Included in this update:

• DfE Daily Attendance Return
• Reception and Year 2-3 Admissions - September 2022
• Updated Safeguarding & Child Protection Model Policy 2021
• SENAR Funding for Mainstream Schools
• Attendance Webinar
• Schools Financial ValueStandard: Updated guidance from DfE
• EYSFF Returns for Autumn Term 2021
• Schools Financial Services Strategic Financial Planning Tool
• Prevent Education team: Upcoming training offer
• Arts and Culture update from BEP
• Vacant temporary cleaning and catering positions

DfE Daily Attendance Return

The DfE has confirmed that the educational setting status form will continue with daily reporting. This will be kept under review, and the Department will move to weekly reporting when the national situation allows.

Thank you for continuing to complete this return. 

Reception and Year 2-3 Admissions - September 2022

Online admissions opened on 1 October 2021 for Reception and Year 2-3 admissions for entry in September 2022.  Applications can be made online through the Birmingham City Council website www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions until the final deadline of 15 January 2022.  Please note that due to the Easter bank holiday, primary offer day will fall on 19 April 2022.

Please can you help raise awareness of the process as parents who apply late are less likely to be offered one of their preferred schools.  All the information parents need to support with making their preferences is available on our website www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions 

More advice and support is also available from Children’s Services on 0121 303 1888.

Updated Safeguarding & Child Protection Model Policy 2021 

On 23 September, we published an 'Erratum' to enable schools to quickly identify any changes made in the model safeguarding policy.  This is to ensure that schools are able to easily update the policy to reflect any amendments. The model policy can be found on BESS and/or the Education: Early Help and Safeguarding website.

Please note that the model policy will be regularly reviewed and updated by the Education: Early Help and Safeguarding Team to ensure it reflects current guidance and that all hyperlinks are up to date.

SENAR Funding for Mainstream Schools

We are aware that some mainstream schools are still awaiting outcomes of funding decisions, especially regarding new plans issued. We sincerely apologise for this; we are experiencing backlogs due to capacity issues in the SENAR service. We are also aware that there has been some confusion over the changes in the way funding is allocated. We are working on the backlog of issues and queries and schools will be notified of funding allocations by half term. Following this further clarity and training regarding funding will be provided. We thank you for your patience at this time.

Attendance webinar

The recording and presentation from the managing attendance webinar delivered by Edwina Langley earlier this week have been posted on the council's website here.

Any schools with queries regarding attendance can email the team (attendance@birmingham.gov.uk) for advice.

Schools Financial Value Standard updated guidance from DfE

The DfE has recently updated the Schools Financial Value Standard and the associated guidance in relation to the changes made for the 2021/2022 submission. The changes to the checklist are detailed within this guidance and includes a link to the Benchmarking site and also the new View my Financial Insights tool. 

Please note submission date for the completed checklist is 31st March 2022. Submissions need to be made to the following email: SchoolsFinAssess@birmingham.gov.uk

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 Financial Services Strategic Financial Planning Tool

The Schools Financial Services (SFS) strategic financial planning tool is available for maintained primary, secondary and special schools to purchase. As in previous years, SFS have separated the funding calculation element from thei strategic reports to enable assumptions to be changed and modified throughout the year as and when announcements and guidance on future years funding are released from the DfE.

The financial forecast template will calculate estimated outturns and key KPIs when information on anticipated income, expenditure and funding has been input by the school. SFS can still support schools with forecasting future years funding however this is no longer part of the report template.

SFS will instead send schools a proforma to complete which will enable us to calculate your estimated funding for future years in the following areas:

• S251
• EYSFF
• Teacher Pay and Pension Grant (where still separate)
• Pupil Premium
• Growth
• Resource Base
• Post 16 funding.

Once the pro-forma has been completed and returned you will receive a blank report template and a printout of your projected funding for future years. Please also be reminded that schools are required to submit their 3-year forecast based on October 2021 census details, before the 31st December 2021. The report and documentation will be sent as an encrypted email, and the price has been retained at £195.

The key benefits to your school include:  

• Enabling the assessment of effective and efficient use of resources
• The ability to respond to fluctuations in pupil numbers and funding.
• Support with the requirements of the Schools Financial Value Standard
• Compliance with Ofsted and Audit recommendations
• Allow modelling of different funding scenarios.

SFS can support achools in completing the strategic plan if required at a cost of £47 per hour. 

