19th May 2025

Dear Colleagues,

This bulletin is for all settings that educate Hillingdon children; maintained, academies and independent.

Please forward this email to the leads in your settings or team members who might be interested in the content, so they can follow up the relevant offers. Thank you in advance.

We hope you have a restful half term break when it comes.

Reminders:
Headteachers or deputies should attend Head Teachers' Termly. Agenda with link to join will be shared nearer the time.	On 10/06/25 10 am - 12 pm
Governors can sign up to attend the Governors Networking Event -An in-person event at the Civic Centre here	On 18/06/25 6pm
Hillingdon LEAP can be accessed for information and guidance for all settings	Ongoing
Education Services contacts can be found here	Ongoing
Schools' Forum meeting papers can be accessed here	Ongoing
Emergency closures of all schools must be reported to education@hillingdon.gov.uk	Ongoing
Notification of Critical Incident can be found here	Ongoing
HLP Course Booking	Ongoing

For All:
Fully Funded Instructional Coaching Course Dates and Times: Thursday 19^th June, Thursday 9^th October and Thursday 20^th November 1.30 pm - 4.30 pm Venue: Hayes Park School, Raynton Drive, Hayes, UB4 8BE Phase: All Target Audience: 2 from each school, someone who may 'run' the coaching and a member of SLT who can make decisions Course Details: These sessions will look at what instructional coaching is, how to implement it in your setting, how to develop a coaching culture and the impact of coaching. Sessions are fully funded by the LA. Outcomes: Colleagues will understand what coaching is, how to set up a model in school, how to sustain it and how to create a coaching culture. Colleagues will understand the benefits of coaching due to its bespoke nature and can align with the proposed accountability measures which places coaching at the heart of effective professional development. Provider: Ranvir Chahal is the Deputy Head Teacher of Hayes Park School and has over 20 years of experience working in primary schools across local boroughs. She started her senior leadership career as a SENDCO and DSL and now leads teaching and learning. She became interested in coaching while working in a school where the SLT had regular coaching sessions. She found that this time to think deeply about a particular issue was invaluable, so when the opportunity came up to qualify as a coach, she took it. Over the last few years, she has successfully trained and implemented instructional coaching in two schools with two very different starting points. She firmly believes that coaching has helped her in her own career and has seen the impact of what the right support and guidance can do to help teachers develop their own skills and knowledge in order to make and sustain changes. Sign up here by 6^th June: Instructional Coaching Registration Form
Maintained Special Schools in Hillingdon In Hillingdon, there are a number of maintained, non-maintained and independent special schools. Please see link below for more information and videos to see how the schools support students with a range of special educational needs: Maintained special schools in Hillingdon - Hillingdon Council
SEND Finance Workshop On 6 May 2025 we held an in-person workshop for Headteachers, Governors, SBMs and SENCos at the Civic Centre. Topics included: DSG High Needs Block EHCP Funding Notional SEN Budget Exceptional Threshold Funding Mainstream & Special Banding The recording of the workshop and slides used can be found on LEAP here: SEND Finance Workshop - May 2025 - Leap
Attendance Support Team's Termly Attendance Cluster Meetings Attendance Cluster meetings will be going ahead the week beginning 9 June 2025. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for your Attendance Officers and Leads to get together with other schools in your geographical area to discuss all matters relating to attendance. We have a full agenda for the upcoming meetings and a guest speaker. We hope to see as many schools as possible represented. The dates are as follows: 9 June West Drayton Attendance Cluster 10 June Hillingdon Attendance Cluster 11 June Ruislip Attendance Cluster 12 June Hayes Attendance Cluster If your school has not received the invite and agenda or if you would like more information please contact attendancesupport@hillingdon.gov.uk or speak to your allocated Attendance Support Officer.
Mayor's Universal Free School Meals Please find below a letter from Joanne McCartney, Deputy Mayor for Children and Families, regarding the Mayor of London's Universal Free School Meals programme. The letter contains information on the following: · The recent evaluation of the scheme by Impact on Urban Health · Year 3 funding · Water only schools survey Please also see below a letter from the Mayor of London. We would be grateful if you would support the distribution of this letter to all parents/carers in your school. If you have any queries, please send them to freeschoolmeals@london.gov.uk and they will get back to you as soon as they can.   UFSM - DM Letter to Schools Spring 2025 UFSM - Mayors Letter to Families Spring 2025
