6th November 2023

Dear Colleagues,

Please find our weekly briefing below and share with colleagues who can respond on behalf of your school or setting. Thank you.

Recruitment Checks and Visiting Staff from Hillingdon Council In Educational Settings

Letter of Assurance for Schools - 6.11.23 (PDF) [117KB]

Autumn School Workforce Census

This census opened on Thursday 2^nd November 2023.  After 24-hours, 21 schools have uploaded their data.  Two errors are prevalent, 7240Q and 6560Q.  We have identified an updated Notepad Guidance document, linked below, which should be used with these 2 errors.

Where appropriate please log into COLLECT to check your errors and address the following.

·       7240Q - no teacher vacancy records.  If this is correct, please add this return level note "7240Q - We confirm there are no vacancies in this school".  If these exact words on not used this error will not be auto-OKed.

·       6560Q - The school has School Business Professionals, but none are on the SLT. Please check and confirm this is correct.  If correct, please add this return level note "6560Q - Checked and correct".  Once again please use this exact wording.

SWF_Minimum_Notepad_Entries_Guide_2023 (PDF) [172KB]

The DfE's deadline for completion is 01/12/2023.  We would like maintained schools to submit their census returns by the 24/11/2023 so we can complete the Matching and Reconciliation validation checks before the DfE's deadline.  Please refer to the LEAP website for full set of the DfE and LBH guidance and specification documents at this URL: Workforce Census - Leap (hillingdon.gov.uk).  This folder contains a zip file, please download, and use the files.

Some schools have been using the Workforce familiarisation blade for practice have identified issues with the QTS Route data item.  Schools that used the "GTPR" code (Graduate Teacher Programme) are finding that this code is now being rejected.  None of the DfE documentation informs us that this is no longer a valid code.  We have found a change request dated March 2019 requesting its removal.  The DfE's reason for removal is "GTPR" comes as the graduate teacher programme ceased to exist in 2013.  The DfE does not expect any occurrences of this code to be returned within the school workforce census. 

There are still some schools that have not had their School Census approved by us or authorised by the DfE.  Could you please log onto COLLECT and check your return.

Please contact schoolcensus@hillingdon.gov.uk if you have any further questions.

Children Missing Education Information Session

The CME team will be hosting an Information Session on Tuesday 21^st November 2023 at 11 am via MS Teams. The aim of the session will be to share information regarding the service and the referral process. The session will provide a space to discuss expectations as well as answer any questions you may have related to Children Missing Education and the referral process. Details of how to sign up for the session will be sent directly to schools next week.  

Reminder - Attendance Self Evaluation Form

With school attendance coming into sharper focus than ever before in this academic year, the Attendance Support team have developed a Self-evaluation Framework, linked below, which can be used by schools to assess their position on attendance.

Use of the framework is voluntary, but we would encourage all schools to consider how it could be used as a tool to assess what you are currently doing well and where your areas for development are regarding attendance.

If you choose to complete the framework, the findings can also form part of your school's termly meeting with your allocated Attendance Support Officer who can provide further support and guidance.

Attendance-Audit---Self-Evaluation-form-for-schools-2023

Hillingdon Health Related Behaviour Survey 2023 -2024

Please register to participate in the fully funded the schools Health Related Behaviour Survey: https://www.sheu.org.uk/register

Hillingdon public health is fully funding a Health Education Survey for all primary and secondary schools in 2023. This will provide schools with information about the attitudes, habits and experiences and children and young people. The survey questions range widely over several health and lifestyle topics, including wellbeing, relationships, bullying diet and oral health, safety and school life. Schools will receive their own profile report and you will find out things like:

• Whether boys or girls report more bullying behaviour in your school
• If pupils in your school have better emotional wellbeing than those in the rest of Hillingdon
• If pupils qualifying for free school meals who have SEND feel differently about your school than do others

The survey is intended for use in Years 4 and 6 in primary schools and Years 8 and 10 in secondary schools. The responses collected from the young people are anonymous and confidential.  Your school profile will be kept confidential.

Your school profile report will provide broad and current evidence to inform self-evaluation and school improvement priorities and to plan health education and support based on the needs of your school. 

Registration closes 15th December 2023.

The survey period is 15th January - 9th February 2024.  

Please see this information sheet for more details:  Hillingdon Health-Related Behaviour Survey 2023-24 (PDF) [166KB]

For more information please contact Julia Heggie, Public Health Team at jheggie@hillingdon.gov.uk

Faith & Belief Forum Event - Resources and Networking CPD

The Faith and Belief Forum and Forest School would like to extend the following invitation to the staff at your school as part of their activities during Interfaith Week.

Join them on Thursday 16^th November from 4 - 6 pm for the Faith & Belief Open evening where they will launch new resources for Skills for Dialogue, share best practice and hear from staff, pupils and partnerships about the journey to embed dialogue and pupil leadership within a whole school approach to personal development. 

Sign up for this free event here.

Please contact Amy Ark atamy.ark@faithbeliefforum.org if you have queries.

Team Teach Level 1 and Level 2 Courses

Team Teach Level 1 Agenda - 17^th January 2024 at St Mary's Catholic School

Team Teach Level 2 Agenda - 19^th & 20^th March 2024 at St Mary's Catholic School

To check availability and reserve your space, please email info@changing-behaviour.co.uk.

Regards,

Abi Preston

Director of Education & SEND

Children's Services, London Borough of Hillingdon, 4E/07, Civic Centre, Uxbridge UB8 1UW