Contact: Elaine.A.Leith@birmingham.gov.uk

Prevent Education team: Upcoming training offer 

Title/Description	Description	Facilitator	Date/Time	How to book
Cyber Security Webinar for Practitioners	Join the West Midlands Regional Cyber Crime Unit, a team within the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit, on the 13th October 2021 from 10am-11am for an informative webinar and live Q&A to learn about how educators can help us prevent young people from getting involved in cyber dependent crime. Featured in a recent government publication, Keeping children safe in education 2021 (publishing.service.gov.uk), we hope to provide educators with a new way of supporting those students who could be going down an unethical path towards cyber criminality.	West Midlands Police Cyber Security Department Prevent Education Team	13 October 2021 10am - 11am	Book via BESS
Cyber Security Webinar for Practitioners	Further session for those unable to attend on 13th October.	West Midlands Police Cyber Security Department Prevent Education Team	9 March 2022 10am - 11am	Book via BESS
Cyber Security Webinar for pupils (11-17 year olds)	Calling all students! Come and join the West Midlands Regional Cyber Crime Unit, a team within the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit, on the 18th November from 11.30am-1pm  for an informative webinar and live Q&A to learn about the Computer Misuse Act and about legal and ethical cyber opportunities available to you. We are delighted to have a special guest speaker from the National Cyber Security’s Centre CyberFirst programme who’s aim is to develop the UK's next generation of cyber professionals through their student bursaries, courses for 11-17-year olds and competitions. Teachers dial in with your students to find out more!	West Midlands Police Cyber Security Department Prevent Education Team	18 November 2021 11.30am - 1pm	Book via BESS. Please book for individual teachers. A maximum of two teachers per school can sign up. You must inform the SSI Support team (ssi@birmingham.gov.uk) of the number of pupils and year groups/classes who will be in attendance during the webinar.
Workshop to raise awareness of Prevent (WRAP Train the Trainer: New trainees)		Prevent Education Team: Ayisha Ali	2 November 2021  10am - 12pm	Book via BESS
Workshop to raise awareness of Prevent (WRAP Train the Trainer: New trainees)		Prevent Education Team: Ayisha Ali	11 January 2022 10am - 12pm	Book via BESS
Workshop to raise awareness of Prevent (WRAP Train the Trainer: New trainees)		Prevent Education Team: Ayisha Ali	10 May 2022 10am - 12pm	Book via BESS
Workshop to raise awareness of Prevent (WRAP Train the Trainer: New trainees)		Prevent Education Team: Ayisha Ali	14 June 2022 10am - 12pm	Book via BESS
Workshop to raise awareness of Prevent (WRAP Train the Trainer: New trainees)		Prevent Education Team: Ayisha Ali	5 July 2022 10am - 12pm	Book via BESS
Workshop to raise awareness of Prevent (WRAP Refresher)		Prevent Education Team: Ayisha Ali	21 December 2021 10am - 11am	Book via BESS
Workshop to raise awareness of Prevent (WRAP Refresher)		Prevent Education Team: Ayisha Ali	7 July 2022 10am - 11am	Book via BESS

Arts and Culture Update from BEP 

Primary Training Event for Art Subject Leads, Curriculum Leads and Senior Leaders - Guest Artist: Tereza Buskova - Trainer: Andrew Fox

As part of the contemporary and popular BEP Art Subject Development training, the next part of the course will be focussing on how art powers primary schools across the curriculum, around the school environment through display, and through engagement work with parents and the community. We will be looking at examples and strategies from different schools and discussing the importance of art and its place in the eco system of a school and its community.

Our special guest will be Czech interdisciplinary artist Tereza Buskova who will deliver a keynote to teachers on her practice through the craft, tradition, and rituals of other cultures which she reinterprets and celebrates through interdisciplinary work in performance, print, and video. Tereza will also highlight her successful collaborative community projects with Eastern European women’s groups and visual art workshops for schools exploring the practice of lesser- known European artists as part of the art curriculum.

Andrew Fox will also be taking teachers through the concept of ‘culture’, the culture of a school, cultural capital and also popular culture, and it's importance for primary aged children (and how art sits at the centre of it all). This will include a deep dive into a project he delivered in a Primary school about the 'analogue to digital age'  which led to an epiphany moment for a class of Year 5 children (bring your deeley boppers, Sony Walkmans and a space suit!).

This training will be PACKED FULL of learning and ideas for teachers and all attendees will receive post event PDF’s from Andrew Fox and Tereza Buskova. The training will be delivered on zoom using high definition apple keynote with animation and so we recommend that attendees use a laptop size screen or larger to get the best out of the event. This event will also carry some audio visual content from popular culture. Culture and Community Primary Training Event with Guest Artist Tereza Buskova

Wednesday 20th October 2021 13.30-16.00pm on Zoom - Cost:  £40 Birmingham Schools - £50 Regional Schools  CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR PLACE  or email events@bep.education

Associate Artist Update

As most you of you aware, BEP has a team of specialist artists and creative practitioners supporting my school improvement work and we are pleased to be welcoming on board Anne Brierley. Anne is a visual artist, whose skills cover printmaking (drypoint, collaoraph, and lino), mask making, puppetry, theatre sets, murals, life drawing (for all ages) and painting. Anne has nearly twenty years experience working as an artist in many different primary, secondary, SEND and youth settings and this has also included working as a teacher of art in secondary schools. Her personal work is in painting and printmaking and Anne has developed projects with National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, Birmingham Art Gallery, Worcester Art Gallery, Birmingham Libraries and the V&A Museum. She has also created large scale public (sculptural) art works for hospitals in Birmingham, in Sandwell, Cardiff and Liverpool.  We are very excited to have Anne’s experience, expertise and skills in the team.

The new academic year has kicked off with a busy start for the BEP associate artists with bookings and projects already underway including a year long artist-in-residency, two mural commissions, a year 2 and year 6 art curriculum project, a ceramics CPD inset and more. If you would like to enquire about working with Anne or any of our artists, please feel free to contact me for informal chat about your project plans, ideas or to request biographies/more info about the team and how they can support school improvement, CPD, enrichment and subject learning - andrew.fox@bep.education

Design and Technology

BEP will be developing the Design and Technology offer for Birmingham Primary Schools this year and we are hoping to bring some D&T practitioners into the mix of our associate consultants, and creating new training moving forwards. So please inform all Primary D&T’s leads to watch this space and look out for future communications. If they are not already registered in the DT network please email events@bep.education and request to be included in future comms.

Vacant temporary cleaning and catering positions

BCC is currently running a recruitment drive to fill vacant temporary cleaning and catering positions. We are asking all schools to assist in this by sharing the information below with parents/carers 

There are multiple temporary catering and cleaning positions available at a variety of locations (applicants should specify their preferred location at registration stage).
Shift patterns do vary in hours and some are as little as two hours per day which may be just what you are looking for. If you are available at short notice and wish to find out more information or register your interest please contact seph.Berry@Hays.com with your most recent CV.