School Noticeboard
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1 School Noticeboard Edition 35: Thursday 29 June 2017 Inside this issue (click on links below): From the Director 2 Urgent review of Fire Risk Assessments 3 Prevent Risk Assessment 3 Physical Chastisement: Clarification on Reporting and Consent 3 Use of Egress Switch: Secure Emails 4 SnapMaps: the new app within Snapchat 5 REMINDER: Fair Access Protocol 6 Non-material value assets available at Baverstock Academy 6 Message from Save Our Schools Birmingham 7 Never Such Innocence is coming to Birmingham: Friday 22 September 2017 8 Consultation on Birmingham’s Strategy for SEND and Inclusion: closes 31 July 9 School and Governor Support 2017/18 Governor Training Programme 9 REMINDER: EYSFF Summer Term 2017 Data Collection 10 VAT on Adult Meals 10 Education Infrastructure Termly Bulletin (June 2017) 11 Disability Access Fund: Summer Term Claim for Schools Academies and PVIs 11 Educational Visits Guidance: Advice from Safety Services 12 Educational Visits: Compliance with BCC Policy and Training 12 Birmingham Careers Service 13 Schools Financial Services Budget Management Training 14 iPeace Project 14 The Successful Head Teacher: Essential Business Skills 15 Health Education Service resource giveaway 15 Waverley TSA NQT Programme September 2017 16 Olevi Outstanding Teacher Programme (OTP) 16 The Building Blocks of Nursery Maths: Friday 8 September 2017 17 Link2ICT Customer Satisfaction Survey 2017 17 Link2ICT training courses 18 Making SMART plans for your school 19 2 From the Director Dear Colleagues This week I would to start by flagging up some remarkable work from Deykin Avenue that the pupils produced in response to the recent terrorist attacks. The pupils from this quintessentially multi-cultural school want to share their messages of love and unity via the medium of their artwork. We know that all schools in Birmingham share these values and I see brilliant examples constantly on Twitter. Meanwhile, nearby at Holte , colleagues have been working with the University of Cambridge for the last three years to embed a culture of restorative justice in the school. Having met the student mentors from a range of year groups, you can see just how deeply this influences values and actions across the school. You can read about this work and collaboration with Lozells later in this week’s Noticeboard . All of this work is the long-term best form of safeguarding when young people feel in control of their lives and able to influence each other’s behaviours for the good. Down the road in Westminster, the Queen’s Speech was vague about the future of school funding. Looks like the new funding formula is off the table but that does not lessen the funding crisis that our schools are facing today. Now that election purdah is over, I am happy to promote the local Save Our Schools campaign that you will see below . To use the old NUT slogan, “education cuts never heal” and we must all keep up the campaign for real term guarantees, rather than cash guarantees, for education funding in the city. In September, Birmingham will be hosting a major event run by Never Such Innocence to launch their 2017/18 Poetry and Art competition inspired by events of the First World War. All schools are invited to participate and it’s really important that English city schools are represented in an international movement that has been dominated by schools from the shires to date. You can read more later in this week’s Noticeboard. Out and about this week it was a pleasure to attend the highly impressive South Network Art Exhibition 2017 held at the Birmingham City University School of Art. South Network comprises 15 secondary schools of all stripes, including this year Lindsworth and Joseph Chamberlain College, who showcase their art annually. There’s something about the display that is more immediate and compelling than much “adult” art and the students tell many social stories told via the medium of art. Long may this continue in a school culture where the arts are under threat….unless HMCI Amanda Spielman is riding to the rescue as OfSTED rediscovers that there is something called the curriculum ( her speech is worth reading here ). Finally, you will see below a very important note from Education Infrastructure regarding fire risk assessments. Following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, we have been asked by the DfE to provide an update on our school estate so all schools need to urgently check they have an up to date assessment. Please make sure that you do this as soon as possible. Best wishes Colin @anfieldexile 3 Urgent review of Fire Risk Assessments You are required to ensure that your Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is up to date and covers all buildings on your site including residential provision and BSS house. In light of the recent tragic event at Grenfell Tower all Local Authorities