Thank you for keeping education going |
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Education Services
monthly newsletter |
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St Joseph's RC Primary School needs your helpYou may have heard about the fire at St Joseph's RC Primary school, Droitwich, which completely engulfed the pre-school, Reception and Year 1 buildings and all the contents. Everything has gone but fortunately no one was hurt. Until their school building is rebuilt, the school would welcome donations of good quality furniture. | | |
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If you have any furniture or resources that you can either donate or can lend the school please could you contact Gill Deakin, Learning and Teaching Adviser: Early Years: gdeakin@worcschildrenfirst.org.uk | | |
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Education Services directoryThe traded services directory is now available to download.The directory contains a listing of education services available to purchase from Worcestershire Children First. | | |
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| Early bird discount for maintained schools is available until 31st March 2021 and non-maintained schools have until 31st July 2021, to save on services purchased. | | | Gypsy Roma Traveller Education service reviewThe Gypsy Roma Traveller Education service is currently undergoing a review to ensure the team meet the educational needs of Traveller children & young people within the local community. We would like to thank those who have contributed so far, and if you have any feedback regarding the GRT service please contact Sarah Flanagan: SFlanagan@worcschildrenfirst.org.uk. Our aim is to have a robust system of support in place and we will provide further updates in the coming weeks. We would also like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the GRT team, who look forward to working with you. For any queries or for support requests please contact the GRT team on 01905 846045 or via email: GRT@worcschildrenfirst.org.uk. | | | Sarah Flanagan
Learner Engagement Team Lead/ GRT Adviser | | | | | | Louise Sykes
Targeted Youth Worker | | | | | | Susan Carrier
Targeted Youth Worker | | | | | Preventing young suicideAddressing the mental health needs of children and young people is more important than ever before. The pandemic has intensified pupil anxiety and presented new challenges, such as isolation and adversity at home. Schools have a key role in keeping children safe, addressing the pandemic's potential mental health effects and preventing young suicide. Suicide is the biggest killer of young people in the UK. (Papyrus-Prevention of Young Suicide) School staff are well placed to identify students who may be at risk of suicide and assist them with help. Evidence shows that talking about suicide does not make it more likely to happen – it reduces the stigma and is often the first step in a person's recovery. Example conversation starters if you are worried about someone. Suicide prevention and assessment/intervention for all children from primary up to 18 years of age is covered within our MHFA Mental Health training. Schools subscribed to the Safeguarding SLA can book the MHFA Mental Health courses at discounted rate. Non-subscribing schools can still book onto the training at full cost price. For scheduled MHFA courses along with other safeguarding training currently available visit CPD online. | | | Managing allegations trainingThis course is aimed at headteachers, chairs of governing bodies and other senior leaders with responsibility for dealing with allegations of abuse against teachers and other staff, including supply teachers and volunteers. The course will cover all aspects of Part 4 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2020), including your duties as an employer, initial considerations when an allegation is received, providing support and managing the situation. It will provide information which will help you to better understand the Management of Allegations processes, the role of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), and the role of the multi-agency network. The course aims to ensure you understand legislation and know what to do if there is an allegation against a professional and better understand your role as professionals working in regulated activity. Cost*: £50 + VAT • 13 May 2021, 4pm to 7pm, Worcester, course code: SCH/21/038• 14 June 2021, 4pm to 7pm, Bromsgrove, course code: SCH/21/039We aim to deliver the training face to face later in the year at Covid safe venues. We will continue to monitor government guidance in line with delivering face to face training. * This course is not part of the current Safeguarding SLA and is therefore available to book for all schools. | | |
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Educational Psychology homeschooling adviceThe Educational Psychology team have produced a video containing practical advice for parents supporting children with homeschooling. The advice is particularly useful where the child may have additional learning needs. The advice provides ways to support children with learning at home and covers reading, writing and maths techniques plus ways to support their emotional health and wellbeing. | | |
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Top tips to help children learn at homeThe Learning Support team have also put together some helpful tips to support primary aged children learning at home. The helpful tips cover reading, spelling, writing and maths and include links to further resources. | | |
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| Do you need help with attendance?
Many Worcestershire schools already benefit from having a named Education Welfare Officer (EWO) to provide weekly support. Our EWOs are able to provide current, best practice and specialist advice on register regulation and DfE coding requirements, as well as ensuring schools successfully adhere to all duties around attendance and engaging learners.
