Shropshire Council published our Period 4 Financial Monitoring report on Thursday, 4 September 2025. The link to the report is here: Agenda for Cabinet on Wednesday, 10th September, 2025, 10.30 am — Shropshire Council
In short, we are asking Cabinet to declare a financial emergency as, if we continue our projected rate of expenditure, our early projections for this year show we will spend £35m more than we can afford and if this continues the council will be forced by law to issue a Section 114 notice prior to the end of March. We are working hard to ensure this does not happen, as this would have a detrimental effect on services. New, stringent financial controls are being put in place immediately, and we are confident that we can revert to a legal position over the course of the coming months.
However, it is important to note that maintained school budgets are unaffected by this as these are delegated by the Council through grant funding from central government, directly to the school governing body to locally manage.
The vast majority of funding that supports services to schools (including those that supports pupils with SEND) is also grant funded by central government. Whilst this particular funding source is experiencing its own significant challenges, work continues in this area to ensure the most efficient use of resources, in line with the Council best value duty.
I can assure you that officers will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the most efficient use of resources (whatever the funding source), whilst we work through the impact of the financial emergency. However, we also need to be realistic in acknowledging the potential impact of this on the services provided to schools by other parts of the council and we remain committed to working with schools to explore ways to mitigate any potential impact.
We’re sharing with you the update that we have just provided to all Shropshire Council staff.
We look forward to continuing our working relationship with you. We appreciate you may have questions and concerns, and would be happy to discuss further.
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Please see the attached letter from David Shaw, Director of Children's Services, regarding the checks that are completed on Children's Services staff working as contractors in Shropshire Schools
This provides the assurance in line with paragraphs 294-299 of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 of the DBS checks that have been completed on staff.
The letter should be retained with your single central record for Ofsted inspection purposes.
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Just to remind all schools that the Year 6 letters must be sent home by 12 September. If any parent has any difficulty in making an application, please contact school admissions team.
There are generic letters on the Shropshire Learning Gateway if you are missing any individual child’s letter. (login required)
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Firstly, as you are all aware and has been conveyed for the previous terms now, this is the final term that you will receive funding, as per your grant agreements.
This means, as of January 2026, Wraparound provision in your settings is over to schools to sustain. While I will be around to support wherever necessary, this has always been the plan.
I am sure you will agree that the provision for wraparound put in place is excellent and will long continue to support families in the community for years to come.
Autumn term payments are in motion and will be with you soon.
Management Information Survey & Data Capture
This is the second to last MI data capture (Expecting there will be one in Spring term 2026 too).
As you all know by now, this survey aims to capture information relating to number of children schools can place in terms of capacity, not just how many attended.
This informs the DfE of how well the money allocated to each setting is impacting on the provision and number of places.
Please support us in responding to these surveys in a timely manner and before the deadline.
Here are the key dates outlined below for Autumn term:
Please mark your diaries.
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Friday 7th November- Survey link will be shared with you
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Monday 10th - Friday 14th November: Provider reporting week (This week is the ‘sample’ data week, ie you will be asked questions on capacity for this week)
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Monday 17th - Friday 21st November: Provider reporting window (Please note: Monday 10th November to Friday 21st November, survey will be open, and answers can be submitted. I would encourage you to answer as soon as you know the data to avoid last minute entries)
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Friday 21st November: Provider reporting deadline. (This is when you must have completed the survey by, failure to do so may result in funding being removed.)
If you have not received any communication on Wraparound from the LA this term, please reach out to Dan.Steele@shropshire.gov,uk
Daniel Steele
Senior Development Officer
Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency
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On Friday 5th September, it was announced the School based nurseries grant was moving into phase 2.
Schools are encouraged to apply to either create or expand existing provision for nursery places, with a particular focus on disadvantaged children. The aim is to have provision in place for September 2026.
Some key points below
- Schools can complete an application for this grant up to the value of £150,000.
- Applications open Monday 22nd September and the deadline is on Friday 5th December at 5pm.
- Schools can also register their interest for Phase 3 which was also announced for future years.
- This link outlines guidance for the scheme including terms and conditions and how to establish provision (School-based Nursery Capital Grant 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK)
Any questions or queries, please contact Dan.Steele@shropshire.gov.uk
Daniel Steele
Senior Development Officer
Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency
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Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership and the Big Art Regeneration Trust are working to improve the experience of walking, cycling or driving through the tunnels around Shrewsbury Railway Station.
The focus of this work is artwork and lighting which will be installed in the tunnels once they have been cleaned and pigeon mesh installed.
Pupils from across Shropshire’s secondary schools are invited to submit suggestions for what they would like included in artwork. We’re keen to receive suggestions for subjects that aren’t already celebrated in art around the county and suggestions must have a link to Shropshire. Ideas for suggestions include people, places, songs, events in history, inventions, symbols, myths, legend and folktales, clubs, groups or societies, plants, animals or birds. All pupils who submit a completed survey entry will be entered into a prize draw to win a £20 Amazon voucher. The survey runs from 8/9/25 to 20/10/25. The artwork is being developed by Shrewsbury College students in collaboration with Russ Meehan, a professional muralist.
