• Important Information about setting up Oracle Employee Self Service (ESS) 
• 2022-2023 Schools' Financial Year End Procedures and Timetable 
• 2023 Data Collections for EYFSP, Phonics, KS1 and KS2 
• Statutory Compliance Return 2023
• Free Fraud Awareness in Schools E-Learning Module 
• Free Safeguarding Newsletter for Schools 
• AET Exclusions Module
• AET Early Years: Good Autism Practice
• AET Autism and Anxiety Module
• AET Post-16: Leadership, Inclusion and Structural Reasonable Adjustments
• Peer Mediation Plus
• Health and Safety Training Courses

Important information about setting up Oracle Employee Self Service (ESS)

Preparation for the move from paper to online payslips from 1 April 2023

With paper payslip production ending from 1 April 2023 and an ongoing need to ensure robust data security, it is important that as many staff as possible activate their Oracle accounts so that they can view payslips online.

The information below relates to the process for those who have not yet enabled their Oracle access.

Activating remaining ESS accounts:

• For data security purposes, the automatic process for sending access links in fortnightly reminder emails has ceased.
• Instead, a final direct email is now being sent to staff who have not yet enabled ESS.
• This email will be sent from the oracle.guest.requests@birmingham.gov.uk mailbox and will include a link via which staff can activate their account – this link will be active for 14 days from the email issue date.
• To help minimise data security risks, staff who do not activate their account within the 14-day period, must inform their school’s Form Raiser as the link will no longer be active.
• The Form Raiser should then contact the Schools HR Help Desk shrsportalhelpdesk@birmingham.gov.uk on their behalf, to request a new activation request email to be sent direct to the member of staff within a period of four term-time weeks. 
• All contact regarding ESS must be via school Form Raisers -Schools HR Help Desk will not accept direct contact/emails from staff.

Requests and required information already submitted via Form Raisers on behalf of staff:

• For cases where Form Raisers contacted the Schools HR Help Desk mailbox in January regarding ESS activation for their staff – these staff will be sent a new activation request email before half-term commences.
• For cases reported during February, staff will receive a new activation request email.
• Again, this new link will only be active for 14 days from the email issue date, after which staff will need to inform their Form Raiser, as set out in the steps above.

New starters:

• For new starters needing an email address adding to their Oracle record, or staff who need to change their email address, Form Raisers should send the staff members full name, employee number and work email address via email to shrsportalhelpdesk@birmingham.gov.uk. This will enable an Oracle account activation email to be sent to new starters.
• This activation email will contain a link via which staff can activate their accounts. This link will expire 14 days from the date of issue, after which staff will need to inform their Form Raiser, as above.

ESS activation guidance:

• Staff can follow the steps in the HR Schools Employee Self Service video guidance to activate their accounts and refer to the guidance on the Oracle system user guidance webpage.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a first step that provides the necessary data security. 
• During the activation process, staff will receive a prompt to set up MFA using an app. However, instead of using this App, it is recommended that staff follow the more convenient alternative method set out within the guidance, using a phone number to receive the authentication number via text or call.

Staff without online access to ESS:

• Staff without an email address or online access to Oracle ESS will continue to be sent paper payslips to their home address.
• It is therefore important to ensure that their postal address in Oracle is correct.
• More information about the continuation of paper payslips for these staff will follow in due course.

2022-2023 Schools’ Financial Year End Procedures and Timetable

At the end of each financial year, the Chief Finance Officer has the responsibility for preparing the annual accounts for the City Council, this includes consolidating school accounts.  

For school accounts to be included within the Local Authority final accounts for 2022-23, schools are required to have finalised their year-end data for the period ending 31st March 2023.

Full guidance on Year End Procedures can be found at this link: Year-end procedures | Budgets for schools in Birmingham | Birmingham City Council, together with key actions, timelines and all associated template forms which require completion.

