9th September 2024

Dear Colleagues,

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

Reminders:
All governors are invited to attend our online Being a Supportive & Challenging Governor Training Session.Please register HERE	On 24th September 6 - 7 pm
Hillingdon LEAP can be accessed for information and guidance for all settings	Ongoing
Notification of Critical Incident & contacts can be found here	Ongoing
Education Services contacts can be found here	Ongoing
HLP Course Booking	Ongoing

For Action All Schools:
Letter of Assurance for Hillingdon Council Children's Services Visiting Schools Letter of Assurance for Schools - 10.09.24 (PDF) [98KB]
Educational Visits Coordinator Training for 2024/25 This year's Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) training is being offered again to all Hillingdon schools by Evolve Advice .  This is an annual requirement for maintained schools and is open to academies and independent schools also. Part 1 - E-learning    This is the self-guided e-learning part of the course. This must be completed ahead of Part 2, access will be granted for this element 5 days before Part 2.   Part 2 - Friday 15th November 2024 at 9.30 am - 12.30 pm Via MS Teams This session aims to equip staff with the key requirements to become a competent Educational Visit Coordinator. It will outline key considerations in planning an educational visit, updating participants with current good practice in the supervision of young people. The course provides training in strategies used for risk management and risk assessment off-site, and will include: Planning Risk management Competence Supervision Guidance Best Practice Legal issues Participants will receive a certificate of attendance, validated by the IOSH and IIRSM validator, upon completion of both parts of the course and passing an assessment. Cost: Maintained Schools - £99 per attendee Academy / Independent Schools - £149 per attendee To register for this training, please complete this FORM by 25/10/2024.
Hillingdon Council Penalty Notice Code of Conduct 2024 - Period of Consultation Every local authority must draw up, and is expected to publish on their website, a Local Code of Conduct for issuing fixed penalty notices which must be adhered to by all schools, the police and any local authority officer issuing a penalty notice. In producing or amending the Local Code of Conduct the local authority must consult with schools and the police. For further information please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance The Attendance Support team is opening a period of consultation from Monday 12th August 2024 to Friday 13th September 2024 to schools and the police inviting any comments that wish to be made. Should you have any comments during this period, please email the Attendance Support Team at attendancesupport@Hillingdon.gov.uk. Thank you. LBH Penalty Notice Code of Conduct Hillingdon 2024-25 (PDF) [240KB]
DfE Funded Mental Health & Wellbeing Training Schools and colleges can claim a £1,200 grant to pay for senior mental health lead training which develops the knowledge, confidence and practical skills of your mental health leads. This training has made a difference in thousands of schools and colleges, helping leaders improve mental health and wellbeing, attendance and engagement in learning and breaking down a key barrier to opportunity, helping pupils and learners to succeed and thrive. Access a resource hub to help you embed and sustain your whole school/college approach to mental health and wellbeing which has been updated with new, evidence-based resources for the new academic year. Access a targeted mental wellbeing support toolkit to help you develop and provide effective in-school/college targeted support. Resources are also available for teachers, parents and carers to support children and young people experiencing difficulties with mental wellbeing and school/college attendance.

For Action All Schools:

Letter of Assurance for Hillingdon Council Children's Services Visiting Schools

Letter of Assurance for Schools - 10.09.24 (PDF) [98KB]

Educational Visits Coordinator Training for 2024/25

This year's Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) training is being offered again to all Hillingdon schools by Evolve Advice .  This is an annual requirement for maintained schools and is open to academies and independent schools also.

Part 1 - E-learning   

This is the self-guided e-learning part of the course. This must be completed ahead of Part 2, access will be granted for this element 5 days before Part 2.  

Part 2 - Friday 15th November 2024 at 9.30 am - 12.30 pm Via MS Teams

This session aims to equip staff with the key requirements to become a competent Educational Visit Coordinator. It will outline key considerations in planning an educational visit, updating participants with current good practice in the supervision of young people. The course provides training in strategies used for risk management and risk assessment off-site, and will include:

Planning
Risk management
Competence
Supervision
Guidance
Best Practice
Legal issues

Participants will receive a certificate of attendance, validated by the IOSH and IIRSM validator, upon completion of both parts of the course and passing an assessment.

Cost:

Maintained Schools - £99 per attendee

Academy / Independent Schools - £149 per attendee

To register for this training, please complete this FORM by 25/10/2024.

