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If you would like your Chair of Governors, SENDCo, DSL or Digital Leads to receive this bulletin, please email Gita.Patel3@wolverhampton.gov.uk with their email address who will add them to the distribution list.
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 Brenda Wile
- Message from Phil Leivers
- Early Years
- Information
- Training and Consultation
Dear Colleagues
It’s an important week this one in the academic calendar as you all know only too well with KS2 SATs and GCSE’s now well underway. I’m sure your pupils will do you and themselves proud. If your school is visited by one of our school improvement team colleagues to monitor your processes, please welcome them and understand that this role is assigned to them as a statutory duty by the DfE in accordance with legislation and guidance as set out by the Standards and Testing agency. I’m sure these will be positive visits and will be carried out as unobtrusively as possible so as not to disrupt your processes or the experience for the children.
Two really big requests from me this week ….. firstly, would you all nominate at least one, preferably more of your students aged 13+ for the Young Citizen of the Year award, closing date 31st May 2024. I know that every school / learning setting has many young people who would be worthy of consideration for this very prestigious award. Previous finalists have hugely benefitted from the kudos brought by the award, even those nominated receive recognition which they can use to demonstrate their contribution to their, school, local community, city and/or region, serving them well in applications for jobs, training, college and university.
In previous years only a small number of schools have nominated students and I would very much like to see at least one, ideally more, nominations from all of you. Recognising young people for their achievements is hugely important and I know this is something you all uphold and are committed to. This is one award that nominees, even if not shortlisted for the interview with the Rotary club panel and Mayor, receive a letter of congratulations that they can be proud of.
www.wolverhamptonyoungcitizen.org.uk
Secondly, please help us with the user testing for our new look Local Offer website, details below from Hardip. This is so important for us to get this access working well for our families.
Brenda
Brenda Wile
Deputy Director of Education
Dear Colleagues,
I am sorry for a technical issue that meant the complete bulletin failed to be distributed. Hope this hasn't caused too much inconvenience.
Best wishes,
Phil
Phil Leivers
Head of Service Education Excellence
Early Years Financial Incentives for Nursery Provision
As you will be aware Wolverhampton are one of the 20 Local authorities who are part of the Early Years Financial incentives program, a national pilot to encourage practitioners to return to or start a career in early years. The aim of the pilot is to help childcare providers in Wolverhampton to attract staff and fill vacancies, by paying an incentive payment of £1,000 to eligible individuals who take up a job with them. This is funded by the Department for Education.
This pilot is running between April 2024 and December 2024
More information can be found on https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/education-and-schools/nurseries-and-childcare/financial-incentive-golden-hello
Please email the dedicated email address for more information, eligibility and how to advertise jobs through Wolverhampton Workbox.
Lead Person to Contact in LA:
Stacey Henderson
Senior Advisor for Early Years
EYGoldenhello@Wolverhampton.gov.uk
Early Years Foundation Stage consultations launched:
On 22 April 2024 the Department for Education launched a consultation on safeguarding requirements within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework.
The proposals in the consultation aim to ensure the safeguarding requirements are as comprehensive as possible for providers and are suitably robust to keep children safe.
You can respond to the consultation here: Early years foundation stage (EYFS) safeguarding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The consultation will be live for 8 weeks and will be closing 17 of June 2024.
Lead Person to Contact in LA:
Stacey Henderson
Senior Advisor for Early Years
Stacey.Henderson@Wolverhampton.gov.uk
EYFS consultation on the experience-based route for early years practitioners
This proposal recognises the valuable skills and experience that exist in the early years sector, and aims to give providers the flexibility to use staff more effectively by counting those without an approved qualification - but with sufficient experience - in the level 3 ratios. The consultation seeks views from the sector about how the experience-based route should work, including questions about the proposed decision-making model, eligibility criteria and process requirements.
Responses to the consultation are required by 20 May 2024. Take part in the consultation here: Experience-based route for early years practitioners - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Lead Person to Contact in LA:
Stacey Henderson
Senior Advisor for Early Years
Stacey.Henderson@Wolverhampton.gov.uk
Early Years Transition form Nursery into Reception
Last year the transition into adulthood workstream group highlighted the difficulties in managing the transition from early years settings into reception and so created a UTF – universal transition form to support this.
The form comprises basic information about the children moving to the new setting as well as further information that will give an indication as to whether a more enhanced or specialist transition may be needed. This form was so well received last year that we are asking all settings to continue to use this again to support transition from Nursery into Reception class.
Wolverhampton Transition-Form-Nursery-and-Reception 2024 .xlsxnsert excel
There is guidance on the 2nd tab on how to complete the form.
