LA Education Weekly Update

28 April 2025

This email can also be viewed online here

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.

Reminders:
Governors can sign up to attend Introduction to Understanding Governor responsibilities in Suspensions & Exclusions here	On 07/05/25 6 pm
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
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
Education Services contacts can be found here	Ongoing
Hillingdon LEAP can be accessed for information and guidance for all settings	Ongoing
HLP Course Booking	Ongoing

For All:
Education Appeals As the admission authority for community schools within Hillingdon, Democratic Services are looking for headteachers and governors to recruit as new members for the School Admission Appeals Panels. Each year, as school places are confirmed, a number of appeals are received from parents/guardians who wish to appeal against a decision not to admit a child to their preferred school; these appeals are subsequently considered and determined at a School Admission Appeals Hearing held at the Civic Centre. To hold a School Admission Appeals Hearing, 3 members are required to sit on the Appeals Panel. Each Panel must comprise at least one member from each of the following categories: Lay members - those without personal experience in the management of or provision of education in any school (a lay member can also be, or has been, a school governor or someone who has worked or works in a school as a volunteer) Experienced members - those with experience in education; this includes teachers / teaching assistants, ex-teachers / ex-teaching assistants, individuals acquainted with educational conditions, or parents of a registered pupil at a different school. Full initial training will be provided with refresher training at regular intervals (currently every two years) to ensure everyone is kept up to date with changes to admissions law and the codes. Members can choose to serve on a panel as few or as many times as they wish throughout the year. A database of trained members is maintained, and contact will be made to check availability. Some panel members undertake extra training to sit on panels for Exclusion Independent Review Panels (IRP), which are rare in Hillingdon. If you would like to be trained and considered for an IRP panel, let us know. To register your interest or find out more, please contact Democratic Services at educationappeals@hillingdon.gov.uk or phone 01895 250636.
Exclusions Support Service Just a reminder that if a suspension is longer than 5 days (11 sessions or more) then an appropriate provision should be in place for Day 6. This is the legal responsibility of the school. Please check www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion for further information.
*Please share with staff, parents & carers* Short Break Offer for Children with SEND We are asking for your valuable feedback on our short breaks offer within the borough. You can learn more about short breaks using the following link on the Council's website here. Please click on the link below to share your thoughts with us to help us improve the services that we offer to children and parents/carers. Hillingdon short breaks survey Your support in this area is greatly appreciated.
Help Hillingdon Win the London Borough Mini Marathon Challenge Trophy Hillingdon is currently in joint second place for the Mini Marathon challenge. Thank you to the 24 schools who have already registered. Join the challenge and enter a draw to win a visit from Joe Wicks. The challenge is simple: Two miles of exercise in your school or setting any day/days between 22 April and 2 May 2025 Register using the QR code in this flyer: Mini Marathon flyer (PDF, 11 MB) And watch this video here: The TCS Mini London Marathon in schools is back for 2025!
Thrive in Action - Free Webinars Schools and settings can access free 45-minute webinars here: Thrive in Action Webinars
School Gardens - Free Webinar from School Food Matters Spring is here, and it's the perfect time to get growing in your school garden. Food growing in schools offers incredible benefits for children's education and well-being, but getting a garden up and running can seem like a big challenge without proper support. To help, School Food Matters is offering a free webinar to give school staff the essential knowledge, resources, and confidence they need to get started. Join them on Wednesday 30 April at 4pm or share with colleagues interested in starting or refreshing their school garden. Here's what you'll learn: How to get started: Essential first steps to set up a thriving food growing space Best spots for your garden: How to find the ideal location for your plants What to plant: Simple, child-friendly plants that will thrive this term How to care for your garden: Tips to keep your garden healthy and productive Gardening tools: The essential tools you'll need for your school garden Harvesting tips: How to nurture your plants and enjoy a rewarding harvest Register for the webinar here

For All:

Education Appeals

As the admission authority for community schools within Hillingdon, Democratic Services are looking for headteachers and governors to recruit as new members for the School Admission Appeals Panels.

Each year, as school places are confirmed, a number of appeals are received from parents/guardians who wish to appeal against a decision not to admit a child to their preferred school; these appeals are subsequently considered and determined at a School Admission Appeals Hearing held at the Civic Centre. To hold a School Admission Appeals Hearing, 3 members are required to sit on the Appeals Panel. Each Panel must comprise at least one member from each of the following categories:

Lay members - those without personal experience in the management of or provision of education in any school (a lay member can also be, or has been, a school governor or someone who has worked or works in a school as a volunteer)
Experienced members - those with experience in education; this includes teachers / teaching assistants, ex-teachers / ex-teaching assistants, individuals acquainted with educational conditions, or parents of a registered pupil at a different school.