The information provided also includes any changes to the financial procedures for this financial year.  A key change adopted this year is to include a threshold of £1,000 for any income and expenditure transactions to be included within year end accruals at year-end.  The rationale behind this change is twofold:

• Review of prior year school workbooks revealed that exclusion of accumulated accrual transactions below £1,000 had no material impact to the accounts/carry-forward balances.
• Review of prior year school workbooks revealed that most accrual submissions where for transactions below £1,000, therefore the removal will streamline the process.

For any queries or further assistance please contact: SchoolsYEAccountsClosedown@Birmingham.gov.uk

2023 Data Collections for EYFSP, Phonics, KS1 and KS2

The website www.birmingham.gov.uk/primarydata has now been updated with the necessary documentation regarding the 2023 statutory collections, and further updates will be added over the coming months.

Please see the link Deadlines Poster 2023 for the deadlines for each key stage assessment return.

Please note, ALL schools are required to submit final returns by the stated deadlines.

For any queries or further information, please contact the Data and Intelligence Team: educationdata@birmingham.gov.uk

Statutory Compliance Return 2023

The Annual Statutory Compliance Return is now live and can be accessed using the following link: Schools Annual Compliance Return

Please note that the date for completion of the Compliance Return is Wednesday, 29 March 2023.

Once the deadline for returns has passed, a sample of schools will be selected for an audit of their compliance which will be undertaken by Schools Safety Services. Any school failing to submit a return will be first on the list to be audited.

For queries or further information please contact: edsi.enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk

Free Fraud Awareness in Schools E-Learning Module

This package is available free of charge to all Birmingham schools, and bookings will close on 30 April 2023, so please act quickly to ensure you have had an opportunity to complete it.

The overall aim of the learning package is to equip staff with the necessary knowledge to help minimise the risk of fraud in relation to the work that they do in schools. 

We recommend that the Chair of Governors, the Chair of the Finance Committee, the Headteacher and all staff involved with the finances of the school complete this important training.

The learning should give a greater insight into the different types of fraud that can affect schools and provide tips on preventing and detecting fraud, along with what to do if you have any suspicions.

To register for the training, please follow these steps:

1. Click on this link http://eawareness.meritec.co.uk/Register/BirminghamCityCouncil
2. Input your name, email address and choose a password. The ‘Department / Organisation’ field can be left on ‘Select’, as this isn’t used.
3. Shortly afterwards, you should receive an email with further details about how to access the course and be prompted to login.  A further guide will be attached to the email in pdf format.  

In case of potential issues with email firewalls or spam filters, the email will come from noreply-eawareness@meritec.co.uk and providing the URL eawareness.meritec.co.uk is allowed on your school firewall, you should experience no problems.  However, If you do have any issues with your firewall, please contact your IT provider to resolve it.  The training can be completed from a home computer / internet connection if necessary.

Please don’t forget to submit feedback once the training is completed, as this will allow you to obtain a completion certificate and will allow us to gauge how useful the training has been to you.

If you have any questions or concerns you would like to discuss, please feel to call John Preston, Group Auditor, Corporate Fraud Team on 07825 979 269 or 0121 303 9335, or email: john.preston@birmingham.gov.uk or BirminghamAudit@birmingham.gov.uk.

Free Safeguarding Newsletter for Schools

Services For Education has just launched a brand-new monthly safeguarding newsletter.

Each newsletter will feature, at least:

• One completely free resource or blog which will support you with safeguarding at your school
• One quick-fire safeguarding tip, hint or fact for you to digest quickly, to provoke reflection and discussion on a featured topic
• One safeguarding event that you won’t want to miss

We will also share signposts to important external safeguarding resources and documents, updates to any safeguarding legislation or requirements for schools and much more.

