CROSSPHASE
 Emotionally Based School Avoidance 4th April 2022
We still have some places available on our next course.
For more details and booking instructions please check out the schools hub HERE
 Exceptional Needs Funding
Inclusion group Update
Last term, the Inclusion Group (formerly the Exceptional Needs Funding Group) carried out a second round of Exceptional Needs Funding moderation. This new process allocates ring-fenced funding (via the High Needs Block) to support schools in meeting the needs of children who demonstrate exceptionality. Another round of funding is available for this term, and the group invites all schools who have a child that meets the criteria to complete the online form by clicking here. The closing date for applying is Tuesday 29 March 2022.
Definition of children likely to demonstrate exceptionality
Exceptional Needs Emergency Funding is designed to support children and young people (CYP) with emerging high needs or for CYP who have needs that fall outside the EHCP process. This is top-up funding to provide the cost of provision which exceeds the first £6000 which should be provided from the school's notional SEN budget. It is for interventions and provision which can be demonstrated to go beyond quality first teaching and reasonable adjustments.
The emergency funding pot is £40,000 and in 2021-2022 will be prioritised to support those pupils in mainstream schools (who are Wokingham residents) who have significant exceptional needs which could not have been reasonably predicted and therefore budgeted for.
Individual cases are more likely to demonstrate exceptionality required to be prioritised for funding in circumstances such as those which follow.
- a) A child, without an EHCP, entering the education system for the first time in 2021-2022 who has significant needs from the outset, as identified by at least one professional, and who would not be able to access the setting without a high level of support.
- b) A child from another Local Authority moving to Wokingham, without an EHCP, who exhibits a level of significant need from the outset and who had likely begun the EHCP process in another authority prior to their move.
- c) A child within the education system for whom there has been a life-changing event that has significantly impacted their access to education/learning. (The covid pandemic on its own would not meet this criteria and schools should instead seek to use their catch-up premium for children falling behind due to missing school during the pandemic.)
Ali Brown (on behalf of the Inclusion Group)
head@ninemileride.wokingham.sch.uk
 Pool Operator Course
Unfortunately, there has not been enough interest from Schools to make it viable for us to run a course this year. We can, however, point you in the direction to book a course for yourselves directly with an alternative provider via the institute of swimming.
The link is here Find Courses (swimming.org)
It would be great if you could let us know how you get on with booking a pool operator course in this way as this information will inform us when deciding on if, when and how we provide this course next year.
 Wokingham Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) – an opportunity to join us
Calling Buddhists, Church of England members and other Church members. We need you.
Are you able to spare a couple of hours just 3 times a year to accept this great opportunity to support children’s religious education in Wokingham schools?
Religious education is the only subject on the school curriculum which is led locally, by Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACRE) - statutory bodies which every local council must have. The Wokingham SACRE is very proud of its work to support local schools with the teaching of RE. In joining the Wokingham SACRE you would become part of a diverse team dedicated to ensuring the promotion and delivery of best practice and excellence in the teaching of the beliefs, lifestyles and values of Christianity, and the other major world faiths of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, as well as non-religious and humanistic perspectives.
Being a SACRE member provides the opportunity to influence the planning of support that is provided for the teaching of RE in Wokingham, and the opportunity to work with representatives of many different faiths. Work is just beginning on reviewing the locally agreed pan-Berkshire syllabus, so this is a particularly exciting time to join the SACRE.
In terms of time commitment, we meet just 3 times a year on a Monday evening from 6.15pm, usually finishing around 7.45pm.
We currently have 4 vacancies for members as follows:
1 member representing Buddhism; 1 member representing the Church of England; and 2 members from Christian denominations other than the Church of England.
If you are interested in finding out more about us or, if you know anyone who might be interested in filling the above mentioned vacancies, please contact the Clerk.
Catharine Newport – Clerk to SACRE at
Catharine.Newport@wokingham.gov.uk
Safeguarding Updates
Please click on this link for the latest edition of the BWSCP Safeguarding Updates
SECONDARY
  Wokingham Borough Council has joined up with Innovation Valley Rewards to encourage residents, employees and students to be more active and make sustainable travel journeys.
The My Journey Wokingham Challenge starts today and finishes on 31 October 2022.
We are urging people to download the free Innovation Valley Rewards smartphone app , then take part in a local challenge promoted by our My Journey Wokingham team, as part of an ongoing effort to encourage healthier and more sustainable forms of travel.