Full initial training will be provided with refresher training at regular intervals (currently every two years) to ensure everyone is kept up to date with changes to admissions law and the codes.

Members can choose to serve on a panel as few or as many times as they wish throughout the year. A database of trained members is maintained, and contact will be made to check availability. Some panel members undertake extra training to sit on panels for Exclusion Independent Review Panels (IRP), which are rare in Hillingdon. If you would like to be trained and considered for an IRP panel, let us know.

To register your interest or find out more, please contact Democratic Services at educationappeals@hillingdon.gov.uk or phone 01895 250636.

Exclusions Support Service

Just a reminder that if a suspension is longer than 5 days (11 sessions or more) then an appropriate provision should be in place for Day 6. This is the legal responsibility of the school. Please check www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion for further information.

Please share with staff, parents & carers

Short Break Offer for Children with SEND

We are asking for your valuable feedback on our short breaks offer within the borough. You can learn more about short breaks using the following link on the Council's website here.

Please click on the link below to share your thoughts with us to help us improve the services that we offer to children and parents/carers.

Hillingdon short breaks survey

Your support in this area is greatly appreciated.

Help Hillingdon Win the London Borough Mini Marathon Challenge Trophy

Hillingdon is currently in joint second place for the Mini Marathon challenge. Thank you to the 24 schools who have already registered.

Join the challenge and enter a draw to win a visit from Joe Wicks. The challenge is simple:

Two miles of exercise in your school or setting
any day/days between 22 April and 2 May 2025

And watch this video here: The TCS Mini London Marathon in schools is back for 2025!

Thrive in Action - Free Webinars

Schools and settings can access free 45-minute webinars here: Thrive in Action Webinars

School Gardens - Free Webinar from School Food Matters

Spring is here, and it's the perfect time to get growing in your school garden.

Food growing in schools offers incredible benefits for children's education and well-being, but getting a garden up and running can seem like a big challenge without proper support. To help, School Food Matters is offering a free webinar to give school staff the essential knowledge, resources, and confidence they need to get started.

Join them on Wednesday 30 April at 4pm or share with colleagues interested in starting or refreshing their school garden. Here's what you'll learn:

How to get started: Essential first steps to set up a thriving food growing space
Best spots for your garden: How to find the ideal location for your plants
What to plant: Simple, child-friendly plants that will thrive this term
How to care for your garden: Tips to keep your garden healthy and productive
Gardening tools: The essential tools you'll need for your school garden
Harvesting tips: How to nurture your plants and enjoy a rewarding harvest

