LA Education Weekly Update

16 March 2026

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:

Useful Links:

• Hillingdon LEAP can be accessed for information and guidance for all settings 
• Please contact education@hillingdon.gov.uk with any queries 
• Critical Incident Notification can be found here
• Emergency closures of all schools must be reported to education@hillingdon.gov.uk 
• Education Services Contacts can be found here 
• Education & SEND Policies can be found here 
• EYES/Establishment Portal information can be found here
• Governors can access LA training here 
• Hillingdon Learning Partnership 
• Schools' Forum meeting papers can be accessed here. If anyone would like to attend meetings, they are welcome to do so.  

All Schools/Settings:

Hillingdon Term Dates 2027-30

Term dates have been set in line with neighbouring boroughs, and approved by the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education. Maintained schools must follow the dates and academies are encouraged to follow for boroughwide consistency.  

Please add dates to your school website and share with parents/carers.

LBH-Term-Dates-Sept-2027-July-2030

Pupils Travelling to and from School

Headteachers and senior leaders are reminded to reinforce to pupils that when they wear school uniform in public, they represent the school and its values. Their conduct outside school influences how the school is perceived by the wider community.

Please speak to your pupils about this, as we continue to see criminal incidents involving young people before and after school. It would be greatly appreciated if you could remind them of the importance of behaving responsibly outside school and help them understand how their actions can affect the school's reputation, as well as their own and others' safety.

AXIS Bulletin

Please see February issue: AXIS February Bulletin 2026 (PDF, 885 KB)

New Statutory Allergy Guidance for Schools

The government has announced new statutory guidance for schools from September 2026.

The guidance will require schools to train all staff in allergy, to have a dedicated allergy policy, to create Individual Healthcare Plans for pupils with allergies, to have a named senior leader and a governor with oversight of allergy and includes the expectation all schools will hold "spare" adrenaline devices. As schools begin to plan, many are already asking what "good" implementation looks like and how to approach this consistently.

This toolkit will support schools to meet their statutory.

New statutory allergy guidance for schools | The Allergy Team

Thrive Website Now Live! - Supporting Mental Well-being

The new Thrive website is now officially live. Please visit https://thrivehillingdon.co.uk

The website has been designed to support children, young people, families, and professionals by bringing together clear information, self‑help tools, signposting, and a wide range of emotional well-being resources in one accessible place. Its aim is to make it easier for people to understand what support is available and how to access it.

Please share the website link widely across your teams and networks so others can benefit from the resources. The Thrive website flyer is linked below for you to share with staff, display around your school and share with parents/carers in your newsletters.

Thrive Website Poster (PDF, 85 KB)

Thank you for your ongoing support as we launch this new resource! If you have any queries please reach out to Stacey Rockley, Hillingdon Thrive Project Manager at SRockley@hillingdon.gov.uk

The School Linking Programme is Coming!

Your school could become a part of the amazing School Linking Programme with the Faith Belief Forum. 

This is a free programme for all primary and secondary schools and matches students and classes from different cultural or faith backgrounds to explore issues of identity, community and belief.

The programme is run as part of The Linking Network. The programme's focus is to equip teachers with the skills, knowledge and support. The teachers involved will be partnered with another class, who they will be working over the course of an academic year, to plan three 'Link' days.

All you have to do is get in touch directly with Alejandra Cáceres alejandra.sanchez@faithbeliefforum.org to join. 

RE Teachers (PDF, 723 KB)

Invite to Diversity Role Models Leadership Forum

Diversity Role Models are putting together a Leadership Forum to bring together those working to create safer, more inclusive schools in a friendly, confidential termly meeting.  The Forum is a welcoming space for school and middle leaders from all settings, including Heads, Deputies, PSHE leads, and those who support them. It offers the opportunity to connect, share practical ideas, and discuss shared challenges through open, informal, and confidential conversation. 

If you'd be interested in attending the registration link is here: Diversity Role Models' Leadership Forum  - Fill in form 

If you have any queries, please contact Jac Bastian, Chief Education Officer at jac@diversityrolemodels.org

Warm regards, 

Abi Preston 

Director of Education & SEND 

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