The ever-popular Year 6 English Challenge is back and the heats are starting soon. Last year, 296 children from 74 schools took part in this wonderful competition, trying hard to earn their place at the spectacular English Challenge Final at Ely Cathedral. This year there will be 10 heats, with the first taking place in Wisbech on the 2nd October. Schools may enter 1 team of 4 children. Entry costs £40. If you’d like to find out more about the English Challenge, the location of your nearest heat, or the date of the Final at Ely Cathedral click here.
The SEND Services SENCo Support Team are available to work with you on specific time-limited projects to develop the strategic SEND Support provision in your school, support SENCo skill development and build additional leadership capacity in SEND. This is a supplementary offer to those already available from SEND Services district teams. There is no cost to CCC maintained schools and academies to access this resource. If you have a SEND project or feel your SENCo could benefit from additional support to drive SEND provision forwards, please get in contact with Rebecca Doyle, SEND Lead Teacher to discuss further.
It had to happen at some stage but the wonderful Chris Meddle has decided that he now wants to retire from the Cambridgeshire County Council. Very sadly, Chris will leave at the end of the Spring Term 2020, so you still have two terms of his wisdom and knowledge. I know Chris’s retirement will be a matter of great concern for those of you who are head teachers reading this article, but we will be recruiting a replacement this term. The successful candidate will have much to live up to.
Rosemarie Sadler
Head of Service, School Improvement
In 2018-19 the Diminishing the Difference project supported over 100 disadvantaged pupils, in schools across the county, to make improved progress in maths. Local Authority Maths Advisers, Gary Casey and Tom Oakley, provided training and bespoke CPD support to Year 3 teachers and teaching assistants so that they could diagnose and address children’s difficulties with mathematical concepts and vocabulary. Fifteen schools took part and the impact on teaching and learning was profound. As part of the project, those same schools and their children will continue to receive support throughout Key Stage 2. Click here to find out more about the project and the impact it had in 2018-19.
We are inviting more schools to take part in the project this year. If you would be interested in improving outcomes for your disadvantaged pupils in mathematics, contact rosemarie.sadler@cambridgeshire.gov.uk to express an interest in taking part.
Play is of utmost importance to children and the playground and its highly skilled playwork team make this possible. Wisbech Adventure Playground is a little gem in the heart of Wisbech which is a free open access site inclusive to all.
The playground is equipped with indoor and outdoor toilet facilities, a range of exciting play equipment and a community learning bus which is available for use by various local agencies for free.
The playground has an increasing number of children and families from diverse backgrounds; a secured space that provides family learning opportunities through our established early help offer.
In June the DfE and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) jointly published non-statutory guidance on reducing restraint and restrictive intervention in health and social care services and special education settings. The guidance aims to help settings adopt a preventative approach to supporting children and young people whose behaviour challenges as a result of learning disabilities, autistic spectrum conditions or mental health difficulties. The publication sets out relevant law and guidance and provides a framework of core values and key principles to support a proactive approach to supporting children and young people who have behaviour that challenges; and a reduction in the need to use restraint and restrictive intervention.
At the same time, the DfE published a consultation to gather views on whether there is a need for guidance on reducing restraint and restrictive interventions for mainstream schools, mainstream post-16 settings and Alternative Provision; and whether guidance should apply to a wider cohort of children and young people with SEND.
The consultation closes on 17 October 2019.
Thank you to those schools who responded to the Fair Access survey and put forward their responses regarding ‘Part 2’. Part 2 is for students just moving from one Cambridgeshire School to another. This has been updated following the feedback received. The updated version has been published on the Council’s website.
It is that time of year again, when we all need to consider whether any changes are needed to admission arrangements for our school(s) for admission in 2021 - 2022 and whether as a result of those changes there is a requirement for the consultation process to be followed in accordance with 1.42 of the School Admissions Code (2014) (Code).
Annual Consultation Timetable
As in previous years, the School Admissions Team will publish and consult on:-
- the proposed co-ordinated primary and secondary admissions scheme and timetables for 2021/22;
- the proposed admission arrangements for all community and voluntary controlled schools in Cambridgeshire, for whom the Local Authority is the admission authority, including admission to Nursery Classes and Nursery Schools; and
- the proposed in-year co-ordinated admission scheme and the Fair Access Protocol for admission in the 2021/22 academic year.
The consultation documents will be published later this year, to allow for councillor consideration in advance of the consultation process, and will run from Monday 18th November 2019 and close on Sunday 12th January 2020.
Publication of Consultation Documents
Due to increasing numbers of own admission authority schools this will be the last year that the local authority will co-ordinate and publish consultation documents alongside its arrangements and schemes on behalf of all own admission authority schools. If you would like us to do this on behalf of your school, please ensure that details of the proposed admission arrangements including any changes to admission arrangements to sixth form, are sent to: admission.policies@cambridgeshire.gov.uk no later than Friday 8th November 2019. Please ensure that any discussions regarding proposed changes form part of the minutes taken and recorded by the clerk to the governing body, or Trust before these changes are submitted for inclusion as part of the annual consultation process.
If you do not wish us to co-ordinate the publication of consultation documents on behalf of the school, please refer to sections 1.42 to 1.45 of the Code for guidance regarding timescales and statutory consultees. Please ensure that you provide us with a link, or a copy of the consultation documents, you do publish, as a statutory consultee.
