Director's Message - 9th November 2020

Dear Colleagues,

Education Management Team - Update

Recruitment to the new structure for the local authority education management team is underway.

Deputy Director - Education - interviews will be held before the end of term.

Abi Preston - We are pleased to welcome Abi as Hillingdon's permanent Head of Education Improvement and Partnerships. Abi is a successful Headteacher, working within a MAT, with extensive experience of leading, managing and securing change. Abi has started in post working on a part-time basis, increasing to full time from January 2021. You will all get a chance to meet Abi over the next 2 terms during various school improvement initiatives and meetings.

Kathryn Angelini - Virtual School Headteacher(for looked-after children)

Laura Palmer - Head of Access to Education (School Admissions, Placement, Attendance, Exclusion, CME, EHE)

Rani Dady - Education Manager (Business Development, Moderation, Governors Support and School Place Planning)

Susan Hynds will continue to lead our Early Years Foundation Stage

Hannah Ives, within social care, continues to support school safeguarding.

The rest of the Education Improvement team remain in place - Iris Cerny, Adrian Percival, Wendy Todd, Nav Minhas and Chan Ahluwalia. To get in contact with the Education Improvement and Partnerships Team please email education@hillingdon.gov.uk. A list of contact details of all Education Service areas will be distributed to you and published on LEAP soon.

Ming Zhang has been in an interim education leadership role whilst the education structure was being finalised, and is leaving shortly to take up the Director of Education role at Plymouth City Council. Ming has been instrumental in shaping Hillingdon's education structure and vision for a collaborative partnership system. Abi and the education team will continue to build on this model to support schools boroughwide. We wish Ming well in his new venture.

Covid-19 DfE guidance

Schools would have seen the DfE's updated guidance that sets out how the new national restrictions to control the spread of Covid-19 impact education settings. This covers early years and childcare, out of school activities and wraparound care, visitors, clinically extremely vulnerable children and staff, sport and PE. Please continue to access our full update on Covid-19 guidance, including how schools should continue to ensure protective measures via our FAQs on LEAP.

School Leaders' Briefing (SLB)

This fortnight's SLB articles are:

Armistice Day 2020
The Tashan Daniel Award
Training for Staff and Governors
Places available on first aid courses
FREE School Lessons on Radicalisation
Sexting and the Law
HSE Update - Incident at School
PHE & NHS Covid Resources for Schools
Assessment and Moderation Briefing 2020-21
Internal Audit Review - Primary Schools
ShoutWest! A Story Making Festival
Virtual Pantomime - Jack and the Beanstalk
Celebrating Hillingdon Schools
Make Your Mark 2020

Please continue to email the Education Team via education@hillingdon.gov.uk for any support.

Regards,

Dan