7th October 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: |
|
|---|---|
Schools can sign up to fully funded gardening training for teachers HERE | on 18/10/24 |
All Schools can register for Educational Visits Coordinator Training HERE | by 25/10/24 |
Headteachers and Chair of Governors can sign up to LADO / Managing Allegations Training HERE | on 07/11/24 |
Governors can sign up to Safeguarding Training HERE | by 01/11/24 |
Secondaries should share the Hillingdon Post 16 Prospectus 2024/25 with students, parents / carers, staff and governors | Ongoing |
Emergency closures of all schools must be reported to education@hillingdon.gov.uk | Ongoing |
Notification of Critical Incident & contacts can be found here | Ongoing |
Education Services contacts can be found here | Ongoing |
| Hillingdon LEAP can be accessed for information and guidance for all settings | Ongoing |
| Ongoing |
For Action All Schools: |
|---|
LA Update - Please Share with SENCOs We are pleased to inform you that Sharon Gill has been appointed to the role of SEND Advisory Service (SAS) Team Manager, managing the whole service as part of the new management structure and reporting to the Principal Educational Psychologist - Ingrida Stankeviciene. We believe that closer collaboration between SAS and EPS will benefit both teams including delivery of the support provided to schools. This approach is something that other LAs have implemented successfully and following the closer working between the two services in the recent months, we are confident this will be a great opportunity to offer more holistic support to all educational settings. Sharon will be scheduling some school visits so I hope you will have opportunity to discuss with her your views on support that the SAS Team offers and how we can develop the offer further in order to ensure schools feel they have the support they need. You can contact Sharon on: sgill@hillingdon.gov.uk
|
Save the Date - Addressing the Disadvantage Gap Conference 2024 A one-day conference for headteachers, senior leaders or PP leads on Wednesday 20th November at Brunel University. This event launches an area wide programme to focus on how we can remove the barriers to achievement for our disadvantaged learners in our schools and settings over the next few years. We will be working with the Education Endowment Foundation, Brunel University, Hillingdon Learning Partnership, schools, settings and Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge College to identify key priorities together, to share existing excellent practice in Hillingdon and explore at greater depth evidence-based high impact approaches that support disadvantaged learners to achieve at school. Please add this to your diaries, further details will be sent out soon. All schools should be represented. One place per school available.
|
Schools Forum Review 2024 - Your Views Please! Hillingdon Schools Forum is undertaking an annual review of how Schools Forum is working and would welcome your views by completing this short survey. The findings from the survey will be used to make changes in the way Schools Forum works and engages with the wider schools and providers. This survey is targeted at all head teachers and chairs of governors. The survey is anonymous and confidential. The findings will be presented to Schools Forum in the Autumn Term with recommendations for changes. The survey will take no more than 5 minutes to complete. Closing date is Friday 15th November 2024. Could you please complete the survey linked below and also share the link with your chair of governors Schools Forum Survey for Headteachers and Governors Thank you for your contributions. Tony Eginton, Chair, Schools Forum
|
Schools Forum Hillingdon Schools Forum are looking for governors who may be interested in becoming a forum member, representing maintained or academy schools. There is an option to join as a shadow member initially with the potential to join as a member in future. Training is planned for members on 22nd October at the Civic Centre so please register your interest by emailing apreston@hillingdon.gov.uk. Schools Forum - Leap (hillingdon.gov.uk)
|
Consultation for Draft Hillingdon Education Strategy 2024-29 We are pleased to share the draft version of Hillingdon Education Strategy 2024-29 for your consultation and comments. This draft version is in word text format pending agreement from Councillors after consultation with schools and settings. We would welcome your comments on this FORM. The consultation period will end at 12 pm on 23rd October. 2024 LBH Education Strategy 2024-29 Draft (Word doc) [2MB]
|
Consultation for Draft Social Housing Allocation Policy The Housing team have announced the commencement of the online consultation for the Draft Allocation Policy Consultation 2024, which will remain open until 13th October 2024: They would greatly appreciate your assistance in promoting this consultation. Your influence could significantly enhance the feedback we receive from your colleagues and parent communities.
|
Guidance for OAA Schools Consultation 2026-27 This is a reminder that all schools considering consultation of their admissions arrangements for 2026-27 need to do so for at least 6 weeks between 1st October 2024 and 31st January 2025. This applies to 'own admission authority' schools which are academies, voluntary aided schools, free schools, foundation schools, UTCs and studio schools. For community schools, the local authority is responsible for consultation. All 'own admission authorities' are required to consult at least every 7 years even if they do not plan any changes to their admissions policies. Linked below is an updated guide for consultation arrangements. Please ensure that if you are consulting on your arrangements that you send details of your consultation to the local authority (you can do this by contacting us on admissions@hillingdon.gov.uk). All admission authorities (including the local authority) MUST determine their admission arrangements annually by 28th February. This will include publishing your arrangements on your website and sending a copy to the local authority. This must be done even if you choose not to consult. If you have any queries regarding the consultation process, please contact the School Placements and Admissions Team for further information. Guidance for OAA schools Consultation 2026-27 (PDF) [247KB]
|
EBSNA & Behaviour Training Please find below two flyers for the upcoming training sessions for LA and school staff:
A link to book onto the course and further details on the training are all in the flyers. Please note, this will be the last opportunity to attend the sessions for free as there will be an associated cost per place in future. We are operating on a 'first come, first serve' basis. However, we will try our best to fit in as many people who are interested in attending. Please do not reserve places unless you are certain you can attend. If you book and can longer attend, please let us know as soon as possible by contacting Aaron Reynolds at educationalpsychologyservice@hillingdon.gov.uk.