The deadline for sending these forms to the primary school is Friday 17th May 2024.
Lead Persons to Contact in LA:
Stacey Henderson
Senior Advisor for Early Years
Stacey.Henderson@Wolverhampton.gov.uk
Rachel Wright
Specialist Teacher / Under 5s ASD Keyworker
Rachel.Wright@wolverhampton.gov.uk
STATUTORY DUTY – Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Survey
To meet Statutory Duty and in line with T&Cs for funding, all Early Years Settings must compete the CSA survey by 5:00pm, Monday 20 May 2024.
Please use the following URL link and/or QR code to access the survey:
https://forms.office.com/e/6Z74MERmHg
Lead person to contact in LA:
Claire Hardiman Early Years & Childcare Development Officer
Email: Claire.Hardiman@Wolverhampton.gov.uk
Early Entitlements Update
From Sunday 13 May 2024 providers are able to validate codes eligibility codes for children of working families, aged from 9 months. This can either be done through the portal or on the Early Help ‘Terrific for Twos’ page (same checker for 30 hours and 2-year-olds from working families). Please find attached some frequently asked parents’ questions and answers. Parents FAQ May 2024.docx
Lead person to contact in LA:
Claire Hardiman
Early Years & Childcare Development Officer
Email: Claire.hardiman@Wolverhampton.gov.uk
Request for Secondary Schools to support the LA in developing the new SEND Local Offer The new draft version of the SEND Local Offer website is currently being user tested, with a number of professionals alongside several parents of children and young people with SEND.
There is a gap in user testing with secondary aged young people with SEND to ensure their views about the accessibility of the new site have been captured.
User testing should take around 10 minutes on a one-to-one basis to chat about the site and answer a few survey questions. This would take place alongside a daily activity that young people are already engaging e.g. workshops/lessons.
If you are able to support to arrange a convenient date and time before Friday 24 May 2024.
Many thanks in advance, we do appreciate your support.
Lead person to contact in LA:
Hardip Jassal
SEND Local Offer & Engagement Officer Commissioning and Transformation
Email: Hardip.Jassal2@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Final reminder deadline Friday 17 May 2024 Expression of Interest for Capital funding for Childcare and Capacity funding (Pump Priming ) for Wraparound Provision
If you are setting up or expanding wraparound provision in your school, please do submit an expression of interest to support with this. Or if you are needing some capital work to enable you to expand your provision The local authority has received funding based on predicted levels of supply and demand for childcare and wraparound provision, to meet the childcare reforms. Unlike other capital grants, guidance is flexible on how local authority’s use this money but could include:
- Creation of new childcare places and wraparound provision, whether via the creation of new settings, or expanding provision in existing providers
- Expansion of existing childcare provision or Wraparound, including expanding existing provision to a different or additional site
- Remodeling of existing provision to create additional capacity
Expressions of interest in funding can be submitted by completing the following form:
Wolverhampton Transition-Form-Nursery-and-Reception 2024 .xlsx and returning it to Claire Hardiman: Claire.Hardiman@Wolverhampton.gov.uk by Friday 17 May 2024
Lead person to contact in LA:
Claire Hardiman
Early Years and Childcare Development Officer
Email: Claire.Hardiman@Wolverhampton.gov.uk
Dear Colleagues,
23-24 CFR & 24-25 Budget Plans
Schools CFR information: School balances will be available on cloud w this week. CFR letters will also be emailed direct schools this week. Please could you ensure 2024-2025 three budget plans are in by 31 May 2025. Thank you.
Lead person to contact in LA:
Peter Green
Finance Manager
Email: Peter.green@wolverhampton.gov.uk
SEND Early Identification and Support – Specialist Intervention Support
The SEND Early Identification and Support Service are considering offering SLAs where a Specialist TA would come into your setting to deliver targeted interventions. We'd be grateful if you could spend a few minutes completing this form, so we can gauge possible interest. Please could you complete the form by Monday 20 May 2024. Many thanks
https://forms.office.com/e/ZLDpLifwYE
Lead person to contact in LA:
Louise Phillips
Specialist Learning Support Team Leader
Email: louise.phillips2@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Refugee Week Writing Competition We would like to invite schools (well their learners) to enter their learners for our 500 word writing competition for refugee week. There are prizes and an opportunity for the children to have their work displayed at the civic and to attend a prize giving ceremony with the mayor.
