22 January 2025
Dear Colleagues,
Please see below the latest edition of our School Leadership Update Newsletter.
Just to note that in the near future, we will be sending you a copy of the proposed Inclusion and Learning Strategy and we look forward to receiving your thoughts and comments on this important initiative.
Thank you as always for your continued dedication and support as we work together to meet the needs of Devon’s Children and Young People.
Warm regards,
Jack Newton
Deputy Director, Head of Inclusion and Learning
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Check a Teacher’s Record – replaced the email address employer.access@education.gov.uk, which is no longer in use, with tra.prohibition@education.gov.uk
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Dr Susan Tranter Named as Permanent Chair of the Ofqual Board – the Education Secretary has appointed a permanent Chair of Ofqual to take up the role for three years.
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School-Based Nursery Capital Grant – updated to clarify that Pupil Referral Units are excluded from applying for the grant, that supporting documentation larger than 1MB cannot be uploaded to the Online Application Service and must instead be compressed or emailed to images.schoolnurseries@education.gov.uk, and that maintained nursery schools unable to access the Online Application Service can request to be placed on the registration of interest for future school-based nurseries by submitting their details through the Customer Help Portal. A link to the webinar which took place on 28 November 2024 was also added. The “School-Based Nursery Capital Grant 2024 to 2025 guidance” was also updated to clarify how the department will allocate funding in the case of a tie breaker which results in more successful applications than funding available, to clarify the role of Local Authorities, to state that applicants who are not awarded the SBN grant can choose to continue with their significant change application, without needing to submit a new one, and that bid coordinator must use the schools DfE sign-in account to apply via the Online Application Service.
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Establishing School-Based Nursery Provision – updated to clarify that if school-based provision is exempt from registering with Ofsted or a childminding agency, it must still comply with the compulsory requirements of the childcare register.
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Data Protection in Schools – resources to support data protection in schools – new section added.
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Evidence to the STRB: 2025 Pay Award for Teachers and Leaders – the Education Secretary’s evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) about the 2025 pay award.
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Key Stage 2 Attainment (Revised): 2024 – results for the 2024 national curriculum assessments at key stage 2.
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LA and School Expenditure: 2023 to 2024 Financial Year – how schools and local authorities spent their funding on education, children’s services and social care in the financial year 2023 to 2024.
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Elective Home Education: Autumn Term 2024 – information on the number and characteristics of children in Elective Home Education (EHE) in England.
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Children Missing Education: Autumn Term 2024 – information on the number and characteristics of Children Missing Education (CME) in England.
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Primary School Performance Tables: 2024 – information on the achievements of pupils in each state-funded primary school in England.
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Offer a Teacher Degree Apprenticeship – information for accredited Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers, lead partners and schools on offering the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (TDA).
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Improving Support for Children Missing Education – added a summary of responses received and the government’s response to the call for evidence.
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Join the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) for Schools – “Annual Costs” updated: added RPA membership costs for 2025 to 2026 for academies and local-authority-maintained schools.
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Early Years Investment – The government has announced that early years providers are set to benefit from over £2 billion extra investment compared to last year, to support the rollout of 30 hours of government-funded early education from next September. This forms part of the government’s mission to break the unfair link between background and opportunity, increasing access to affordable and high-quality early education.
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Rural Primary Schools Designation – updated the list of local-authority maintained rural primary schools for 2024.
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Legislation Breaks Down Barriers to Opportunity for all Children – Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill introduced to Parliament.
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Teachers’ Pension Scheme Payments: 2024 to 2025 – added “Teachers’ Pension Scheme Payments: October 2024”.
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Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024: Policy Summary – information on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
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Data Protection in Schools – sharing personal data – information has been added on sharing data with school immunisation programmes.
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National Funding Formula Tables for Schools and High Needs: 2025 to 2026 – guidance has been added on how to find the detailed calculations behind notional schools block allocations.
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Monitor Your School Attendance: User Guide – updated the user guide to clarify the pupil data in the attendance downloads and added a link to “How to use the absence bandings reports”. Updated the technical issues document with the latest active user issue – inaccurate attendance results – and how to fix it.
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School Census 2024 to 2025: Technical Information – updated the business and technical specification, and the annexes. Annex H of the business and technical specification lists the changes.
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Find, Join or Create a Network for School Business Professionals – removed South East CFO Network. Added Dunmow and Essex School Business Professional Network, London Borough of Merton, and Southwark School Business Managers. Updated the network lead of NW24 Partnership. Added the website address of UK Schools Sustainability Network. Affinity TSA has changed its name to Inspiring Leaders – MAT Partnership.