The purpose of the Schools Maintenance guide is to assist Headteachers and Governors of maintained schools in Cambridgeshire to maintain their school premises – both buildings and land.
Good stewardship and maintenance of school premises is a joint responsibility shared by the school and the County Council. The Council owns the property assets and employs school personnel but delegates budgets and responsibilities for school property management and maintenance.
It is important that schools manage and maintain their buildings to a standard that complies with legal requirements, best practice as well as to the Council’s own standards. This guide will help to make you aware of these requirements and how you can ensure that your buildings are appropriately managed. It is not a manual but should be read in conjunction with the documents named and with appropriate professional advice where applicable.
Improving Mathematical Progress Years 1 & 2
A three-part training course. Session 1 takes place on Wednesday 30 October, Cambridge Golf and Conference Centre, 13:30 to 16:30. From £65 per person per session.
Becoming First Class @ Number (Maths Intervention)
A five-part training course for schools. The first session takes place on Friday 27 September, ECaR Centre, Huntingdon, 09:15 to 15:15. From £775 per school.
The Year 6 English Challenge
The English Challenge is a competition for Year 6 children. Children compete in teams of four children against schools from across the county, with 10 heats taking place throughout October. Winning teams and high-scoring runners-up progress to the final at Ely Cathedral. £40 per team.
Training for New or Inexperienced Physical Education Subject Leaders in Primary Schools
Tuesday 12 November, Stanton House, Huntingdon PE29 6 XL 13:30 to 16:30. This workshop is aimed at teachers and coaches who have been given responsibility for the leadership of PE in Primary schools and settings.
Sustaining Healthy & Effective Leadership (see Developing Leadership tab) Headteachers, including acting heads, executive heads, principles, and heads of children’s centres, preschools and Nurseries. Course of six sessions: First session Thursday 26 September 2019 (09.30 to13.00). Hemingford Pavilion. Cost £510 - £610 for all six session, includes lunch.
Improving progress in Year 6 (See "Briefing" Tab) Termly Workshops for Year 6 Class teachers. Monday 23 September 2019 (13.30 to 16.30), South Fens Business Centre. From £65-75 per person, free for those who have purchased Element 2 from the Primary Offer.
First Class @ Number 1 - Group 1 (See "Math Intervention" Tab) Teaching Assistants and Class Teachers attend together. Course of five sessions: Starting from the Wednesday 2 October 2019, 09:15 to 15:15. ECAR. From £775 for LA Maintained - £850 Independent and Academies.
Why children need to work scientifically at KS1 and how they can
Tuesday 24 September 2019, 13.00 – 16.00, Buckden Primary Schoool, £50
Working scientifically
Wednesday 25 September 2019, 13.00 – 16.00, West Town Primary Academy, £50
Triple Science - Physics
Wednesday 09 October 2019, 09.30 – 15.30, Sawtry Village Academy, £125
Primary Science Conference
Friday 18 October 2019, 09.00 – 15.30, Swavesey Village College, £95
Raising Standards in Writing in KS2
Monday 30 September 2019, Diamond Teaching School, Winhills Training Centre, St Neots, 13.30 to 16:00. For Teachers and Teaching Staff. £60 per delegate.
Spotlight in Early Reading – 2 Part Course
Tuesday 1 October and Tuesday 19 November 2019. 09.15 to 12:00. Diamond Teaching School, Winhills Training Centre, St Neots. For teachers and English subject leaders. £100 per delegate.
Characteristics of Effective Learning in EYFS
Monday 7 October 2019, 09.30 to 12:00, Diamond Teaching School, Winhills Training Centre, St Neots. For EYFS Teachers and TA’s. £60 per delegate.
Sustaining Healthy & Effective Leadership (see Developing Leadership tab) Headteachers, including acting heads, executive heads, principles, and heads of children’s centres, preschools and Nurseries. Course of six sessions: First session Thursday 26 September 2019 (9.30—13.00). Hemingford Pavilion. Cost £510 - £610 for all six session.
Curriculum: From Intent to Implementation & Impact
Session 1: Implementing a Knowledge Rich Curriculum
Friday 4th October 2019, 9.30am – 3.00pm, Chilton Community Primary, Stowmarket. £75 per delegate (or discounted to £50 when all 3 sessions booked.)
Session 2: Assessment across the curriculum
Friday 22nd November 2019, 9.30am – 3.00pm, Chilton Community Primary, Stowmarket. £75 per delegate (or discounted to £50 when all 3 sessions booked.)
Session 3: Leading Teaching & Learning for a Subject
Thursday 30th January 2020, 9.30am – 3.00pm, Chilton Community Primary, Stowmarket. £75 per delegate (or discounted to £50 when all 3 sessions booked.)
Working scientifically
Wednesday 25 September 2019, 13.00 – 16.00, Welland Academy, £50
Primary Science Conference
Friday 18 October 2019, 09.00 – 15.30, Swavesey Village College, £95
Cambridgeshire's Service Children's Conference
Thursday 10 October, 09:00 to 16:00, RAF Wyton, Huntingdon.
Click heading to book your place. Please note that the location is a secure site so, once in, attendees cannot leave until 16:00.
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