Education Matters - January 2025

Dear Colleagues, 

Welcome to this edition of Education Matters, which is themed around raising outcomes for all children and young people, regardless of the barriers to attainment that they may face. 

Closing the disadvantaged gap and improving outcomes for all must remain at the forefront of our work, as is outlined in our Children and Young People's Plan 2022 - 2025. Our Council Plan 2021 - 2025 makes a clear commitment to prioritise 'helping people and communities to fulfil their potential', and we must continue our work to ensure the improvement of outcomes for children, young people, and their families in West Sussex.

In this edition, we will explore the work taking place across the Council, and in West Sussex schools, to secure equality in educational outcomes, from early years through to adulthood. I would like to thank you all for the work that you do to support our most vulnerable children and young people.

Best Wishes,

Claire Hayes, Assistant Director Education and Skills

Right from the Start: putting children first

Children's early development impacts their educational outcomes. To improve educational outcomes for all children and young people, the West Sussex Family Information Service and Early Years Team provide cohesive support for families to find appropriate, high quality, affordable childcare. 

In this article, Katie Crompton, Early Years and Childcare Strategic Lead, discusses how the Local Authority can support families in your setting, including links to useful resources and services for parents/carers. 

Everything: could you support fostering in West Sussex?

West Sussex foster carers are urgently needed to give safe and supportive homes to over 900 Children We Care For. 

Local fostering placements are vital to raise educational outcomes for Children We Care For, which is why the Council invited all maintained settings to adopt its Fostering Friendly Policy in 2024. Our new short film, created in partnership with care leavers, illustrates the lasting impact of fostering on children and young people. 

Please click here to find out how you can help to support fostering in West Sussex.

Supporting young carers at Durrington Infant and Junior School

Nationally, young carers are significantly under-identified in schools. This poses a risk to their mental and emotional health and wellbeing, as well as their educational attainment and outcomes. To safeguard young carers' wellbeing, and their educational outcomes, it is vital that they are identified as part of the school census and supported effectively at school. 

The Young Carers in Schools Award is a national award, delivered by Carers Trust and The Children's Society. The Award aims to promote the identification and improvement of provision for young carers in schools. 

At Durrington Infant and Junior School, young carers are not only identified and supported, but they are also genuinely valued for their incredible roles. In this article, Amanda Beadle, Pupil Wellbeing Manager and Young Carers Champion, shares her school's experience of gaining the Award, and the outstanding improvements it has made for young carers within the school. 

Everyone Achieves in West Sussex

Closing the disadvantaged gap is everyone's responsibility, and the Local Authority is committed to supporting schools to raise educational outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people. 

Last year, 21 schools participated in West Sussex's Everyone Achieves project, led by the Standards and Effectiveness Service. In this article, Stephen Bush, Senior Education Adviser, explores learning from the first year of the project, and discusses the impacts of disadvantage on children and young people. 

Donna Jagger, Headteacher of Arunside Primary School, who participated in the first year of the project, shared her school's experience of the project. Arunside's experience illustrates the positive impact of the project, and provides useful guidance for schools to improve their provision for disadvantaged children and young people. 

Supporting vulnerable children through the West Sussex Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme

The HAF programme provides safe spaces, activities, and healthy meals for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people throughout the school holidays. 

The programme is available to families who are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals, and families can claim up to 2 sessions over half term holidays, 4 sessions over the Easter and winter breaks, and up to 16 sessions over the summer holidays. The programme is designed to keep vulnerable or disadvantaged children and young people safe during the school holidays, and to improve their sense of belonging in their school communities.

In this article, Laura Furminger, Partnerships Support Officer (HAF), explores the impact of the HAF programme on our most vulnerable children and young people. 

Positive Attitude Shapes Success 16 - 19 study programme

Nationally, the number of 16-24 year olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is the highest it has been in a decade, and continues to rise. 

To help reduce the number of young people who are NEET in West Sussex, the Adult Learning Team is currently piloting a study programme for 16-19 year olds, led by Jason McDonald, Curriculum Lead. Although the programme is in its early stages, initial progress is positive.

The programme equips young people with employability skills, wellbeing strategies and work experience, to prepare them for their next steps and improve their outcomes in adulthood. In this article, Jason discusses the challenges faced by school leavers, and explores the support offered through the programme. 

Developing staff effectively with apprenticeships

National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (NAW25) is fast approaching (10 - 16 February 2025). Have you considered how apprenticeships could support you to develop staff in your school?

West Sussex County Council's apprenticeship scheme supports schools with funding training costs, achieving workforce recruitment, development, and retention strategies, and equipping staff to improve outcomes for children and young people.

A range of apprenticeships are available, including in teaching, leadership, and support staff roles. Schools are successfully using the West Sussex apprenticeship scheme in many ways, such as:

• Addressing hard-to-fill vacancies (Level 3 Teaching Assistant, Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant, Level 2 Early Years Practitioner, Level 3 Early Years Educator)
• Reducing initial teacher training costs (Level 6 Teacher)
• Training/upskilling current and future school leaders (Level 4 School Business Professional, Level 7 Senior Leader)
• Implementing staff coaching initiatives (Level 5 Coaching Professional)
• Delivering appropriately qualified careers personal guidance (Level 6 Career Development Professional)
• Responding to increased special education needs and disabilities demand (Level 3 Teaching Assistant, Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant, Level 6 Youth Worker, Level 7 Play Therapist)
• Succession planning (all apprenticeships)

To find out more, please click here or contact Emma Morris, the Council’s Apprenticeship Consultant for Schools, by emailing emma.morris@westsussex.gov.uk.

To continue your journey to improve outcomes for disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people, please visit West Sussex Services for Education (WSSfE). WSSfE provides resources and guides, training and events, and useful information, including:

• Disadvantaged children and young people resource page, which shares how our Standards and Effectiveness team can support your schools and settings to narrow the achievement gap for disadvantaged children.
• Everyone Achieves Summer Conference  - taking place on 3 July 2025, for our Everyone Achieves participant schools, this conference is an opportunity to collaborate and create action plans.
• Quality First Teaching training – this course is designed to support primary and secondary leaders and senior leaders with a responsibility for teaching, curriculum, disadvantaged children or quality of education.
• Governing board responsibilities in relation to disadvantaged children – this e-learning course will develop governors’ understanding of local and national context, and the responsibilities of the governing board in relation to disadvantaged children.

To find out more about our training and events, please contact the Training and Events Team by emailing estrainingevents@westsussex.gov.uk.