16th October 2024
Dear Colleagues
I hope this finds you all well despite the wet weather. Please find attached this weeks newsletter. It is the usual mix of updates and articles that we hope are of interest and DfE updates. The list of DfE updates might not apply to everyone, but there are two that relate to attendance. This has been separated out by us to show the news about attendance mentors. The background to this is that DfE have previously sponsored 12 such pilots which appear to have worked well (the nearest to us is Bristol I believe) and they are expanding the programme. This is still a priority for everyone and will remain so both locally and nationally for a while yet. We are refreshing our own local data, and are waiting for the September data to arrive and the changes to settle before sharing. The general trends are encouraging locally but variable still.
On a more buoyant note, I have visited several schools recently which is always a pleasure. The reasons for visiting vary. Sometimes it is simply to hear the views of school leaders, sometimes for a specific reason and sometimes to try and help unblock some decisions, but I am always impressed with the level of commitment to the children and the local community. I recognise that the larger system is changing around us now and much routine work is delayed or uncertain. The way in which schools carry on with business as usual whilst the change emerges is both impressive and appreciated.
There is also a lovely piece about pupils understanding about farms and food supply. Enjoy.
Many thanks
Ceri Morgan
Please see the attached letter regarding the Maintained Schools Support Sessions taking place in November 2024.
If you wish to book on, please contact: lauren.cole@devon.gov.uk, detailing what you are hoping to achieve from the meeting so we can determine which officers would be best suited to attend.
This seminar with speakers from Ofsted will provide school leaders with a rare opportunity to hear key updates direct, and provide the space for discussion, conversation and question and answer sessions.
Book now for just £45 Leadership seminar: A conversation with Ofsted | DES (devoneducationservices.co.uk).
A flyer for the event is here.
On 25 September, the government launched a call for evidence for the Curriculum and Assessment Review.
The Department for Education is seeking views from stakeholders to share their perspective on potential improvements to the curriculum and assessment system.
The deadline to respond is 22 November. If you have any questions, please contact: curriculum-assessment.review@education.gov.uk
Today (9 October), the Department for Education updated the PE and sport premium for primary schools guidance, to reflect the funding for the 2024 to 2025 academic year and also added ‘Examples of effective PE and sport premium spending’ to the ‘Effective ways to spend the premium ’ section.
For the year 2024 to 2025, the amounts payable will be:
- schools with 16 or fewer eligible pupils will receive £1,000 per pupil
- schools with 17 or more eligible pupils will receive £16,000 and an additional payment of £10 per pupil
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Schools should use the PE and sport premium funding to support children to meet 60 active minutes and achieve the above aims. This funding must not be used for core-type school activities.
Please see the attached flyer regarding the webinar being held on 27th November 10:00am-13:15pm.
To register go to: Webinar Booking
On a weekly basis the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) release a newsletter containing actions and information for ESFA funded organisations including academies, colleges, local authorities and further education providers.
It may be useful for schools to have sight of these. The weekly newsletters can be found here.
Whizz Kidz is the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users. We create opportunities for young wheelchair users to get the equipment, skills and confidence to go further.
Earlier this month, we launched the largest UK survey of young wheelchair users and schools. The Whizz Kidz School Report: Young Wheelchair Users in Education Survey aims to shine a light on positive and negative school experiences. We want to identify gaps in support and find ways to increase and support inclusion in schools.
Why This Survey Matters: Wheelchair accessibility and inclusivity are crucial to creating a supportive and equitable educational environment. By encouraging education professionals in your local community to participate in this survey, they will contribute to a comprehensive study that seeks to identify current challenges and opportunities for enhancing accessibility for all students.
We have contacted every school in the UK and whilst we have had many responses to the survey, we would greatly appreciate if you could share the survey with schools in your area so we can hear from as many school colleagues as possible.
The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete, is anonymous, and will close on 25 October 2024. The survey is available here - Supporting Young Wheelchair Users in School (jotform.com)
More than 1600 primary school children from across Devon got ‘Farmwise’ on Tuesday and saw for themselves where our food comes from and how it’s made.
We invited Key Stage 2 primary school children from 40 primary schools and they rolled up their sleeves and got stuck into a range of activities.
It’s the 11th time this annual event has been held and teachers and children tell us it's the absolute highlight of their year.
The event is a collaboration between South West Norse, Devon County Agricultural Association, Mole Valley Farmers and us and takes place at Westpoint.