Sign up today by simply following this link! or contact Jo Perrin for further information at: safeguarding@servicesforeducation.co.uk

AET Exclusions Module

Wednesday, 8 March 2023: 09:00-12:30 – Via Microsoft Teams

The aim of this module is to enable delegates to:

• Understand the legal context of autism and exclusion
• Understand the risk of illegal exclusion and how to avoid it occurring
• Better understand the triggers and ways of managing distressed behaviours
• Reflect on ways to support autistic CYP and their families during the period of exclusion
• To consider ways of transitioning the autistic CYP back into school and how to manage the reintegration meeting

To book your place simply follow this link

AET Early Years: Good Autism Practice

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

In this module, delegates are taken through some of the distinct learning needs, strengths, and difficulties that autistic children share, whilst helping delegates 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.

AET Autism and Anxiety Module

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

• After completing this module, attendees will be able to understand:
• How autistic CYP might express anxiety.
• What can cause anxiety in autistic CYP.
• What you can do to prevent and reduce anxiety in autistic CYP.

The course will also enable attendees to:

• have greater knowledge about how prevalent and impactful anxiety can be on autistic pupils
• learn that anxiety can be transactional and we all have a role in reducing anxiety in school
• understand that there is a toolbox of approaches that can be used to reduce anxiety and the first step is to learn about the individual’s triggers and preferred means of support
• understand that by reducing anxiety we can significantly improve a CYP’s ability to engage with school life and their peers, as well as improve general well-being.

To book your place simply follow this link

AET Post-16: Leadership, Inclusion and Structural Reasonable Adjustments

Friday, 24 March 2023: 09:00-12:30 – Via Microsoft Teams

The Leadership, Inclusion and Structural, Reasonable Adjustments Module is part of the Suite of Resources for Leaders. It has been compiled for leaders and leadership teams within education settings to embed culture change across their provision and support them on their journey to become an outstanding and inclusive setting. The resources will support leaders to fully embed the 8 principles of good autism practice as outlined in the Good Autism Practice Report.

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 aims

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

To book your place simply follow this link

Peer Mediation Plus

Funding is available for schools in the West Midlands to help set up a Peer Mediation scheme and train staff to get the most out of the scheme in the Spring or Summer terms 2023.

Peer mediation involves children being trained to mediate their peers’ conflicts at school. It is underpinned by the same values that inform adult mediation. It is voluntary, inclusive and leads those people who find themselves in a dispute, to find their own solution to their problem, rather than being told what to do.  It is conflict resolution for young people, by young people. 

What’s included:

• Pupil workshop
• 3 days mediation training - with up to 24 selected peer mediators
• Staff CPD (3 twilights or one-half day and one twilight)
• Lunchtime Supervisor Training (a 90-minute session)
• Invitation to a WM Peer Mediation Leads Network
• Evaluation including a follow up visit to the school once the scheme is established

Schools are asked to commit to all aspects of the offer and to make a financial contribution towards the costs. The total cost to deliver this work is £2,770 per school, but each school will be asked to contribute just £500.00.

For further information please contact Libbs Packer at Peacemakers:  Libbs@peacemakers.org.uk or telephone 0121 236 4796.

Health and Safety Training Courses

School Site Safety - 2 & 3 March 2023: 09:00-16:00 – Microsoft Teams
Cost: £148.00 per delegate - To book your place simply follow this link

MIDAS Refresher - 15 March 2023: 09:30-13:00  - Driver Training Centre, Redfern Depot, Kings Road, Tyseley B11 2AB
Cost: £171.00 per delegate. Note that lunch will not be provided. To book your place simply follow this link

Level 3 Award - First Aid at Work (Re-qualification) - 20 & 21 March 2023: 09:00-16:00 - Stirchley Baths, Bournville Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2JT
Cost: £160.00 per delegate. Note that lunch will not be provided.To book your place simply follow this link

Fire Marshall Training - 28 March 2023: 10:00-12:00 – Microsoft Teams
Cost: £21.00 per delegate - To book your place simply follow this link

For queries or further information regarding the above Health and Safety Training Courses, contact: schoolsafety@birmingham.gov.uk