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Important - please ensure you download a copy of any of the documents which are attached/ linked to the bulletin and please save a copy to your own computer before editing. This will ensure the original version remains available to other users. Thank you.
- Message from Cllr Mike Hardacre - Cabinet Member for Education and Skills
- Message from Phil Leivers - Head of Education Excellence
- Covid Health and Safety Information
- Early Years
- Finance
- Information
- Health and Safety
- Leadership and Management - Governance
- Training and Consultation
- DfE Updates
Dear Headteacher,
It is customary at this stage of the year to wish you a happy New Year. I hope that your Yuletide break was one in which you have recharged your batteries from the difficulties and travails of last term. I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for your continuing efforts to ensure the safe education of all our young people despite what feels like the everchanging advice emanating from Sanctuary Buildings. These are difficult and challenging times for us all and none more so than those of you who daily deal with young people and the families and local community. I thank you all and would want you to know that the Local authority is committed to supporting and assisting you in the difficult tasks that you will face this term. Let us hope that this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic difficulties and that all of us can return to some degree of normality through all aspects of our professional and personal lives.
Mike Hardacre,
Cabinet Member for Education and Skills
Dear colleagues,
Difficult to believe that only day 3 of the new term! There has been lots to get to grips with the new guidance on Covid-19 testing, managing staff and pupil absences whilst maintaining an optimistic view of how things are going to work out.
For anyone who missed the session yesterday with our public health colleagues here are the slides we used and click here to access the additional advice document.
Also, responses to the questions that were asked.
There is no doubt that we all want to maintain face to face learning for our children and young people. However, depending on staffing levels this could become an issue. Please consider how you will prioritise your groups/classes to remain in the setting and school. Don’t hesitate to contact the Early Years and School Improvement teams if you need to discuss anything around your decision making.
There is a drop in session with public health and education colleagues on Tuesday 11 January 12 noon -1pm should you have any specific questions/queries relating to managing with Covid.
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join
Best wishes
Phil
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Phil Leivers
Head of Education Excellence
Phil.Leivers@wolverhampton.gov.uk
CO2 monitoring in classrooms
The amount of CO2 in the air is measured in parts per million (ppm). A consistent CO2 value below 800ppm is likely to indicate that an indoor space is well ventilated.
CO2 levels consistently higher than 1500ppm in an occupied room indicate poor ventilation and you should take action.
CO2 levels below 800ppm are recommended for areas with continuous:
- talking
- singing
- high levels of physical activity such as sport or dancing
Remember that CO2 measurements are only a broad guide to ventilation rather than demonstrating ‘safe levels’.
The HSE has put some guidance together on how to get accurate measurements:
Identifying poorly ventilated areas by using CO2 monitors (hse.gov.uk)
CO2 readings will be affected by a number of factors:-
- Numbers of people in the area.
- Activity in the room.
- Size of the area
- Amount of fresh air (Air Flow and operable doors / windows).
- Location of the sensor (it needs to be placed over 50cm away from people)
Any of the above variables can affect the amount of CO2 recorded but where CO2 levels are consistently higher than 1500ppm we would recommend that you look at modulating the windows to allow a constant flow of air into the space. Ideally above or over a heater to “temper” the fresh air in. The window may not need to be fully open to provide a constant supply of fresh air and provide constant air changes to the space. If you can split the class or change classes so that the larger class occupies the bigger room, this may assist matters. Other steps that can be taken to improve ventilation can be accessed here: How to improve ventilation (hse.gov.uk)
We would suggest avoiding the use of filter systems, as they will not overcome the CO2 from the room and they will need to be inspected and maintained on a regular basis.
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Natalie Barrow
Service Manager - Health and Safety
Tel. Office: 01902 551063
Mobile: 07773 187103
natalie.barrow@wolverhampton.gov.uk
EEF Spring 2022
Can all PVI’s please submit their estimated hours in the usual way by Thursday 13 January 2022 for all 2, 3 & 4 year old funded children ONLY (existing & new starters) for Spring 2022.
Spring 2022 actuals for children present during Census week (17 January to 21 January 2022) will still need to be submitted in the usual way by Thursday 28 January 2022 for all 2, 3 & 4 year old funded children ONLY (existing & new starters).
Providers will need to ensure that any additional funded children who start after Census week are added to their Actuals by Thursday 10 March 2022. Payments for Spring 2022 actuals will be processed within 3 weeks of Thursday 10 March 2022.
- Providers need to ensure ALL children’s attendance is amended to reflect the start and end date for all 2, 3 & 4 year old children.
- Providers will still need to validate ALL 30 Hour codes in the usual way and continue to communicate with parents to ensure codes do not enter grace periods.
- Please remove from the provider portal those children for whose funding entitlements have ended.
EY Spring Census 2022 (for PVI’s only)
The EY Census 2022 form is now available on the FIS portal. Can settings please ensure it is submitted by Friday 28 January 2022.
The census will collect data on all children taking up free provision during census week (17 January to 21 January 2022).
Please refer to the attached document for guidance and support.
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Gurpreet Ghateaura
Early Years & Data Support Officer
Gurpreet.Ghateaura@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Karen Wilding’s - EYs Mathematical Training
Karen’s ‘FREE Challenge’ is back!
Join Karen for the launch on 14 January 2022 of 'Teaching Numbers 1-10 Using Subitising, Five and Ten Frames'
Please book via her website www.eymaths.co.uk and sign up for the Next FREE Challenge.
