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Shropshire Council has been allocated additional funding through the Household Support Fund (HSF7) for the 12 month period,1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026. This means that we are able to extend the arrangements for the provision of support with food costs outside of term time to fund benefits-related FSM pupils (including 24U and EYPP children who are in a school nursery class). Funding will be provided for the Easter holidays 2025 (2 weeks), Summer half term 2025 (1 week), Summer holidays 2025 (3 weeks), Autumn half term 2025 (1 week), Christmas 2025 (2 weeks), Spring half term 2026 (1 week) and Easter holidays 2026 (2 weeks).
HAF - The Holiday Activities and Food Programme allows children and young people aged 4 (in reception class) to 16, who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals (FSM) and for those who have been referred by a professional to access free holiday activity, during the Spring/Easter, Summer and Winter/Christmas school holidays. For more information on the programme and to find out how to book onto activity, please go to - www.shropshire.gov.uk/HAF
There is further support for families who are concerned about the cost of living via Shropshire Council website link Cost of living help | Shropshire Council
For the Easter holidays 2025, funding is provided for 2 weeks support, £30 per eligible pupil.
Schools using Edenred
- The account will be open for schools to place orders between Monday 31 March and Friday 11 April, after this date the account will be locked. If a school needs to place an additional order, please contact FSM@shropshire.gov.uk in the first instance.
- There is no need to advise us of your numbers as we can pick this up from the Edenred system.
- Schools need to include their school name in the URN field using the following format: 1schoolname (no spaces). If you have problems with this please revert to using your URN number.
- Please can all schools set the delivery date for the eCodes as Wednesday 9 April (or three days prior to your end of term). This will allow time for parents/carers to contact school if there is a problem with their eCode/email address before school closes.
- Parents/carers have 2 months to redeem their eCodes into a voucher (this has been reduced from 3 months). 30 days before expiry Edenred send out a reminder once a week automatically. If a parent/carer hasn’t redeemed their eCode in that time, they can’t be re-issued. The food vouchers are provided to support eligible pupils during each specific school holiday period and should therefore be redeemed by the parent/carer as soon as possible.
Important reminders:
- If a parent/carer’s email address has changed on an order you have placed, please complete the Edenred eCode Redirection Form (attached) and return to Edenred (do not cancel the order unless advised by Edenred).
- Parents/carers are directed to contact their school in the first instance for help with queries. If school is unable to assist the parent/carer, this can be escalated to Edenred customer services at freeschoolmeals@edenred.com or call 0333 400 5932.
- Edenred portal user guide for school administrators https://www.edenred.co.uk/Documents/Select/clients/SelectGrocery-FSM-Admin-Userguide.pdf
- For changes to a school account, for example a change to the school email address or the name of the person on the account who places the order, please email those changes to FSM@shropshire.gov.uk
A significant quantity of office furniture, equipment and stationery is being redistributed for free due to the closure of Shirehall. As part of the building clearance Facilities Management are listing the items on Warp It; a free online platform where you can claim and exchange items you wish with public sector; 3rd sector and business partners. The schools network puts you in touch with education establishments across the West Midlands. Please see this document for further details.
Your school is due to be visited by the School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS) from Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust to deliver the HPV vaccination this next term.
I am from Shropshire Public Health at Shropshire Council. Please could we visit your school in the run up to your vaccination visit date and deliver a short presentation to your year 8’s about vaccinations in general and the need for vaccinations and in particular the HPV vaccination.
We want to raise the awareness of the enormously effective vaccination (only one single dose is now required) and the protection it confers in relation to cancer of the cervix in women and also cancers of the of other genital areas including penis and anus also some mouth and throat cancers in both men and women, in addition the vaccine offers protection from genital warts too.
We would also be available to speak to anyone on a one-to-one basis regarding concerns and/or answer any questions from parents, guardians and staff as well as any pupils.
If we can provide the education prior to the SAIS visit to deliver the actual vaccination this would leave time for pupils to discuss the topic with their parents and guardians and ensure that consent is obtained before the vaccination date.
We are also happy to arrange further dates with a view to delivering similar education to all your year groups as catch-up vaccinations clinics or appointments can be arranged for anyone who has missed out or changed their mind and would like to receive any missed vaccinations.
Please do contact us at shropshirepublichealth@shropshire.gov.uk or 01743 251234 to arrange a date
Thank-you for your support
Yours sincerely
Rosalind Dixon
Health Protection Practitioner
Health Protection Cell
Health, Wellbeing and Prevention Directorate
It's that time of year again when I need to gently remind you about the application and usage of the S code. Below in italics, you will find the Working Together guidance with the updated regulation recorded. Importantly, the S code cannot be applied as a blanket coding for any Year 11 pupil. This is just a gentle reminder that in Shropshire, we do not approve the use of the S code for Year 11 absences as a generic management tool for behaviour. This is clearly classified as a grey exclusion.
