Autumn Term  |  14 December 2016  |  Issue 5

Funding Challenges in Devon Schools

Have you written to your Local MP and Councillor?

Thank you to everyone who has sent a copy of their 'Funding Challenges in Devon Schools' letter - see previous DASH Update newsletter dated 8 December 2016 outlining the collective campaign to highlight the funding crisis in Devon schools.

A reminder for schools to also send a copy of their letter to the DAPH office at daph@devon.gov.uk so that a central library of all letters written by Devon Schools can be compiled.  Thank you.

Reminder  |  Section 175/157 Safeguarding Annual Audit

Back in September, Babcock LDP distributed this year’s audit to schools and settings. In response to feedback, this year’s audit is on an Excel spreadsheet which will enable designated safeguarding leads to save and share it with colleagues. As in previous years, if the audit is not completed fully it will be returned. Please do not submit hard copies. The deadline for completion is 31 December 2016. A 100% return has been achieved for the last three years, but a lot of time is spent chasing schools which have not responded by the deadline, so please complete and return promptly.

Any questions about the audit should be sent to Louisa.rockey@babcockinternational.com

Date for your diary!

Bookings are now open for the 

DASH Summer Conference on Friday 7 July 2017

The all-day Summer event is returning to the beautiful Bovey Castle. Keynote speakers are yet to be confirmed, in the meantime keep the date in your diary and B O O K   O N L I N E

DAPH Annual School Leadership Conference

12 &13 October 2017 at the Saunton Sands Hotel Booking is essential and via the O N L I N E   B O O K I N G   F O R M

Education Funding Agency (EFA) e-bulletins

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) e-bulletins are issued weekly in term time and provide the latest information and actions from Education Funding Agency (EFA) for academies, schools, colleges, local authorities and other post-16 providers.

To view/download the latest bulletins  |  R E A D  M O R E

To find out more about the Education Funding Agency  |  R E A D  M O R E

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

News story  |  New funding for school improvement

The government announces new funding to address underperformance and help ensure every child has a good school place. New resources to ensure the number of good school places continues to rise were announced 30 November 2016 by Education Secretary Justine Greening  |  READ MORE

Guidance  |  Multi-academy trusts: establishing and developing your trust

Good practice guidance for academy trusts, including those establishing new trusts and existing trusts planning to grow  |  READ MORE

Corporate report  |  Ofsted Annual Report 2015/16: education, early years and skills

The Ofsted Annual Report sets out the evidence and findings on the quality of schools, early years providers and the further education and skills sector  |  READ MORE

Ofsted Annual Report 2015/16: England’s education system still short of world class A world class education system is within our grasp – but only if serious capacity challenges are urgently addressed, says Ofsted's outgoing Chief Inspector  |  READ MORE

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.

• Details of Membership on DEF, agendas and full minutes of previous meetings and other information about DEF can be found on the DEF website
• Date of next DEF 16 January 2017

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.

Child Sexual Abuse Survey

Sent on behalf of Philippa Geddes – DSCB Board Manager

One of the priorities for the Devon Safeguarding Children Board  (DSCB) for 2016-17 is Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). The DSCB wants to know more about the current level of understanding  of CSA across the workforce in Devon. We would therefore encourage you to spend 10 minutes completing the survey to help inform the important work around Child Sexual Abuse and improve outcomes for children in Devon.

You can access the survey here:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VG5G5R3  The survey will run until Monday January 9th 2017.

Should you have any questions about the survey please contact the DSCB business unit at safeguardingchildrensboardsecure-mailbox@devon.gcsx.gov.uk

Prevent  |  Safer Devon How you can help to keep our communities safe from terrorist threat? Download the latest P R E V E N T  L E A F L E T

New Approach to Child Protection

The Devon Safeguarding Children Board has fully endorsed a new approach to child protection planning. This approach will build much more explicitly on the risks faced by children and a clear identification of the strengths and assets within a family that can be harnessed to help reduce those risks  |  READ MORE

DAG Newsletters - view the latest newsletters on the DAG website

Read Issue 111  |  1 December 2016

Devon Association of Governors (DAG) e-newsletter, the fortnightly digest of the articles published in the DAG website.  In order to open these news articles, you need to log in to the DAG website first. To register, please complete the website registration form.

Resilience  |  F R E E  resources

Louise Arrow, Commissioner for CYP Mental Health Services, and Jo Turl, Deputy Chief Operating Officer for South Devon and Torbay CCG, recently presented to the Children, Young People and Families (CYPF)Alliance Group on the topic of Resilience. View/download a copy of the presentation H E R E.

They provided a number of web-based links (below) offering information and free resources - please ask your staff to try the links out and consider the usefulness of the resources in the New Year. Any feedback can be sent to Aimee Mitchell, Headteacher at Isca Academy, via E M A I L (to her PA Francoise Metay) and preferably before next CYPF Alliance meeting Friday 3rd February 2017.

Young Minds  |  youngminds.org.uk The voice for young people's mental health and wellbeing Free, practical resources to help everyone in the school community step up and support pupils' academic resilience. See also the link to F R E E resources on the resources directory menu.

Boing Boing  |  boingboing.org.uk Resilience research and practice Working with and alongside children, young people, families and adults exposed to social disadvantage and inequalities is at the heart of our work.  Resilience research and practice provides powerful knowledge to help people having particularly tough times.

HMRC Tax Education Programme  |  Tax Facts

HMRC has produced an award-winning tax education programme for secondary school pupils age 14 to 17. Tax Facts was named 'Best Free Educational Product of the Year' in the 2016 Education Resources Awards. There are four Tax Facts videos, which can be viewed on YouTube and the supporting teachers' pack is also on the TES website.

On behalf of the DASH Executive Committee, we would like to thank you for your continued support and we wish you all a very happy and restful Christmas break.

Devon Association of Secondary Headteachers
c/o The DAPH Office – Venture House
One Capital Court
Bittern Road
Sowton Industrial Estate
Exeter EX2 7FW

01392 380518   |   daph@devon.gov.uk   |   daph.org.uk