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Dear Colleagues,
Please see this week's Education Update below.
Best wishes,
John
John Rowe
Head of Education Quality and Safeguarding
john.rowe@shropshire.gov.uk
You will be aware of the ongoing situation in Iran and the Middle East, impacting travel to and from the area. The most recent announcement from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is as follows: The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to: • Bahrain - Bahrain travel advice - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bahrain• Israel - Israel travel advice - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel• Kuwait - Kuwait travel advice - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/kuwait• Palestine - Palestine travel advice - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/palestine• Qatar - Qatar travel advice - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/qatar• United Arab Emirates (including Dubai) - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emiratesShelter in place Due to reported missile attacks, British nationals in these countries should immediately shelter in place. Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities. Register your presence Let the UK government know you’re in an affected country - register your presence - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-office-travel-advice-updatesAirspace in the area has been heavily impacted, meaning that flights have been cancelled at short notice, affected travel back to the UK. Repatriations from these affected countries may take time. Our advice to schools is as follows: 1. Families should have already provided schools with a travel location and expected return date, if this is not the case, please ask for a copy of the family’s original flight tickets, which will specify the planned return date. 2. Flights are not yet being rescheduled and may take time. This is to be expected. 3. In the meantime, code Y2 (Unable to attend due to widespread disruption to travel) can be used for absence between the planned return date and the actual return date. Y2 has no statistical meaning, and does not count as either an absence nor a present mark. Please do not alter any marks prior to using Y2, i.e. if the absence prior to this was marked as “G”, that remains the correct code for that period of absence. 4. If you remain unsure, please contact your Education Welfare Officer in the first instance or email vicky.rodgers@shropshire.gov.uk or jo.smith@shropshire.gov.uk
Best Wishes
Jo Smith
Lead of Education Access Service
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REMINDER FOR LA MAINTAINED SCHOOLS - School Financial Value Standard (SFVS) 2025-26 - Return Deadline 31 March 2026
The completion and submission of the SFVS is a statutory requirement for maintained schools.
Further information is available at Schools financial value standard (SFVS) and assurance statement - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) including the checklist and guidance and a the ‘related party transactions’ return.
Please ensure your SFVS checklist and related party transaction return (if relevant) are completed, signed and returned to the local authority by the 31 March deadline. Please return via email to education-finance@shropshire.gov.uk
Please ignore this notice if you have already submitted your return.
Schools will not be required to complete an SFVS return if they have been granted a live academy order in the financial year covered by the return. If the school has not converted to an academy by the end of the next financial year, they become eligible to complete the SFVS return again.
Thank you,
Jo
Jo Morris
Schools Finance Team Leader
jo.morris@shropshire.gov.uk
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Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 places a legal duty (section 11 Children Act 2004 and sections 157/175 Education Act 2002) on Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership/Local Authority to seek assurance as to the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements for registered education providers in their area.
The results and actions arising from these audits should also be shared with Governing Bodies/Proprietors/Management Committees to enable them to have strategic oversight of the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements.
Registered education providers operating in Shropshire are asked to complete a statutory safeguarding audit on an annual basis.
The audit must be submitted by 27th March 2026: Education providers have the duration of the Spring Term to complete the audit.
Safeguarding Officers have provided a range of support to schools and settings to address any issues around the completion of this audit.
The final troubleshooting 'drop in' session is this Thursday 4-5pm.
For details, and other support materials, please visit Safeguarding Audits | Shropshire Learning Gateway
For any other queries, please contact safeguarding.audits@shropshire.gov.uk
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We are pleased to be able to offer funding for 2 weeks at Easter 2026 from HSF7 funding received in 2025. This mean 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).
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 2-week Easter break, funding is provided for 2 weeks support, £30 per eligible pupil.
Schools using Edenred
Edenred have advised for us to continue to use their existing portal for this holiday period and so schools are to place orders as normal, through your existing log-in https://ordering.edenred.co.uk
The account will be open for schools to place orders between Monday 16 March and Friday 27 March, 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 25 March (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 – see attached document
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
Schools who receive funding via the LA
For those schools who don’t use Edenred, please complete the following online form by Friday 20 March FSM funding in school holidays - Schools who receive funding via the LA | Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net) so that we can arrange payment to be made to your school. NB: Please ensure that the total number provided includes any eligible nursery aged children attached to your school. Once you have notified us of your numbers, please then order your vouchers via your usual method. Please note, if you don’t complete the form to advise of numbers, we will be unable to process payment.
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We would like to include images from Shropshire schools and education settings in our upcoming education brochures. If your school or setting is able to contribute, we would be very grateful.
A huge thank you to the primary schools that have provided some fantastic pictures for our education brochure so far. We would like to be able to include images from Shropshire secondary schools and Nursery/EYFS settings as well.
We are particularly interested in high‑quality photographs of your school building(s), playgrounds, classrooms, pupils’ work, school trips, and similar activities that you are happy for the Learning and Skills Team to use for this purpose.
If you have any images you are happy to share with us, please email them to tracy.hunt@shropshire.gov.uk
Thank you
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Progress
The new era of Safer Schools is well underway. Although the process is principally the same as the past through Shropshire Council, it has been updated with the lead of Empower and TrustEd Schools. Some schools have already held a Safer School meeting, either on site or, through Teams video. Progressively, school Safer School meetings are being planned for either this Spring or Summer term.
Police Involvement
Currently there is limited Police involvement with schools but they are attending Safer School meetings. Recently, West Mercia Police reaffirmed their Safer School support with the Assistant Chief Constable's signature on the new Safer School certificate.
