Following the first webinar held on Monday 12th January to support completion of the online Section 11 Safeguarding Audit, we would like to thank you for the positive feedback we have received so far.  We're confident that the new format audit is more useful than the previous Excel spreadsheet. Thank you also to those settings that have completed and submitted their responses.  

As a reminder. all school leaders and settings should now have received an email from: 

forms@ShropshireLA.onlineaudits.org.uk

This will provide a secure link to access the new S11 audit system.  If you have yet to action this email, please do so to ensure that you can access the audit.  If you need support, or cannot find your email invitation, please email safeguarding.audits@shropshire.gov.uk for assistance and we will be happy to help.

The closing date for the audit is 27th March 2026.

The Education Quality Safeguarding team are able to offer support to you throughout this period including webinars and troubleshooting session.  Please visit  Safeguarding Audits | Shropshire Learning Gateway for the links and resources.

The L&S Schools' Directory has been updated for this term. A copy is in the secure area of the SLG (accessible to schools)

Directory of Shropshire schools and academies, LA staff and services | Shropshire Learning Gateway

Please advise any changes to tracy.hunt@shropshire.gov.uk

It is important that we are kept up to date of any changes of headteachers within multi-academy trusts and and email contact changes.

This is to ensure that we are able to provide up to date information to all schools (e.g. alerts to schools etc.)

Dear Colleagues

As you will be aware, the EHCP Team have a legal responsibility to review and amend an EHC Plan when a child transfers one from phase to another:

• early years education to school
• infant to junior school
• primary to middle school
• primary to secondary school
• middle to secondary school
• secondary school to a post 16 institution

This process must start within 12 months of a transfer to a new phase of education.

For those transferring from secondary school to a post-16 institution, the EHC plan must be reviewed and amended by 31 March in the year of transfer.

For all other phases of transfer, the deadline is 15 February in the year of transfer.

In Shropshire we have asked the phase transfer annual review for all but secondary to post 16, were completed before the October half term. We have had a considerable response to this request and thank you for that. We are working hard to manage the process and support the statutory timescales, manage parents and young people’s expectations, and those of you in your school’s management.

There are a number of consultations which have been sent out which have not been responded to within the 15 days as set out in the SEND Regulations.

We understand the temptation for you to want to consider all of the requests together and come back to the team with those replies, but we cannot manage the system in that way and it is not lawful.

We need for you to make your responses to us within the 15 days provided. If we cannot secure these replies in a timely way, we will be left with no alternative but to name your school in section I of the EHC Plan.

The EHCP Team have well documented delays in our service offer, and we are sensitive to the ask of you when it is coming from a position, where you experience delays from us yourselves. However, we strive every year to meet the deadline for the phase transfers particularly as we fully understand and empathise with the challenges this period has for all involved, not least our young people.

Your support in our achieving this goal is very much appreciated.

Kindest Regards

Annie Williams, EHCP Team Manager, People Directorate

Shropshire Council is committed to supporting schools in tackling hate-related incidents proactively. Our new electronic hate incident reporting form is designed to help schools record, report, and respond to incidents effectively.

While there is no statutory duty for schools to report hate incidents to the local authority, they are:

• Expected by Ofsted and the Department for Education to record and report hate-related incidents.
• Required to reflect their approach to hate-related incidents in key policies – including Behaviour and Safeguarding.

The electronic form can be found either in the or Local Authority Online Forms or SLG - Safeguarding policies and guidance/the Prevent duty

How Will the Information Be Used?

• To identify key themes, localities, and age groups affected
• To provide targeted support and interventions: notifying schools may be contacted by the Victim Support Community Engagement Team who are now leading on the co-ordination of this response. Schools can also contact Victim Support Community Engagement Team to directly request support. Please see further details here
• To inform community safeguarding and partnership work

Website: Safeguarding and Child Protection | Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net)

Pro-active approaches to Hate related incidents.pdf

The Government’s new National Youth Strategy (2025) sets out a bold vision for how we support and involve young people across England. A key pillar of the strategy is ensuring young people have a meaningful voice in shaping the services and decisions that affect them — including within schools and trusts.

In Shropshire, we are one of a small number of Local Authorities leading a Local Youth Transformation Pilot (LYTP). As part of this, we are launching a county-wide programme to strengthen youth governance and participation structures, aligned to the national framework known as Hear by Right.

🎯 Why This Matters for Schools and MATs

The strategy calls on schools and education partners to:

• Create inclusive, safe and well-supported participation opportunities
• Embed youth voice into decision-making at all levels
• Connect with wider community and local authority youth voice structures

To support this, we are asking every school and MAT in Shropshire to complete a short mapping form to help us understand:

• What youth voice structures currently exist
• Where there are strengths or gaps
• What support you might need going forward

📝 Complete the Participation Mapping Form

🔗 School Youth Voice & Participation Survey (Copy) (Page 1 of 6)

🕐 Takes approx. 10 minutes to complete

📅 31 January 2026

We welcome responses at either school or MAT level — or both. Our new Youth Governance Worker, Rachel Symons, will follow up with you to explore next steps and offer support where needed.