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Pupil Attendance in Schools – statistics updated to include data covering the period 9 September 2024 to 6 December 2024.
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Academy Trusts: Off-Payroll Appointments – added “Request for DfE approval for off-payroll appointment form: accounting officer or chief financial officer” document to the “what you need to tell us” section.
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Promoting and Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools and Colleges – existing applications for the senior mental health lead training grant need to be completed by Friday 31 January 2025. The application window to apply for the grant closed on Tuesday 31 December 2024.
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Meeting Digital and Technology Standards in Schools and Colleges – cyber security standards for schools and colleges – clarified that Cyber Essentials is a requirement for colleges under their ESFA funding agreement.
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Children’s Bill to Keep Children Safe from Exploitation – major reforms to protect thousands of vulnerable children hidden from sight will take another crucial step forward.
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Buy Musical Instruments, Equipment and Technology – framework expiry date has been corrected to 7 October 2027. Previously, this section incorrectly stated 30 September 2027.
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Open Academies, Free Schools, Studio Schools and UTCs – updated the list of open academies, free schools, studio schools and UTCs and academy projects in development to include November 2024.
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Cost of School Uniforms Survey 2023 – added page 64, which presents the combined number of required branded items for uniform and PE kit.
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AI Teacher Tools Set to Break Down Barriers to Opportunity - £1million of funding awarded to 16 ed tech companies to build teacher AI tools for feedback and marking, driving high and rising education standards.
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Use of Reasonable Force in Schools – “Sixth-Form Colleges” removed from the “it applies to” list.
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Procuring SEND Education Placements and Services – guidance to help local authorities and education providers to understand how the Procurement Act 2023 interacts with the Children and Families Act 2014.
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Breakfast Clubs Early Adopter Guidance for Schools and Trusts in England – guidance explaining the role of schools taking part in the breakfast clubs early adopter programme.
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Benefits of Breakfast Clubs – how universal free breakfast clubs help give children a supportive start to the school day.
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UK-Ukraine Enter Schools Partnership to Drive Education Standards – programme launched to boost education standards and break down barriers to opportunity.
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School Census 2024 to 2025: Technical Information – updated the business and technical specification, annexes and validation rules. Changes to the technical specification and annexes are in annex H. Changes to the validation rules are in the version history tab.
You are invited to a webinar on Thursday, January 23, 2025, from 3:45 pm to 4:45 pm. The session will focus on the Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen, and Boaters’ Pledge for Schools, which outlines actionable steps schools can take to enhance access, retention, and educational outcomes for these communities.
The webinar will feature insights into the Pledge and a presentation by Paula Strachan, Head of St Teresa’s Primary School in Darlington, on their initiatives to support Gypsy pupils. Additionally, the Anti-Bullying Alliance will discuss their online CPD training aimed at addressing bullying of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller pupils.
More info about the Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boaters’ Pledge for Schools can be found at:
GTRSB Pledge for Schools | Buckinghamshire New University
Book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gypsy-traveller-roma-showmen-and-boaters-pledge-for-schools-tickets-1088546274209?aff=oddtdtcreator
Our webpage is also here: Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Showmen - Support for schools and settings
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Dear Colleague,
I just wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the current way we are consulting with schools regarding children’s EHCPs. We have been trying out a new approach over the Autumn term and whilst we have received some positive feedback we also need to acknowledge that there has been a great deal of frustration and upset across our schools in both the way this has been implemented and the additional work load that this has caused, I would like to apologise to you all for this and just confirm that we will be pausing this approach and returning to both our previous way of working and funding arrangements from the beginning of the Spring term.
That said I think we can all agree that our current approach to the consultation process with our schools is not working and the the feedback in relation to the new format has informed us more widely regarding areas that are causing concern and could be improved. We have therefore committed to undertaking a full review of the current process, paperwork, and how we can tailor this to suit whether it is a new assessment or a review, the different types of provision and ages and stages of children. In the new year we will be starting this process and will work with the wider teams in DCC, our providers and schools and our parents as well as children and young people to consider how this might look and feel different in the future. I am really sorry for the way this has been implemented and also for not engaging with our colleagues from across the sector sooner.
Best wishes
Sam Chapman
Head of Service, Statutory SEND Team
SPACE Education Support Service have received funding from Safer Devon to offer young people who have experienced a close family member spending time in prison, support and information.
The Programme
- 6 week programme
- 1 hour session per week with a youth worker
- Covering a range of topics including: understanding the justice system, emotional literacy and future planning.
- Young people will receive a handbook with easy to understand information about the justice system and prison and complete a workbook.