Regarding Year 11s, please note that in Shropshire, there is no designated leaving date for Year 11s to have an as official school leaving date for the purposes of study leave. As an LA, we do not encourage this and instead encourage schools to assist in the provision of revision classes for Year 11 pupils. Lastly, please remember that no Year 11 pupil can be removed from your school roll until the last Friday of June, which is their official leaving date. This year, that date is the 27 June 2025.
Thank you for your attention to these matters and for your continued commitment to our students' education and well-being.
Compulsory school age - Working Together states:
265. A pupil ceases to be of compulsory school age on the last Friday in June of the school year in which they reach the age of 16.
Code S: Leave of absence for the purpose of studying for a public examination
328. Schools maintained by a local authority and special schools not maintained by a local authority can grant leave of absence, under regulation 11(5), for a pupil to study for a public examination where the leave has been agreed in advance with a parent who the pupil normally lives with (or the pupil if they will be over compulsory school age by the time of the absence).
329. Study leave should not be granted by default once tuition of the exam syllabus is complete and should be used sparingly. If schools do decide to grant study leave, provision must still be made available for those pupils who want to continue to come into school to revise.
330. Schools that are not required to follow regulation 11, must still use this code to record when a pupil is absent with leave that has been granted for the purpose of studying for a public examination.
331. This code is classified for statistical purposes as authorised absence.
As always, I am happy to guide as is your school EWO
Jo Smith
jo.smith@shropshire.gov.uk
Lead Education Officer – (Named Attendance Officer SAST)
Access to Education - Education Access Service
As an alternative to hiring a coach for your visit to Arthog Wales how about trying the train!
You will have the ability to book in advance for up to a max group number of 30 (but Arriva Wales said they can push to 35!). To get group discount you must leave after 9.30am so the first train on a Monday is 10.58 and gets you to Morfa Mawddach at 13.45. There is an earlier train (8.58am arriving at 11.50) but no discount. Return on a Friday at 12.59 gets you back to Telford at 15.52 Cost for 35 (4 adults 31 children) £678.80 with discount, £918 without. What you can't currently do is reserve your specific seats....But they would be expecting you! For more information then please contact; https://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk
Stephen Parkin, Centre Manager
info@arthog.co.uk, 01341 250455
Please see the attached information regarding visits to settings with animals.
Rosalind Dixon
Health Protection Practitioner
Health Protection Cell
Health, Wellbeing and Prevention Directorate
Shropshire Council
The School Council at Pontesbury CE Primary School want to organise/inspire a litter pick in your local area. If you are interested, the school have a video and letter for your school council and included a risk assessment to get you started. The School Council would appreciate you letting them know if you are doing this by either emailing (admin@ppce.co.uk) or using the hashtag when you are participating on social media. This event will take place 19th May (after SATs).
This is the video from the School Council Little People Big Litter Pick but it is also included in the letter.
For more CPD opportunities, visit the CPD section of the Learning Gateway
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Headteachers, SLT and SENCOs are warmly invited to our Inclusive Practice Conference at Shrewsbury Town Football Club on Friday 11th July.
Our keynote speaker is Gary Aubin from the Education Endowment Foundation and the conference includes a range of high-quality workshop sessions.
For more details, please see the attached flier.
To book your place click here.
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 AmazingCPD announce a new course to support well-being, positive behaviour and academic outcomes.
The Power of Connection in the classroom
This course will explore how strong teacher-student relationships can transform behaviour, boost well-being, and improve academic outcomes. Drawing on the latest research in attachment and trauma-informed practice, course leader Hannah Thomas, will equip delegates with practical strategies to foster trust, belonging, and engagement in your classroom. Hannah will provide real-life examples, interactive discussions, and actionable tools to help create a learning environment where every child can flourish.
The course will take place online from 13:30 - 15:00 on Tuesday 29 th April Book Here
AmazingCPD Summer Literacy Conference for EYFS, KS1 and KS2 staff
Developing of a love of language and literature Conference with John Murray
AmazingCPD's Summer Term Conference will explore the developing of a love of language and literature.
The conference will include a presentation by keynote speaker John Murray. John will focus on what makes a genuine reading to write curriculum so effective and engaging. Chrissie Harris, Deputy Head of ‘Outstanding’ Coleham Primary school, will focus on the development of key speech and language skills in EYFS, and discuss the positive impact this has had on creating their future readers and writers.
The conference will take place at Wilfred Owen Primary School, Shrewsbury at 9:00 on Tuesday 3rd June 2025 Book Here
Summer Term Courses from AmazingCPD
AmazingCPD has an extensive set of courses for all primary curriculum subjects during the summer term.
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