LA Education Weekly Update
9th June 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: |
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| Headteacher or deputies should attend the Head Teachers Termly meeting. Please see updated agenda here: Head Teachers' Termly Agenda - Summer Term 2025 (V2) (PDF, 172 KB) | by 06/06/25 |
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 |
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For All Schools & Settings: |
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EPS Traded Offer 2025-2026 We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued hard work and dedication to supporting all children and young people, their families, and the wider communities. Your commitment to inclusion and working towards the best outcomes and future goals for these individuals does not go unnoticed. We understand that day-to-day work can be challenging, and we deeply appreciate all your ongoing efforts. Whether you are directly partnering with Hillingdon EPS, contributing to the Local Authority's broader strategic changes and improvements, or attending forums where you can share insights and learn from one another, we are truly grateful for your involvement. We are pleased to share our refined Traded Offer for 2025-2026, designed to provide greater flexibility and a broader range of opportunities for accessing Educational Psychology Service in Hillingdon. follow the link to express your interest in Trading with Hillingdon EPS: Traded Offer Purchase Form 2025-2026 Are you looking to:
Please find links to the following:
Please be advised that expressions of interest to purchase EPS time will not be accepted after 31st July. We encourage all interested parties to submit their requests before this deadline. Thank you for your ongoing collaboration and support. We look forward to continuing our partnership and working together in 2025-2026. Please contact educationalpsychologyservice@hillingdon.gov.uk if you have any further queries.
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Hillingdon SEND & AP Sufficiency Strategy 2025-2030 The London Borough of Hillingdon is committed to ensuring that every child and young person with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) receives the right support, at the right time, in the right place. The SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Sufficiency Strategy 2025-2030 outlines how the Council and its partners will meet the changing needs of children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND. Key Priorities:
What We're Doing:
Why It Matters: With over 3,500 children and young people in Hillingdon holding an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and numbers expected to rise by 16% over the next 7 years, this strategy ensures that provision keeps pace with demand. It also supports the borough's wider goals of inclusion, community wellbeing, and educational excellence. Governance and Review: The strategy is reviewed annually and overseen by the SEND Executive Partnership Board, Schools Forum, and other key stakeholders to ensure it remains responsive and effective.
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Alternative Provision Schools may consider the use of APs for pupils who may be struggling to engage with mainstream education, particularly when behavioral and emotional needs make it difficult for them to thrive in a traditional classroom setting. As part of our commitment to providing a flexible offer and a broad range of interventions, we are in the process of developing a directory of quality-assured alternative provisions that offer diverse support tailored to children's needs. Information and guidance can be found on Alternative Provision - Leap One of the providers, 'Let me Play' is opening a new site and would like to offer schools the opportunity to attend their open day. Please see flyer for information: LMP Action Hayes Cricket Open Day Poster 11th June 2025 (PDF, 87 KB)
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Hospital Learners Please can all schools continue to alert vulnerablelearners@hillingdon.gov.uk and complete the Alternative Provision Notification form if they become aware of any students being admitted to hospital for a period of 15 school days or longer. This will initiate the team around the child process, chaired by the Local Authority, to support and monitor the education of children learning in hospital.
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Hillingdon's Family Hub Training Network Hillingdon's Family hub training network has a variety of training for professionals working with families, young people and children. Please see our training offer for June and July: Family hub training offer June to July 2025 (PDF, 68 KB)
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For Primary Schools: |
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Establishing or Expanding Wraparound Care Grant Thank you to everyone who has submitted an expression of interest for the Wraparound Childcare program so far. We have received applications from schools, PVI providers and childminders to increase wraparound childcare provision across Hillingdon. The panel has met regularly to review applications and to date agreed, in principle, up to £314,506 grant funding to create 50 new places for children to access wraparound, and the expansion and/or extension of 166 places. We are in the process of finalising the agreements that need to be in place to enable funding to be transferred and these will be with you shortly. We acknowledge this has become a tight time frame to set up in anticipation of September and are working to expedite the process. Whilst we are coming to the end of the funding, we are still able to accept applications from any schools who are interested in setting up wraparound provision and have yet to submit an application. Grants are available for up to £35,000 for new provision and £20,000 for expanding provision to pay for staff, resources, overheads and set-up costs. The grant is to ensure there is minimal risk to the school and must be awarded by the end of July 2025. This is an over-supply model and therefore the grant is available to expand spaces regardless of current take-up at the school. If you would like more information or have any queries, please email fis@hillingdon.gov.uk
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Summer Reading Challenge 2025 - Story Garden The exciting new theme for the Summer Reading Challenge 2025 is Story Garden - Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors. It's all about inspiring children to tap into a world of imagination through reading, exploring the magical connection between storytelling and nature. Award-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola brings the theme to life, creating an enchanting world where children can find magical creatures, plants and flowers to inspire their next reading adventure. The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children to keep reading over the summer. Recent research shows that children's enjoyment and engagement in reading is in decline, despite research showing that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child's future success. Children aged 4 to 11yrs can join for free in all Hillingdon Libraries from Saturday 5 July. They will receive a Sticker Booklet and Stickers to track their reading journey. Children who complete four visits will receive a Medal* and Certificate and if they complete by the closing date of Saturday 13 September, they will be entered into a prize draw with the chance to win some fabulous prizes! We've got a fantastic virtual author launch event with Mo O'Hara especially for schools on Friday 4 July (poster below) plus some great free events running this Summer, visit your local library to find out more. Teachers Letter Hillingdon (PDF, 222 KB) Summer Reading Challenge Launch Poster (PDF, 167 KB) Virtual Author event with Mo O'Hara (PDF, 1 MB)
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For Secondary Schools /FE: |
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School's Work Experience Programme We are launching a school's work experience programme aimed at academic years 10 - 13 in June 2025, which is a fantastic opportunity for students to gain an insight into local government. These short-term work experience programmes will allow students to:
How to Apply for Work Experience: For Students:
For Schools:
Any queries can be sent to Jeetin Shah, Early Careers Officer at JShah2@hillingdon.gov.uk
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LGBTQIA+ Group Sessions The month of June is celebrated across the UK as 'Pride Month' and the Hillingdon Youth Offer (KISS Team) is pleased to share with you our ongoing opportunity for young people in Hillingdon, aged 13 to 19, who identify as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community to engage in our fortnightly group sessions. These sessions are open to any young person who is exploring their gender identity and/or sexuality, and it is an opportunity for young people to connect with others while engaging in cooking, crafts, and games. The sessions are split into two groups aged 13-16 and 16-19. We have attached our LGBTQIA+ sign-up information: LGBT Sign up Information (PDF, 317 KB) Please share with young people who might be interested. Referrals to the group can also be made through the Targeted Programmes Webpage linked below. Targeted programmes for children and young people - Hillingdon Council If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything further, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Tishauna McMaster-Isaacs at TMIsaacs@hillingdon.gov.uk
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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
