Good Afternoon,

I hope you have all had time to enjoy the lovely weather we have had over the last few weeks. We’ve now come to the end of the spring school term, and what a busy one it has been!

As always, thank you all for your continued hard work and effort, which you all give to improve the lives of children and young people in our borough. Your schools and settings have worked tirelessly this term to provide an enriching, consistent, and fun learning environment for the children and young people in the borough, including the all-important areas of mental health and emotional wellbeing.

I'm excited to share that Telford and Wrekin have expanded their Family Hub services to support families with children aged 0-19, and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities. This enhancement builds on our well-established Start for Life offer for families with children aged 2 and under.

Our Family Hubs are led by Group Manager Christine Thursfield, with dedicated Team Managers and Senior Support staff across three localities: Hadley Castle, Lakeside South, and The Wrekin. We offer a range of services including:

• Family Support: Home visits for up to 6 months.
• Brief Intervention Support: Quick access to necessary services.
• Youth and Community Programs: Such as Triple P and Crush teenage relationship support.
• Community Support: Drop-ins and immediate advice through our Family Information Service.
• Early Help Coordination: Assisting partners with assessments and support plans.
• Participation Support: Engaging children, young people, and parents through panels and volunteer opportunities.

For more information, please visit our website www.telfordfamilyhubs.co.uk or contact your local Family Hubs Team Manager.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all your hard work during the spring term of 2025 and to wish you all a Happy Easter.

I hope you all take some time for a well-deserved break and get to spend some valuable time with your families and loved ones.

Warm regards,

Jo Britton

Jo Britton

Executive Director : Children’s Services

Children’s Safeguarding & Family Support

Dear Colleagues

Welcome to this week’s Education Noticeboard, and the final one of the term. As we approach the Easter break, I hope you all find some time to relax and recharge your batteries for the busy summer term ahead.

I'm delighted to share that plans have been unveiled this week for two new nurseries in Telford & Wrekin, which will create 62 much-needed places. Additionally, Lawley Primary School had an impressive turnout for their walk to school on Friday, 4 April.  Well done to everyone who participated!

On Wednesday, 16 April, all parents and carers who have applied for their child to start primary, infant, or junior school in September will be offered a place.

Looking ahead, we are excited to launch our new 5 x 5 initiative this spring. This program focuses on early childhood development, aiming to give children the best start in life. It aligns with the Council's commitment to supporting parents and carers as they prepare their children for school.

This edition also includes the newsletter with the latest updates from the Safeguarding and Virtual School newsletters. There are also numerous training opportunities available in the new term to help upskill your staff.

Also there is a SEND and AP programme school survey, which will help us better understand how different educational settings currently provide support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those in Alternative Provision (AP). Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

We have also highlighted various transport schemes to support educational trips to Arthog and the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, which could be beneficial for you and your pupils.

Additionally, we have a range of activities planned for the Easter holidays to keep our children and young people engaged. Please share these opportunities with parents and carers.

There is a lot of information in this week’s noticeboard, and I hope you find it informative. I look forward to seeing you all refreshed after the Easter break!

Enjoy the rest of the week!

Best Wishes,

Simon

Simon Wellman

Director: Education & Skills

School ready initiative to launch later this spring

A new initiative designed to support thousands of parents as they prepare their child for school will launch later this spring.

With 12,000 children expected to start primary school in Telford and Wrekin over the next five years, the Council unveiled plans for a new school ready initiative at today’s (4 April 2025) Cabinet meeting.

Members voted in support of the 5 by 5 initiative, which will follow in the success of the Council’s 10 by 10 programme and focus on children’s early development to help give them the best start in life. It’s part of the Council's ambition to support parents and carers as they prepare their child for starting school.

Plans to provide two brand new nurseries in Telford and Wrekin

Plans to provide two brand new nurseries in Telford and Wrekin and boost the Borough’s early years provision by up to 62 places have been welcomed.

This will allow both schools to open a new nursery facility and provide spaces for children aged three to four, allowing more parents and carers to benefit from Government funded childcare.

From September, Wombridge Primary School will be able to offer 15 to 20 nursery places and will be converting a classroom to accommodate the new nursery.

Also from the autumn term, Lawley Primary School will provide 42 nursery places. The school is also one of hundreds of schools chosen earlier this year to offer a free breakfast club after the Easter holidays.

