5th December 2022

Dear Colleagues,

H&S Alerts

• Prosecution from Tree Issue at School

Please see the latest Green safety alert:  OHS 0144 - GREEN alert re Managing the risks associated with trees (PDF) [77KB]

This safety alert follows a report that the HSE are prosecuting a City Council following the death of a young girl after she was hit by a falling tree on a school's grounds. Whereas the details of the case are not known at this stage the prosecution is likely being brought as a result of a lack of tree inspection, or lack of action following an inspection.  The alert details what a simple tree inspection regime should look like and where to obtain professional advice. The LA is circulating this alert directly to all schools for action. Please also cascade through your SLTs as appropriate to raise awareness.

• Baby Safety Alert for Schools with Nurseries

Please see warning linked below relating to the use of baby self-feeding pillows. This has been shared with our boroughwide childcare and nursery organisations and schools that operate a nursey may wish to share with their nursery parents and carers.

Urgent Safety Alert issued for baby self-feeding pillows - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Winter Readiness Information for Schools and Nurseries

The Winter Readiness Information for schools and nurseries document below has been updated. This includes information and relevant resources for Covid-19 so schools and nurseries have access to the most up to date information. Also included is the link to the national 'Health Protection Guidance for schools and other childcare settings' for ease of reference, knowing how and when to contact their local health protection team, and checklists to prepare for potential norovirus and Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI).

Winter Readiness Information for Schools and Nurseries - 2022-2023 (PDF) [448KB]

Polio Vaccination Programme - Primaries please share with parents / carers

The Confederation CIC is supporting the delivery of the Polio vaccination programme within Hillingdon. If you have a child in need of a vaccination aged 1-9 year olds please email hillconfed.eah@nhs.net  with the below information:

• Hillingdon GP practice your child is registered with
• Name and Age of child needing polio vaccination
• Name of parent
• Telephone number

The team will then contact you to book your child in at one of their clinics.

Improving Attendance: Good Practice for Schools and Multi-academy Trusts

Please use the link to watch the training sessions lead by Adam Luke, Department for Education (DfE) School Attendance Policy Lead, outlining what the new Working together to improve school attendance guidance means for schools and academy trusts.

An Invitation for Schools to Share Daily Attendance Data and Use Attendance Reports to View Severe Absence

73% of schools in England are now sharing daily attendance data with the Department for Education (DfE). Sharing data gives you access to daily attendance reports on view your education data.

The reporting tool also includes severely absent pupil data. This is when a pupil is absent for at least 50% of the time. This group is a top priority for schools, as outlined in the latest guidance.

To share daily attendance data, please accept the request in your Wonde portal. If you do not use Wonde, you should have an information email from them. You can email Wonde directly if you have not received this at support@wonde.com.

You can also view a public dashboard for pupil attendance and absence in England, so you can make local authority, regional and national comparisons.

For further information from the DfE on sharing your daily school attendance click here.

SEND & Inclusion Newsletter

The LA is continually striving to keep you informed of current legislation, guidance and information which is relevant to supporting vulnerable students and students with SEND. 

Please see the latest SEND and Inclusion Service Newsletter. Please download this document and save to your device to be able to access all the links.

SEND & Inclusion Newsletter

Post 16 Digital Prospectus Feedback - please share with students / parents / carers 

To think about the year 2 launch and to ensure that we are meeting the expectations of the Post 16 digital prospectus, we are looking to capture experiences students/parents/carers are having when using it. 

Please share this short questionnaire with students and parents: Post 16 Digital Prospectus Feedback 

Restorative Justice Training for Schools

Restorative approaches enable those who have been harmed to convey the impact of the harm to those responsible, and for those responsible to acknowledge this impact and take steps to put it right. It brings those harmed and those responsible into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward.

It can be used to address a variety of issues such as bullying, classroom disruption, antisocial behaviour and disputes between pupils, their families, and members of staff. Restorative justice can help to reduce the recurrence of these issues by facilitating communication and understanding between those affected and increasing levels of empathy.

Restorative justice is regularly used by Hillingdon Youth Justice Service to address harm caused between children and victims and they would very much like to be able to share these skills with schools across the borough, to assist them in addressing issues that may arise. They would like to offer Restorative training to all schools and very much hope this will be of interest.

Dates:

• Wednesday 22nd March - 10 am - 4 pm at the Civic Centre
• Tuesday 20th June - 10 am - 4 pm at the Civic Centre

There is capacity for a maximum of 10 participants on each day.

