8th January 2024
Dear Colleagues,
We hope you had an enjoyable and restful break over the Christmas holidays.
Please find our weekly briefing below to share with your colleagues who can respond on behalf of your school or setting. Thank you.
Reminders: |
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|---|---|
All schools who have not already, must submit their safeguarding development plan/audit to education@hillingdon.gov.uk | ASAP |
Year 6 teachers can sign up to the LA Assessment and Moderation Briefing Session 2 Here | By 9/02/24 |
Hillingdon LEAP can be accessed for information and guidance for all schools | Ongoing |
The SEND & Inclusion Training Brochure can be viewed here | Ongoing |
The HLP Brochure can be viewed at Hillingdon Learning Partnership | Ongoing |
Reading Champions Programme for Primary Schools
As part of the LA's on-going commitment to develop quality pedagogy in all our schools we are delighted to announce the launch of our Reading Champions Programme.
This is a fully funded programme that is designed to develop a number of highly skilled teachers who will act as experts in reading across the primary age range, helping to develop outstanding reading pedagogy in their own school. They will also act as 'Hub' leaders to work with a small group of neighbouring schools to help develop reading across the primary and EYFS curriculums in their group of schools; a school-to-school support model.
Funding has been obtained to deliver the programme in a blended format, some face-to-face sessions, some online input and visits to exemplar schools that act as national models of good practice. Facilitators are nationally recognised phonics and reading trainers.
The course is aimed at those who have the capacity to run effective reading pedagogy in school and the leadership skills to work with a group of schools to help develop their practice. They may be existing reading / English leads or a colleague that senior leaders feel has the capacity to step up and lead across a school system. The content of the course sits aligned to the NPQ leadership qualifications and is in the process of gaining accreditation through Brunel University at Masters Level.
Places on the course is limited to a maximum of 12.
As there is a tight deadline to ensure that we have enough time to deliver all eight modules by the end of the summer term please complete this FORM to register your interest asap. The deadline for applications is 3 pm on 22nd January.
A detailed breakdown of the time scale and modules will be emailed to primary schools in the next couple of days.
If you have any queries in the meantime, please email education@hillingdon.gov.uk.
Competition Time! Deadline Extended to 24th January
Please get involved and encourage your children and young people to enter our 'Design a Logo Competition' to design a new partnership logo for the Hillingdon Local Area Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Alternative Provision Partnership.
The logo needs to represent the partnership between Education (schools and the Council), Health (e.g., Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, GPs etc) and Social Care and Voluntary Sector (e.g., HACS, Centre for ADHD and Autism, Hillingdon Parent Carer Forum etc).
We are looking for children and young people to design our new logo and help to represent our partnership with children at the heart of everything! The competition is open to all children and young people ages 4 - 19, or up to 25 with SEND. It would be extra special if the winning entry came from one of our children or young people with SEND. The logo will be used on all partnership documents in relation to SEND and the winner will receive a £50 love to show voucher. Children and young people need parents' permission to share their name and the school on the winning entry.
Please email entries with name of child or young person and school name to education@hillingdon.gov.uk.
Design a Logo Competition for Children in Hillingdon (PDF) [283KB]
REMINDER - Attendance Hubs for Schools: Application Re-launch
The DFE has reopened the application process for schools to express an interest in joining an attendance hub. As you may recall, attendance hubs are led by senior leaders in schools with strong attendance practice from around the country. These schools share, in-depth, their successful strategies and resources for improving attendance. In return, supported schools are expected to revisit and revise their approach to managing attendance, and join half-termly virtual hub meetings to share practice, and discuss progress, and challenges.
If you would are interested in joining a hub, please visit this website link Attendance hubs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for further information and complete the following application form https://forms.office.com/e/w0Ycm4kdkM.
The deadline for schools to express an interest in joining a hub is 15th January 2024.
Trauma Informed Practice Live Webinar with Dr Karen Treisman MBE
Monday 25th & Tuesday 26th March 2024 at 9.30 am - 4 pm via Zoom
Hillingdon Virtual School are delighted to invite you to a two-day live webinar with Dr Karen Treisman.
The two days will focus on power of language, behaviour as communication and aspects of trauma including the multi-sensory and survival modes. It is essential that you can attend both sessions as they are designed to work in alongside each other.
Dr Karen Treisman is a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist who has worked in the National Health System and children's services for several years, including working with CLA in Kensington and Chelsea. Karen has extensive experience in the areas of trauma, parenting, adversity (ACE's) and attachment, and works clinically using a range of therapeutic approaches with families, systems, and children in or on the edge of care, unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, and adopted children.
You can learn more about Karen and her work at: http://www.safehandsthinkingminds.co.uk
If you wish to attend, please complete this Booking Form no later than 11th March. Please be aware that by completing the form you are acknowledging you can attend all sessions.
Please share with colleagues who you feel would benefit from this training.
Hillingdon Virtual School Conference 2024
Wednesday 3rd July 2024 at 9.30 am - 4 pm at Brunel University
The Hillingdon Virtual School Team are delighted to share that we are planning our 1st ever Virtual School Conference for our Designated Teacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead's and all other colleagues who work with us to support our Vulnerable Children in Education.
The theme of the Conference is Because of You ...a celebration of education for Vulnerable Children.
We have confirmed speakers from Jamie's Farm in the morning and Jaz Ampaw-Farr in the afternoon. Our wonderful Children in Care will be delivering their Walking In Our Shoes training and Brunel Ambassadors and Care Leavers will be sharing their educational experiences with us.
It would be wonderful to have as many of our schools as possible represented at the conference. Please feel free to share this invite with other colleagues.
Please sign up to attend here by 14th June.
Learn Hillingdon Adult Community Education Courses for School Staff
Please see details of current courses available: Learn Hillingdon Courses Jan 2024 (PDF) [133KB]
Learners can enrol by contacting tdonnelly@hae-acl.ac.uk or loleary@hae-acl.ac.uk.
World Book Day Events 2024
Please see here for details of free events for schools organised by Hillingdon Libraries: World Book Day Events 2024 (PDF) [351KB]
Booking requests for the in-person events should be submitted by Friday 26th January. Virtual sessions can be booked until Friday 9th February.
Winter Wellness Directory 2024
Please share this updated directory with your staff / parents / carers.
Winter-Wellness-Directory-2024
Brilliant Parents
Please see latest newsletter to be shared with your staff / parents / carers.
Brilliant Parents Newsletter December 2023 (PDF) [1MB]
Regards,
Abi Preston
Director of Education & SEND
Children's Services, London Borough of Hillingdon, 4E/07, Civic Centre, Uxbridge UB8 1UW
