22nd January 2024

Dear Colleagues,

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

Reminders:
DSL Cluster Group Meeting at Oak Wood School. No need to book please just turn up	On 24th January at 10 am - 12.30 pm
Entries for the 'Design a Logo Competition' for the Hillingdon Local Area Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Alternative Provision Partnership to be sent to education@hillingdon.gov.uk	By 24th January
Year 6 teachers can sign up to the LA Assessment and Moderation Briefing Session 2 here	By 9th February
Schools can register here to attend the Trauma Informed Practice Live Webinar with Dr Karen Treisman MBE on 25th & 26th March	By 11th March
Schools can sign up here to attend the Hillingdon Virtual School Conference on 3rd July	By 14th June
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

Updates/Information:
New SEND & AP Strategy 2023-28   We are pleased to share the new Hillingdon SEND & AP-Strategy 2023-28 has now formally been approved. In creating this strategy, we consulted with a wide range of partners and stakeholders to ensure it captured the key priorities/ ambitions that we need to focus on for Hillingdon over the next 5 years. This includes health, social care, schools, parents, children and young people, voluntary sector and more. This strategy is an important foundation for the local area over the next few years and aligns to the new SEND and AP improvement plan. We have updated our governance to reflect the new ambitions - the previous priority groups are being converted into the new ambition groups and will drive forward the implementation of the ambitions, reporting to the SEND Operational Board and SEND Executive Partnership Board on progress. Following feedback from schools, please read our responses to some of the key points raised in the feedback from schools: SEND STRATEGY RESPONSES TO SCHOOLS (PDF) [186KB] We are in the process of running a competition for a new local area SEND logo designed by one of Hillingdon's children or young people. We will share the new logo once the competition has ended and a new design is selected by representatives of the partnership. We look forward to working with you on this new local area strategy and, in turn, improving outcomes for our children and young people.
Transition Day 2024 As agreed with the HASH & Primary Forum Chairs, transition day will be Tuesday 2nd July 2024.
Launch of School Attendance National Communications Campaign Thank you for your continued effort and hard work to ensure pupils in Hillingdon attend school regularly. To help schools and LAs continue to meet this incredibly important challenge, the Government launched a national attendance communications campaign aimed at parents and carers. The DfE's national campaign will take place January-March 2024 and makes clear to families that moments matter, attendance counts. The campaign will feature media partnerships, radio advertising and social media influencers to promote the importance of school attendance and the value of a school day. The campaign reflects feedback from schools and LAs. It aims to primarily reach those parents whose children are taking preventable odd days of absence - or "avoidable absence" - rather than those who face greater barriers to attendance, such as pupils with long term medical conditions or special educational needs and disabilities. The campaign forms one part of the Governments wider strategy to increase attendance, which also includes clearer expectations for schools and local authorities built around a 'support first' approach. While the importance of learning and the legal obligation to attend are core reasons for children to be in school, we want to remind parents of the wider holistic benefits for children's wellbeing and happiness - such as the development of friendships and fantastic extra-curricular opportunities.  A toolkit is available here for schools. Please use this resource and support the campaign throughout Spring term. This is in addition to existing resources including guidance on mild illness, a letter from the Chief Medical Officer, support for children who are anxious about school, and a toolkit to help schools communicate with families on attendance.
Post 16 Update At the most recent Careers Leaders' Network last term, SPARK introduced the schools who attended to their programmes - some of which are fully funded.  Employability support and pathways seems to be a common theme with schools and SPARK can help support with this, which they are currently doing across a few schools. An example of a programme they offer is below and more information will be shared on LEAP. The Post-16 Partnership section on LEAP also has a new page: Local Skills Improvement Plan which includes an LSIP document displaying trends and forecasts in the West London labour market. Mike Pearson, Post 16 Partnerships Co-ordinator
AXIS Service Bulletin January 2024 Please click here to view
New Online Parent/Carer Drop-In Support Group The Centre for ADHD & Autism Support are delighted to be offering a new NWL parent/carer drop-in support group, held on Zoom on Wednesday evenings and Monday mornings for those whose children/young people are or are suspected to be ADHD/autistic.  Online Parents Drop-In Poster (PDF) [2MB]
2024 Uxbridge Rock Show A free exhibition of all things geological from 5th - 22nd February at Uxbridge Library. Will include museum-quality rock specimens to handle and view, rock cycle display, local geology, building stones and rivers. Knowledgeable stewards on hand to answer your questions and updates on the latest geological news. School and group tours available. For further information see our website www.hhgs.org.uk or contact us at HHGeolSoc@outlook.com. Rock Show 2024 poster (PDF) [304KB]

