DASH Update | Summer Term | Issue 1 | 15 April 2016

Summer Term  |   Issue 1   |  15 April 2016

PRIORITY ACTION: PLEASE RESPOND TO THE NATIONAL FUNDING FORMULA and HIGH NEEDS FUNDING REFORM CONSULTATIONS

The deadline for responses is SUNDAY 17th April 2016.

You will be now be aware that the long awaited consultation on the proposals to establish a national school funding formula has recently been launched. See links to more information and the consultation pages below:-

Schools National Funding Formula

High Needs Funding Reform

All schools and academies are urged to respond to the consultations as it is expected that the Department for Education (DfE) will give more weight to your responses than to that of the local authority. It is also important that the voice of schools in less well funded authorities is heard as there will be considerable lobbying from those in better funded authorities to maintain the status quo.
 
READ MORE   |   Funding Letter

LA’s DRAFT Consultation Response to the
National Funding Formula and High Needs Funding Reform

The links below give an indication of the local authority draft responses and additional commentary.

LA’s Draft response to the National Funding Formula

LA’s Draft response to the High Needs Funding Reform

The LA’s DRAFT Consultation Responses still need formal sign off but Schools Finance Group representatives are keen for schools to have sight of its thinking in case it’s helpful in formulating your own responses.  We urge you to ensure the local voice is heard and the opinions of schools and schools leaders will carry weight, so please do respond to this important consultation.

The local authority recognises of course that your school or academy may wish to express a different view.

Consultation Outcome 

Intervening in failing, underperforming and coasting schools: government response

Download the full outcome HERE

Consultation outcome

National reference test: implementation arrangements

Download the full outcome HERE

D A S H   S U M M E R   C O N F E R E N C E

Friday 8 July 2016 at Bovey Castle, Dartmoor National Park

F R E E   T O   A T T E N D

Devon Secondary school leaders are invited to attend this year's DASH Summer Conference on Friday 8 July 2016. This is a free event and is being held at the beautiful Bovey Castle within Dartmoor National Park.

This all-day conference now has the additional option for delegates to choose a residential package for the Thursday evening at Bovey Castle (including dinner, bed and breakfast), or attend as a day delegate on the Friday.  

The opening keynote will be delivered by D A V I D  W O O D S  CBE,  an Education Consultant working with schools, local authorities and Academy chains and also a Visiting Professor at Warwick University and at the London Institute of Education.

Read David Wood's  P E R S O N A L  P R O F I L E

S U E  C L A R K E, Head of Education and Learning, will also be addressing school leaders on local perspectives and the agenda will include the all important networking time and professional dialogue with colleagues.

Further details will be confirmed in due course, in the meantime we look forward to welcoming you at the event,

The DASH Executive Committee

H O W  T O  B O O K

Please complete an O N L I N E  B O O K I N G  F O R M 

R E S I D E N T I A L  O P T I O N

For those wishing to take up the residential option* on Thursday 7th July, please contact the hotel directly on 01647 445007 and ensure you mention 'DASH Summer Conference 8 July 2016' when the reservation is made. Payment card details will be taken at the time of booking by the hotel, however the card will be charged on departure (i.e. on 8 July).

Should payments be charged to personal debit/credit cards, please ensure that you are reimbursed by the school prior to submitting an invoice to DASH (see below).

Cancellations: once a reservation has been made directly with the hotel, please note there is a 48hr cancellation period and any cancellations after this time will attract a full payment. Regrettably, DASH are unable to reimburse cancellations.

After the event, please forward a copy of your invoice (from the school) to DASH at the following address for reimbursement :-

Devon County Council - DASH c/o Clyst Vale Community College, Station Road, Broadclyst, Exeter, EX5 3AJ. Invoices can be emailed directly to financepsf@clystvale.org

*rooms subject to availability. Note: no additional items other than the agreed residential package will be reimbursed.

Any questions regarding the above booking system, please contact the DAPH Office daph@devon.gov.uk

News story:               10 facts you need to know about academies

Guidance

Timeline for academies: useful

Information to help academies find out about future changes, as well as identify upcoming activities that may benefit students  |  READ MORE

Timeline for academies: mandatory

Information to help academies understand and plan for the compulsory legal requirements they must meet  |  READ MORE

Timeline for local-authority-maintained schools: useful

Information to help schools maintained by a local authority find out about future changes, as well as identify upcoming activities that may benefit students  |  READ MORE

Timeline for local-authority-maintained schools: mandatory

Information to help local-authority-maintained schools understand and plan for the compulsory legal requirements they must meet  |  READ MORE

Timeline for sixth-form and further education colleges: mandatory

Information to help sixth-form and further education colleges understand and plan for the compulsory legal requirements they must meet   |    READ MORE

Timeline for sixth-form and further education colleges: useful

Information to help sixth-form and further education colleges find out about future changes, as well as identify upcoming activities that may benefit students   |   READ MORE

Mental health and behaviour in schools

How to identify and support pupils whose behaviour suggests they may have unmet mental health needs  |  READ MORE

Education Funding Agency (EFA) e-bulletins

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) e-bulletins are issued weekly in term time.