For Primary:
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) As we approach the time of year for judgements to be made against the Early Learning Goals and completion of the EYFSP, the Early years Quality Improvement team will be offering Reception class teachers the opportunity to join each other for professional dialogue to support moderation and consistency and accuracy of judgements. Sessions will be held on: 18 May, 1:00-3:00 Committee room 5, Civic Centre 22 May, 1:00-3:00 Committee room 6, Civic Centre 10 June, 9:30 - 11:30 Committee room 5, Civic Centre. To book a place at an event please email Shynds@hillingdon.gov.uk stating the name and school of the attendee/s. Completion of the profile reminders: The EYFS Profile must be completed for each child in the final term of the academic year in which they reach age 5 30^th June - Deadline for schools to complete the EYFS Profile for each child and submit the data to their local authority Teachers are expected to use their professional judgement to make EYFS Profile assessments, using their knowledge and understanding of what a child knows, understands, and can do The EYFS Profile is not an accountability measure for schools. The DfE does not publish school level results for the EYFS Profile. Ofsted will not use the EYFS Profile as an accountability tool during inspection. It is a means of checking whether a child has learnt what has been taught. It can take place during routine interactions with children and does not need to be planned or documented Informed by a range of perspectives:assessment is predominantly based on the teacher's professional judgement but should also take account of contributions from a range of perspectives including the child, their parents and/or carers, and other relevant adults The EYFS Profile must be completed for all children registered at the school, unless: an exemption has been granted for the setting (reserved for independent schools or schools with established principles in conflict with the EYFS) an exemption has been granted for an individual child (reserved only for cases where a child's family has religious or philosophical beliefs that contradict the EYFS) the child is continuing in EYFS provision beyond the year in which they turn 5 The A code (the assessment rating for a child who has an exemption) should only be used for children who have an individual exemption on grounds of religious or philosophical beliefs.Schools who submit it for any other reason would not be meeting the statutory requirements of the EYFS The ELGs are based on typical child development at the age of 5, so most children are likely to meet the 'expected' level of development. Teachers should use their professional knowledge of the child to decide whether each ELG description best-fits the child's learning and development. Teachers should only make judgements based on the criteria that are set out in the ELGs themselves and should not add any additional criteria The best-fit model requires teachers to consider the whole of each ELG description when making these judgements. Best-fit does not mean that the child has equal mastery of all aspects of the ELG. Each ELG descriptor is written in bullet point form, but this is for presentational purposes only to aid clarity; teachers should not 'tick off' these bullet points one by one but should use their professional judgement to determine whether each ELG in its totality best-fits the child's learning and development. The most accurate picture of the child's overall embedded learning will come from a holistic view of the descriptor The Profile recognises and values linguistic diversity and is inclusive of children whose home language is not English. The ELGs for the communication and language, and literacy areas of learning, must be assessed in relation to the child's competency in English, or competency in British Sign Language (BSL). However, the remaining ELGs may be assessed in the context of any language. In cases where a child is using BSL or another language, teachers will need to observe the child over time and seek input from the parents, and/or bilingual support assistants, to be confident about what the child knows and understands. Teachers should use their professional judgement to consider whether the accounts provided are consistent with their professional knowledge of the child. Other teachers as well as parents and/or carers should be consulted to aid with this For all ELGs, including Speaking, a child's established or preferred mode of communication can be used. This includes non-speaking communication, such as signing. In order to be judged as expected, the child must demonstrate the criteria of the ELG. The mode of communication is the way a child chooses to communicate, not the language a child communicates in. Therefore, when using any mode of communication, the ELGs for the communication and language and literacy areas of learning must still be assessed in relation to the child's competency in English, or competency in BSL Where a child has SEND, teachers should be alert to identifying the child's level of development in a variety of ways, including eye pointing, use of symbols, or signs. In this case, teachers should give additional detail about the child's understanding and preferred means of communication in their EYFS Profile record Early_years_foundation_stage_profile_handbook (PDF, 307 KB)
Hillingdon Libraries Empathy Day Festival for KS2 Join us for a free virtual event with award-nominated author Miriam Halahmy for our Empathy Day Festival on Tuesday 11 June 2025 at 9.30 am to 10.15 am for KS2. Miriam will be discussing her book Saving Hanno, the story of a young Jewish boy and his beloved dog during WWII especially for a Key Stage 2 audience. For more information and to book your free space, please email: gday@hillingdon.gov.uk
*Please share with working parents with children under the age of 5* Online Parenting Support We understand that getting support as a working parent to young children can be challenging. That's why the Hillingdon Family Hub Network has created an online parenting offer specifically designed to support working parents. Workshops and courses are available both during the day and in the evening and delivered by qualified early years staff in an engaging and non-judgemental manner. Our workshops cover essential topics such as: Fussy Eating Toilet Training Behaviour Strategies Support for parents transitioning their children into childcare and/or school Additionally, we offer two comprehensive online parenting courses: Exploring Parenting Together - A fun five-week course designed to help parents improve their relationship and behaviour with their children. Ducklings - A four-week course aimed at supporting parents who have a child newly diagnosed with autism spectrum condition or who is awaiting an assessment with the Child Development Centre. The timetable can be found at: Services we offer at our family hubs and children's centres - Hillingdon Council

For Primary:

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP)

As we approach the time of year for judgements to be made against the Early Learning Goals and completion of the EYFSP, the Early years Quality Improvement team will be offering Reception class teachers the opportunity to join each other for professional dialogue to support moderation and consistency and accuracy of judgements.

Sessions will be held on:

18 May, 1:00-3:00 Committee room 5, Civic Centre

22 May, 1:00-3:00 Committee room 6, Civic Centre

10 June, 9:30 - 11:30 Committee room 5, Civic Centre.

To book a place at an event please email Shynds@hillingdon.gov.uk stating the name and school of the attendee/s.

Completion of the profile reminders:

The EYFS Profile must be completed for each child in the final term of the academic year in which they reach age 5
30^th June - Deadline for schools to complete the EYFS Profile for each child and submit the data to their local authority
Teachers are expected to use their professional judgement to make EYFS Profile assessments, using their knowledge and understanding of what a child knows, understands, and can do
The EYFS Profile is not an accountability measure for schools. The DfE does not publish school level results for the EYFS Profile. Ofsted will not use the EYFS Profile as an accountability tool during inspection. It is a means of checking whether a child has learnt what has been taught. It can take place during routine interactions with children and does not need to be planned or documented
Informed by a range of perspectives:assessment is predominantly based on the teacher's professional judgement but should also take account of contributions from a range of perspectives including the child, their parents and/or carers, and other relevant adults
The EYFS Profile must be completed for all children registered at the school, unless:

an exemption has been granted for the setting (reserved for independent schools or schools with established principles in conflict with the EYFS)
an exemption has been granted for an individual child (reserved only for cases where a child's family has religious or philosophical beliefs that contradict the EYFS)
the child is continuing in EYFS provision beyond the year in which they turn 5