Updates/Information:

New SEND & AP Strategy 2023-28

  We are pleased to share the new Hillingdon SEND & AP-Strategy 2023-28 has now formally been approved. In creating this strategy, we consulted with a wide range of partners and stakeholders to ensure it captured the key priorities/ ambitions that we need to focus on for Hillingdon over the next 5 years. This includes health, social care, schools, parents, children and young people, voluntary sector and more. This strategy is an important foundation for the local area over the next few years and aligns to the new SEND and AP improvement plan. We have updated our governance to reflect the new ambitions - the previous priority groups are being converted into the new ambition groups and will drive forward the implementation of the ambitions, reporting to the SEND Operational Board and SEND Executive Partnership Board on progress.

Following feedback from schools, please read our responses to some of the key points raised in the feedback from schools: SEND STRATEGY RESPONSES TO SCHOOLS (PDF) [186KB]

We are in the process of running a competition for a new local area SEND logo designed by one of Hillingdon's children or young people. We will share the new logo once the competition has ended and a new design is selected by representatives of the partnership.

We look forward to working with you on this new local area strategy and, in turn, improving outcomes for our children and young people.

Transition Day 2024

As agreed with the HASH & Primary Forum Chairs, transition day will be Tuesday 2nd July 2024.

Launch of School Attendance National Communications Campaign

Thank you for your continued effort and hard work to ensure pupils in Hillingdon attend school regularly. To help schools and LAs continue to meet this incredibly important challenge, the Government launched a national attendance communications campaign aimed at parents and carers. The DfE's national campaign will take place January-March 2024 and makes clear to families that moments matter, attendance counts.

The campaign will feature media partnerships, radio advertising and social media influencers to promote the importance of school attendance and the value of a school day.

The campaign reflects feedback from schools and LAs. It aims to primarily reach those parents whose children are taking preventable odd days of absence - or "avoidable absence" - rather than those who face greater barriers to attendance, such as pupils with long term medical conditions or special educational needs and disabilities.

The campaign forms one part of the Governments wider strategy to increase attendance, which also includes clearer expectations for schools and local authorities built around a 'support first' approach.

While the importance of learning and the legal obligation to attend are core reasons for children to be in school, we want to remind parents of the wider holistic benefits for children's wellbeing and happiness - such as the development of friendships and fantastic extra-curricular opportunities. 

A toolkit is available here for schools. Please use this resource and support the campaign throughout Spring term. This is in addition to existing resources including guidance on mild illness, a letter from the Chief Medical Officer, support for children who are anxious about school, and a toolkit to help schools communicate with families on attendance. 

Post 16 Update

At the most recent Careers Leaders' Network last term, SPARK introduced the schools who attended to their programmes - some of which are fully funded.  Employability support and pathways seems to be a common theme with schools and SPARK can help support with this, which they are currently doing across a few schools. An example of a programme they offer is below and more information will be shared on LEAP.

The Post-16 Partnership section on LEAP also has a new page: Local Skills Improvement Plan which includes an LSIP document displaying trends and forecasts in the West London labour market.

Mike Pearson, Post 16 Partnerships Co-ordinator

AXIS Service Bulletin January 2024

Please click here to view

New Online Parent/Carer Drop-In Support Group

The Centre for ADHD & Autism Support are delighted to be offering a new NWL parent/carer drop-in support group, held on Zoom on Wednesday evenings and Monday mornings for those whose children/young people are or are suspected to be ADHD/autistic. 

Online Parents Drop-In Poster (PDF) [2MB]

2024 Uxbridge Rock Show

A free exhibition of all things geological from 5th - 22nd February at Uxbridge Library. Will include museum-quality rock specimens to handle and view, rock cycle display, local geology, building stones and rivers. Knowledgeable stewards on hand to answer your questions and updates on the latest geological news. School and group tours available.

