Noticeboard

Noticeboard: 1 October 2021

This week's Noticeboard includes a reminder of the deadline for claims to the government's Summer Schools Programme, the risk assessment shared with schools for the 12-15 vaccination programme, the documents from the webinar on managed moves and much more

Included in this update:

Reminder: Deadline for the submission of claims for Summer Schools Programme Funding 

The deadline for submission of claim form for secondary schools who are submitting a claim for Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summer Schools Programme Funding is 23:59 on Friday 1st October 2021.

Risk assessment template for 12-15 vaccination programme

Earlier this week a risk assessment template with secondary schools to support planning for the 12-15 vaccination programme.

The template is available on the council's website at this link.

Managed Moves webinar

The slides and recording from yesterday's Managed Moves webinar are available on the council's website at this link.

Any schools with queries can contact the team via exclusions@birmingham.gov.uk 

Reminder: Attendance webinar on Monday 4th October

Edwina Langley, BCC's Lead Attendance Officer, is holding a webinar for schools on managing attendance on Monday 4th October 11am - 12pm. At the session, a presentation will be delivered and schools will have the opportunity to ask any attendance questions they may have.

To book a place, please use this Eventbrite link and the Teams link will be sent to you ahead of the session.

The slides and a recording of the session will be shared with all schools.

DfE Statutory School Census – Autumn 2021

Every school in England has a statutory duty to submit the statutory School Census each term, under Section 537A of the Education Act 1996.

Key dates: Census date: Thursday 7 October - Return date: Monday 11 October 

EYSFF Returns for Autumn Term 2021

Schools with Early Years provision for 2, 3 and 4 year olds are required each term to provide the Fair Funding team with numbers of 2 year olds, EYPP and FSM take up so that we early years funding can be reconciled. From the Autumn term 2021 schools will no longer be provided with a spreadsheet, instead this will be completed by a simple on-line form that will be managed by the Early Years Funding Team (NEF).

You will receive communications and reminders from NEF@birmingham.gov.uk providing you with the on-line link – the fields you will be required to complete will be exactly the same as the spreadsheet. You will be expected to submit the information between 4th and 15th October 2021.

If you have any queries regarding the online form or the eligibility of children please email NEF@birmingham.gov.uk 

If you have any queries regarding your funding allocation please email fairfunding@birmingham.gov.uk

Schools of Sanctuary Resource Pack

Birmingham is an official City of Sanctuary and there are 50 schools in the Brum Schools of Sanctuary network. Inspired by their membership the schools and pupils have been doing amazing work, such as learning about international relations, human rights, the asylum system, active citizenship, writing to their MPs, and meeting their local councillors.

The national Schools of Sanctuary Team and Together with Refugees have produced a Schools Activity Pack to help schools learn more about the Together with Refugees campaign and get involved to show their support of people seeking sanctuary. This pack gives an overview of the campaign, suggest activities for schools to take part in and include resources to help them do so. In getting involved through the suggested activities, schools can participate in a UK-wide movement that believes people seeking sanctuary should be welcomed and treated with care and compassion.

This campaign is in response to the Nationality and Borders Bill currently going through parliament. You can learn more about the UK government’s proposed new rules on the City of Sanctuary website.

The Schools Resource Pack is available at this link.  

BEP Senior Mental Health Lead Training

This two-day training course will give Senior Mental Health Leads a firm grounding in the theory and practice of leading and establishing a whole school approach tomental health and wellbeing. Structured for the schools or Senior Mental Health Leads in the emerging or foundational stages of building a whole school approach, this training will give you the tools to audit and action plan under the 8 public health principles of a whole school approach and delivered by a highly experienced mental health and educationalteam.

For more information, dates and to book, please visit: https://bep.education/events/senior-mental-health-lead-training-course-code-smhl017/

Maths and Reading Interventions

The Education Endowment Fund recently published the Covid-19 Support Guide for Schools which details the various ways that ‘Catch Up’ Funding can be used to enhance and support a recovery curriculum for pupils when they return to school.

One of their suggestions is interventions. At Services For Education, we work with Edge Hill University and Oxford University Press to provide a range of successful Maths and English Reading interventions, including the 1stClass@Number Programmes; the positive impact of which has been evaluated and evidenced by EEF.

The nature of all these interventions and their accompanying professional development training over a series of days, provides for the impact of these interventions to go beyond those pupils, teachers and/or TAs that receive the training. Previous cohorts of schools have shown how the pedagogy and teaching and learning strategies utilised in the interventions, can impact on whole school approaches to support great teaching. Wider strategies such as engaging with parents and carers to support learners are also a key part of the interventions. Training is offered on-line or as a bespoke product that meets the specific needs of your school.

You can browse and book Intervention Programmes at this link. 

Subject Leader Networks

Subject leader networks provide an opportunity to meet and collaborate alongside colleagues from across the city to share good practice, and work with our advisers to ensure you are fully up to date with current guidance, resources and research. They aim to provide a supportive environment to enable curriculum leaders to develop their practice and thinking, and create a peer network that is a safe space for challenge to move your practice forward. The networks meet for a half day each term, and sessions include a formal training or update session. 

S4E provide subject leader networks in English, Maths, Science, PSHE and RE. More information is available at https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk/curriculum-area-training/ 

VAT treatment of catering (increase to the temporary VAT rate)

The temporary reduced VAT rate for hospitality services, which has been set at 5% since July 2020, ended on 30 September 2021. A new rate of 12.5% will apply from 1 October 2021 until 31 March 2022. During this period, VAT should be charged at 12.5% on qualifying supplies and not the 5% currently being applied.

Hospitality includes sales of food and drinks for consumption on the premises where sold, plus hot takeaway food and drinks and supplies of catering services. It includes adult meals provided in schools, e.g. staff meals. External catering providers should also charge VAT at 12.5% on catering services provided to schools on or after 1 October 2021.

Please ensure you are applying the correct rate of VAT to any hospitality supplies that you make from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, which may involve implementing system changes. The VAT rate is due to change again from 1 April 2022 however you will be notified of this in due course. Should you have any queries or are unsure on the correct rate of VAT to apply please get in touch with a member of the Council’s VAT team, listed below.

This entry was posted by on 29/09/2021.

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