have been asked by the Department for Education to provide an update on their school estate. We are asking all our schools to check as a matter of urgency that you have an up to date FRA i.e. it has been reviewed within the past twelve months. You are asked to carry out this check by no later than 10 July 2017. If your FRA is now due or shortly will be due for a review then please make arrangements to carry out the necessary review and bring up to date as a matter of priority. Please also ensure that priority recommendations are implemented and works carried out in order to ensure compliance. We will be auditing schools in relation to all key statutory compliance items which will include your FRA and actions. In addition to this we will be writing to you in the new term to request completion of the Mandatory Annual Declaration of Compliance. This will include declaration relating to your FRA and recommended remedial works. More information is included in the termly bulletin later in this week’s Noticeboard. CONTACT: Education Infrastructure TEL: 0121 303 8847 EMAIL: [email protected] Prevent Risk Assessment A Prevent Risk Assessment can be found on the School Safeguarding website at https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/downloads/download/773/the_prevent_duty This risk assessment is designed to support schools to monitor and review policy and practice around the Prevent Duty. It is imperative that colleagues in schools understand that Prevent sits firmly within safeguarding, just like any other safeguarding issue. However, the school has full responsibility to comply with the statutory guidance as stated within the Prevent Duty. The risk assessment can be used as a supportive tool to monitor the school’s compliance. It would be highly recommended that the risk assessment is reviewed annually. CONTACT: Ayisha Ali, Curriculum Lead, Education Resilience Team EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 0121 303 2627 Physical Chastisement: Clarification on Reporting and Consent There has been an increase in referrals from schools into CASS surrounding physical chastisement. A number of these have resulted in a strategy discussion and Section 47 intervention. After close monitoring of these referrals, it has become apparent that there has been 4 significant delay between the disclosure and referral, which has ultimately put children at risk or at further risk. If a child discloses any form of physical chastisement, please contact CASS immediately on 303 1888. They will be able to advise DSLs on the best course of action, with regard to referral and seeking consent. If a child discloses chastisement/abuse from parents/carers that • Alleges an implement is being used. (eg belt, shoe, broom handle) and/or • Leaves physical, prominent marks that can be seen. DO NOT disclose or discuss the issue with the parent/carer, but contact CASS via telephone immediately. In this case, consent to refer or discussion with parents/carers could place children at further risk. When you speak to CASS, it is vital that you give clear, precise details about any physical marks or injuries, and provide as much context as possible. DSLs are reminded that children should not be kept back and held in school, unless specifically instructed by Children’s Services. If a school hasn’t been notified of a Section 47 being the outcome of a strategy discussion by the end of the school day, then police and social workers will visit children and families at their address. Children are only to be detained at school if they have specifically been requested to by CASS/MASH. Thank you for your continued support and co-operation with this. Should you have any queries regarding education’s contribution to CASS, please do not hesitate to make contact. CONTACT: Jon Needham, Education Safeguarding EMAIL: [email protected] Use of Egress Switch: Secure Emails Headteachers/Principals and Designated Safeguarding Leads are reminded that all sensitive information from Birmingham City Council departments sent electronically is sent through a system called Egress Switch. It allows confidential information to be sent in a safe and secure way. Staff based in CASS and MASH, including the Education Officers, use email to send information to schools (such as decisions made following referrals and Domestic Abuse incident notifications) This ensures a timely and efficient delivery, and allows schools to keep children’s safeguarding records up to date. Following a recent review, it has become apparent that in some cases the Egress Switch email packages are not being opened up by the recipient. This means that messages and important safeguarding notifications are not being accessed and read. It is of vital importance that Designated Safeguarding Leads register for an Egress Switch account, if they have not done so already. This only takes a few minutes and registration only needs to be undertaken once.