For further information see our website www.hhgs.org.uk or contact us at HHGeolSoc@outlook.com.

Rock Show 2024 poster (PDF) [304KB]

For Action:
LA Training for Governors Support & Challenge Session for Governors Governors are invited to attend this online session on Wednesday 28th February 2024 6 - 7 pm. Delivered by the LA School Improvement Education Advisors, discussions will be on support and challenge around strategic planning, school Improvement, financial management, accountability and compliance plus more. Please register to attend HERE by 21st February. SEND Governor Training Session All governors are invited to attend on Thursday 21st March 2024 at 6 -7 pm. This online session will look at the role of the SEND governor, how the LA supports schools with SEND and the new SEND Strategy. Please register to attend HERE by 13th March.
Funding for Universal Free School Meals in Primary Schools Claims Above 90% Take Up  Funding for this scheme has been based on an assumed uptake rate of 90%. Schools that can evidence uptake above 90% will be able to claim additional funding.     Schools will be required to submit evidence to their borough by 28th March 2024 in the form of snapshot data of school meal uptake at two points of the year. The initial snapshot should reflect the uptake rate on 18th January 2024. Further information about how this will work can be found in the guidance, which is available on the resource hubs. Please note all submissions will need to be made to the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) Nav Minhas, nminhas@hillingdon.gov.uk at the LA by 28th March 2024. The deadline for claims to be submitted to the GLA is 30th April 2024, after which the UFSM team will review, and aim to issue funding to successful boroughs before the end of May.  Additional Funding for Special Schools The GLA are opening applications for additional funding for special schools. Successful applications will receive payment in the May 2024 instalment. The additional funding for state special schools who have extraordinary costs associated with their pupils; and only if there are exceptional barriers to receiving a free school meal.  The funding can be used to support Key Stage 2 pupils with an EHCP, who are not eligible for Government free school meals. You will need to complete the form shared directly with schools by 15th March 2024 at which point the GLA will consider applications for the following: Up to 10k funding in total per school A top up of the meal price, up to £1 per meal (funded at 100% take up not 90%) Small equipment, for example a commercial blender or specialist feeding equipment (under 5k) Supermarket vouchers in exceptional circumstances The GLA will not be funding: Large-scale capital expenditure Transport or staffing costs Any queries can be sent to education@hillingdon.gov.uk
Expansion of Entitlement to Early Years Provision The government have announced that families where all parents are in work may be eligible for more early years provision from April 2024. If each parents earns more than the equivalent of 16 hours a week at minimum wage and less than £100,000 a year, they would be able to access 15 hours of provision for two-year-olds from April 2024. This will be extended further to cover children from nine months old from September 2024. From September 2025, the number of funded hours that parents can access will increase to 30 hours for children from nine months old. For each of these age ranges, the entitlement begins from the term after the child reaches the eligible age or the term after the parent's eligibility code starts, whichever is later. The government also intends to expand the availability of wraparound childcare for children of primary school age. We will be circulating a survey for schools to complete regarding wraparound provision. To plan for the increase in entitlement to funded early years provision and wraparound childcare, the local authority is carrying out a survey of parents to assess the likely demand for this expansion in the early years' entitlement and wraparound childcare. Please can you share the link to this online form with your parents and encourage them to complete it. This will help ensure that parental demand is better understood and met, as far as reasonably practicable.
Harmful Sexual Behaviour- Survey for Professionals Working with Children and Young People In recent months, the KISS, AXIS and Youth Justice services have received an increased number of referrals for children and young people pertaining to harmful sexual behaviours.   Harmful sexual behaviours can be defined as sexual behaviours that are developmentally inappropriate and may be harmful towards self and others.   The increased number of referrals locally aligns with the national statistics being reported. To support the development of the local response to these referrals and address the increase in harmful sexual behaviour, we would like to ask all professionals working with children and young people under the age of 18 to take part in this Survey. The survey will better our understanding of the increased presentation of harmful sexual behaviour.
Can You Help with Volunteering Placements? At Learn Hillingdon we offer learners qualifications that help them get into work. These qualifications require a practical placement, so that they can gain some experience. We are looking for placements for:- Supporting Teaching and Learning Level 2 Certificate - The learner must have a placement in a school for at least 6 hours per week working directly with children in year 1 or above for the duration of the qualification course (approximately 12 months). Business Administration Level 1 Certificate - The learner must have a placement in an admin office for at least 6 hours per week supporting the 'office team' including - answering phones, taking messages, producing documents and sending emails. The volunteering placement is required for the duration of the qualification course (approximately 12 months). One of our qualified and experienced assessors will be coming into the workplace, at least twice to observe the 'learner' in the volunteering placement. You will benefit from having some extra support and the learner will benefit from having practical experience. To offer a Teaching Assistant placement contact tdonnelly@hillingdon.gov.uk To offer a Business Admin Assistant placement contact ffelton@hillingdon.gov.uk
Step Up to Social Work Students - Primary School Support Needed We have several Step Up to Social Work students joining for their accelerated master's in social work award.  Their programme has 3 placement elements: a child observation, an adult's SW practice placement and a children's SW practice placement.   They are looking for primary schools that can help provide student placements for Child Observation for 15 days starting on 6th March 2024. The students would need to complete observations of children and get involved with some individual direct work.  This can't be related to child protection or the social work role.  If you can support with this please contact Ann Nardecchia, Social Care Development Manager at anardecchia@hillingdon.gov.uk.
School Garden Grants Programme The School Garden Grant programme helps create and develop school gardens across London. There is particular interest to support schools in Hillingdon this year to transform outdoor spaces into gardens where pupils can grow fruit and vegetables. Each school can apply for up to £2,000. The deadline to apply for a School Garden Grant has been extended to Thursday 1st February. However, the fund will close once 80 applications have been received, so we recommend submitting your application early. Please read the FAQs and Application Guidelines before applying. Click here for the online application form. New for 2024 This year, School Food Matters will be offering additional support to the Garden Grant schools so that they can make the most of their new growing spaces. Successful schools will have the chance to apply for: Gardening training courses for teachers A gardening session for up to 30 students with an SFM gardener to show how your new school garden can be put to best use. Please contact Julia Heggie at JHeggie@Hillingdon.Gov.UK if you would like support with your application and to notify if an application has been submitted.