More than 300 children, parents, and community members came together to walk to Lawley Primary School on Friday, 4 April as part of ‘A New School Journey’ project.

The initiative aims to inspire children to make sustainable and active travel choices while equipping them with vital road safety skills and has been developed by the Active Travel & Road Safety Education Team at Telford & Wrekin Council.

The walk highlighted the importance of making small changes to daily routines, such as walking, cycling, or using park-and-stride options.

These choices reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and contribute to healthier, happier communities.

April TWSP Newsletter includes details of Free multi-agency training

TWSP face-to-face training – either virtually or in-person – is available to all TWSP partner agencies. If you already have an Ollie account, please log in to Ollie and book your place, unless otherwise instructed. If you do not have an existing Ollie account, please email partnerships@telford.gov.uk and they will be able to assist.

The Virtual School’s Foster Carers Newsletter Spring 2025

Please see the Virtual School Foster Carer’s Newsletter, Spring 2025 which covers the VS headteacher’s message, Stepping Forward Arts Programme, Supporting Attachment & Trauma Informed Practice in Schools, The early Years and Post 16 updates. 

Join our Summer Computing Coordinator Network Update

To share insights, explore curriculum updates, and strengthen computing leadership across schools.

Summer Computing Coordinator Network Update Meeting: Key Topics and Updates

As the summer term approaches, our Computing Coordinator Network meeting will provide essential updates for schools, covering key topics in computing and digital education.

The meetings will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams, either 1.30pm to 3pm or after school. There are two dates to choose: May 1^st or May 19th. Please book your place via this link.

Our Agenda will look at key updates:

RoarTech Educational: What is it? RoarTech Educational offers support in developing computing curricula, staff training, and pupil workshops. We tailor our services to help schools integrate technology effectively and engage pupils in exciting learning experiences.

The NCCE: What’s Happened? The National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) has undergone changes. We’ll update you on the latest developments, including available funding and support for schools.

CPD: Where to Next? Explore the next steps for your fully-funded CPD opportunities. We’ll highlight upcoming programs and how they can enhance your staff’s professional growth in computing

Competition: UKS2 Computing Escape Room
Join us at HLC Secondary in Telford for the UKS2 Computing Escape Room competition. It’s a fun, interactive challenge for pupils to test their problem-solving and coding skills. Register your school today to participate.

CoderDojo: Telford-Based Coding Club
CoderDojo offers a free coding club for young people in Telford. Learn how your pupils can join this vibrant community to develop their coding skills outside the classroom.

Pupil Workshops: Fully-Funded for UKS2
In partnership with Harper Adams University, we’re offering fully-funded programming workshops for UKS2 pupils. Limited spaces are available, so be sure to register early to secure your spot.

Digital & Technology Standards
Learn about the Department for Education’s digital and technology standards and how to assess whether your school is meeting them. We’ll also discuss the importance of a digital strategy for your school.

Interim Report: Curriculum & Assessment
The latest interim report on curriculum and assessment highlights trends in computing education. We’ll break down the findings and how they can inform your curriculum planning.

Resources: EYFS, KS1, and KS2
We’ll showcase the latest resources, platforms, and devices for EYFS, KS1, and KS2. Discover the best tools for teaching and learning in computing.

AI: Tried and Tested Tools
AI tools are transforming education. We’ll introduce some tried and tested AI tools for CoderDojo: Telford-Based Coding Club

Microsoft Learning Accelerators
Explore Microsoft’s learning accelerators, which support reading, maths, online searching, and pupil wellbeing. Find out how to integrate these tools into your school’s digital strategy.

Evidencing the Curriculum
We’ll discuss digital tools for tracking and assessing your computing curriculum, helping you demonstrate the impact of your teaching and improve outcomes.

Online Safety: Key Updates
Stay informed about the latest online safety updates and resources. We’ll provide tools to help keep your pupils safe while navigating the digital world.

This meeting will equip you with valuable insights and resources to strengthen your school’s computing curriculum and digital strategy. Don’t miss out on these important updates!

Family Hubs Enhanced Offer 

The current Start for Life offer is now well established for families with children aged 2 and under.  The family-hub-best-start-in-life-0-2s  offer is available digitally and given at maternity booking and birth registration.