Our highly experienced, qualified Education Welfare Officers also provide practical, solution focussed casework support to address any barriers preventing regular attendance and engagement, and to ensure your schools' welfare and safeguarding concerns are appropriately escalated. | | |
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The Education Welfare Service offers a variety of great value support packages, including a new range of services to enhance and support your attendance practices. Look out for the following NEW services within the 2021-2022 education traded services directory - Attendance health-check
- Supervision support
- Network surgeries
If the weekly EWS offer is not something your school currently utilises to help engage learners and improve student participation and attendance, and you would like to explore this further, please contact us. We would be happy to discuss your school's requirements. Email: EdWelfareCME@worcschildrenfirst.org.uk or call Michelle Fowler on 01905 844667. | | |
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School improvement during COVID-19Schools have had to adapt to new ways of working during the pandemic. The way schools deliver education and respond to the pandemic can take up a lot of schools' time and capacity. Are there particular areas that require focus in your school, for example, pedagogy, the curriculum, pupil premium, SEND or middle leadership?Most schools and settings will have a clear understanding of the improvement priorities for their school. How long has it been since your school received external school improvement support? Would your schools' plans benefit from an external review and challenge to help adapt approaches? | | |
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Our team of local School Improvement and Learning and Teaching Advisers are experts in conducting reviews and providing effective improvements in schools and settings. They have an excellent understanding of the local context and best practice, gained through years of experience working in partnership with schools. Contact the School Improvement team to discover how they can assist you with your school improvement: SchoolImprovement@worcschildrenfirst.org.uk | | | |
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- Two new members of staff have joined the Autism/CCN team. Merie Eglesfield and Sarah Summers join the team as Specialist Autism Teachers.
- Goodbye to Cath Shotton, Early Years Business Support Officer and GDPR Specialist.
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Are you an effective middle leader?Good schools can have strong senior leadership to set the vision and direction of the school and have the most committed teachers, starting early and finishing late, but without effective middle leadership, the vision can fail to be achieved. Great schools have empowered middle leaders to help action the vision in the classroom, secure positive pupil outcomes and close the achievement gap. | | |
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Middle leadership play a pivotal role within the school. "Middle leaders are the engine of any school". Sir Michael Wilshaw If you are a middle leader or aspiring middle leader, are you clear about the role/responsibilities of a middle leader, especially in today's educational climate? How do you even know if you are an effective leader? Rachael Baldwin, Learning and Teaching Adviser, will guide you through these questions and equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to be an effective middle leader on the ' Are you an effective middle leader' training course. During this 3-session course you will - Consider the importance of using and analysing a range of data to identify priorities and inform practice, leading to sustained improvements in teaching and learning and pupil outcomes
- Review a range of monitoring activities that can be used to support effective self –evaluation, including deep dive work scrutinies lesson drop ins, pupil/staff voice
Full course details | | | What makes great teaching?09, 23 March and 20 April, 3.30pm to 5pmThis virtual 3-part session provides you with an opportunity to discuss and develop your understanding of what makes for effective teaching and learning in the classroom with other teachers. Rachael Baldwin, Learning and Teaching Adviser, will revisit aspects of quality first teaching, assessment for learning and you will collectively review why they are central to the learning process. You will also have an opportunity to review the Great Teaching Toolkit (published 2020) and Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction when considering a range of teaching, learning and assessment strategies that can be used day - to - day to enhance pupils' learning and help to identify their next steps. Full course details | | | Lockdown poemBeing in lockdown has given many of us time to get creative. Francis Charters, a Supply Teacher in the Medical Education Team, has created a poem about lockdown. | | | | The lockdown.
When the long lockdown is over,
The start of a brave new day
I will scream in my dream and start making schemes
As some of my poems say.
I will walk on the beach and have children to teach
Have picnics of pork in the park
Go shopping each day, take a short holiday
And go out for a drink in the dark.
Claire can shop each day, while I'm far away
Riding the roads for a lark.
So come with me now and let us explore
The possible point of our being,
As we stroll hand in hand on the edge of the sand
And smile at the sights we are seeing.
Let us know we are free, just my girl and me,
And our freedom's a state of the mind
After weeks of subsistence and fair social distance
Let's shake hands with neighbours we find.
And with all we have learned, if the virus returned
Let's not curse as prison bars fall,
Let's remember how sweet it was to meet in the street,
Let's remember how sweet, that's all. | | |
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Safer Internet Day, Tuesday 9th FebruaryQuick checklist for staying safe online- Think before you post, consider what you say and what effect this may have. Never post comments that are abusive or may cause offence to others
- Keep personal information personal - do not say anything or publish pictures that might later cause you or someone else embarrassment. Be aware of what friends post about you, or reply to your posts.
- Make the most of privacy settings - allow access only to your chosen friends and family.
- Report cyberbullying to internet service providers. Cyberbullying often violates the terms of and conditions of social media sites and internet service providers.
