grading process including GCSE, GCE, AS, A levels which will be assessed by teacher assessed grades and internal and external quality assurance.  You will find this guidance here.

A model letter for primary schools to share with parents/carers is available at this link. 

Attendance update

The formal stages of FAST-track to Attendance will resume on 19th April 2021 and only unauthorised absence from that date can be considered.

If there is unauthorised absence during first week of the 2020/21 Summer term and Step One of FAST-track has been tried last term without attendance improvement, schools can invite parents to school attendance review meetings.   If Step One has not yet been completed, schools must make an appropriate Early Help offer.  The guidance has been updated to assist schools with this.

With reference to the Leave in Term Time (penalty notice) process, this will also be available to use but only unauthorised absence from 19th  April 2021 can be included.  LD1 and 2 letters sent last term can be submitted for consideration with a referral for 20 sessions of unauthorised absence this term as appropriate.   The guidance includes strategies to assist where families are currently abroad in countries on the government’s ‘red list’.

The ‘term time leave request’ and ‘term time leave home school contract’ have also been updated to include additional contact information should schools wish to use them.

Please destroy any prior FAST-track and Leave in Term Time (penalty notice) process guidance previously downloaded.  The updated guidance is now available on the council website at this link.

If you have any queries on legal processes or anything else attendance related, please contact the Education Legal Intervention Team (Attendance@birmingham.gov.uk)

Short survey on pupils abroad

Many schools are telling us that they currently have a number of children who are abroad and their parents are unable to / not choosing to bring them back to this country at this time.

The DfE has asked for a summary overview of this information for all Birmingham schools tomorrow and so we would be very grateful if you could take a couple of minutes to fill in the survey that can be found at this link by 2pm on Tuesday 20th April.

If you have no pupils abroad, please still fill this in so that we get a balanced picture.

Holiday Activities Fund education webinars

The Government has announced that the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme providing free healthy food and enrichment activities to disadvantaged children will be extended across all local authorities this summer and the Christmas holiday period. Up to £220m of additional funding is being provided to deliver the new programme.

The council is absolutely delighted to be co-ordinating this programme for children and young people in Birmingham and working with partners across the city to ensure that this exciting offer will effectively match local need. Please join us at one of our dedicated Education and School Engagement webinars on either 22nd, 27th or 29th April to find out more about:

  • The free opportunities that will be available for your young people through the summer holidays
  • The different ways in which education/schools can choose to be involved and help to shape the offer
  • The additional funding that will be available to you

You can register for one of these webinars at this link.

Covid-19 Lateral Flow testing survey

The University of Birmingham and Birmingham City Council have launched a research project to improve people’s experiences of Lateral Flow Testing for COVID-19 in Birmingham. Led by the Institute of Applied Health Research at the University of Birmingham the survey will target adults residing in the city who have had a lateral flow tests (LFT) taken at centres, schools, universities and workplaces.

The purpose of the survey is to explore the reasons underpinning the variable uptake on LFT for COVID-19 in Birmingham by collating data such as the reasons why LFTs were taken, the uptake of the tests and general experiences. The research team will also investigate public understanding of LFT services and their behaviours following an LFT. The aim of this research is to understand factors that may influence the public’s use of LFT services and to generate findings that can inform the ongoing LFT programmes and the associated information provided to the public.

The survey will be advertised via the Birmingham City Council website, at LFT sites across the city and other relevant means such as via Birmingham's various community and faith-based organisations who have been leading efforts against COVID-19.

Please share the survey link with staff, pupils and families and encourage them take part.

National survey of children: The Big Ask

The new Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, has today launched The Big Ask – the largest ever consultation with children aged 4 to 17 in England. It aims to find out children’s concerns and aspirations about the future, so that we can put children at the heart of the country’s recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

All schools are encouraged to support their pupils to complete this survey. A range of teaching resources have also been produced, including lesson plans and activity packs, to help teachers incorporate this into their lessons. Parents, care leavers and those working with children are also invited to complete the adult survey to share their views about the future for children and young people today, and what they think is holding young people back. The results from this survey will help the Children’s Commissioner identify the barriers preventing children from reaching their potential, put forward solutions and set ambitious goals for the country to achieve.

 

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