CROSSPHASE
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Energy Information Session
Wednesday 8th February 2023
10:00am to 11:30am
WBC Energy Officer, Ian Gough will be running a session to advise on practical ways for schools to address current energy and net zero challenges. There will be information on how to deal with the impact of rising fuel costs, increasing legislation, as well as possible grants and financial assistance to help implement long-term strategies and ensure schools become more energy efficient / self-sufficient, for the future.
The session is aimed at School Business Managers as well as School Governors and Trustees. It will be run virtually via Microsoft Teams; invitations will be emailed out to delegates nearer the time.
Please note that this session is open to all schools and is free of charge.
Places can be booked by emailing school.governors@wokingham.gov.uk
Sarah Codling - Governor Services Officer
Sarah.codling@wokingham.gov.uk
New Refugee Trauma Provision - Drawing & Talking Therapy
Drawing and Talking is a safe and gentle therapeutic approach, which provides an effective way for children to process emotional pain or trauma they may be experiencing.
Children and young people are impacted emotionally by many different events, struggles or traumas. Sometimes they are unable to make sense of how they are feeling and how those feelings are impacting on their happiness and ability to navigate the world.
The individual accessing support will work one to one with a trained Drawing and Talking Practitioner for 30 minutes, once a week, over 12 sessions.
If you have a refugee child in your school who would benefit from this therapy, please contact the Education Welfare Service or email: Aga.Kudlak@wokingham.gov.uk
This is a free service to all Wokingham’s schools.
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Emotionally Based School Avoidance
The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) are offering a day of training relating to Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) aimed at education professionals to equip with practical strategies/resources to support children, young people, and their families struggling with EBSA.
The training will include:
* Understanding EBSA and impact of pandemic.
* Practical strategies to gain information to best target support.
* Action planning and interventions.
* Worked examples through case studies.
* Useful resources.
Date: Thursday 2nd February 2023
Cost: Free
Venue: David Hicks 1, WBC Offices, Shute End, Wokingham
Book: Email schools.teams@wokingham.gov.uk
Spaces are limited and, as this course is usually extremely popular, early booking is recommended.
 Online Safety Live – Wokingham
Tuesday 24th January 2023, 13:30-15:00
Bringing the latest in Online Safety information to you
The UK Safer Internet Centre are delighted to have teamed up with Wokingham Borough Council Children's Services to deliver a FREE 90-minute virtual Online Safety briefing via Microsoft Teams.
The event is 1 hour 30 minutes and will be taking place using Microsoft Teams Live. Please book your mobile eTicket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-safety-live-wokingham-tickets-450454490507 The event is free of charge.
Online Safety is constantly changing and the purpose of these Online Safety Live events is to provide access to up to date information from nationally recognised figures in Online Safety. Since getting significant time away from work is a challenge, the event is provided as a short briefing session. This event will give you the latest in Online Safety research, legislation, technology, tools and resources along with exclusive access to the presentation and additional resource materials to review at a later date. The team will also be available to answer your Online Safety questions.
The session is open to all professionals who work with children and young people, including Designated Safeguarding Leads/Deputies, School Senior Leadership Teams, those with Safeguarding responsibilities across the wider Children’s workforce including Health, Police and Social Care colleagues, others with an interest in or responsibilities for Online Safety, e.g. School Governors, Subject Leaders, Network Managers/Technicians, etc.
Full details in the attached flyer.
Any queries, please contact Kathy Smedley or David Congdon
Racial Equity Courses coming up soon…
Equipping Senior Leaders...
The next course in this year’s racial equity programme is ‘Equipping senior leaders to support racial equity work’ taking place on the 12th January 2023. This session aims to equip and give guidance to senior leaders in supporting anti-racism work in their settings. Key themes that will be covered include:
- How to frame, prioritise and pace the work
- Working in cross-racial teams
- Position and positioning of People of Colour staff, pupils and parents/carers
- Hazards: Common pitfalls, resistance and backlash
The course has been especially designed by Race Matters for Wokingham schools.
It will take place via zoom from 9.30 – 12.00
We’d suggest that senior leaders attend with their racial equity leader. (Participating staff should have attended racial literacy training)
Racial Equity Network Meeting
The first Racial Equity network meeting for this year will be held on the 19th January from 4 -5.30 via Teams.
Staff Allies Course
Also in January is part 1 of the Staff Allies course for secondary schools. This course supports schools to review and develop their approach to dealing with racist incidents and issues.
The course is taking place at Sindlesham Court.
