6th February 2023

Dear Colleagues,

Please find our weekly communication outlining CPD offers, requests for information and information about statutory responses from schools, e.g. the schools census returns.

We know that you, as headteachers are very busy and don't always have the time to address the offers or information requests listed here. We would like to remind you that you can share this briefing with other key staff who are best placed to action some of the information contained here. And we would like you to take a few moments to revisit the broad range of support and staff development opportunities that exist through these links.

We wish you a successful and peaceful week!

Cost of Living Questionnaire

Schools will have received the link to this questionnaire last Friday. We are trying to gather evidence on the impact of the cost of living situation for schools, children and families. Please take some time to fill out this brief questionnaire as much as you can. We will be using this information to share with the Hillingdon Safeguarding Partnership and other key services. We really need intelligence of front-line professionals like yourselves. Where possible, please quantify any impacts.  

Click here to complete questionnaire.   Please respond by 23rd February 2023. Thank you to those schools that have already completed this.

Winter Wellness - please share with staff, parents and carers

We are resending the Winter Wellness Directory and Warm Centre Locations across Hillingdon and ask that this is shared with all your staff members, parents and carers. This will help to ensure that support is promoted widely to our vulnerable families.

You can find these documents on LEAP: Winter Support for Families 2022 - Leap (hillingdon.gov.uk). Please note that the LEAP portal is for professionals only and not for parents and carers, therefore please download the documents first and attach them separately to your newsletters etc.

Inspection Training

Thank you to those who have attended  so far.  The sessions have been recorded and uploaded to LEAP along with the slides used, which you will find here.

If colleagues wish to sign up to the remaining sessions, please use this booking form.

Spring School Census - Status and Errors schools MUST fix - urgent

It's only 8 days until we reach the DfE deadline for submitting your return. 13 schools have had their return authorised by the DfE. All the others still have errors to resolve or have not submitted any data.

Those schools whose return is in the "Loaded and Validated" state, please fix your errors and click the Submit button. Schools that have not submitted data please do as soon as possible and then correct your errors. So far, all schools have encountered errors, it is your responsibility to resolve these. We, the LA, cannot fix them as we do not have access to your MIS (SIMS Arbor, etc.), nor do we know your data.

We have already sent you guidance on errors, the validation rules, and acceptable Return Notepad Entries.

Thank you.

The Data Team

** Change of Date**  The Role of the LADO

The Hillingdon Local Authority Designated Officer/LADO (Hannah Ives) is running free training sessions around the role of the LADO and managing allegations against staff and volunteers (children's workforce). 

This 3 hour multi-agency course is suitable for headteachers, chair of governors and senior leaders who are responsible for managing allegations in their settings (or supporting in the process), or as preparation for a role that requires this.  

The course will: 

• Provide an understanding of what an allegation is and how allegations against professionals/volunteers arise 
• Explore national and local guidance in relation to managing allegations 
• Provide an understanding of the different roles and responsibilities involved in effectively managing allegations including; 
• The role of the Local Authority Designated Officer and the LADO process 
• Increase confidence in your decision-making including through the exploration of case studies.   

Dates available to book training are:

• 1 March 2023 - 13:00 - 16:00 (In person - Committee Room 4, Civic Centre)
• 4 May 2023 - 09:30 - 12:30 (Online via MS Teams)
• 27 June 2023 - 09:30 - 12:30 (Online via MS Teams)
• 4 October 2023 - 09:30 - 12:30 (In person - Committee Room 4, Civic Centre)
• 26 February 2024 - 09:30 - 12:30 (Online via MS Teams)

Please click this link to book Managing Allegations against staff and volunteers/LADO training: Managing Allegations against staff and volunteers/LADO training - 2023/2024 (learningpool.com) 

For Learning Zone access related queries or any issues with booking, please email learninganddevelopment@hillingdon.gov.uk  

Working Together to Improve School Attendance - School attendance online training sessions

You will be aware the statutory guidance 'School Attendance' was withdrawn by the Department of Education in May 2022. From September 2022, schools have been required to follow the guidance provided in 'Working together to improve attendance'. This guidance should be fully effective from September 2023.

Following public consultation earlier this year, and subject to Parliament, the Secretary of State has committed to this guidance becoming statutory when parliamentary time allows (this will be no sooner than September 2023).

Whilst we would encourage you to read the new guidance in full; a simplified version of the key changes has been included as an attachment below for ease of reference.

To support you in preparing for these changes in attendance guidance, the Participation team will be providing a series of online training sessions during the summer term 2023.