For Action:

LA Training for Governors

Support & Challenge Session for Governors

Governors are invited to attend this online session on Wednesday 28th February 2024 6 - 7 pm. Delivered by the LA School Improvement Education Advisors, discussions will be on support and challenge around strategic planning, school Improvement, financial management, accountability and compliance plus more. Please register to attend HERE by 21st February.

SEND Governor Training Session

All governors are invited to attend on Thursday 21st March 2024 at 6 -7 pm. This online session will look at the role of the SEND governor, how the LA supports schools with SEND and the new SEND Strategy. Please register to attend HERE by 13th March.

Funding for Universal Free School Meals in Primary Schools

Claims Above 90% Take Up 

Funding for this scheme has been based on an assumed uptake rate of 90%. Schools that can evidence uptake above 90% will be able to claim additional funding.  

  Schools will be required to submit evidence to their borough by 28th March 2024 in the form of snapshot data of school meal uptake at two points of the year. The initial snapshot should reflect the uptake rate on 18th January 2024. Further information about how this will work can be found in the guidance, which is available on the resource hubs.

Please note all submissions will need to be made to the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) Nav Minhas, nminhas@hillingdon.gov.uk at the LA by 28th March 2024.

The deadline for claims to be submitted to the GLA is 30th April 2024, after which the UFSM team will review, and aim to issue funding to successful boroughs before the end of May. 

Additional Funding for Special Schools

The GLA are opening applications for additional funding for special schools. Successful applications will receive payment in the May 2024 instalment.

The additional funding for state special schools who have extraordinary costs associated with their pupils; and only if there are exceptional barriers to receiving a free school meal. 

The funding can be used to support Key Stage 2 pupils with an EHCP, who are not eligible for Government free school meals.