|
Please share with all school staff and parents / carers Take the Zero Suicide Alliance's Training Hillingdon Council's suicide prevention campaign Be Their One is encouraging people to take the Zero Suicide Alliance's free training and learn how to support someone in distress. It only takes 20 minutes, and your support could help save a life. You will gain the skills and confidence to help someone who may be considering suicide. You'll learn:
Visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/mental-health
|
Mental Health & Bereavement Support Resources List of MH Support & Bereavement Support National and Local (PDF) [195KB]
|
Kooth The Kooth Team are offering a new service to come into school assemblies with a view to encouraging young people to seek help with any mental health concerns they may have. Kooth is funded by NHS and is recognised to have a significant impact on positive mental health for CYP. Please see links below for details. Kooth Assemblies (PDF) [491KB]
|
London Youth Games Cross Country Event 33 London boroughs come together to represent and compete at 1500, 2000 and 3000m distances. 2024 Cross Country for London Youth Games is being held on Saturday 16th November at Parliament Hill London. To be eligible athletes must live or go to the school in the borough they wish to represent. Athletes are requested to compete an official distanced event (e.g., Park Run or club race) to receive an official time in order to qualify for the team. Please have this time ready for entry form. Please complete this FORM with your details to be considered to represent Hillingdon. Competitor's races to enter - please note these dates are advertised before the rules have been officially published by LYG and may change. Age Group:
The best 12 results in each age group will be put forward to the competition squad which takes place on 16th November. Rules can be found here. Please note athletes will need to make their own way to the competition at Parliament Hill. Closing date for entries is Monday 28th October 2024 at 5 pm.
|
For Action Primary Schools: |
|---|
Free Primary Music Leader Curriculum Day - 23rd October 2024 9 am - 4 pm On Wednesday 23rd October 2024, the Tri-borough Music Hub is holding a spectacular in-person Primary CPD event at The London Coliseum,. It will be a highly engaging day of professional development, networking and sharing of topical and relevant ideas for the practitioners working in the primary classroom. This is targeted at Primary Music Subject Leaders in Hammersmith and Fulham; Kensington and Chelsea; and Westminster; and they are also welcoming primary colleagues from boroughs in the newly formed London West Music Hub (more info HERE) from Brent; Ealing; Harrow and Hillingdon. Event schedule:
Please register by 14th October: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/DQRC
|
Musical Mondays: Live Music Now / London West Music Hub Live Music Now will present 6 online concerts over the year that are targeted at all primary schools and SEND schools. This is provided free to every school by the London West Music Hub. After the concert has taken place, Live Music Now will contact all schools that were registered with a link to the concert recording, which will be available for 28 days.
Please complete this very short form to indicate if you would like to register your school to be a Musical Monday School. Musical Mondays - 24/25 Programme (PDF) [762KB]
|
Please share with parents / carers Learn Hillingdon Wider Family Learning Autumn Workshops 2024 Please share this in your parent newsletters: WFL Autumn 24 Programme (PDF) [76KB]
|
For Action Secondary Schools: |
|---|
GES Simply Letters and Sounds for KS3 We know from school feedback that there are an increasing number of young people entering Year 7 with serious phonics and literacy gaps which limit their ability to access the mainstream curriculum. Finding appropriate materials to support a range of staff to address this can be challenging in secondary. With this in mind, we have secured the support of Raj Mehta, a DfE approved phonics and literacy expert who is offering a package of CPD, coaching and resources to help address this area. GES Simply Letters and Sounds is a validated DfE Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme adapted for Key Stage 3 and directly responds to Ofsted's recommendations mentioned in Telling the Story: the English education subject report, March 2024. The key objective of this programme is to help secondary teachers swiftly identify and address students' specific gaps in phonics knowledge and skills. This will help students to develop fluency in reading and comprehension. Furthermore, it helps teachers to adapt the learning to meet the specific needs of individual students. The aim is for students to become fluent, confident readers and writers as soon as possible so they can meet the challenges of the secondary curriculum. GES Simply Letters and Sounds is unique because the principles of working memory are firmly embedded. We offer students opportunities to: • overlearn key phonic knowledge • master blending and segmenting skills • gain fluency, accuracy and speed in reading and spelling An initial KS3 phonics briefing will be available online and subsequent CPD will cover:
To be followed up with a bespoke consultancy day in your school/ academy. Led by: Raj Mehta, Phonics expert, programme publisher and Education Consultant. A full description of the offer and example of a resource can be found on LEAP here. Please let us know your interest by emailing education@hillingdon.gov.uk by 11th October. If you have any questions, please contact MHawkins@hillingdon.gov.uk .
|
Please share with students and parents / carers Join Aim High, Our New SEND Youth Forum We've launched Aim High, our new forum for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and are encouraging others to get involved. Join us at our next meeting on Tuesday 1th5 October from 4.30 to 6 pm at the Civic Centre, Uxbridge and help shape SEND services in the borough. Aim High will be meeting regularly to:
Young people aged 14 to 26 can join, and they can find out more and register at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/send-youth-forum
|
Elevate Mentoring We have 5 schools in Hillingdon that have referred onto the Elevate programme. One of the schools attending our Steering Group will be briefly discussing the programme they have chosen and any early impressions. The Steering Group will be on 18th October - 8:45 am at Harlington School. Please contact mpearson@hillingdon.gov.uk if you would like to attend or would like to nominate another colleague from your school to attend. Elevate mentoring (PDF) [340KB]
|
Regards,
Abi Preston
Director of Education & SEND
Children's Services, London Borough of Hillingdon, 4E/07, Civic Centre, Uxbridge UB8 1UW