All sessions will be held online on Wednesdays at 10.30 am and will cover the following areas:

• Session 1: 19th April - An overview of the Attendance Support Team, function and targeted support meetings (60 minutes)
• Session 2: 26th April - Parent Contracts/Panel Agreements, Education Supervision Orders (ESO) to be attended and booked with session 3 (60 minutes)
• Session 3: 3rd May - Witness Statements, to be attended and booked with session 2 (60 Minutes)
• Session 4: 10^th May - Holiday Penalty Notices (HPN) (60 minutes)
• Session 5: 17th May - Children Missing Education (CME) & School Attendance Orders (SAO) (60 minutes)

Please sign up here by Monday 20th February 2023.

Table of responsibilities for school attendance (PDF) [95KB]

London Sport Funding - Opening Schools Facility Funding - deadline for bids 26^th February 2023

London Sport is offering state funded schools the opportunity to apply for grants to help open their school facilities outside of school hours for their pupils, local young people, and the wider community.

• This fund, provided by the Department for Education, is designed to help schools deliver extra-curricular activities and open their facilities outside of the school day during evenings, weekends, and school holidays.
• Any London state funded Primary, Secondary, All-through, Special or Pupil Referral Unit can apply, with applications being prioritised for schools that are in areas of higher social deprivation and having no current (or limited) community access onsite to the school sports facilities.
• OSF provides funding for up to three years, and London Sport are currently accepting applications of up to £20,000 for year 1.  The deadline for year 1 applications is 26^th February 2023.
• For all information and to register to receive the application form, please visit Opening School Facilities Fund - London Sport

If you have any questions regarding the fund or the application, please contact schoolsaccess@londonsport.org

The London Music Fund's 2023-27 Scholarship Programme

The London Music Fund's 2023-27 Scholarship Programme opens for nominations on 6th March 2023.  Scholars receive funding for a comprehensive FOUR-YEAR programme which includes:

• Weekly instrumental tuition at a suitably challenging level, normally in small groups (2-6 per group) or, in exceptional circumstances, one-to-one.
• Compulsory attendance at a weekly ensemble of a suitably challenging level.
• Regular performance opportunities at school, music service and elsewhere.
• Invitations to attend special projects and go on trips to professional concerts.
• A well-maintained instrument which can be taken home.
• A named Music Service Mentor who is the liaison between the Scholar and family, music tutor and school.

To be put forward for a Scholarship, the child must:

• Currently be in year 4 or 5 (so going into year 5 or 6 in September 2023)
• Have been learning a musical instrument for a minimum of one year, this can include WCET programmes
• Show potential and commitment to learning.
• Be in a family where the ongoing cost of tuition would be prohibitive.

Do you know a budding young musician who would be suitable for our Scholarship programme?  If so, get in touch with music@hillingdon.gov.uk to find out more!

Scholarships 2023 FLYER (PDF) [156KB]

CO2 Monitors and Air Cleaning Units - reminder

Last year, the DfE provided carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors for 50% of teaching spaces in state-funded education settings. The DfE will now be providing additional CO2 monitors for the remaining 50% of classrooms, to help balance ventilation with energy costs. Good ventilation in education settings remains important, both for managing the transmission of airborne illnesses like COVID-19 or flu, as well as aiding concentration and alertness.

Further education and a small number of early years settings, namely eligible childminders, will be contacted separately with more information on how to receive additional monitors.

The DfE is also reopening their programme for DfE-funded air cleaning units. These are for use in classrooms where it is not possible to maintain adequate ventilation and where CO2 levels are consistently over 1500ppm. Air cleaning units can help reduce airborne contaminants while remedial work is undertaken. DfE is providing guides on how to apply and on how to use an air cleaning unit.

Please see useful guides below:

CO2HowtoGuide2022.pdf

ACUHowToGuide2022.pdf

How to apply: HowtoapplyforaDfEfundedaircleaningunit2022.pdf
Click here for Application Form

Deadline to apply is 10th February 2023.

Brilliant Parents Webinar - please share with parents / carers

Brilliant Parents present a 'Lunch and Learn' Webinar on The Digital World for Teenagers with Dr Michele McDowell on 10^th February 2023 at 12.30 -1.30 pm.  Register for free here

MyHealth Asthma Workshops - please share with parents / carers

MyHealth are running FREE Asthma workshops for parents who have children with Asthma on Monday 6^th March and Monday 3^rd April. The sessions will be run by the Hillingdon Hospital asthma nurses giving the chance to learn from health professionals and to ask them questions directly.

Content includes Asthma attacks, Asthma triggers, inhaler techniques, Asthma action plans.

The workshops will be run online via ZOOM from 4pm - 5pm you can register your FREE place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/myhealth-asthma-workshop-for-parents-children-tickets-191548726397

You can also contact the MyHealth team on tel: 01895 543 437 or nhsnwlccg.myhealth@nhs.net