Bookings should be made via Learning Zone - Restorative Justice / Approaches for Schools

Emotionally Based School Avoidance Training for Schools

Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) is used to describe children & young people who have severe difficulty attending school due to emotional factors and negative feelings, resulting in prolonged absences.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises that school settings should be supported to adopt a comprehensive 'whole school' approach to promoting the social and emotional wellbeing of children and young people. Such an approach moves beyond teaching and learning to be incorporated in all aspects of school life. Mental wellbeing is not simply the absence of mental illness but is a broader indicator of social, emotional and physical wellness.

AC Education are holding a webinar on 19^th January 2023 from 3.30 pm to 5pm, where Dr Jerricah Holder (Child and Educational Psychologist) will provide an introduction to Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) and key psychological models essential to understanding the needs of children who experience anxiety around attending school.

Moving away from the language of school refusal and with increased emphasis on a more compassionate and child-centred approach, Dr Jerricah Holder will share her 'Integrated Model of EBSA' enabling school staff to better understand the complex and often multi-faceted aspects of school avoidance behaviours.

• An introduction to key psychological models of Emotionally Based School Avoidance
• Exploration of terminology and why we are no longer using the term 'school refusal'
• Presentation of an alternative model, the 'Integrated Model of EBSA'
• Increased understanding of the complex and often multi-faceted nature of school avoidance behaviours

The cost of this is £7.99 per person but if you book before 31st December, you will receive our early bird price £5.99.  To book your place, please click here

Further sessions are:

9 February 2023 - A Model of Self Esteem - Emotional Bank Accounting

9 March 2023 - Supporting Students who are Self Harming

20 April - Supporting Vulnerable Pupils with SEMH

Discounted Music Lessons for Children Eligible for FSM

Parents currently sign-up for music lessons with the service via this website. It has been suggested that printed sign-up forms would help some families, and potentially some parents could be allowed to pay through existing school portals such as School Money. The music service would invoice the school.

The current discount for children from low-income families for lessons is 79% and 68% for instrument hire making them £17.10 and £7.40 per term. For this they receive 10 lessons delivered in a group setting.

If you have pupils who you think may need this type of support and you have the capacity to help them with the administration in signing-up, please do get in touch via music@hillingdon.gov.uk.

Free Contract Manager Training Pilot for Schools

This free pilot will test the Cabinet Office Foundation Level training with schools and MATs to understand if this is suitable in its current format. Participants will play an important role in helping identify any possible areas where the training can be improved to better meet schools' needs.

The training is suitable for anyone within a school who has contract management responsibilities, not just those in a specific commercial role.

For further information and to express an interest, please send your name and job title to ESCC.PROJECT@education.gov.uk

DfE Buying for Schools Webinars

Are you responsible for buying goods and services for your school? The Schools Commercial Team (SCT) within the Department for Education is leading on the Buying for Schools programme; delivering services to support schools to buy goods and services.

The team are hosting free webinars on how using our approved frameworks could save you time and help your school get value for money. The autumn programme webinars are listed below. Click on the links to find out more and book your place:

·       Buying tailor-made audit services for academies and schools - 6 Dec

·       Buying catering services for your school through YPO - 6 Dec

·       Buying or leasing multifunctional printing/scanning devices for your school - 7 Dec

·       Buying legal services for your school - 8 Dec

·       Buying education technology for your school - 8 Dec

·       Buying catering services for your school through ESPO - 13 Dec

You can find the full programme of webinars for the remainder of the autumn term on the Autumn 2022 webinar page. Visit the page to find out more and book your place.

Brilliant Parents Webinar - please share with parents / carers

Brilliant Parents are hosting a 'Lunch and Learn' Webinar with The Parenting Apart Programme, for parents and professionals in the Hillingdon Borough on 'Approaching Co-Parenting'.

On: Monday 5^th December

Time: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Kam Kaur will deliver her expertise online, and towards the end there will be an opportunity to ask questions if you wish to.  Please use this link to book: Approaching Co-Parenting Eventbrite Registration

Previously shared L&D Training for Schools:   

An Introduction to Social and Emotional Health (SEMH) 

12th January 2023 4 - 6 pm  

Changing Behaviour UK are offering this Webinar which is designed to help staff and teachers to better understand and support children and young people who present with social, emotional and mental health difficulties.  Please book here 

This course is free to schools purchasing the L&D SLA.  For schools not purchasing the L&D SLA and all others there is a fee of £65 per person.  

Please book your places for any courses via Learning Zone or email learninganddevelopment@hillingdon.gov.uk with any query.