Included in this update: 

• Measles Webinar - Friday, 2 February 2024
• Complaints Procedures
• Birmingham SEND Update for SENCos and SEND Leads
• Schools Financial Services - Combined Strategic / Budget Financial Planning Tool 
• Mental Health and Wellbeing: New Practical Resource and Tools
• Birmingham Careers Service Updates
• Services for Education - Training Opportunities

Measles Webinar - Friday, 2 February 2024

As you will be aware, measles cases are on the increase in Birmingham and Solihull, and it’s important that everyone is familiar with the latest information regarding symptoms and immunisation recommendations.

As a follow up to the recent measles updates and previous webinars, a joint Birmingham and Solihull webinar is being held this coming Friday 2nd February at 10am – 11am to provide further important information and allow an opportunity for any questions.  The webinar will cover, among other topics:

• Measles – the symptoms and other key messages
• What your setting should do if you hear of a possible or confirmed case.
• The MMR Vaccination
• The responsibilities of Leaders, Managers and Governors
• Information about the school vaccination programme

The webinar will be hosted by Public Health Colleagues from both Birmingham and Solihull, and we would encourage you to attend.

You can join the webinar by simply clicking on this link

A recording of the session will be made available shortly afterwards for colleagues who are unable to attend or to act as a refresher.

For any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact the Health Protection team at HPTeam@birmingham.gov.uk.

Complaints Procedures

We’re aware that a number of schools are using out of date complaints procedures. This leaves schools vulnerable to challenge if complaints are escalated to the Department for Education (DfE).

It’s important, therefore, that all schools customise the complaints procedures provided by the DfE, adopt them through their Governing Boards, and publish details of their complaints procedure on their website.

Information can be found on the Government website relating to:

• Best practice guidance
• Model complaints procedure
• Model Policy for managing serial and unreasonable complaints

Please click on the relevant link below for further information.

• Schools Complaints Procedures: Guidance for Maintained Schools
• Guidance: Setting up an Academies complaints procedure

For any queries please don’t hesitate to contact the School and Governor Support team at school.support@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham SEND Update for SENCos and SEND Leads in Schools and Settings

The half-termly update for all SENCos and SEND leads across the sector has been issued today, sharing messages and information around SEND as part of our improved SEND communication framework.

The updates can be accessed here: www.birmingham.gov.uk/blog/senco-nb

If your SENCo/SEND lead has not received an email alert taking them to the SEND updates, then please get in touch with Heather Wood at heather.wood@birmingham.gov.uk to ensure they are added to the distribution list.

Schools Financial Services Combined Strategic / Budget Financial Planning Tool

FAO: Headteachers and School Business Managers/Bursars

Schools Financial Services (SFS) Combined Strategic / Budget Financial Planning Tool is available for maintained Primary, Secondary and Special Schools to purchase.

As in previous years, SFS has separated the funding calculation element from the strategic reports to enable assumptions to be changed and modified throughout the year as and when announcements and guidance on future years funding are released from the DfE.

The council's requirement for a strategic forecast in 2023/2024 was removed for this year. However, this template will remain in its previous format of a combined strategic / budget report.

The template will calculate estimated outturns and key KPI’s when information on anticipated income, expenditure and funding has been input by the school. SFS can still support schools with forecasting future years funding by sending you a pro-forma to complete which will enable us to calculate your estimated funding for future years in the following areas: S251, EYSFF, Teacher Pay and Pension Grant (where still separate), Pupil Premium, Growth, Resource Base and Post 16 funding. Once the pro-forma has been completed and returned, schools will receive a blank report template and a print out of the projected funding for future years.

The report and documentation will be sent as an encrypted email, at a price of £220 (Corporate Discount has been applied for 2023/2024).

The key benefits to your school include:

• Enabling the assessment of effective and efficient use of resources
• Ability to respond to fluctuations in pupil numbers and funding
• Support the requirements of the Schools Financial Value Standard
• Comply with Ofsted and Audit recommendations
• Allow modelling of different funding scenarios

SFS can support Schools in completing the combined strategic / budget plan if required; the price would be £49.00 per hour.

For queries or further information, please don't hesitate to contact Elaine Leith, Area Finance Manager at Elaine.A.Leith@birmingham.gov.uk

Mental Health and Wellbeing: New Practical Resource and Tools

FAO: Primary and Secondary School Staff

Anna Freud have created a mental health resource hub designed around eight whole school approach principles: leadership and management, school ethos and environment, curriculum, teaching and learning, student voice, staff development, health and wellbeing, identifying need and monitoring impact, working with parents/carers, and targeted support.

These eight principles are presented in the form of toolkits, auditing tools, action plans, classroom-based resources including lesson plans and videos, as well as teacher wellbeing resources.

Anna Freud have also developed a targeted support toolkit for use by anyone with responsibility for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in a school. The toolkit is categorised into understanding your setting, identifying appropriate targeted support, introducing targeted mental wellbeing support, and evaluating, sustaining and adapting targeted support.

The tool outlines in-school targeted support options that have been evaluated and signpost to relevant programmes such as: cognitive behavioural therapy, depression prevention, social and emotional learning.

For queries or further information, please contact HealthySchools@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham Careers Service Updates

The latest bulletin ‘Aim for More in 2024’ from Birmingham Careers Service containing information on how to access careers advice together with information on study programmes and apprenticeships is available to view at this link.

It’s National Apprenticeship Week 2024 – discover workshop opportunities, how to access and apply for apprenticeships, careers guidance, case studies and more!

Find out more about Birmingham Careers Service at this link

Services for Education – Training Opportunities

Increasing Greater Depth Writing Attainment – an Overview for Leaders (Online): 

Tuesday, 27 February 2024:  To book you place simply click here

Safer Recruitment –  Refresher Training (Online): 

Wednesday, 28 February 2024: To book your place simply click here

This refresher course will enable schools to ensure they are meeting statutory requirements and to improve processes that help deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children and identifies ways settings can create safer environment.

Teachers and Assessment Leaders New to Year 2 - Preparing for the Essential Assessment Processes at the End of KS1 (Centre Based)

Monday, 4 March 2024: 09.00 - 16.00: To book your place simply click here

Interim Writing Moderation at KS1 – For Year 2 Teachers (Centre Based): 

Thursday, 7 March 2024: To book your place simply click here

This shared moderation will be an opportunity for Year 2 teachers to ensure that assessments of writing are secure. Although now non-statutory, it is best practice to continue using the 2019 KS1 Teacher Assessment Framework to maintain rigour and make robust and accurate judgements at KS1.

Interim Writing Moderation at KS2 – For Teachers New to Year 6

Monday, 11 March 2024: To book your place simply click here

This course will provide an early opportunity for Year 6 teachers to review writing evidence against the 2019 KS2 teacher assessment framework standards to inform next steps in the teaching, learning and assessment process.