You will need to complete the form shared directly with schools by 15th March 2024 at which point the GLA will consider applications for the following:

Up to 10k funding in total per school
A top up of the meal price, up to £1 per meal (funded at 100% take up not 90%)
Small equipment, for example a commercial blender or specialist feeding equipment (under 5k)
Supermarket vouchers in exceptional circumstances

The GLA will not be funding:

Large-scale capital expenditure
Transport or staffing costs

Any queries can be sent to education@hillingdon.gov.uk

Expansion of Entitlement to Early Years Provision

The government have announced that families where all parents are in work may be eligible for more early years provision from April 2024. If each parents earns more than the equivalent of 16 hours a week at minimum wage and less than £100,000 a year, they would be able to access 15 hours of provision for two-year-olds from April 2024. This will be extended further to cover children from nine months old from September 2024. From September 2025, the number of funded hours that parents can access will increase to 30 hours for children from nine months old. For each of these age ranges, the entitlement begins from the term after the child reaches the eligible age or the term after the parent's eligibility code starts, whichever is later.

The government also intends to expand the availability of wraparound childcare for children of primary school age. We will be circulating a survey for schools to complete regarding wraparound provision.

To plan for the increase in entitlement to funded early years provision and wraparound childcare, the local authority is carrying out a survey of parents to assess the likely demand for this expansion in the early years' entitlement and wraparound childcare.

Please can you share the link to this online form with your parents and encourage them to complete it. This will help ensure that parental demand is better understood and met, as far as reasonably practicable.

Harmful Sexual Behaviour- Survey for Professionals Working with Children and Young People

In recent months, the KISS, AXIS and Youth Justice services have received an increased number of referrals for children and young people pertaining to harmful sexual behaviours.  

Harmful sexual behaviours can be defined as sexual behaviours that are developmentally inappropriate and may be harmful towards self and others.  

The increased number of referrals locally aligns with the national statistics being reported. To support the development of the local response to these referrals and address the increase in harmful sexual behaviour, we would like to ask all professionals working with children and young people under the age of 18 to take part in this Survey. The survey will better our understanding of the increased presentation of harmful sexual behaviour.

Can You Help with Volunteering Placements?

At Learn Hillingdon we offer learners qualifications that help them get into work. These qualifications require a practical placement, so that they can gain some experience. We are looking for placements for:-

Supporting Teaching and Learning Level 2 Certificate - The learner must have a placement in a school for at least 6 hours per week working directly with children in year 1 or above for the duration of the qualification course (approximately 12 months).

Business Administration Level 1 Certificate - The learner must have a placement in an admin office for at least 6 hours per week supporting the 'office team' including - answering phones, taking messages, producing documents and sending emails. The volunteering placement is required for the duration of the qualification course (approximately 12 months).

One of our qualified and experienced assessors will be coming into the workplace, at least twice to observe the 'learner' in the volunteering placement. You will benefit from having some extra support and the learner will benefit from having practical experience.

To offer a Teaching Assistant placement contact tdonnelly@hillingdon.gov.uk

To offer a Business Admin Assistant placement contact ffelton@hillingdon.gov.uk

Step Up to Social Work Students - Primary School Support Needed

We have several Step Up to Social Work students joining for their accelerated master's in social work award.  Their programme has 3 placement elements: a child observation, an adult's SW practice placement and a children's SW practice placement.  

They are looking for primary schools that can help provide student placements for Child Observation for 15 days starting on 6th March 2024. The students would need to complete observations of children and get involved with some individual direct work.  This can't be related to child protection or the social work role. 

If you can support with this please contact Ann Nardecchia, Social Care Development Manager at anardecchia@hillingdon.gov.uk.

School Garden Grants Programme

The School Garden Grant programme helps create and develop school gardens across London. There is particular interest to support schools in Hillingdon this year to transform outdoor spaces into gardens where pupils can grow fruit and vegetables. Each school can apply for up to £2,000.

The deadline to apply for a School Garden Grant has been extended to Thursday 1st February. However, the fund will close once 80 applications have been received, so we recommend submitting your application early. Please read the FAQs and Application Guidelines before applying. Click here for the online application form.

New for 2024

This year, School Food Matters will be offering additional support to the Garden Grant schools so that they can make the most of their new growing spaces. Successful schools will have the chance to apply for:

Gardening training courses for teachers
A gardening session for up to 30 students with an SFM gardener to show how your new school garden can be put to best use.

Please contact Julia Heggie at JHeggie@Hillingdon.Gov.UK if you would like support with your application and to notify if an application has been submitted.

Regards,

Abi Preston

Director of Education & SEND

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