The A code (the assessment rating for a child who has an exemption) should only be used for children who have an individual exemption on grounds of religious or philosophical beliefs.Schools who submit it for any other reason would not be meeting the statutory requirements of the EYFS
The ELGs are based on typical child development at the age of 5, so most children are likely to meet the 'expected' level of development. Teachers should use their professional knowledge of the child to decide whether each ELG description best-fits the child's learning and development. Teachers should only make judgements based on the criteria that are set out in the ELGs themselves and should not add any additional criteria
The best-fit model requires teachers to consider the whole of each ELG description when making these judgements. Best-fit does not mean that the child has equal mastery of all aspects of the ELG. Each ELG descriptor is written in bullet point form, but this is for presentational purposes only to aid clarity; teachers should not 'tick off' these bullet points one by one but should use their professional judgement to determine whether each ELG in its totality best-fits the child's learning and development. The most accurate picture of the child's overall embedded learning will come from a holistic view of the descriptor
The Profile recognises and values linguistic diversity and is inclusive of children whose home language is not English. The ELGs for the communication and language, and literacy areas of learning, must be assessed in relation to the child's competency in English, or competency in British Sign Language (BSL). However, the remaining ELGs may be assessed in the context of any language. In cases where a child is using BSL or another language, teachers will need to observe the child over time and seek input from the parents, and/or bilingual support assistants, to be confident about what the child knows and understands. Teachers should use their professional judgement to consider whether the accounts provided are consistent with their professional knowledge of the child. Other teachers as well as parents and/or carers should be consulted to aid with this
For all ELGs, including Speaking, a child's established or preferred mode of communication can be used. This includes non-speaking communication, such as signing. In order to be judged as expected, the child must demonstrate the criteria of the ELG. The mode of communication is the way a child chooses to communicate, not the language a child communicates in. Therefore, when using any mode of communication, the ELGs for the communication and language and literacy areas of learning must still be assessed in relation to the child's competency in English, or competency in BSL
Where a child has SEND, teachers should be alert to identifying the child's level of development in a variety of ways, including eye pointing, use of symbols, or signs. In this case, teachers should give additional detail about the child's understanding and preferred means of communication in their EYFS Profile record

Early_years_foundation_stage_profile_handbook (PDF, 307 KB)

Hillingdon Libraries Empathy Day Festival for KS2

Join us for a free virtual event with award-nominated author Miriam Halahmy for our Empathy Day Festival on Tuesday 11 June 2025 at 9.30 am to 10.15 am for KS2. Miriam will be discussing her book Saving Hanno, the story of a young Jewish boy and his beloved dog during WWII especially for a Key Stage 2 audience.

For more information and to book your free space, please email: gday@hillingdon.gov.uk

Please share with working parents with children under the age of 5

Online Parenting Support

We understand that getting support as a working parent to young children can be challenging. That's why the Hillingdon Family Hub Network has created an online parenting offer specifically designed to support working parents. Workshops and courses are available both during the day and in the evening and delivered by qualified early years staff in an engaging and non-judgemental manner.

Our workshops cover essential topics such as:

Fussy Eating
Toilet Training
Behaviour Strategies
Support for parents transitioning their children into childcare and/or school

Additionally, we offer two comprehensive online parenting courses:

Exploring Parenting Together - A fun five-week course designed to help parents improve their relationship and behaviour with their children.
Ducklings - A four-week course aimed at supporting parents who have a child newly diagnosed with autism spectrum condition or who is awaiting an assessment with the Child Development Centre.

The timetable can be found at: Services we offer at our family hubs and children's centres - Hillingdon Council

