LA Education Weekly Update

13 April 2026

Dear Colleagues,

We hope you had a restful Easter break and are looking forward to working with you this term.  

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

Head Teachers' Termly Meetings 

Our next meeting will take place online on Tuesday 9 June 2026, from 9.30 - 11.30 am. The agenda will be shared with you closer to the date, and we look forward to seeing you there. 

Below are the meeting dates for the 2026/27 academic year: 

• Autumn 2026: Tuesday 10 November, 9 am-12 pm - In person at the Civic Centre 

• Spring 2027: Tuesday 2 March, 9.30-11.30 am - Online 

• Summer 2027: Wednesday 9 June, 9.30-11.30 am - Online 

Following requests from several headteachers, we will now send calendar invites for all upcoming meetings. Reminders will also continue to appear in this Weekly Update as usual. 

Understanding Current SEND Support Provision 

In the recent White Paper, all local areas need to develop an Experts at Hand service, which should support schools to meet a wider range of needs in mainstream settings. The local area views will inform the SEND reform plan which is due for initial draft submission in the middle of May.  

We would like to hear your views on how the Experts at Hand service can best support schools in meeting a wide range of needs of children and young people with SEND and to understand: 

• The types of challenges schools are experiencing 

• What support would be most helpful in practice 

• How the Experts at Hand service can be shaped to add real value for schools 

Your feedback will be used to inform how the service develops, ensuring it is practical, responsive, and aligned to the needs of schools and pupils. Responses will be used to identify themes rather than individual schools. Your input is important and will help us improve support for children and young people with a range of SEND needs. Please complete the short survey below by Monday 27 April.  

Click here to complete the survey 

Parent/Carer Support Groups for EBSNA 

We would be very grateful if you could share this opportunity with any parents/carers who may benefit. 

Hillingdon Educational Psychology Service is pleased to announce a series of support groups, developed in response to feedback from parents and carers who attended our March focus groups. We are trialling two different formats: 

1. Ongoing Support Groups 
2. Flexible Drop‑In Sessions 

Each session will last 1 hour, followed by 30 minutes for optional networking with other parents/carers. These groups offer a safe and reflective space for parents/carers to connect with each other, alongside short learning opportunities led by the Educational Psychology Service. If parents/carers choose an Ongoing group, we ask that they aim to attend most sessions, as places are limited. 

Places are offered on a first‑come, first‑served basis. Parents/carers are encouraged to scan the QR code on the poster, which links to a registration form that must be completed to secure a place. Our first sessions will take place in April. 

Supporting your child’s school attendance (PDF, 1 MB)

Stress Awareness Month 

This month, the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Working Minds campaign is encouraging employers to follow five simple steps to help prevent and reduce stress in their workplace. Work-related stress is one of the leading causes of ill health at work.  You are encouraged to make use of a range of free resources designed to help better understand and address stress. These include: 

• Stress Talking Toolkit 

• Online learning modules 

• Working Minds campaign resource hub 

For access to further regular updates, tools and resources sign up to HSE's Working Minds campaign ebulletin. 

Governors Newsletter 

Latest edition can be found here: School-Governors-Newsletter-Spring-2026 - 2 

LA Governor Training Summer Term 2026 

• Ofsted Inspection Updates for School Governors - 12 May at 6pm Click here to register  

• School Governors Networking Event - 10 June at 6pm at the Civic Centre Sign up here 

• Understanding the Use of  AI in Schools for School Governors - 22 June at 6pm Click here to register 

Videos and slides used in previous training sessions can be found here: LA Training for School Governors 

Hillingdon Safeguarding Partnership 

Upcoming Safeguarding Partnership Training for April & May 2026:  Safeguarding Partnership Training 2026-27 (PDF, 269 KB)

Key Principles of 'Prevent'  

To support education settings in meeting the Prevent Duty, the Home Office has recently published the key principles of 'Prevent'. 

The Prevent programme aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The guidance does not introduce new policies or expectations; it clarifies the purpose and remit of 'Prevent' and when a referral should be made if there are genuine concerns that a learner is vulnerable to radicalisation. 

Service Children 

April is Month of the Military Child. It is a great opportunity to recognise Armed Forces children not just for the unique challenges they face as members of military families, but for their resilience. It offers schools a chance to celebrate, raise awareness of Service Pupils' experiences of military life and remind people of the positive impact they make in their schools and communities. 

Please see the April newsletter from the Stronger Schools Officers for Service Children with more details about Month of the Military Child and applying for the Armed Forces Education Trust grants.  

Service Children Newsletter April 2026 (PDF, 2 MB)

You can also now access a newly created resource toolkit for schools, which collates a large variety of organisations, charities, government information, wellbeing support and moving and transition resources that can be used to support Service children. 