We would appreciate schools sharing the link with pupils, perhaps as an optional task on homework platforms. If you would like more information about the improvement project or survey please contact Eloise Allen, Eloise.Allen@Shropshire.gov.uk
Link to pupil survery: https://forms.office.com/e/WRS31WC9QF
If school staff would like to contribute their ideas, there is also a survey for adults to complete: https://shrewsbury.typeform.com/railwaymural
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The Pertemps Group and the University of Wolverhampton Business School have created this
resource following joint work on a Levelling Up Project Report, presented in the House of Lords,
focussing on exciting more young people to aspire to a career within UK Business.
Long Mountain Primary School are looking for 8 matching tables suitable for pupils in Key Stage 2. This is to support resourcing our new learning space that has been created over the summer. If you can help, please contact Anders Rowlands via head@longmountain.shropshire.sch.uk
Please see attached details of the Steer Clear initiative aimed to reduce serious youth violence and tackle knife crime amongst children aged 10-17. A range of delivery models are available including 1:1 support, group work and parent and professional support.
You will have received a letter (see last week's briefing) from the High Sheriff of Shropshire concerning the Youth Awareness Day project. If not, details are attached and there is a YouTube video explaining it *here*
This is a very exciting new initiative inviting all schools, primary and secondary, and Colleges from Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin to join in. Already schools from all parts of the county are joining in, so please do not let your young people miss out. It is like Red Nose Day and Comic Relief, but all money raised remains for our young people across the county. All participating schools and colleges will receive a framed High Sheriff’s certificate
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STEP1: Play to your students the video Presentation (one for primary schoolchildren and one for secondary respectively), see Google Drive File below. Secondary schools and Colleges please play and circulate amongst students and on age appropriate social media this fantastic video: https://vimeo.com/1114291968/b985f2aeeb?ts=0&share=copy.
- STEP 2: Please post the High Sheriff’s letter to parents on your website (PDF in Google Drive link below).
- STEP 3: Please post Posters - see PDF in Google Drive file. Note there is one designed for primary schools. Printed posters are available if requested.
- STEP 4: Encourage students to wear blue on 16th October and donate what they can afford (£1 suggested).
- STEP 5: We encourage you to plan an extra fundraising activity such as a fete, craft or cake sale, mud run, etc.
- STEP 6: Keep us posted of all activities being planned – send photographs of the young wearing blue on the day which we can release to the press. Feel free to post everything on your school or college website and show your commitment to our young people.
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STEP 7: Please pay any funds raised to the specially created and permanent youth fund being managed by the Shropshire Community Foundation. Go to www.shropshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk/youth-awareness-day/ or pay into the Just Giving account https://www.justgiving.com/page/youth-awareness-day. Please note payments direct to the Foundation are preferred, as there are no charges on taking the donation.
NOTE: All relevant documents are contained in this Google Drive File https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PegUO4RnYGULOqZ4dYEw2ZspsyUn6Mgj
If you cannot access the information or have any queries, please contact us on youthawarenessday@gmail.com.
The next SEND and Inclusion network meetings are online. Please book your place via Eventbrite using the links below.
The draft agenda includes:
Early Help SEND drop ins
Updates from the EHCP Team
Updates from EAS and Virtual School
Supported Internships (secondary/post 16 network only)
Marches Careers Hub (secondary/post 16 network only)
Secondary and Post 16
22nd September
Primary
23rd September
3.30-4.30pm
MS Teams
Early Years
30th September
7-8pm
MS Teams
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Please see the attached for details of a range of training opportunities that may be of interest to anyone working with or supporting
children, young people or their families in Shropshire local authority
area.
This includes -
- Domestic Abuse Training
- Introduction to Early Help and Thresholds in Shropshire
- Exploitation Pathway in Shropshire training
- Mental Health First Aid Awareness (Youth)
- Parental Conflict Training
- Reducing Parental Conflict – helping children to understand parental
conflict
- Professional Curiosity: putting into practice
- Self Harm Awareness
- Substance Misuse and Young People
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Please see the attached new set of webinars available, provided by the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual abuse for the West Midlands. |
Sibs - For brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults (www.sibs.org.uk)
An introduction to supporting siblings - workshop for professionals, 15th September 2025
We are running an open online workshop, 'Introduction to supporting siblings' for professionals working with families who have disabled children.
This workshop will give you a better understanding of the needs of siblings and practical ideas for supporting parents to help siblings. We will also be providing further sources of information.
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Sibs - For brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults (www.sibs.org.uk)
Sibs Talk Open Training, 23rd September
Due to popular demand, we are running another open online training session for primary schools on how to deliver our Sibs Talk intervention for pupils who are siblings of children and young people who are neurodiverse, are disabled, have an additional need or long-term health condition.
Sibs Talk is a one-to-one support intervention for school staff to use with siblings in Key Stage 2. Its purpose is to improve siblings’ wellbeing and their engagement with learning. It is an activity booklet where each page is a short session for the sibling to work through with a member of staff. There are ten sessions that can be spread out over a term. The training session will provide everything you need to deliver Sibs Talk for your school.
This session will include a free teacher instruction manual and one pupil pack. Further packs are available for purchase.
Places cost £99.
Places are limited – early booking is recommended on www.sibs.org.uk/sibstalktraining
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Getting Started with using the EdTech Review Framework: With Richard Smith from AmazingICT
23 September 2025: 13:30–14:30
This course will allow you to assess and advance your use of educational technology. You will learn how to understand your school’s current EdTech maturity and strategically plan next steps. You will also be provided with a 12 month licence to an online framework to support development.
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