Part 1 - 24th January 2023 1.30 - 4.00pm
Part 2 - 27th February 2023 1.30 – 4.00pm
Participating staff should have attended racial literacy training.
Booking
To book to attend any of these events please email schools.teams@wokingham.gov.uk
Emily Waddilove - Teaching and Learning Adviser Emily.waddilove@wokingham.gov.uk
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ECT Progress Reviews
Just a quick reminder that the Autumn Progres Review(s) for your ECT(s) are just about due. Please email to ECT@wokingham.gov.uk
Autumn Progress Reviews
9th December 2022
Spring Progress Reviews
24th March 2023
Formal Assessments Point 1 / Final
10th July 2023
Gillian Cole – Schools Improvement Officer
Gillian.cole@wokingham.gov.uk
Educational Visits / Evolve
For information and queries regarding Educational Visits and Evolve please click on the link below
Safeguarding Updates
Please click on this link for the latest edition of the BWSCP Safeguarding Updates
PRIMARY
 KS2 test dates 2023
STA has shared the following information this week:
Following the announcement of an additional bank holiday on 8 May 2023, the dates for key stage 2 (KS2) tests scheduled for that week are changing. The new schedule will be:
- Tuesday 9 May: English grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) papers 1 (questions) and 2 (spelling)
- Wednesday 10 May: English reading paper
- Thursday 11 May: mathematics papers 1 (arithmetic) and 2 (reasoning)
- Friday 12 May: mathematics paper 3 (reasoning)
The KS2 timetable variation window for each assessment will also move back one day accordingly. Our guidance, including the Assessment and Reporting Arrangements, will be updated shortly.
We published more information on GOV.UK on 25 November, outlining the changes to KS2 assessment dates and arrangements.
Emily Waddilove - Teaching and Learning Adviser Emily.waddilove@wokingham.gov.uk
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
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Help your school community with cost of living
Please add the below to your websites or the next time you send an email to all parents.
Schools continue to be the best way to communicate with families on the cost of living crisis. Please take this information and share it with parents.
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Cost of living help this winter
Payments of the next round of the Household Support Fund to families who have children who receive means-tested free school meals will begin next week.
These will be payments to cover the period over the Christmas school holidays.
If your child gets these free school meals but you haven’t signed up for the Household Support Fund, apply on the First Days Children’s Charity website.
And if your child doesn’t get free school meals but you’re unable to pay energy bills or pay for food. You can apply for a Household Support Fund grant following the information on the council website.
Note you can only receive one type of Household Support Fund grant. You cannot get the free school meal grant and a grant for energy bills or food.
Support for young and old
If you’re struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, there’s a host of other support available you can access. This includes:
Click HERE to download this article
WOKINGHAM BOROUGH LIBRARIES NEWS
Code Club runs at Wokingham Library on the 1st and 4th of each month for 9-13 year olds.
Code Club aims to introduce coding to young people, helping them progress through projects, to create games, animations and web pages using Scratch, Python.
Limited spaces are available
I am pleased to announce that coding club will be returning to Wokingham Library on Saturday 7th January. Sessions will take place twice a month- on the 1st and 4th Saturday.
Young people can sign up for the following sessions:
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Scratch
10:30-11:30am
Suitable for 8-11 years
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Python
11:45am-12:45pm
Suitable for 11-13 years
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There are limited places available, and parents can enquire regarding applications at:
volunteer@wokingham.gov.uk
Requirements
- Please ensure that your child/young person has a valid library card and knows the pin number before attending their 1st session.
- Parents will be required to complete a parental permission form
Please CLICK HERE for to download item for your newsletters
Sarah Jenkins – Wokingham Libraries
Sarah.Jenkins@wokingham.gov.uk
TRAINING: COURSES AND CONFERENCES
 Please check out the Schools Hub for details of training sessions
The following training is always available on My Learning.
Asbestos Training
This training is now offered as an eLearning module via My Learning. This module takes approximately 25 minutes to complete.
Course: Asbestos Awareness (e-learning)
Risk Assessor Training Online Training Available on My Learning
Employers are required by Health & Safety law to carry out risk assessments and good risk assessments can help to prevent accidents / incidents and protect people from harm. It is important as a risk assessor that individuals feel confident and competent to undertake risk assessments.
My Learning offers an online e-learning module and provides blended learning to support general risk assessment training to look at what is required in terms of general risk assessments and how to go about carrying them out.
This event is available to schools at a cost of £70.00 per delegate.
The course can be accessed here: Course: Risk Assessor Training (learningpool.com)
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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