For Secondary/Post 16:
14-25 Steering Group 7^th May 2025 - 10 am at Guru Nanak School If you are a deputy headteacher, pastoral lead, safeguarding lead, head of year or even a headteacher, we invite you to attend the 14-25 Steering Group. Our most recent topic is discussing EBSNA and how schools try to address this to prevent young people from becoming NEET - this will continue to be our round table discussion. We will also have SPARK! who will be joining us this time. SPARK! may have a number of fully funded programmes that can be offered to schools and colleges, and purchasable services, such as high-quality work experience programme, meaningful employer engagement workshops and workplace insight visits. SPARK! will be in attendance to see how they can better support Hillingdon young people and schools in a more joined up manner. This would present you with an opportunity to discuss what schools feel they need support with, particularly in regard to targeting services for young people at risk of becoming NEET. Recent involvement with SPARK! has seen some schools/colleges benefit from mentoring services which have been a great success. Please email mpearson@hillingdon.gov.uk if you would like to attend.
Hillingdon Libraries Empathy Day Festival for KS3 Join us for a free virtual event with award-nominated author Miriam Halahmy for our Empathy Day Festival on Tuesday 11 June 2025 at 10.45 am to 11.30 am. Miriam will be discussing her gripping book Always Here For You; a powerful story about friendship, trust, and staying safe online especially for a Key Stage 3 audience. For more information and to book your free space, please email: gday@hillingdon.gov.uk
Discover Together Have you heard about Discover Together? Specifically for 16 - 25-year-olds, co-produced with young adults and mental health professionals, they provide a range of recovery focused workshops to help take happier, healthier steps towards sustaining good mental health. Discover Together Information Booklet & Discover Together Poster
Diversity Role Models - Free Anti-Bullying Workshops for Secondary Schools Diversity Role Models are offering two full days of fully funded Anti-Bullying student workshops to Hillingdon secondary schools. Diversity Role Models is a nation-wide charity with more than 12 years of experience helping schools to enrich their PSHE curriculum and embedding Inclusion and Anti-bullying. They offer schools two streams of work for student workshops: one focussed on all protected characteristics and inclusion, and one focussed on LGBTQ+ inclusion/homo-bi-transphobic bullying. The programmes have been developed in long-term collaborations with the DfE and Local Authorities all around the country. All work is continuously evaluated by students and school staff themselves, showing visible and far-reaching impact on anti-bullying and inclusion. You can read more about their work and impact here. Please contact Luis La Fauci, Education Officer, if you would like further information or to sign up at Luis.LaFauci@diversityrolemodels.org.

For Secondary/Post 16:

14-25 Steering Group

7^th May 2025 - 10 am at Guru Nanak School

If you are a deputy headteacher, pastoral lead, safeguarding lead, head of year or even a headteacher, we invite you to attend the 14-25 Steering Group. Our most recent topic is discussing EBSNA and how schools try to address this to prevent young people from becoming NEET - this will continue to be our round table discussion.

We will also have SPARK! who will be joining us this time. SPARK! may have a number of fully funded programmes that can be offered to schools and colleges, and purchasable services, such as high-quality work experience programme, meaningful employer engagement workshops and workplace insight visits. SPARK! will be in attendance to see how they can better support Hillingdon young people and schools in a more joined up manner. This would present you with an opportunity to discuss what schools feel they need support with, particularly in regard to targeting services for young people at risk of becoming NEET.

Recent involvement with SPARK! has seen some schools/colleges benefit from mentoring services which have been a great success.

Please email mpearson@hillingdon.gov.uk if you would like to attend.

Hillingdon Libraries Empathy Day Festival for KS3

Join us for a free virtual event with award-nominated author Miriam Halahmy for our Empathy Day Festival on Tuesday 11 June 2025 at 10.45 am to 11.30 am. Miriam will be discussing her gripping book Always Here For You; a powerful story about friendship, trust, and staying safe online especially for a Key Stage 3 audience.

For more information and to book your free space, please email: gday@hillingdon.gov.uk

Discover Together

Have you heard about Discover Together? Specifically for 16 - 25-year-olds, co-produced with young adults and mental health professionals, they provide a range of recovery focused workshops to help take happier, healthier steps towards sustaining good mental health.

Discover Together Information Booklet & Discover Together Poster

Diversity Role Models - Free Anti-Bullying Workshops for Secondary Schools

Diversity Role Models are offering two full days of fully funded Anti-Bullying student workshops to Hillingdon secondary schools.

Diversity Role Models is a nation-wide charity with more than 12 years of experience helping schools to enrich their PSHE curriculum and embedding Inclusion and Anti-bullying. They offer schools two streams of work for student workshops: one focussed on all protected characteristics and inclusion, and one focussed on LGBTQ+ inclusion/homo-bi-transphobic bullying. The programmes have been developed in long-term collaborations with the DfE and Local Authorities all around the country. All work is continuously evaluated by students and school staff themselves, showing visible and far-reaching impact on anti-bullying and inclusion. You can read more about their work and impact here.

Please contact Luis La Fauci, Education Officer, if you would like further information or to sign up at Luis.LaFauci@diversityrolemodels.org.

Warm regards,

Abi Preston

Director of Education & SEND

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

For previous LA Education Weekly Updates please click here