Individuals can log journeys and earn ValleyCoins, which can be redeemed for high street rewards or given to your favourite charity from within the app as well as earning ValleyTickets to enter weekly and monthly draws.
So whether you walk, wheel, cycle, catch the train or bus, make sure you are logging your journeys to earn rewards. Please note you must be 14 + to participate
This uses digital innovation and technology to tackle problems like traffic congestion, air pollution and energy waste while promoting cleaner, healthier and more eco-friendly lifestyles.
https://myjourneywokingham.com/events/my-journey-wokingham-challenge/
Kathryn Horsepool Active Travel Officer – Air Quality -My Journey team
Kathryn.Horsepool@wokingham.gov.uk
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WOKINGHAM BOROUGH LIBRARIES NEWS
  21 - 27 March 2022
Shakespeare Week is a national annual celebration giving primary school aged children opportunities for enriching and early encounters with Shakespeare – his characters, stories and language. Shakespeare Week was created and is coordinated by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Why celebrate Shakespeare? Shakespeare is a named author on the curriculum in 65% of countries, studied by around half of the world’s schoolchildren every year. He has been hailed as the UK’s greatest cultural export, and the foremost reason why people are proud to be British. However, many British children encounter Shakespeare in their teens as a mandatory subject studied for exams. Many consider Shakespeare difficult and not for them, and so are unlikely to introduce their children to his works.
This is why Shakespeare Week is so important as it introduces children to Shakespeare in a fun and inspiring way. Shakespeare Week has already brought one of the world’s most famous playwrights to life for an estimated 2 million children across the UK. Lots of resources available to download HERE
Choose a fun book to share with your child on Shakespeare from Wokingham Libraries…
Book recommendations HERE
Book recommendations for adults HERE
Book recommendations for children HERE
Elizabeth MacDonald - Young People and Families Outreach Manager: Libraries Localities
elizabeth.mcdonald@wokingham.gov.uk
TRAINING: COURSES AND CONFERENCES
 Please check out the Schools Hub for details of training sessions
HELP and FAQs
Who do I contact at the council?
Did you know there is a list of useful contacts at WBC on the Schools Hub webpages? Follow the instructions on the page. You will need your school login to access it.
Where can I find training and resources?
Please don’t forget to drop into the Shared Document Store on the Schools Hub for all the resources available from our Roundtable, drop-in and training sessions. You will need your school login to access the store. If you can’t find your login, please email us at schoolsimprovement@wokingham.gov.uk and we can send you a reminder.
How do I book a training course with the council?
Most courses are listed on the Schools Hub Calendar and will make it
clear how to book. You will either need to book using the booking form provided and quoting the course code or you will need to request to book by emailing schools.teams@wokingham.gov.uk
How do I book a health and safety course with the council?
Health and Safety courses are not listed on the Schools Hub Calendar. These courses need to be booked directly on the My Learning website. My Learning is a personal training tool it requires the individual learner to book using their email address and password which they set up the first time they log in. My Learning will
then be able to keep a record of the training that an individual has completed, this is essential with Health and Safety courses.
What's the key information I need for emergency planning?
Guidance for schools on emergency planning is available in the Rainbow Plan which is available via a ‘login only’ Shared Documents webpages of the Wokingham Schools Hub (WSH). If you don’t know your WSH login details please contact
SchoolsImprovement@wokingham.gov.uk Please also refer to our full guidance for schools on Winter Weather Planning and the School Closure Protocol via the shared documents webpages.
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS
Children’s Services reception: (0118) 974 6105
Property services: (0118) 974 6789
For Out of Hours Emergencies: 0800 212111
COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT SCHOOL CLOSURES
Confirm decisions to close immediately by email to schools.alert@wokingham.gov.uk to ensure we can provide consistent and accurate details to the public. When replying to a ‘schools.alert’ email, please type OPEN or CLOSED in the message subject
bar, followed by the SCHOOL NAME. Then click REPLY TO ALL. Advise parents that in addition to local radio, information about closures will be posted on the ‘Borough Alert’ on the Council’s website. Borough Alert also provides public information about severe weather and flooding alerts.
Seeing this update for the first time? To sign up for the term-time weekly updates email education.news@wokingham.gov.uk and we'll add you to the list.
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