Safeguarding
A reminder to ensure that school office staff use appropriate additional checks where necessary.
When visitors present an historic DBS on arrival at school, please remind the office staff that they can ask if the visitor is on the DBS update service. If the school then wishes to check the update service before allowing entry then permission can be requested from the individual and the check carried out in line with the guidance in paragraphs 248 – 251 of KCSiE 2022. This will give a more up to date picture. If in any doubt about the suitability of an individual, the HT has the right to decline entry to the school.
Please remember that agency staff (and applicable GCC staff) will not be carrying their DBS as the written confirmation from their employer covers this. You must however still ensure that the office checks their ID before they are permitted to enter the school.
All Schools
The skeleton draft attendance policy is available on the Bulletin Board for schools to use as the basis of their policy if they wish to. The team look forward to seeing you at the Attendance Network Meetings next week.
This update contains a reminder from Gloucestershire County Council that the DfE has changed the duties around reporting suspensions to the Local Authority. For further details please see the Bulletin Board using the above link.
Please see the Bulletin Board for an update from Gloucestershire County Council on Local Authority Officers’ attendance at Governor Exclusion Review meetings.
The Virtual School’s extended role has now been offering advice, guidance, support, and signposting to evidence-based interventions for 12 months. We would appreciate your time in completing this survey so that we can gauge how successful we have been and how to make this service more effective.
This survey should take no more than 3 minutes to complete and can be found here
As you are aware the Council changed banking provider from HSBC to Lloyds Bank, and the new bank went live in January 2022.
There has been dual running of both accounts, however this ended a little while ago, and the HSBC County Fund Account has now closed.
We have been informed that some schools are still using the HSBC paying in slip to pay in cash or cheques to the closed HSBC County Fund Account. If you have any cash or cheques, please use the new Lloyds Bank paying in slips and destroy any unused HSBC paying in slips.
If you require new Lloyds Bank paying in pad, please contact the income team: income@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Please see the Bulletin Board for the Outcome Report 12 January 2023 and to find out who the schools’ representatives are on Gloucestershire Schools Forum.
The January edition of the CYPMH Newsletter can be found on the Bulletin Board at the above link.
Governors and staff are invited to attend the Pension Fund’s Annual Meeting which will take place on Thursday 2 March 2023 at 2 pm in the Council Chamber, Shire Hall.
Can you email peninv@gloucestershire.gov.uk to register your intention to attend.
A copy of the Pension Fund’s Annual Report for 2021/22 can be found at the following link LGPS Investments - Gloucestershire County Council
Gloucestershire County Council is holding webinars on Tuesday 14 and Thursday 16 February to explain the changes to the EHCP pathway and to give you an overview of the new EHC Portal.
The council has been working with schools and SENCOs, parents/carers, and young people to redesign the EHCP (Education Health and Care Plan) Pathway to make it a more efficient and positive experience for all that use it.
The webinars will give an overview of the changes that we have made, how we expect these to improve the pathway for you, and to give you an overview of the new EHC Portal.
For more information and to register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gloucestershires-ehcp-pathway-webinar-tickets-519684459207
Primary and Special
This funding is for institutions that were eligible for devolved formula capital in 2022 to 2023. For further details please see the Bulletin Board using the above link.
Secondary
Please see the Bulletin Board for recent updates including:
- Secondary School Immunisation drop in clinic dates
- Next UKHSA webinar – save the date!
- Reminder of infection prevention resources
Governor Training
Governor Services are currently developing the governor training programme for April 2023 - March 2024. This should be ready for publication in a few weeks.
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