Telford and Wrekin are now able to offer Family Hub services to 0-19 (25 SEND) from the 1^st April, following on from a reorganisation with Strengthening Families who are rebranded as Family Hubs.   The three localities remain, and the management structure is:

The Family Support team will continue to work with families in their home, for a period of 6 months.  Referrals to Family Hubs will remain via an Early Help Assessment or relevant agency assessment such as a Child and Family Assessment sent to telfordfamilyhubs@telford.gov.uk.

In addition, we will also be able to offer:

Brief Intervention Support will support families who need signposting and enabling to access services in a swift response.

Youth and Community targeted group support such as Triple P, Crush teenage relationship support, transitions for families separating, and Talking Tots.

Community support via Here to Help drop-ins and Family Information Service role to support immediate signposting and advice via Family Connect

Early Help coordination support for partners, a dedicated role to support partners in understanding thresholds, where to access community support and how to complete Early Help Assessments and Support Plans.

Participation support for children, young people and parent panels, as well as increasing peer support and Family Hubs Volunteers 

We will be releasing publicity, and new events on our Family Hubs website – so to stay up to date please do check in: HomePage

For any further information please contact your local Family Hubs Team Manager or email telfordfamilyhubs@telford.gov.uk

Are you a SBM, Operations Manager, Finance Officer, Office Manager or School Administrator

EdExec LIVE West Midlands hub event

 Telford Association of School Business Managers have an upcoming event, hosted in partnership with a specialist school business management and leadership events company - EdExec Live Events who also publish Education Executive Magazine.  We are opening the event up to other school leaders in the area, and on that basis would like to extend an invite to you to join us.

 Why Attend?

Whether you’re a seasoned school business leader or just beginning your journey in the role, EdExec LIVE offers a unique and valuable opportunity to learn, connect and grow in a way that suits you. What sets this event apart is the ability to customise your day, choosing the sessions and formats that best fit your interests, goals and professional development needs.

EdExec LIVE gives you full control over your schedule. With a variety of sessions taking place throughout the day - including seminars, panel discussions, spotlight talks and open forums -you can build an agenda that’s completely tailored to your needs.

 Make Valuable Connections

Networking is at the heart of the EdExec LIVE experience. Throughout the day, you’ll have the chance to connect with fellow school business professionals in a relaxed, supportive environment. Whether it's chatting over coffee, engaging in post-session discussions with expert speakers, or discovering new solutions in the exhibition space, the event is packed with opportunities to form meaningful connections. These conversations often spark fresh ideas, peer support networks, and long-term professional relationships.

EdExec LIVE isn’t a one-size-fits-all event - it’s a flexible, focused and engaging day built around you. With the freedom to choose your own sessions, the chance to meet like-minded professionals and a range of learning formats to suit your style.

How to Book

Standard tickets cost £65 but there is a limited number of discounted places allocated to colleagues from the area to attend with a promo code.  This will reduce the cost of a ticket to just £25!

 YOU CAN BOOK YOUR DISCOUNTED TICKET HERE using CODE: 25NmTASBM25

Members of the Telford Association of School Business Managers are eligible for fully subsidised tickets.  Please contact Tricia Wilkin tricia.wilkin@taw.org.uk for further details.

Baisakhi/Vaisakhi Day is on Monday 14 April 2025

Baisakhi/Vaisakhi is the celebration of the birth of the Khalsa. It is one of the most significant holidays in the Sikh calendar.

Celebrated on either the 13th or 14th of April each year, Vaisakhi is a time dedicated to community spirit and forward-thinking as well as practising spiritual and physical integration.

Depending on a person’s dialect, Vaisakhi can also be spelt as Baisak

Due to its close connection with the foundations of Sikhism, Vaisakhi forms a very important role in the Sikh yearly calendar.

Long-established as a new-year Harvest festival, the Sikh focus of Vaisakhi commemorates the establishment of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699, by the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

The Guru had used the celebration to create the Khalsa (the collective term for Sikhs who have been baptised) after, as tradition tells it, he had invited five ardent followers of the faith into a tent, ostensibly for a sword battle.

Despite emerging from the tent with a bloody sword, all of the men involved came out unharmed. These men became the ‘Panj Piare’, or the holy Five.

They were then baptised with a sprinkling of holy water - a ceremony that is reflected in modern Sikh baptisms.