Supporting Children from Armed Forces Families Toolkit 2026 (PDF, 2 MB)

Free School Meals - Request for Additional Funding - Deadline 17 April 2026

Please remember to submit completed summary forms to Nminhas@hillingdon.gov.uk as part of the Mayor's scheme for additional funding requests where Free School Meals (FSM) KS2 uptake exceeds 87%, by 17 April. 

Summary Form 2526 V2 (Excel doc, 25 KB)

Staff Development Opportunity: Foundation Degree Partnership 

Expanding Access to Professional Development 

A common challenge across the education and children's workforce is that highly skilled and experienced practitioners can reach a point in their career where progression is limited by the absence of formal qualifications. Returning to full-time study can be difficult due to work commitments, family responsibilities and financial pressures. This Foundation Degree programme has been designed to address that barrier. It will enable participants to study alongside their existing paid employment, creating a meaningful bridge between professional experience and accredited academic learning. 

Strengthening Multi-Agency Collaboration 

We recognise that educational success relies on a broader ecosystem of support including social care, health services, youth work and community provision. A distinctive strength of this programme is that it will bring together professionals from across these sectors into a shared learning environment. This approach aims to strengthen collaboration, enable the sharing of expertise, and reduce the siloed working that can sometimes exist across services. 

Local and Regional Opportunities 

The Eden Academy Trust's partnership hub will be based at Pentland Field School in Hillingdon, creating opportunities for colleagues across the Trust as well as professionals working in the wider local children's workforce.  Colleagues in our North Region will have access to the same opportunities, and early discussions with regional partners in Newcastle have been positive for September 2026, with several organisations expressing interest in hosting additional hubs in future years. 

Supporting Awareness and Participation 

Your support in raising awareness of this opportunity would be greatly valued. The programme is intended to attract individuals working in, or aspiring to work in, roles that support young people and families, including: 

• education staff 

• youth workers 

• sports coaches 

• community and third-sector volunteers 

• other professionals committed to improving outcomes for children and young people. 

Further information and engagement opportunities are provided in the links below: 

Centre for the Children's Workforce 

Foundation Degree Information Session (Centre for the Children's Workforce) Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite 

Chatta 

Chatta is a whole-class teaching approach that removes barriers to learning and aims high for every pupil, in every subject and every age group.  Through inclusive whole class teaching, live modelling and audio-visual scaffolding, Chatta puts simple, powerful, effective inclusive practice at the centre of teaching and learning. Please see Chatta - Teaching Approach for SEND, Oracy and Writing in UK Schools 

They are running free, live and interactive webinars every month to allow teachers to experience Chatta and see how it transforms teaching and learning.  It is suitable for: 

• School leaders looking for proven strategies to improve learning, understanding and language fluency. 

• Primary teachers and teaching assistants who want rapid, practical methods for vocabulary and writing. 

• Special & secondary school teachers and inclusion leaders supporting pupils with SEND, EAL, and barriers to learning. 

Book your place 

We extend our thanks to Hillside Infant School for delivering an insightful presentation on the implementation of Chatta within their school at the recent AfA Celebrating Inclusion Conference. 

Primary Schools:

**Last chance to book**  

Marketing Session for Sustainable Wraparound Childcare 

Last call for booking this essential training to support the sustainability of your Wraparound provision. At Heathrow Primary School on Wednesday 29 April - 9:30 to 11:30 am.  Please click to book your space: Marketing session for sustainable Wraparound Childcare 

For more details, please see this leaflet:  Marketing Workshop Flyer (PDF, 145 KB)

Webinar on Early Writing 

Please see flyer below for a free webinar on Early Writing from the team at the Great North Stronger Practice Hub. The session will focus on the need for a systematic approach to closing children's gaps in the Early Years, particularly where children are not meeting age-related expectations. 

Date and time: Monday 20 April 2026, 3:30 - 5:30 pm 

Booking: link within this flyer - Unlock Early Writing Success A Practical Approach with WISE Academies (PDF, 343 KB)

For those schools who attended the Foundations for Writing training led by the London South Stronger Practice Hub, this webinar complements the information shared at the training and offers a deeper dive into areas such as: 

• Developing core strength 

• Developing pencil control 

• A small-steps approach to writing 

• Dictation 

• Transcription 

• Composition 

Webinar on Early Writing and the Link with Communication and Language, Physical Development & Executive Function 

Led by: Dr Julian Grenier CBE 

Date and time: 16 June 2026, 4 to 5.30 pm

Audience: Leaders, EYFS staff and teachers 

This webinar is free for Hillingdon Schools. Please share this information to schools within your partnerships, school clusters and MATs. 

This will be followed by two training sessions, in the next academic year 2026-2027. Details will be sent to those signed up nearer the time.   

Please register your interest by 8 May 2026 via email rmehta@global-educationservices.co.uk. 