New certificate design and sign
The old Safer School certificate has been redesigned, refreshed and updated to reflect the Empower and TrustEd Schools lead. The original and popular Safer School sign/plaque is in the process of being updated too.
Preparing for the future
Succession planning is in hand upon the final retirement of the current Crime Prevention Officer. Professional training is planned for this Spring so a member of the MAT can prepare for the new role.
Service Level Agreement(SLA)
The future SLA for 2026-27 will be announced soon. Based on the experience of the current year, there will be changes and simplification. As previously, it will be on a not-for-profit basis. One improvement that has already been implemented is a bespoke SLA. An example bespoke would be schools sharing the same site.
For schools wishing to be involved in the new Safer School process, please contact Ian Bartlett, Crime Prevention Officer. Either of the following email addresses may be used.
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The next EVC Network takes place on Tuesday 17th March 2-3.30pm via Teams. To book a place, please email educationalvisits@shropshire.gov.uk with name, school / establishment and email contact for Teams invite.
In this session we will have current updates including the transfer to ‘evisits edition 2’ next September and 2 local Outdoor Learning providers.
For more information, click here
Dave Thorley
Outdoor Education Adviser
dave.thorley@shropshire.gov.uk
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New government requirements mean all school staff in England must receive compulsory allergy awareness training to help keep pupils with allergies safe.
Shire Services delivers practical, compliant allergy awareness training for schools, helping staff respond confidently and appropriately in an emergency. This is the same training delivered as standard to all Shire Services staff.
- Suitable for all school staff
- Flexible delivery, including INSET days
View our upcoming training dates.
Allergy Awareness Training for Schools.pdf
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The Education Support 2025 Teacher Wellbeing Index shows insomnia or difficulty sleeping is the most reported symptom of poor mental health, with 51% of education staff saying it’s their main symptom.
Our free webinar, Tired but wired: helping teachers improve sleep and wellbeing, shares practical, clinically-informed strategies to improve sleep and overall wellbeing.
Please share this session across your networks and with staff in your schools and trusts.
Find out more and book your place.
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As a supporter of MAT Networks, Empower MAT shares that MATNetworks will be hosting a free, full‑day leadership and collaboration event on 23rd April 2026 at Shrewsbury Town FC.
The event will be chaired by Carla Whelan, CEO of Empower MAT, and will feature a series of inspirational keynote speakers and sector specialists. Take a look at the flyer to see who will be there. The day is designed to bring together school leaders, colleagues, and education professionals from across Shropshire and Telford to share best practice, connect, and explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of education.
This is a fantastic opportunity for leaders/colleagues at all levels.
Date: 23rd April 2026 Venue: Shrewsbury Town FC Cost: Free
To book, please click this link: Book your place/s here!
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Telford-based training company, Plain English AI, is offering free, classroom-based workshops to groups of Y5/Y6 pupils on selected dates during April 2026.
Delivered by qualified teachers, the interactive sessions align with the PSHE curriculum, demonstrate the safe and effective use of AI, the ethics of using AI tools and the importance of being the ‘human in the loop’.
Contact hello@plainenglish-ai.co.uk for more details and to book a session.
30-minute live online Ofsted update 11:15am 13 March 2026
This session builds further on the autumn 2025 update. It is informed by learning from the first phase of renewed EIF inspections.
A high-quality writing curriculum for all
Informed by the writing framework, the curriculum and assessment review 2025, the renewed Ofsted framework and subject reviews. This professional learning day covers inclusive curriculum principles in writing, resources, lesson activities and examples from the classroom.
Please follow this link for other DPSI professional learning programmes
DPSI 30-MINUTE OFSTED UPDATE 11.15am 13 March 2026 .pdf
DPSI ENGLISH WRITING TRAINING 2026 .pdf
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Shropshire Public Health is asking for the input of parents in understanding views of the HPV vaccine offered to year 8 and year 9 students. We would be grateful if you could circulate this short survey about HPV vaccination to parents of year 8 and year 9 students. The survey is being sent to all secondary schools in Shropshire and responses will be collected anonymously. It should only take a few minutes for parents to complete, but the information provided will be valuable in developing future resources to improve vaccine uptake.
https://forms.office.com/e/sBgT7SqzA0
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UCL Institute of Education (IOE) and Chartered College of Teaching (CCT) are leading an evaluation of the impact of offsite Planning Preparation and Assessment (PPA) on teacher retention. We are specifically looking to reach leaders from 250 state primary schools to take part in this research.
The aim of the evaluation is to find out the impact of teachers being able to take their PPA time away from the school site on teacher retention, job satisfaction and wellbeing. The results from the trial will contribute to our understanding of how flexible working affects teachers’ experiences of work and will help us develop guidance for school leaders and policymakers.
Offsite PPA leaflet.pdf
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Ahead of the launch of the new Children and Young People's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin from 1 April, work has been taking place within STW involving the local community to help determine the name of the new service that will be replacing BeeU. A shortlist of options has been developed through this work, and votes are being sought to determine the preferred choice.
We’re seeking your assistance with sharing this within your organisations – please find comms attached in support of this. Please also find a QR code attached as an alternative way to access the online voting form.
Please note, the deadline for this is tight (11 March) – this is to enable the service to be ready for go live on 1 April. Many thanks for your assistance.
New Children and Young People's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin – vote for your preferred service name.docx
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The University of Sheffield has delivered a programme of post-graduate courses for supporting children with speech, language and communication needs for many years. We are now revising and re-designing our post-graduate course offer and are asking for views on what we should prioritise.
Please complete this short (5-10 min) survey: UoS PGT Survey, to let us know what you would recommend/prefer in terms of content and delivery. We will use the results internally to help us shape our ideas.
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