Details of the competition here: https://vimeo.com/945651245?share=copy
A video guide for teachers for some free accompanying resources here: https://vimeo.com/945651153?share=copy
And some resources to support the writing here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CW2JO7AtTp2zyee6hq0EdAfQXKJN6vM2?usp=sharing
Lead person to contact in LA:
Claire Sumner
CLL Teacher Advisor
Email: Claire.Sumner@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Wolverhampton City Diversity Celebration 2024
Our 34th Annual City Diversity Celebration will take place this year on 11 November 2024 at The Halls. This is a unique annual event bringing together young people of all ages from across Wolverhampton to celebrate the wide diversity of cultures, languages, traditions and faiths found in our city. Please read the attached letter for further details including how schools can apply to take part. Diversity Letter to schools 2024.doc
Lead person to contact in LA:
Tish Keech
Email: TKeech@cloudw.co.uk
Enhanced Transition Planning for Yr 6 children with a social worker transitioning to secondary
Transition from Year 6 to Year 7 for Children with a Social Worker:
As schools begin to prepare for Year 6 to 7transition, remember to consider the needs of children with a social worker or those in Kinship Care Arrangements. These students may experience heightened anxiety during this significant change due to ongoing social and emotional needs.
An Enhanced Transition Plan including - additional school visits or meeting with pastoral staff may be a useful way to address concerns. If schools have any concerns about children with a social worker transitioning from Year 6 to 7 or need further advice or guidance on how the Virtual School can support the education of all children with a social worker, then please contact me: Enhanced Transition Planning.pdf
Lead person to contact in LA:
Tracey Lecoinate
School - Improvement Advisor for children with a social worker
Email: Tracey.Lecointe@wolverhampton.gov.uk
School Cleaning Charges 1 April 2024 to 28 April 2024
The attached schedule shows the schools’ cl
eaning charges for period 01/04/2024 – 28/04/2024. Copy of Schools Cleaning Charges 01.04.24 - 28.04.24.xlsx
Should you have any queries, please contact; Gianina Antoniou on 01902 558808 Gianina.Antoniou@wolverhampton.gov.uk)
Caroline Holt on 01902 555700 Caroline.Holt@wolverhampton.gov.uk
or Lisa Green
Cleaning Manager, on 01902 555202 (Lisa.Green3@wolverhampton.gov.uk).
Lead person to contact in LA:
Andrew McCloskey
Finance Officer
Email: Andrew.McCloskey@wolverhampton.gov.uk
2024 Key Stage Data Collections
Below are the deadlines for the return of your pupil data file for each key stage to the Research & Assessment team:
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EYFS - by Friday 28th June 2024
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Phonics Year 1 and Year 2 retakes- by Friday 21 June 2024
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KS1– no longer a statutory collection
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KS2 TA data– schools to submit directly to Primary Assessment Gateway by the deadline of Friday 28th June 2024
Welcome (education.gov.uk)
Please find attached the Key Stage Data letters.
EYFSP Data Collection Letter_2024.docx
Phonics Screening Data Collection Letter_2024.docx
Lead person to contact in LA:
Donna Evison
Research and Assessment Manager
Email: donna.evison@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Summer School Census 2024 Data collection timetable and key dates
The census date for the 2024 summer school census is Thursday 16 May 2024 with the deadline for approved submissions being Wednesday 12 June 2024. The database will be closed to amendments from schools and local authorities on Wednesday 3 July 2024.
Please find attached the School Census letter. Summer School Census All Schools 2024.docx
Lead person to contact in LA:
Donna Evison
Research and Assessment Manager
Email: donna.evison@wolverhampton.gov.uk
CLL Training: Language and Literacy for Learning
The CLL Team is offering primary and secondary schools the opportunity to take part in Lexis Education’s internationally acclaimed and accredited 3L and TEMC professional development courses.
They offer a principled, research-based approach to the development of disciplinary literacy (literacy within and across all school subjects) and TEMC has an additional module which focuses on developing EAL provision. This is a modular course and full details can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gYbkVs-jQCVT7bMniYkrNg2Ni9O_2mR5/view?usp=sharing
This course is heavily discounted from a normal cost of $4850 AUS to £120 for LA maintained schools or schools with a CLL SLA - this is simply the cost of the course materials and £240 for Wolverhampton non-SLA schools. Places are restricted as we only have 18 on offer.
Please book on WVES
Lead person to contact in LA:
Helen Handford
CLL Advisor
Email: Helen.Handford@Wolverhampton.gov.uk
CLL Training: “Reading for Pleasure: A celebration of our new books from Bookmark”
We have a great in-person free training session on the afternoon of: Friday 7 June 2024 from 1:30pm-3:30pm at Wolverhampton Science Park, Glaisher Drive, Wolverhampton. WV10 9RU which is a celebration of 62 of our schools receiving the £2000 worth of free resources from the charity Bookmark.
