• Change for Children and Young People 2023-2028 - Survey
• Holiday Activities and Food Programme - February 2023
• National Apprenticeship Week - 6-12 February 2023
• DfE Statutory School Census - Spring 2023 
• The SEND Local Offer Website - now live and packed full of SEND help and support 
• Keeping Children Safe in Education - Free Webinars
• Free SEND and Inclusion Training
• AET Schools: Good Autism Practice - 13 February 2023
• AET Schools: Leadership, Inclusion and Structural Reasonable Adjustments - 15 February 2023
• AET Early Years: Good Autism Practice - 13 March 2023
• Key Stage 3 The Lost Years - How to Manage a Successful Transition
• EYFS Profile Moderation 2023 - Early Learning Goals for Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Mathematics 

Change for Children and Young People 2023-2028 – Survey

A huge thank you for sharing the survey. We’ve received over 500 responses so far and remain keen and committed to reaching as many children and young people across the city as possible.

We’re mindful that some of our children and young people may need support in responding to the survey, especially younger children, or children and young people with additional needs. We would therefore encourage you to help them as much as possible and the survey can be accessed here: https://forms.gle/tKur9F3HihJWb8768

Get creative! Hold a workshop, have a one-to-one with a child or young person. You can even send the answers from children and young people directly to us: greatplacetogrowup@birmingham.gov.uk

Or, if you’d like us to facilitate a workshop or focus group, we’d be delighted to do so, just email the team at greatplacetogrowup@birmingham.gov.uk

We’re committed to keeping children and young people at the heart of all we do, and thank you once again for your continued support.

Birmingham Children's Partnership

Holiday Activities and Food Programme - February 2023 

We’re delighted to offer two opportunities for children and families to join in some exciting events taking place across Birmingham during February half-term.

The events are aimed at children and young people in Birmingham aged 4-16 who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

Come and Try Bring it on Brum! - from Monday, 20 February to Friday, 24 February

These FREE ‘taster’ sessions will allow children and families to experience some of the services and activities available through Bring it on Brum, and be encouraged to sign up for the Easter Summer, and Winter holidays!

There’ll be lots of activities on offer including sports and games, arts and crafts, dance and music, and sharing of information and advice for the whole family!

Bring it on Brum! Family Food Festivals - from Saturday, 11 February to Sunday, 26 February

These FREE events are designed to include a variety of practical demonstrations, workshops for children and adults alike, and offer information and advice on cooking for a family.

It’s simple to book and find out more about these events through the Bring it on Brum! website: www.bringitonbrum.co.uk

Bookings are being taken from 30 January 2023 and no HAF codes are required! 

Please direct any queries to: Birminghamholidayactivities@streetgames.org

National Apprenticeship Week – 6-12 February 2023

This major event in the careers annual calendar, brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. More info can be found at: www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/national-apprenticeship-week

Birmingham Careers Service (BCS)  will be delivering its annual week of activities – a timetable of events and supporting resources is available here NAW2022 – Birmingham Careers Service

Two key events in the National Apprenticeship Week calendar are:

8 February: The Ladder for Greater Birmingham is opening its Skills Academy at Mill Street in Aston near the centre of Birmingham. The new academy will be open to the public, and organised school and college visits are being arranged to provide information, advice and guidance on apprenticeships and ‘have a go’ sessions in sector-based real work environments. WM Mayor Andy Street will be attending the opening of the new academy at 10.30am alongside Henrietta Breukelaar, CEO of Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.

9 February: The Employment and Skills Service (the Youth Promise Plus team and the EAT teams) are hosting an event for 16-29-year-olds who are job ready. The event will be held on the Lower Ground Floor at The Library of Birmingham. In advance, the team are hosting  a pre-event on 1 February for young people to gain advice on their eligibility for apprenticeships and preparation support for the event – those interested can register here. There will also be advice and guidance on the day from Birmingham Careers Service and the National Careers Service (for over 19s).

DfE Statutory School Census – Spring 2023

Census date: Thursday, 19 January| Return date: Monday, 23 February

Schools will have received information regarding the Spring 2023 Census and guidance on how to make submissions.