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With many young people now learning remotely and spending more time online, UK Safer Internet Centre have produced a range of free resources to help schools and settings deliver sessions for Safer Internet Day. Schools have access to download, adapt and deliver resources to support Early years, primary and secondary age children who are learning remotely. BBC Teach also have a collection of teaching resources that can be used to explore online safety with both primary and secondary pupils. These classroom resources can be used to educate pupils on using technology safely, respectfully and responsibly. They could also help pupils recognise acceptable and unacceptable behaviour online, as well helping them to identify ways of reporting concerns about content and contact. | | |
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National Nestbox Week, 14th - 21st FebruaryNational Nestbox Week (NNBW) takes place each year, and after more than 20 years it is now an established part of the ornithological calendar. NNBW aims to encourage everyone to put up nest boxes in their local area in order to promote and enhance biodiversity and conservation of our breeding birds and wildlife. Ideas for remote learning. | | |
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Pancake Day, Tuesday 16th FebruaryBBC Bitesize investigates Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Lent and a pancake recipe. | | |
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World Book Day, Thursday 4th MarchDespite not all children being in school this World Book Day, there are still lots of ways you can celebrate. The World Book Day website hosts a range of resources, including audiobooks and activities. For this year's event children and families are being encouraged to 'Share a story' and show your shares on social media, to celebrate the joy of reading together. #WorldBookDay #ShareAStory | | |
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SENCo Leadership Development ProgrammeWe are now taking applications for the summer 2021 SENCo Leadership Development Programme. The autumn 2020 cohort, of new and experienced SENCOs, found the programme to be a very useful opportunity to better understand their strategic role, reflect and identify approaches to greater influence the quality of provision and further develop a wholly inclusive culture. " Such a useful update for me as a SENDCO. Even though I've been in role for a few years I still found all of the aspects useful to either confirm that what I'm doing is still the right thing as well as give me a range of things to do to make sure SEND here is as good as it can be" Helen Williams, DHT and SENDCo, Lickey Hills Primary School | | |
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Positive early years PEP meeting The recent early years personal education plan (PEP) meetings have been well received by social workers, nursery staff and designated teachers for children looked after. A PEP is an evolving record of what needs to happen for children looked after to enable them to make at least expected progress and fulfil their potential. PEP meetings for early years in preschool settings are attended by the foster carer, social worker, the Area Learning Advocate for WCF Virtual School and designated teachers for children looked after/key worker from the preschool setting. Sarah Haigh, Area Learning Advocate, facilities the meetings "My role in the meetings is to organise them, chair the process, advise and challenge on the educational targets and progress, and to quality assure the personal education plan. I also provide support on completing the personal education plan if needed."Feedback from the first Early Years Personal Education Plan meetings for Early Years Children Looked After demonstrates how important and positive the meeting was. "Research suggests that early years and pre-school interventions have a very positive impact, delivering an average of around five additional months' progress...Early identification of needs can have a significant impact on long term outcomes. It is important we understand and recognise a child's early childhood experiences and the ongoing impact of these on their development
The PEP process can only support this as it brings together all relevant professionals for the best interests of the child. I was extremely pleased to hear that our youngest pupils were going to be represented by a designated Early Years Area Learning Advocate and feel that this is an extremely positive move for the Early Years sector. I am confident that by introducing (Sarah's) role to the virtual school, together with the local Early Years practitioners we can make a significant and positive impact for our youngest CLA." Designated Teacher for CLA and Assistant Headteacher, Franche Community Primary School
"I think the meeting was brilliant to get the PEP completed. I have really struggled over the years to get these completed along with social workers but having the meeting was so beneficial" Manager Tinkerbells Day Nursery and Out of School Club
The virtual school website contains guidance to help ensure that the PEP is completed effectively and further information on the role of the virtual school. | | |
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444 delegates have received training with us during JanuaryFor information on all scheduled training, visit our training page and download the latest training directories or visit CPD online and search by keyword. If you are interested in a training on a particular area and can't see it listed, please contact the relevant service team. |
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EYFSP moderation and data collectionSchools do not have to complete early years foundation stage profile in 2021The government announced that the EYFSP will not be mandatory this year. Schools will instead be asked to use their "best endeavours" to carry out the EYFSP assessment for children in their Reception year. The assessment is being made optional in recognition of the additional pressures Reception teachers face. These changes also apply to the EYFS Early Adopter schools. What are we doing to support schools?The EYFSP QA sessions (previously called EYFSP Cluster Moderation) that have been planned for March 15 to 19 will now concentrate on supporting Reception teachers and Year 1 teachers in putting their thoughts and actions until the end of the academic year, into planning provision to meet the needs of the children and with the quality assurance of their provision for Reception aged children for both on site and home learning. This will also support the process of internal moderation. Find out more | | | |
| If you have a question regarding support services or need help using eStore please contact:
Email: schoolservices@worcschildrenfirst.org.uk
Telephone: 01905 844300 | | |
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