At the session, we will be sharing great practice around reading for pleasure, ideas for how to support learners over the summer to ensure they do not lose their reading and how else Bookmark can support you in developing reading support
There will also be other literacy updates and will be a replacement for the summer Literacy English Subject Lead Network Meeting.
This is a free session and open to all primary schools. Please book on WVES
Lead person to contact in LA:
Mark Smith
CLL Senior Advisor
Email: Mark.Smith2@wolverhampton.gov.uk
CLL/Education Excellence Training: “Pupil Voice that Impacts”
We have a fabulous in-person training workshop on the afternoon of Wednesday 5 June 2024 from 1:00pm-4:00pm at Wolverhampton Science Park, Glaisher Drive, Wolverhampton. WV10 9RU led by the brilliant Dr Elle Seaver the director of the UK Charity Children’s Voices in Action.
She will be showing us innovative inclusive tools to capture pupil’s voices (beyond a survey and interview) and giving you the opportunity to apply the learning to your own contexts with online follow up support.
This is a free session and open to all phases from EYFS to Secondary, Special and PRU and once booked Elle will ensure she has tools appropriate for your setting.
Please book on WVES
Lead person to contact in LA:
Mark Smith
CLL Senior Advisor
Email: Mark.Smith2@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Maths Funded PD Opportunities (www.shawmathshub.co.uk)
Primary ECTs – Wolverhampton – book now. We can run this in Wolverhampton with 12+ bookings. If <12 we will combine with Telford and locate where we have more bookings.
Teaching for Mastery Tasters Headteachers and Maths Leads from schools that have not yet engaged with the £1000 funded TfM Programme can book to see a ‘taster’ lesson (both 9:30am -11:00am).
St Michael's CofE Primary – Tuesday 21st May
Manor Primary – Thursday 20th June
Schools at the Sustaining phase can now book for Leading Maths. Secondary Non-specialists – book now
Lead person to contact in LA:
Graham Charles
SHaW Maths Hub Strategic Lead
Email: graham.charles@shawmathshub.co.uk
STEM (Science and D&T) Network meeting
The next STEM network meetings for both Primary Science and D&T subject leaders is being held on:
Date: Wednesday 12 June 2024 at
Venue: Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School, Fraser Street, Bilston, WV14 7PD
Time:1:00pm to 3:30pm. The agenda will shared via WVES. Participants can book on the STEM network through WVES.
Lead person to contact in LA:
Louise Mututa
School Improvement Officer
Email: Louise.Mututa@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Science conference
The Educational Excellence Team are working in partnership with the Black Country Science Learning Partnership and STEM Learning to bring you a Science Conference on:
Date: 25 June 20242
Time: 9:00am to 4:00pm
Venue: Wolverhampton University Springfield Campus, Glaisher Drive, Wolverhamptopn. WV10 9RU
There will be a key note ‘Improving Primary Science’ by Hydeh Fayaz (Assistant Head, St. Matthew’s Research School) plus a wide range of exciting workshops on Science and SEN, Planning for Progression in Enquiry, AI in the primary classroom and Using science to help hook young children into reading to name a few!!!
A Teacher Release Payment subsidy of up to 70% is available to maintained schools in Wolverhampton which will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served basis’, please see the attached flier for the code details to use when booking.
The conference is offered across the whole of the North Midlands, Black Country and Potteries, and is usually very popular so please book early to secure a place.
Further details and the link to book places are available here.
Wolverhampton Primary Conference 25 June Wolverhampton 080324.pdf
Lead person to contact in LA:
Louise Mututa
School Improvement Officer and ECT and Assessment Advisor
Email: Louise.Mututa@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Maths Subject Leader Network meeting -
Session 3
The next session of the Maths Subject leader network (in partnership Helen Owens Education Ltd) is being held on:
Date: 19 June 2024
Time: 1:15pm - 3:45pm
Venue: GTG Training Centre, Bearing Drive, Wolverhampton, WV11 3SZ
The meeting will be run by Helen Owens who is a Maths Consultant who works with the SHaW and the Central Maths Hub. The agenda will be shared via WVES: This session is for Maths subject leaders, and participants can book on through WVES.
Lead person to contact in LA:
Louise Mututa
School Improvement Officer
Email: Louise.Mututa@wolverhampton.gov.uk
School Governance Training
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. Below are some of the training events coming up.
Please click here for training dates and times:
Governor Training Summer Term 2024.docx
Lead person to contact in the LA:
Sarah McElduff
Schools Governance Co-ordinator
Email: Sarah.mcelduff@wolverhampton.gov.uk
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