Free Access to MYPATH for All London Primary Schools - Until 31 August 2026 

The Central London Careers Hub and the GLA are offering all London Primary Schools free access to the MYPATH platform until 31 August 2026 as part of a pilot exploring approaches to early careers education. The pilot supports pupils aged 5-11 to explore their strengths, develop aspirations, and understand how learning links to future opportunities. Research shows early careers exposure can support confidence, engagement, transition to secondary school, and wellbeing. 

MYPATH provides videos, stories, and interactive tools that encourage pupils to discover a wide range of jobs and skills. Teachers can use the platform flexibly to support classroom activities, spark discussions, or help pupils reflect on their interests. These features allow schools to introduce career‑related learning in simple, age‑appropriate ways. 

Insights gathered from participating schools will contribute to shaping opportunities for the GLA to develop primary careers‑focused support in the future. 

Sign up here  and check junk/spam for the verification email. 

Secondary/Post 16:

Please share with all parents/carers: 

HPV Vaccinations 

Vaccination UK will be providing the HPV vaccination to year 8 students this term. 

Webinars on the HPV vaccination have been scheduled to give parents/carers the opportunity to learn what their child can expect to happen on the day. The webinars will also provide information about the HPV virus, cancer risk, and the HPV vaccine. There will be a chance to ask questions if there is anything you would like to know that is not covered during the webinar. Sessions are scheduled until 21 May 2026 and parents/carers can book any session using this link: https://www.schoolvaccination.uk/webinars 

Please share with all students/parents/carers: 

AQA Unit Awards April - July 2026 

All courses are open to school years 7 to 13. Places are limited so please email to reserve your place to youthoffer@hillingdon.gov.uk.  

• AQA Dressmaking course 

Tuesday 14 April to Tuesday 14 July, 3.30 to 6 pm 
At Stop Motion Animation, Hayes UB3 1PB 

Join our 10-week course every Tuesday learn how to use a sewing machine, follow a pattern to create your own clothes or alter cloths for your own personal style, craft unique pieces while earning AQA Unit Awards. 

• Multi-sports course 

Tuesday 14 April to Tuesday 14 July, 3.30 to 6 pm 
At Harlington Young People's Centre, Hayes UB3 1PB 
Open to school years 7 to 13 

Join our 10-week course every Tuesday with a qualified personal trainer to boost your cardiovascular health and improve overall fitness and gain AQA Unit Awards while playing a range of sports including badminton, tennis, & basketball - you choose.  

• Stop Motion Animation course 

Tuesday 14 April to Tuesday 14 July, 3.30 to 6 pm 
Harlington Young People's Centre, Hayes UB3 1PB 
Open to school years 7 to 13 

Join our 10-week course every Tuesday to learn the basics of stop motion animation, from character creation and storyboarding to editing your own short film. You'll also gain AQA Unit Awards. 

• Global Food Flavaz 

Wednesday 15 April to Wednesday 15 July, 7 to 9.30 pm 
Ruislip Young People's Centre, Ruislip HA4 7SX 
Open to school years 7 to 13 

Join our 10-week course every Wednesday learn to cook an amazing range of middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Asian & Mexican meals in a supportive environment and boost your culinary skills & confidence while gaining AQA Unit Awards. 

• This Girl Can Basketball  

Wednesday 15 April to Wednesday 15 July, 7 to 8 pm 
Ruislip Young People's Centre, Ruislip HA4 7SX 
Open to school years 7 to 13 

Join our 10-week course every and hone your Basketball skills on our ladies only course. You'll gain AQA's, confidence and game skills in a supportive class. 

• Multi-sports course 

Wednesday 15 April to Wednesday 15 July, 8 to 9 pm 
Ruislip Young People's Centre, Ruislip HA4 7SX 
Open to school years 7 to 13 

Join our 10-week course every Wednesday with a qualified personal trainer to boost your cardiovascular health and improve overall fitness and gain AQA Unit Awards while playing a range of sports including badminton, tennis, & basketball - you choose.  

• Digital Photography course 

Wednesday 15 April to Wednesday 15 July, 7.15 to 8.15 pm 
Ruislip Young People's Centre, Ruislip HA4 7SX 
Open to school years 7 to 13 

Join our 10-week course every Wednesday and learn how to create great images using a mobile phone, tricks and tips which elevate your photos. Build a portfolio and create digital art for an exhibition at the end of the course while gaining AQA Unit Awards. 

• Stop Motion Animation course 

Wednesday 15 April to Wednesday 15 July, 8.30 to 9.30 pm 
Ruislip Young People's Centre, Ruislip HA4 7SX 
Open to school years 7 to 13 

Join our 10-week course every Tuesday to learn the basics of stop motion animation, from character creation and storyboarding to editing your own short film. You'll also gain AQA Unit Awards. 

Warm regards, 

Abi Preston 

Director of Education & SEND 

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