Hillingdon Council Penalty Notice Code of Conduct 2024 - Period of Consultation

Every local authority must draw up, and is expected to publish on their website, a Local Code of Conduct for issuing fixed penalty notices which must be adhered to by all schools, the police and any local authority officer issuing a penalty notice. In producing or amending the Local Code of Conduct the local authority must consult with schools and the police. For further information please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance

The Attendance Support team is opening a period of consultation from Monday 12th August 2024 to Friday 13th September 2024 to schools and the police inviting any comments that wish to be made.

Should you have any comments during this period, please email the Attendance Support Team at attendancesupport@Hillingdon.gov.uk. Thank you.

LBH Penalty Notice Code of Conduct Hillingdon 2024-25 (PDF) [240KB]

DfE Funded Mental Health & Wellbeing Training

Schools and colleges can claim a £1,200 grant to pay for senior mental health lead training which develops the knowledge, confidence and practical skills of your mental health leads.

This training has made a difference in thousands of schools and colleges, helping leaders improve mental health and wellbeing, attendance and engagement in learning and breaking down a key barrier to opportunity, helping pupils and learners to succeed and thrive.

Access a resource hub to help you embed and sustain your whole school/college approach to mental health and wellbeing which has been updated with new, evidence-based resources for the new academic year.

Access a targeted mental wellbeing support toolkit to help you develop and provide effective in-school/college targeted support. Resources are also available for teachers, parents and carers to support children and young people experiencing difficulties with mental wellbeing and school/college attendance.

For Action Secondary Schools:
Elevate Mentoring - FREE Offer We have recently conducted a survey with over 400 young people in Hillingdon where questions were asked like; what concerns you for the future? What pathway are you looking to take for post 16? and is there anything your school doesn't offer that you would like to offer. We found that young people are generally concerned around financial management with the cost of living and the prospect of having a low paid job being particular themes. We also found many young people are concerned about upcoming exams - whether this be failing or just the mental lead up to these events. These themes are consistent with what young people are telling us in internal forums and at a recent 14-19 Steering Group meeting a young person voiced "I don't even know what a mortgage is and would like to know how tax works - these are real issues". We want to listen to young people and have partnered with Elevate Mentoring who are offering their services for free. Young people can be upskilled in these key areas. There is no limit to the age group and can be delivered from years 7 to 13 and even for specialist provisions where workshops can be done in person. Please use the QR code on this poster to sign up: Elevate Mentoring (PDF) [340KB]
Get Ahead The Education Development Trust are working on a GLA project called 'Get Ahead' which is a work experience placement programme for young people age between 16-25. Please see GAWE A4 info sheet employers, which explains this project in more detail. The EDT work with the schools, young people and employers to ensure they match the young person to the best placement for them. The EDT are happy for employers to meet with the young person prior to the work placement being agreed to ensure that they are happy to proceed. The EDT are working with schools across London including Hillingdon and the surrounding boroughs. Please email mkindley-deeks@edt.org if you have any questions.

For Action Secondary Schools:

Elevate Mentoring - FREE Offer

We have recently conducted a survey with over 400 young people in Hillingdon where questions were asked like; what concerns you for the future? What pathway are you looking to take for post 16? and is there anything your school doesn't offer that you would like to offer.

We found that young people are generally concerned around financial management with the cost of living and the prospect of having a low paid job being particular themes. We also found many young people are concerned about upcoming exams - whether this be failing or just the mental lead up to these events.

These themes are consistent with what young people are telling us in internal forums and at a recent 14-19 Steering Group meeting a young person voiced "I don't even know what a mortgage is and would like to know how tax works - these are real issues".

We want to listen to young people and have partnered with Elevate Mentoring who are offering their services for free. Young people can be upskilled in these key areas. There is no limit to the age group and can be delivered from years 7 to 13 and even for specialist provisions where workshops can be done in person.

Please use the QR code on this poster to sign up: Elevate Mentoring (PDF) [340KB]

Get Ahead

The Education Development Trust are working on a GLA project called 'Get Ahead' which is a work experience placement programme for young people age between 16-25.

Please see GAWE A4 info sheet employers, which explains this project in more detail. The EDT work with the schools, young people and employers to ensure they match the young person to the best placement for them. The EDT are happy for employers to meet with the young person prior to the work placement being agreed to ensure that they are happy to proceed. The EDT are working with schools across London including Hillingdon and the surrounding boroughs.

Please email mkindley-deeks@edt.org if you have any questions.

Regards,

Abi Preston

Director of Education & SEND

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