Earthfest / MEE - Live Lesson - 5 June Earthfest is a festival of sustainability taking place in central London from 5 - 8 June 2025, bringing together eco-conscious consumers, innovative brands, schools, and sustainability experts for a weekend of education, inspiration, and action. This year Earthfest is inviting every school across London, all 3,000, to be part of the celebration. With the support of the Ministry of Eco Education, there'll be curriculum linked activities and a special live lesson to bring Earthfest direct to your school. Let's make London the greenest city. The link to sign up is here
The £5,000 Tesco Community Pledge Tesco and partner Easyfundraising have come together again to give a little help to our schools and settings raising for SEND and other community-based causes across the UK. Your school or setting could receive one of five £1,000 funding pots to put towards SEND. This month, if staff, parents and other supporters shop with Tesco via the Easyfundraising website or app, your school or setting will receive free donations AND will be in the draw to receive a £1,000 funding pot! To enter the Tesco Community Pledge draw: Firstly, make sure you have registered your school or setting with Easyfundraising at: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/nasen/ Ask parents and staff to sign up to support your school or setting. Encourage them to shop with Tesco via Easyfundraising by 31 May. Each time one of them does so, your school or setting has a better chance of receiving £1,000 worth of funding. Plus, when your supporters shop with Tesco in May, they'll raise £10 for you if it's their first online shop with Tesco, and 50p for each subsequent shop they do* at no extra cost, all courtesy of Tesco. Let everyone know how they can help - for free! Sign up here to get started
Team Teach Level 1 and Level 2 courses & Online Courses Supporting Autistic Children in Primary Schools, De-escalation Workshops and Challenging Conversations Team Teach Level 1 (venues TBC) 7 July 2025 / 16 October 2025 / 14 May 2026 To view the Team Teach Level 1 agenda please see the link below: Click here to view Team Teach Level 1 agenda.pdf Team Teach Level 1 & 2 (venues TBC) 5 - 6 February 2026 / 19 - 20 March 2026 To view the Team Teach Level 2 agenda please see the links below: Click here to view Team Teach Level 2 agenda.pdf To check availability, reserve your space or simply find out more please email info@changing-behaviour.co.uk with the following details: Name, job title and email address of person/s wishing to attend Name and address of school Contact name and email address for invoicing Please note enrolment on any Team Teach course, requires membership to their platform; Team Teach Connect which forms part of how training is delivered and is a condition of certification. The annual membership fee is £160 + VAT (which includes a 25% discount) and will be payable by you following completion of the course on receipt of the invoice. A minimum of three members of staff, including a member of SLT, need to book onto this course, unless a member of SLT has a current Team-Teach certificate. This course is only for Hillingdon schools.
Please share with staff, parents/carers Mayor's Picnic in the Park Event Lots of FREE family entertainment on Saturday 7 June - From 12pm to 5pm at Cowley Recreation Ground, UB8 4EA. Join us for an afternoon of live music and entertainment, bring a picnic, something to sit on and enjoy the occasion. The Mayor's Picnic in the Park - Discover Hillingdon Picnic in the Park A3 poster (PDF, 823 KB) Picnic in the Park Programme (PDF, 831 KB)
*Please share with parents/carers* Key Amnesty to Reclaim Homes The council is offering tenants who are not entitled to be in one of its homes a chance to #DoTheRightThing and return their keys to the Civic Centre main reception, Uxbridge without facing criminal proceedings during a six-week key amnesty from 12 May to 23 June. Council tenants who are illegally subletting, abandoning, or not occupying their council home are encouraged to hand in their keys without fear of repercussions, so the properties can be reallocated to people on the housing register. If you suspect tenancy fraud is taking place, you can report it to the counter fraud team in confidence online at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/report-fraud, by calling 0800 389 8313 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) or emailing fraud@hillingdon.gov.uk

For All:

Fully Funded Instructional Coaching Course

Dates and Times: Thursday 19^th June, Thursday 9^th October and Thursday 20^th November

1.30 pm - 4.30 pm

Venue: Hayes Park School, Raynton Drive, Hayes, UB4 8BE

Phase: All

Target Audience: 2 from each school, someone who may 'run' the coaching and a member of SLT who can make decisions

Course Details: These sessions will look at what instructional coaching is, how to implement it in your setting, how to develop a coaching culture and the impact of coaching. Sessions are fully funded by the LA.