Thank you for your support in shaping stronger, more joined-up system for youth participation in Shropshire. If you have any questions, please contact Rachel at:

📧 rachel.symons@shropshire.gov.uk

Helena Williams

Due to high demand, a new data for Complex Needs Training has been added. 

Tuesday 3rd March, 09:00-12:30, Bowbrook Primary School, Shrewsbury

Complex Needs Training Tickets, Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 9:00 AM | Eventbrite

CPD for SEND and Inclusion | Shropshire Learning Gateway

Alternative Provision Quality Assurance Training for Schools

Monday 26th January, 1pm to 3:30pm at the Guildhall

Overview

Pre-funded training for schools on how to apply the Shropshire Council Non-School Alternative Provision Framework to quality assure providers that they are commissioning for themselves. The framework covers the non-school alternative provision voluntary national standards that the DfE published in August 2025.

Tickets can be accessed here:

Alternative-provision-quality-assurance-framework-training-for-schools

SEND and Inclusion Network Meetings

The next SEND and Inclusion meetings will be taking place online. Details for the meetings and sign up can be found below:

People in Shropshire have died, and it’s important that we learn from these cases and understand what we can all do to prevent further serious harm and deaths.

The SSCP are offering four different webinars ranging in length from 60 - 90 minutes which will be repeated between January and April 2026, which are intended to increase your knowledge, understanding and how you can make a difference in your everyday practice.

Click on the link to register and add the date to your calendar. We look forward to seeing you there.

Understanding Intrafamilial Domestic Abuse 

• Tuesday the 13th of January 2026 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm
• Tuesday the 10th of March 2026 - 4:00pm - 5:00pm
• Wednesday the 15th of April 2026 - 9:30am - 10:30am

Domestic Abuse Related Deaths: Homicide & Suicide

• Tuesday the 13th of January 2026 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm
• Wednesday the 14th of January 2026 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm
• Tuesday the 17th of March 2026 - 4:00pm - 5:00pm
• Wednesday the 22nd of April 2026 - 9:30am - 10:30am

Domestic Abuse-Why do men not come forward?

• Wednesday the 14th of January 2026 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm
• Tuesday the 20th of January 2026 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm
• Tuesday the 24th of March 2026 - 4:00pm - 5:00pm
• Wednesday the 29th of April 2026 - 9:30am - 10:30am

The Voice of the Person

 The focus will be hearing the voice of the person. The aim is to identify and share good practice when the adult or child's voice has been heard, and what we can do differently when we haven’t heard their voices.

The next webinars will be taking place on the following dates- please click on the date to book your place:

• Tuesday the 20th of January 2026 - 11:00am - 12.30pm
• Monday the 23rd of March 2026 - 10:00am - 11.30am
• Tuesday the 31^st of March 2026 7:00pm - 8.30pm

No worries is a practical resource to reduce anxiety in primary and secondary children aged between 7-16 years through fun and experiential learning opportunities.  Please see the attached flyer for details of the training offered.

Meeting Needs and Building Inclusion Through Assistive Technology

• Online 15 Jan 2026 (15:30 - 17:00) - FREE
• This CPD session, organised by NASEN is designed to help educators understand how to use assistive technology to support inclusive teaching and improve learner independence. Participants will explore practical tools and strategies to meet a range of needs - such as literacy, attention, processing, and sensory challenges - and learn how to teach students to use technology confidently. The session will also include opportunities for discussion and sharing of approaches between practitioners. By embedding assistive tech into everyday practice, we can create more inclusive environments and equip learners with effective life skills.

To book, visit Meeting Needs and Building Inclusion Through Assistive Technology | Whole School SEND

Wednesday 4th February: 1.30 - 3.00 pm

Agenda:

1. Visual Communication:  its role and opportunities for schools and staff

2. Canva Edu. update including Canva Code and QR Codes to share with staff

3. Ideas for Safer Internet day on February 10th 2026

4. National developments by Ben Davies from CAS including AI resources

5. BETT 2026: Prize-winners and implications for schools

6. Instagram: Safeguarding updates for schools, families and students

7. SEND update including how to get involved in the ATLL pilot in Shropshire

8. CAS resource of the month for January from Richard Smith

9. AI in 2026: Making a plan that is both innovative and safe

£79 (no price increase for 2026) Book directly with Richard via amazingict@icloud.com or calling 07527464322 

Smile for Life training PDF flyer.pdf

Please see the attached flyers for training courses offer by DPSI.

DPSI English - writing professional learning 20 January 2026 .pdf

DPSI Geography 3 February 2026 .pdf

DPSI History 28 January 2026.pdf

Please find attached the latest Oswestry and Market Drayton Hub Newsletters for January 2026.

Please share with your families and parents.

• The sessions are Free to attend.
• You do not need a child to attend the session to access Family Help.
• Safe, Comfortable, Confidential, and Informal space to talk.
• Early Help Family support workers are available to chat to every week.