This is a polite reminder to ask schools to kindly complete the Census, and to thank you in advance for your support and cooperation in doing so.

Should you have any queries regarding the Census, please don’t hesitate to contact schoolcensus@birmingham.gov.uk

The SEND Local Offer Website – now live and packed with SEND help and support

Check out Birmingham’s refreshed SEND Local Offer website. It is the place to go to find information, support and services for children and young people with additional needs aged 0 - 25 years. 

The Birmingham SEND Partnership has worked with parents, carers, children, young people and professionals to make this site as useful and user friendly as possible. Please share it with families, children and young people and anyone else who could benefit from the information and support there.

Let us know what you think on the feedback form on the home page or via our quick survey here.

The new site includes:

• Clear accessible SEND information, advice and support
• Specialist support services for children and young people with additional needs
• Information on leisure and things to do
• Advice on education, health, wellness and finance
• SEND Travel and Transport information and how to apply
• Information on childcare and Early Years education
• Information on Post 16 options and Preparation for Adulthood

You can watch our video via the home page below to find out more about Birmingham’s SEND Local Offer, give us your feedback or tell us what you want to see there. Just follow the link – www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk

Professionals can also find SEND documents in one place and a promotional materials including posters and flyers to download and share.

Keeping Children Safe in Education – Free Webinars

The DfE are offering webinars to support Keeping Children Safe in Education.

They will focus on four important topics: Low level concerns; single central record; safeguarding partners and sexting/online harms.

The DfE say that "These topics have been carefully selected to help school staff feel supported in safeguarding children and following KCSIE. The webinars will provide an opportunity for all school staff, including headteachers, designated safeguarding leads, teachers and teaching assistants, to hear from experts, who will share their knowledge and experience of these sensitive topics."

The webinars will take place from 16:00-17:00 and are free to attend. To book your place please visit https://orcula.com/kcsie/register/Site/Register

Free SEND and Inclusion Training

Dingley’s Promise: Early Years Inclusion Project

Birmingham has been one of the Local Authorities chosen to participate in an exciting new project in partnership with Dingley’s Promise. Dingley’s Promise are a registered charity delivering early years support to children to thrive and reach their full potential. The Dingley’s Promise Early Years Inclusion Project is a five-year programme funded by Comic Relief. The project aims to increase the number of young children with SEND accessing early years and childcare places through:

• Partnership with Local Authorities
• Meaningful Parental Engagement
• A National Steering Group
• A Comprehensive and Extensive Training Offer 

What does this mean for Birmingham?

Birmingham has been selected as one of ten local authorities to undertake the project, creating the opportunity for greater inclusion in the early years and increasing the numbers of children with emerging/identified SEND accessing early years and childcare places. The free online training is available to all schools with early years provision. All of these courses are available to anyone who wishes to access them, including parents and all professionals supporting children with SEND.  

The training offer:

The training programme consists of the following courses:

• Introduction To Early Years Inclusive Practice
• Early Years SEND Transitions
• Managing Behaviours that Challenge
• Having Difficult Conversations with Families

A further six courses will be developed according to the needs of the sector. All courses are a combination of workbooks, videos and activities, which means the training can be completed at your own pace offering flexibility. Learning is assessed through learners' experiences rather than a formal assessment

How to register:

You can register for the training here: Early Years Inclusion Programme – Dingley's Promise Each practitioner will need to register individually and we would recommend you do so as quickly as possible.