Outcomes: Colleagues will understand what coaching is, how to set up a model in school, how to sustain it and how to create a coaching culture. Colleagues will understand the benefits of coaching due to its bespoke nature and can align with the proposed accountability measures which places coaching at the heart of effective professional development.

Provider: Ranvir Chahal is the Deputy Head Teacher of Hayes Park School and has over 20 years of experience working in primary schools across local boroughs. She started her senior leadership career as a SENDCO and DSL and now leads teaching and learning. She became interested in coaching while working in a school where the SLT had regular coaching sessions. She found that this time to think deeply about a particular issue was invaluable, so when the opportunity came up to qualify as a coach, she took it. Over the last few years, she has successfully trained and implemented instructional coaching in two schools with two very different starting points. She firmly believes that coaching has helped her in her own career and has seen the impact of what the right support and guidance can do to help teachers develop their own skills and knowledge in order to make and sustain changes.

Maintained Special Schools in Hillingdon

In Hillingdon, there are a number of maintained, non-maintained and independent special schools. Please see link below for more information and videos to see how the schools support students with a range of special educational needs:

Maintained special schools in Hillingdon - Hillingdon Council

SEND Finance Workshop

On 6 May 2025 we held an in-person workshop for Headteachers, Governors, SBMs and SENCos at the Civic Centre.

Topics included:

DSG
High Needs Block
EHCP Funding
Notional SEN Budget
Exceptional Threshold Funding
Mainstream & Special Banding

The recording of the workshop and slides used can be found on LEAP here: SEND Finance Workshop - May 2025 - Leap

Attendance Support Team's Termly Attendance Cluster Meetings

Attendance Cluster meetings will be going ahead the week beginning 9 June 2025.

These meetings are a valuable opportunity for your Attendance Officers and Leads to get together with other schools in your geographical area to discuss all matters relating to attendance. We have a full agenda for the upcoming meetings and a guest speaker. We hope to see as many schools as possible represented.

The dates are as follows:

9 June West Drayton Attendance Cluster

10 June Hillingdon Attendance Cluster

11 June Ruislip Attendance Cluster

12 June Hayes Attendance Cluster

If your school has not received the invite and agenda or if you would like more information please contact attendancesupport@hillingdon.gov.uk or speak to your allocated Attendance Support Officer.

Mayor's Universal Free School Meals

Please find below a letter from Joanne McCartney, Deputy Mayor for Children and Families, regarding the Mayor of London's Universal Free School Meals programme.

The letter contains information on the following:

· The recent evaluation of the scheme by Impact on Urban Health

· Year 3 funding

· Water only schools survey

Please also see below a letter from the Mayor of London. We would be grateful if you would support the distribution of this letter to all parents/carers in your school.

If you have any queries, please send them to freeschoolmeals@london.gov.uk and they will get back to you as soon as they can.  

UFSM - DM Letter to Schools Spring 2025

UFSM - Mayors Letter to Families Spring 2025

Earthfest / MEE - Live Lesson - 5 June

Earthfest is a festival of sustainability taking place in central London from 5 - 8 June 2025, bringing together eco-conscious consumers, innovative brands, schools, and sustainability experts for a weekend of education, inspiration, and action.

This year Earthfest is inviting every school across London, all 3,000, to be part of the celebration. With the support of the Ministry of Eco Education, there'll be curriculum linked activities and a special live lesson to bring Earthfest direct to your school. Let's make London the greenest city.

The link to sign up is here

The £5,000 Tesco Community Pledge

Tesco and partner Easyfundraising have come together again to give a little help to our schools and settings raising for SEND and other community-based causes across the UK. Your school or setting could receive one of five £1,000 funding pots to put towards SEND.

This month, if staff, parents and other supporters shop with Tesco via the Easyfundraising website or app, your school or setting will receive free donations AND will be in the draw to receive a £1,000 funding pot!

To enter the Tesco Community Pledge draw:

Firstly, make sure you have registered your school or setting with Easyfundraising at: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/nasen/
Ask parents and staff to sign up to support your school or setting.
Encourage them to shop with Tesco via Easyfundraising by 31 May. Each time one of them does so, your school or setting has a better chance of receiving £1,000 worth of funding.

Plus, when your supporters shop with Tesco in May, they'll raise £10 for you if it's their first online shop with Tesco, and 50p for each subsequent shop they do* at no extra cost, all courtesy of Tesco.