- Young people are given the opportunity to share their experiences anonymously to further awareness and understanding.
Eligibility
- Aged between 8 and 18 years old.
- Have experienced a close family member go to prison (they could be in the court/sentencing/prison/release stage).
- Sessions carried out in school or one of our youth clubs.
- Under 13's require parent/carer consent (schools discretion if they want parental consent for all young people).
Please complete an Service Level Agreement (SLA) and return to either:
poppy.webber@spacepsm.org
educationsupport@spacepsm.org
The blank SLA and promotional poster are attached.
RE-STAR (Regulating Emotions-Strengthening Adult Resilience) is a King's College London research programme run in partnership with Anna Freud. It is currently conducting a national survey to support the mental health of neurodivergent young students. The programme would like to hear from pastoral staff in mainstream secondary schools in England, particularly from designated Mental Health Leads and Heads of Years 7-11. To take the survey please use this link or alternatively use the QR code below. To find out more contact re-starinfo@kcl.ac.uk
In the changing landscape of education, language and terminology play a crucial role in shaping our perceptions and approaches.
The EDEAS Team has recently made a shift from using the term 'EAL child' (English as an Additional Language) to 'multilingual child'. This change reflects a deeper commitment to inclusivity and a more accurate representation of the diverse linguistic backgrounds of our children in Devon.
The new term acknowledges the rich linguistic abilities of our children. Unlike 'EAL child,' which implies that English is an additional language, 'multilingual child' highlights the fact that many of these children speak several languages!
Many children who are referred to us as EAL have grown up learning two or more languages simultaneously from birth. For these children, English is not an additional language but one of the languages they use in their daily lives.
The new term, 'multilingual child', better captures this reality and will support a holistic approach to language support, considering all the languages a child speaks rather than focusing solely on English.
Using the new term will also help in fostering a positive identity among children. It emphasises their linguistic skills as assets rather than viewing their proficiency in English as a deficit. This can boost their confidence and encourage a more inclusive school environment and community.
Devon's demographics have changed significantly over the last 3 years, with an increasing number of children coming to Devon from multilingual backgrounds. The new terminology aligns with this demographic shift, ensuring that the language we use in education is representative of the community we serve.
Lastly, research supports the benefits of bilingualism/multilingualism, including cognitive advantages and enhanced problem-solving skills. By adopting this new term, we align our practices with these findings and support the multiple language development of our children.
Although some areas such as the census will still refer to children as EAL, we would like to encourage all Devon schools to adopt this term in daily conversation, communication with families and school policies as an inclusive approach.
New regulations will soon require your school to separate recyclable materials and food waste from your general waste.
From the 31st March 2025, schools, along with businesses (with more than 10 employees), hospitals and other non-household municipal premises will be required to separate dry recyclable waste such as paper, card, glass, metals & plastic, from food waste and black bin waste.
Many Schools in Devon already have recycling and food waste collections in place, but if your school hasn’t, then contact your waste collection provider to discuss your options. Even if you do have a recycling system in place, it would be a good idea to review your collection arrangements and make sure you comply with the new legislation.
You can find out more on the following websites:
Government Website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/simpler-recycling-workplace-recycling-in-england
WRAP: https://businessofrecycling.wrap.ngo/
If your school needs help getting staff and pupils to use recycling bins correctly then visit the Devon Waste Education Team’s Zone website https://zone.recycledevon.org/ where you will find a wide range of activities, lesson plans, videos and details of how to book free educational workshops.
Please find attached the latest edition of the Governance Alert released on 10th January 2025 for your information.
Red One have stopped providing Driver Training for DCC. The training will, for the time being, be provided by the Devon Driver Training Centre. The examiners will remain the same. You can access their website to book the training via their website; dd-tc.co.uk
Please note the website is still under development, so changes are still being made and any reference to obtaining a code from DCC can be ignored.
If you have any queries, please email The Fleet Team - fleet-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
To support Devon’s SEND transformation programme, and our collective commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND in Devon, we are offering reduced price tickets for all attendees in 2025.
We hope this supports you to prioritise both your leaders of SEN and SENCo’s to attend, enabling wider collaboration, sharing of best practice and development of knowledge from our expert keynote speakers, workshop hosts and additional contributors.
Book now for just £70pp. SEND Conference 2025 | DES
Please note – those who have already booked will automatically receive a partial refund. Any queries, please contact the conference team on educationconferences-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
We hope that sharing this information will help keep more children and staff in school, at a time when flu rates are rising rapidly and other viruses are very commonplace.