This year it was attended by our Leader, Councillor James McInnes, Chair of the Council, John Hart and members of our Strategic Leadership Team; Maria Price and Maria Chakraborty
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Choosing a Phonics Teaching Programme – the contact details have been updated for McKie Mastery Power Phonics and Supersonic Phonic Friends. These are in “contact details for the validated systematic synthetic phonics programmes”.
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Key Stage 4 Qualifications, Discount Codes and Point Scores – updated to show that “Key Stage 4 discounting and early entry guidance for 2024 will be published by the end of the year. The discounting methodology for 2024 is the same as the current 2023 method”.
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£7million to Tackle Antisemitism in Education Confirmed – Education Secretary announces resumption of procurement for Tackling Antisemitism in Education.
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Academies Land and Buildings Collection Tool – section 5.1.1 of “Land and Buildings Collection Tool: Summary Guidance for Academies” has been updated to clarify the different types of lease.
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Academy Trusts: Off-Payroll Appointments – clarification added that from 1 October 2024, academy trusts should seek approval from the DfE instead of the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
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Related Party Transactions: Information for Academy Trusts – confirmation added that academy trusts should now report or seek approval for related party transactions from the DfE. Replaced references to IDAMS with the RPT online form portal.
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Subject Knowledge Enhancement: An Introduction – updated to reflect the new academic year. The course directory has also been updated to reflect the same change.
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PE and Sport Premium for Primary Schools – updated the page for 2024 to 2025 academic year and added “Examples of effective PE and sport premium spending” to the “Effective ways to spend the premium” section.
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Phonics Screening Check Attainment: England 2024 – provisional information including breakdowns by pupils characteristics, school characteristics, region and local authority.
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Pupil Attendance in Schools – statistics updated to include data covering the period 9 September 2024 to 27 September 2024.
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Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) Programme – added confirmed list of schools in tranche 9 of the Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) and link to guidance on the Further Education Condition Data Collection (FE CDC2).
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Check a Teacher’s Record – updated to include the latest information on who must use the service and how. Added a section on claiming and disowning teachers.
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Thousands of Pupils Receive Support to Boost School Attendance – government makes significant expansion to size of attendance mentoring to get thousands more persistently absent pupils back in school.
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Primary Assessments: Future Dates – added the downloadable KS1 assessments calendar with key dates for the academic year 2024 to 2025.
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Funding: Initial Teacher Training (ITT) – added details for the academic year 2025 to 2026.
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School and College Voice: Omnibus Surveys for 2023 to 2024 – updated “School and College Voice: January 2024”. Added a link to DfE’s “Working together to improve school attendance” guidance and provided more information on eligibility for levelling up premium payments. Also added a link to DfE’s “menu of approaches” for pupil premium spending and a link to DfE’s expanded reading framework.
On 11 October, the Department for Education announced that more pupils will benefit from the support of a specialist attendance mentor to tackle school absence.
Persistent absence across the country has increased since the COVID-19 outbreak. Backed by £15 million of funding, the government will expand the investment and reach of attendance mentoring to reach 10,000 more children and cover an additional ten areas with the worst school attendance rates.
Pupils on the programme will be supported over a 12 to 20-week period and will have a specific plan to help them, developed by the mentor.
Schools and colleges can apply for a grant to train a senior mental health lead. This training helps school and college leaders promote and support the mental health and wellbeing of their pupils, learners and staff.
There are a range of courses available for your mental health lead. Reserve your grant before 31 December. Councils are encouraged to share this information as appropriate.
Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/senior-mental-health-lead-training
Please also see the relevant flyer here.
Dear Colleagues - Please find attached the latest copy of the governance alert which was sent out to board members and clerks on 11th October for your information.
You can still sign up to take part in the School & Pupil Wellbeing Survey, which is funded by Public Health Devon as part of the Devon Schools Wellbeing Partnership. This is a comprehensive survey offered to pupils in years 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 that provides fantastic insight into the experiences, behaviours, and perspectives of children and young people on topics related to their health and wellbeing. We know that happy and healthy pupils are better able to engage at school, and so the findings from your school can help with understanding the specific needs of your pupils, planning the curriculum, resources, and programmes, and informing school improvement.
More information on the survey can be found in the attached letter to schools. You can sign up by completing this form: https://forms.office.com/e/wWPi3X42gz and if you have any questions please email harriet.kretowicz@devon.gov.uk.
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