6th December 2021
Dear Colleagues,
Please see our weekly round-up of schools' guidance update.
Ongoing reminders: | |
|---|---|
Submit the Educational Setting Status form daily via the following link: https://onlinecollections.des.fasst.org.uk/fastform/educational-setting-status | Daily |
Submit Early Years attendance data to the DfE via this online form | By 12 pm Thursday 9th December |
COVID Operational Guidance
Further to the recent concerns around the Omicron variant, we are reattaching the latest COVID School Operational Guidance.
On 29th November the guidance was updated on contact tracing and isolation, travel and quarantine, face coverings and vaccination of under 18 year olds to reflect new measures announced on 27th November 2021.
On 2nd December, this was updated further to have added clarification on the use of face visors and face shields by those who are exempt from wearing face coverings and what guidance children and staff must follow when travelling to England from abroad.
Inadequate Ventilation in Primary Classrooms
The attached safety alert is for all headteachers, teachers and learning support staff. It discusses the findings from a recent study regarding ventilation and minimising the risk of transmitting Covid-19 within primary school classrooms.
The alert identifies key actions for both headteachers and teachers/learning support staff.
OHS 0137 - GREEN alert re Inadequate ventilation in school classrooms (PDF) [96KB]
Water Only Survey - Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (Part of the Department of Health and Social Care)
The London Obesity Team, OHID (formerly PHE) has formed a Water Only Schools Action Group and they are keen to establish a baseline for water only schools by understanding how many schools across London currently have water only polices. Please could school leaders complete this short survey:
https://forms.gle/Ah1Yb299NnuBra6L8.
The completion date is 17th December 2021. The survey link will also be circulated via the Healthy Schools Network. If you have any questions or queries please contact: Ciara Litchfield at Ciara.litchfield@london.gov.uk
Information on Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Scheme and the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter
Earlier this week, the DfE launched a new support scheme for school leaders to improve and promote good mental health and wellbeing. The scheme, delivered by Education Support (a charity whose mission is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and education staff), will provide one-to-one counselling and peer support from experts to around 2000 school leaders, helping those at deputy head level and above in state-funded schools in England with their mental wellbeing. School leaders can access support by visiting the Education Support website below.
An updated Education Staff Wellbeing Charter was also launched this week, which sets out commitments from the government, Ofsted, and schools and colleges, to promote and protect the mental health of the education workforce. Through the charter, the DfE pledges to work with the education sector to drive down unnecessary workload, improve access to wellbeing resources, and champion flexible working, among a range of actions to support staff wellbeing. The DfE is encouraging all state-funded schools and colleges to sign up to the charter to create a united approach to supporting staff.
Education support:
https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/get-help/help-for-your-staff/wellbeing-services/school-leaders-support/
Wellbeing charter and sign-up:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter
Allied Health Careers Promotion in Hillingdon - your chance to shape resources
Hillingdon Health and Care Partners (HHCP) aim to improve care for Hillingdon residents through a joined-up, integrated approach across health care providers. Our Workforce Team is developing a free educational package to market to local schools/colleges as a means of promoting careers in the Allied Health Professions (e.g. Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Dietetics, Paramedic Science) whilst building a local workforce for the future.
We would appreciate if you could take 10 minutes to complete this survey to help shape the resources we will offer your students. https://brunel.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/hhcp_ahp_schoolssurvey
We will use your answers to find out what is important to local educational settings when it comes to careers resources to tailor resources to you. We want to establish what provision is already in place, what you'd like to be in place and what formats work for your students. There will also be an opportunity for you to suggest any ideas that you may have.
The survey closes on 31st December 2021 and we will be in touch in early 2022 with some exciting developments!
For more information, please contact victoria.stewart1@nhs.net
Final Booking Reminder
HR Governors' Training for Maintained Schools (Repeated by Browne Jacobson LLP)
Following on from the positive feedback from governors who attended this session in September, we will have scheduled another training date of this training session to enable other governors from the Board to attend. The training session is open to all governors at maintained schools in Hillingdon - schools are welcome to book multiple places for governors to attend this training. As 49/50 schools attended the first session this is no longer mandatory.
The session will cover roles and responsibilities, pay awards and more. Please book using the link below:
Session Details:
Date: Thursday 9th December 2021
Time: 17:00-19:00
Virtual link to be provided (MS Teams)
Cost: Free
This session is not designed for Academy schools
Please book you place by completing this booking form by 12 pm Tuesday 7th December.
Team Teach Level 1 Course - Primary
Monday 24th January 2022
09:00 - 15:45
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, 160 Long Lane, Uxbridge UB10 0EH
£85 per person
Aimed at low risk service settings: Mainstream Secondary, Primary Schools, Nurseries, Children's Hospitals, Elderly Care etc. Typically staff supporting individuals without any documented challenging behaviours that pose a physical risk to self or others.
This course covers: personal safety, team building, non-verbal and verbal de-escalation communication strategies, some positive handling techniques - if required, together with documentation and legal guidance, listening and learning, recording, reporting and reviewing.
Settings must send at least two members of staff PLUS a senior member of staff (SENCO/SLT) unless a member of SLT has a current Team Teach certificate.
Team Teach Level 2 Course (2 day) - Primary
Monday 24th & Tuesday 25th January 2022
09:00 - 15:35
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, 160 Long Lane, Uxbridge UB10 0EH
£170 per person
Aimed at medium risk individual challenging behaviours and service settings: special schools, PRU's, children's homes, elderly care services, etc. Typically staff supporting individuals with documented challenging behaviours / special needs that foresee-ably poses a physical risk to self or others.
This course covers: personal safety, team building, nonverbal and verbal de-escalation communication strategies, positive handling techniques, together with documentation and legal guidance, listening and learning, recording, reporting and reviewing.
Settings must send at least two members of staff PLUS a senior member of staff (SENCO/SLT) unless a member of SLT has a current Team Teach certificate.
For further information please see: www.Changing-behaviour.co.uk
To book your place please contact Clare Edmondson at changingbehaviouruk@gmail.com