UKHSA have issued a new release this week, with advice for parents and carers as children go back to school - https://ukhsa-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/ukhsa-south-west-press-release-parents-and-carers-urged-to-take-simple-steps-to-ensure-children-make-the-healthiest-start-to-the-new-year
The article reinforces the importance of basic infection prevention such as washing hands, which we would really encourage you to support. It’s good to share knowledge/increase confidence around acute respiratory infections (ARI) like the common cold, flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) so appropriate precautions and actions are taken. The Infectious disease & illness - Devon Schools Wellbeing Partnership page has a good overview of the key messages and helpful resources. You can use the page freely but there is also the option to sign up to DSWP for accreditation, which we would recommend as a positive step for settings.
Please see the attached message from the UKHSA SW Health Protection Team, which outlines their advice for this time of year.
The attached poster is a well laid out resource showing which vaccinations are delivered in schools and the relevant age groups.
UKHSA Infection Protection and Winter Readiness and Control Toolkit for Early Years and Education Settings - South West Councils (swcouncils.gov.uk) is a repository for a whole host of health protection and infection prevention resources, and a few key ones to highlight are:
Other useful resources include:
On Wednesday 22 January at 4:30pm - 5:30pm the NHS Royal Devon Oral Health Improvement Team will be hosting a free children's oral health improvement training session provided by DCC and NHS Royal Devon . This is aimed at parents, teachers, carers, support workers, and enablers who work with or care for children aged 0 - 11 yrs (Teams invite will be sent to your email). Please book through this weblink: https://forms.office.com/e/dCfLgwTMnA
Also attached is a PDF with QR code.
Please find attached the edition of the Checklist released on 17/01/2025 for board members and clerks. This replaces the Governance Alert for week commencing 13th January.
The Devon, Plymouth and Torbay Education Alliance aims to help tackle the considerable challenges the sector is currently facing through new initiatives, improved partnership working, and collaboration amongst the region’s education providers. We recognise that by working in a more strategic, collaborative way, we will be better equipped to tackle wicked problems such as falling attendance and rising exclusion rates, which are themselves being exacerbated by worsening child poverty and associated trends such as growing neurodiversity diagnoses.
Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) has been identified by the Alliance members as a key priority, and a working group has been established comprising experts from educational settings across the region. The SEMH Working Group agreed the first step should be to map support tools and strategies currently being used in schools and colleges across the region which help teachers and staff support students with SEMH needs. This information will help us understand current practice and develop guidance that can be shared with schools and colleges across the region.
We are asking schools and colleges to help us capture this information by completing a short survey. You will be asked questions about SEMH provision in your school or college. We therefore suggest that a member of staff familiar with this provision complete this survey (e.g. Head/Deputy Head Teacher, Senior Leadership Team member, SENCO). They might wish to consult with others.
Please feel free to pass this survey onto a colleague in your own, or another school or college if you think they can help with our data gathering. The survey should take up to 15 minutes to complete (depending on the number of tools and level of detail you share).
This conference will provide space and time to reflect on what a mentally healthy school feels like for staff and children.
We will provide a protected personal and professional development day away from the pressure of the school environment for you to consider how to ensure yourselves, your colleagues and the children and young people in your school feel safe, cared for, connected, trusted and valued, respected and accepted and that they experience meaningfulness, empathy and compassion from each other.
Read our full programme of keynotes and workshops and book now for just £40pp
Supporting mentally healthy schools conference: Through belonging and engagement | DES
We are pleased to bring this event to you at low cost with thanks to funding from Devon Dedicated Schools Grant (commissioned by Public Health).
NHS Devon is keen to promote their NHS Devon 10-year health plan. They have been holding engagement events about their 10-year health plan, in Devon, Torbay and Plymouth throughout January. They are holding engagement events in Ivybridge Library on 24 January, Exeter Library on the 28 January, and Barnstaple Library on the 30 January. You can find out more about the engagement days on the One Devon Webpage.
We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the schools and pupils who took part in our Christmas card competition for 2024. All the entries were amazing, and we thoroughly enjoyed looking through them all. Congratulations to this year’s winner and runner up and well done to everyone who submitted an entry.
 The winner was a student from Illsham Church of England Academy, with the beautiful design above. This Christmas card was used by Councillor James McInnes (Leader of the Council).
 We had 2 runner ups. The first was from a student from Lifton Community Academy, with the brilliant Robin hand painting above. This Christmas card was used by Donna Manson (Chief Executive).
 The second runner up up was from a student from Montgomery Primary School, with the brilliant Christmas tree drawing above. This Christmas card was used by Councillor Andrew Leadbetter (Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Schools).
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