Please direct any queries to: training@dingley.org.uk

AET Schools: Good Autism Practice

Monday, 13 February 2023: 09:00-16:30 – Thornbury Centre, Thornbury Road, Birchfield, Birmingham B20 3DE (On road parking only)

This session will focus on gaining the practical knowledge, tools and strategies to support pupils with Autism In setting:

• To develop knowledge and understanding of good autism practice.
• To reflect on and improve your practice in working with autistic pupils.
• Understand strategies and approaches you can draw upon for autistic pupils you work with
• Reflect on the kind of information you need to collect for creating a person-centred education plan
• Consider how to involve the autistic pupil and their family in setting learning goals

Please book before Tuesday, 7 February to guarantee your place - Good Autism Practice

Please direct any queries to: kyle.simms@birmingham.gov.uk

AET Schools: Leadership, Inclusion and Structural Reasonable Adjustments

Wednesday, 15 February 2023: 09:00-12:30 – Microsoft Teams

This module will help leaders to understand what is needed to fully embed an inclusive culture. It looks at education legislation and guidance surrounding inclusion, the steps required to lead culture change and the importance of considering structural reasonable adjustments and AET resources to support leaders with this.

The aim of this module is to enable delegates:

• To look at how inclusive provision and structural reasonable adjustments can help a setting to be outstanding.​
• To consider what is needed to lead culture change in a setting.​
• To know about AET resources and guidance that can support leaders to provide inclusive environments through structural reasonable adjustments.​
• To consider different ways of making structural reasonable adjustments to ensure autistic pupils are fully supported.

Please book before Monday, 13 February to guarantee your place - Leadership, Inclusion and Structural Reasonable Adjustments

Links will be forwarded to participants up to two days prior by kyle.simms@birmingham.gov.uk

AET Early Years: Good Autism Practice

Monday, 13 March 2023: 09:00-16:30 - Thornbury Centre, Thornbury Road, Birchfield, Birmingham B20 3DE (on road parking only)

This session takes delegates through some of the distinct learning needs, strengths, and difficulties that autistic children share, whilst helping delegates to take note of individual differences. Participants are given the opportunity to start thinking about a particular autistic child and their learning needs, along with ways in which they can adjust and adapt their own practice and the learning environment. 

The aim of ‘Good Autism Practice in the Early Years’ is to support practitioners who work directly with autistic children to:

• Develop their knowledge and understanding of good autism practice.
• Reflect on and improve their practice in working with autistic children.
• Understand strategies and approaches they can draw upon for autistic children they work with.
• Reflect on the kind of information they need to collect for the one-page profile, the support plan, and the EYFS profile.
• Consider how to involve the autistic child and their family in setting learning goals. 

After completing ‘Good Autism Practice in the Early Years’ delegates will be able to:

• Develop their knowledge of how the key areas of difference can affect the learning of an autistic child.
• Consider the approaches, strategies, and adaptations they can implement to remove barriers to wellbeing, participation, and learning for autistic children.
• Understand the importance of involving the child and family in planning and setting learning goals.
• Reflect on ways of gathering information from the child, parents/carers, and other professionals.

Please book before Tuesday, 7 March to guarantee your place - AET Early Years - Good Autism Practice

Please direct any queries to: kyle.simms@birmingham.gov.uk

Key Stage 3 The Lost Years – How to Manage a Successful Transition

Monday, 13 March: 09:00-12:00

The transition from year 6 to year 7 is a significant milestone but one that often sees children fail to make expected progress. This session aims to explore the links between the KS2 and KS3 curricula and in turn all you to be more knowledgeable of students’ starting points, the direction of their learning post-SATs and strategies to achieve this. We will explore the transition process considering relationship forming, institutional adjustment, and curriculum interest and continuity.

Book your place at this link: Key Stage 3 The Lost Years - How to manage a successful transition

Please direct any queries to: Marsha.blissett@servicesforeducation.co.uk

EYFS Profile Moderation 2023 – Early Learning Goals for Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Mathematics

Multiple Dates Available

The focus for 2023 Early Years Foundation Stage Profile training is the revised Early Learning Goals for Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) and Mathematics.

These sessions will support schools and settings to complete the profile assessments under the revised EYFS Statutory Framework 2021 and will be delivered by experienced accredited EYFS profile moderators.

The course will reassure practitioners that their judgments are accurate, valid and consistent with the new revised national standards (ELGs) and revised exemplification material by carrying out ‘agreement trailing’ (standardisation) and moderation activities with other schools.

Book your place at this link: Early Learning Goals for Personal Social and Emotional Development and Mathematics

Please direct any queries to: hello@servicesforeducation.co.uk