Let everyone know how they can help - for free!

Team Teach Level 1 and Level 2 courses & Online Courses Supporting Autistic Children in Primary Schools, De-escalation Workshops and Challenging Conversations

Team Teach Level 1 (venues TBC)
7 July 2025 / 16 October 2025 / 14 May 2026

To view the Team Teach Level 1 agenda please see the link below:
Click here to view Team Teach Level 1 agenda.pdf

Team Teach Level 1 & 2 (venues TBC)
5 - 6 February 2026 / 19 - 20 March 2026

To view the Team Teach Level 2 agenda please see the links below:
Click here to view Team Teach Level 2 agenda.pdf

To check availability, reserve your space or simply find out more please email info@changing-behaviour.co.uk with the following details:

Name, job title and email address of person/s wishing to attend
Name and address of school
Contact name and email address for invoicing

Please note enrolment on any Team Teach course, requires membership to their platform; Team Teach Connect which forms part of how training is delivered and is a condition of certification. The annual membership fee is £160 + VAT (which includes a 25% discount) and will be payable by you following completion of the course on receipt of the invoice.

A minimum of three members of staff, including a member of SLT, need to book onto this course, unless a member of SLT has a current Team-Teach certificate. This course is only for Hillingdon schools.

Please share with staff, parents/carers

Mayor's Picnic in the Park Event

Lots of FREE family entertainment on Saturday 7 June - From 12pm to 5pm at Cowley Recreation Ground, UB8 4EA. Join us for an afternoon of live music and entertainment, bring a picnic, something to sit on and enjoy the occasion.

The Mayor's Picnic in the Park - Discover Hillingdon

Picnic in the Park A3 poster (PDF, 823 KB)

Picnic in the Park Programme (PDF, 831 KB)

Please share with parents/carers

Key Amnesty to Reclaim Homes

The council is offering tenants who are not entitled to be in one of its homes a chance to #DoTheRightThing and return their keys to the Civic Centre main reception, Uxbridge without facing criminal proceedings during a six-week key amnesty from 12 May to 23 June.

Council tenants who are illegally subletting, abandoning, or not occupying their council home are encouraged to hand in their keys without fear of repercussions, so the properties can be reallocated to people on the housing register.

If you suspect tenancy fraud is taking place, you can report it to the counter fraud team in confidence online at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/report-fraud, by calling 0800 389 8313 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) or emailing fraud@hillingdon.gov.uk

For Secondary:
*Please share with students & parents/carers* Volunteer with Hillingdon Libraries this Summer! Are you aged 14 to 17 and looking to gain valuable work experience, boost your confidence, and make a difference in your community? Join Hillingdon Libraries as aSummer Reading Challenge volunteer! As a volunteer, you'll help sign up participants, chat with children about the books they're reading, hand out rewards, and support fun activities in your library. It's the perfect way to develop communication and teamwork skills - and it looks great on your CV or college application! Come along to one of our information evenings to find out more: Uxbridge Library Thursday 12 June, 4.30pm - 6.30pm Ruislip Manor Library Tuesday 17 June 4.30pm - 6.30pm Botwell Green Library Monday 23 June 4.30pm - 6.30pm Summer Reading Challenge 2025 - Discover Hillingdon Volunteers A4 poster (PDF, 275 KB)

For Secondary:

Please share with students & parents/carers

Volunteer with Hillingdon Libraries this Summer!

Are you aged 14 to 17 and looking to gain valuable work experience, boost your confidence, and make a difference in your community? Join Hillingdon Libraries as aSummer Reading Challenge volunteer!

As a volunteer, you'll help sign up participants, chat with children about the books they're reading, hand out rewards, and support fun activities in your library.

It's the perfect way to develop communication and teamwork skills - and it looks great on your CV or college application!

Come along to one of our information evenings to find out more:

Uxbridge Library Thursday 12 June, 4.30pm - 6.30pm

Ruislip Manor Library Tuesday 17 June 4.30pm - 6.30pm

Botwell Green Library Monday 23 June 4.30pm - 6.30pm

Summer Reading Challenge 2025 - Discover Hillingdon

Volunteers A4 poster (PDF, 275 KB)

Warm regards,

Abi Preston

Director of Education & SEND

Children's Services, London Borough of Hillingdon, Civic Centre, Uxbridge UB8 1UW