See EFA e-bulletins:

17 March 2016 (issue 122)       |       For Academies: 17 March 2016 (issue 122)

24 March 2016 (issue 123)       |       For Academies: 24 March 2016 (issue 123)

To subscribe to these bulletins email EFA.bulletin@education.gsi.gov.uk

Read more about the Education Funding Agency

Ending the Formal Intervention

On the 1 March 2016 Devon County Council (DCC) received a letter from Minister Edward Timpson informing us that the Department for Education is ending formal intervention arrangements for Children’s Services in Devon.  In his letter Children’s Minister Edward Timpson says the services provided to children, young people and their families in Devon have improved significantly and Devon County Council can now be an example to other struggling authorities of how to bring about improvement.   |   READ MORE

Putting your Safety First

The Safety First Bulletin is just one of the ways that will help you to stay up to date with changes in health and safety and specific issues affecting DCC.

Press release:

New schools commissioner for South West England

Rebecca Clark announced as the new South West Regional Schools Commissioner   READ MORE

Public Health Briefing on EH4MH

In September 2015 Public Health Devon introduced the Early Help for Mental Health (EH4MH) initiative on behalf of the commissioning partnership. As you will know, EH4MH supports early intervention and fosters cultural change in the way schools address pupils’ mental health issues. EH4MH is currently split into two elements; School Support delivered by Virgin Care (VC) and Direct Support for children and young people delivered by Young Devon and Xenzone (via KOOTH.com). Over the last six months a great deal of work has been done to roll out the EH4MH initiative across Devon. This briefing shares information and learning from the first six months of operation.

READ MORE

TDA Schools Conference 28th April 2016    10am – 2pm Living Coasts, Torquay See A G E N D A for more details If you are interested in attending, please contact TDA at: Laura.Howells@tedcltd.com  or  01803 208946

Educational Excellence Everywhere 

A white paper setting out our vision for schools in England. Read Policy Paper

Education white paper outlines plans to transform England's schools and build on the progress that has already been made. Read details

The Education Secretary sets out her vision for education, delivering educational excellence everywhere. Read more

Letters to local authorities, academy trusts and maintained schools about the 'Educational excellence everywhere' white paper. Read Letters

Policy Paper- Reducing Teachers Workload

What the government is doing to reduce unnecessary workload for teachers, including details of the workload challenge  |  READ MORE

Statutory Guidance - Schools Causing Concern

Statutory guidance explaining local authorities' and regional schools commissioners' responsibilities relating to schools causing concern.

Guidance document effective from 18 April 2016

When attending meetings of Devon Education Forum (DEF), its sub-groups and other statutory or working groups, DASH Representatives provide a summary of key messages and issues affecting the secondary phase.

For full minutes of recent meetings of the DEF and LA working groups which report to DEF please visit the DEF website and follow the appropriate links.

• Details of Membership on DEF with effect from 1 September 2015 READ MORE
• Date of next DEF 22 June 2016
• Agenda and minutes of previous meetings READ MORE

To contact the Forum: schools.forum@devon.gov.uk         Tel: 01392 382305

To view the objectives, Terms of Reference and minutes of meetings for Schools' Finance Group, which is a sub-group of Devon Education Forum, visit the SFG Website.

To view the objectives, Terms of Reference and minutes of meetings for School Organisation, Capital and Admissions (SOCA), which is a sub-group of Devon Education Forum, visit the SOCA website.

News and updates from the Devon Safeguarding Children Board

View Newsletter April 2016 

Annual SEND Conference

9th June 2016 | Sandy Park, Exeter | 09:30 – 16:00

This annual event for leaders of SEND working in all phases of education provides an invaluable opportunity to update knowledge and improve practice in schools to enhance educational outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

KEYNOTES   |   Lorraine Petersen OBE, Educational Consultant and Past CEO of NASEN (2004 – 2013)    AND    Dean Beadle, Journalist, Speaker and Successful Adult with Aspergers Syndrome

WORKSHOPS

• Strategically managing SEND in your school
• Hearing the voice of the child
• Extending Autism provision: A new framework
• Social Emotional and Mental Health
• Making meetings work - Using the voice of the child

F L Y E R  |  HOW TO BOOK   www.babcock-education.co.uk/ldp/cpd 

01392 287224   |   conferences@babcockinternational.com   |   COST £205+VAT

Free SEND Training  for Secondary

This whole day training builds on previous training and provides clarification of good quality SEND practice in Devon. The training will provide an overview of the SEND processes and guidance on what tools and advice is available to support schools/settings.

Various dates and venues are available to book during April / May and include:

• 26/04/2016 at St Peters Church of England, Exeter
• 03/05/2016 at Coombeshead Academy, Newton Abbot
• 05/05/16 at Kingsbridge College, Kingsbridge
• 17/05/16 at The Park Community School, Barnstaple (please note this will be a mixed Primary and Secondary session in the morning)  

For more details |  See Flyer

Cost: Free - Commissioned by DCC for all Devon schools

Book online at www.babcock-education.co.uk/ldp/cpd 

For any queries or if interested please contact Henrietta Olsson Tel: 01392 287224

Devon Association of Secondary Headteachers
c/o DAPH Office – Venture House,
One Capital Court,
Bittern Road,
Sowton Industrial Estate,
Exeter EX2 7FW
Tel: 01392 380518
Email: daph@devon.gov.uk