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Sophie Cross
EYFS Advisory Teacher
Sophie.Cross@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Schools Cleaning Charges 16.11.21 – 14.12.21
The attached schedule shows school cleaning charges for the period 16.11.21 to 14.12.21. Should you have any queries, please contact Gianina Antoniou Gianini.Antoniou@woverhampton.gov.uk, on 01902 558808, Caroline Holt on 01902 555700 Caroline.Holt@wolverhampton.gov.uk, on 01902 555700 or, Lisa Green, Cleaning Manager, on 01902 555202 Lisa.Green3@wolverhampton.gov.uk. Thank you.
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Andrew McCloskey
Finance Officer
Tel. Office: 01902 554158
Andrew.McCloskey@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Tree inspections in schools – important survey
To help us understand whether we have adequate arrangements in place for the inspection and management of trees in educational settings, the rationale for which is here, colleagues are asked to make an initial brief return regarding their tree management arrangements by Friday 14 January. To make this as easy as possible for you an online form has been created which can be accessed here, or through The Stat Shelf website and should take around 2-3 minutes to complete.
Thank-you to the 24 schools who have completed the survey to date.
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Natalie Barrow
Service Manager - Health and Safety
Tel. Office: 01902 551063
Mobile: 07773 187103
natalie.barrow@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Maintenance and testing visits – allowing entry
I have been made aware that a number of schools are reluctant to schedule in planned preventative maintenance (PPM) visits during term time, preferring holiday periods or outside of the school day. Unfortunately, due to the number of schools requiring PPM visits on a rolling programme, arranging works to be carried out either in school holidays or outside of school opening hours would create unmanageable peaks in work.
Please could I ask that schools allow access to contractors during term time and during the school teaching day and this information is shared with your site managers.
For those that may be worried that the testing of the fire alarm and emergency lighting will cause disruption, I have been reassured that tests can be carried out without any undue interference with the day to day running of the site. In fact, it is important that schools have at least one audibility test carried out under normal conditions as the functional testing by the caretakers does not take into account the noise children make when they carry out tests in an empty school.
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact.
Lead person in the LA to contact:
Neal Shore, Buildings Compliance Safety Manager
nealshore@wolverhampton.gov.uk
01902 555082
&
Natalie Barrow, Service Manager – Health and Safety
natalie.barrow@wolverhampton.gov.uk
01902 551063
RSPB Big Schools' Birdwatch - 5th January to 21st February 2022
The RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch is live and a number of resources have been developed, for students of all ages, to support learning about the identification of birds along with aspects of literacy, mathematics and design technology. There are also activities for home learning.
More information is given in the attached article or can be found on the STEM home page: RSPB Big Schools' Birdwatch - 5th January to 21st February 2022 | STEM
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Jo Horlock
ECT & Assessment Advisor
Jo.horlock@wolverhampton.gov.uk
01902 556576
Botox School Communications
A change in the law has now made it illegal for under 18s in England to receive botox or filler for cosmetic reasons, even with the consent or permission of someone over 18.
The change is aimed to protect young people from the potential health risks associated with Botox and cosmetic fillers following a concerning spike in the number of young people in search of the 'Instagram face'.
Research carried out by the government estimated that there may have been as many as 41,000 botulinum toxin procedures carried out for under-18s in 2020, and over 29,300 dermal filler procedures for under-18s may have been undertaken in 2017.
If not used correctly, Botox and fillers can be extremely dangerous and could even lead to permanent facial paralysis. Only registered and trained professional should undertake these medical procedures due to the health risks which can occur.
This age-restriction brings the practice in line with other comparable body modifications which carry health risks, such as tattooing, sunbed use and teeth whitening.
Under The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021, it is also a criminal offence for someone to make arrangements or book an appointment to provide these treatments to anyone under the age of 18 in England.
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Paul Brown
Communications Manager
01902 555497
Paul.Brown@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Governor/Trustee Vacancies
Does your Governing Body or Academy Trust currently have any vacancies or any potential vacancies coming up? If so please inform us so that we can support your recruitment drive. In order to ensure that you recruit the right person to your governing body or trust we will need to know:
- Vacancy Type (LA/Co-opted/Academy Governor or Trustee)
- Skills Required (Finance/H&S etc)
- or a specific position to be filled (Chair/Vice Chair/ Safeguarding lead etc)
Following a recent recruitment campaign, there are currently several applicants waiting to be placed at schools.
If you have a parent vacancy that’s difficult to fill, we can also help advise on how best to recruit.
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Sarah McElduff
School Governance Co-ordinator
sarah.mcelduff@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Training and Consultation - Governance
Upcoming City of Wolverhampton Governor Training
We offer a wide range of training designed specifically for governors, along with delivering bespoke training on many topics. Please share the training opportunities we offer with your Governing Body.
Click here for Governance training for the Spring and Summer Terms 2022.
Bespoke Governing Board Training can be designed to meet the needs of your Governing Board. If you would like to have a topic delivered at your school or across a cluster of schools, please let us know. As with all LA training, this is free to maintained schools and part of the SLA package for Academies and delivered at a time suitable to you. Please contact kay.mason@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Sarah McElduff
School Governance Co-ordinator
sarah.mcelduff@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Courses - New Dates
We continue to offer free spaces on 2 Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England accredited courses. We have dates booked in for the Spring and Summer Terms, both for half-day awareness and for 2-day full training. Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) courses are for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18. They will teach you the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. For more information and booking click here.
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Elaine Perry
Senior Educational Psychologist
wellbeingtraining@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Education Excellence Spring Training
Click here to access the Education Excellence team Spring term training brochure.
6 January – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Update to all education and childcare settings and providers
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