Safeguarding Safeguarding Training Level 1/2 E-Learning Now Available from DSCB Governor Briefings – Spring 2015
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Governor Support Service Children & Younger Adults Department County Hall Matlock Derbyshire DE4 3AG For the attention of: 01629 580000 ext . 35769 Ask for : Jeanette Hamilton Chairs of Governors and Headteachers Our ref: BUL71TL Your ref: Date: 4 February 2015 e-mail : [email protected] CONTROLLED Dear Colleague GOVERNOR BULLETIN NO. 71 Please circulate this bulletin to members of your Governing Body and your Clerk to Governors for information. Safeguarding Please see Appendix A for the latest safeguarding briefing from Debbie Peacock, Safeguarding Training Team. Safeguarding training Level 1/2 e-learning now available from DSCB Below is a link to a Safeguarding e-learning package aimed at Level 1and Level 2 for staff, volunteers, governors, parents or young people. This is found in the training and events section. This will go live on the website in late February and will be added to the “Safeguarding Training Materials” section found in the secure section on LID which requires a log in. The course takes about an hour to complete and is free. On successful completion of the assessment, it is possible to print off a certificate. The course is a useful starting point to help you understand key safeguarding issues and what to do if you have concerns about a child or young person. Please use as part of any staff induction and refresher training. You will need to have Adobe Flash installed on your browser in order to view this e-learning. To access the e-learning please see the training courses and events page of www.derbyscb.org.uk . Governor briefings – Spring 2015 These FREE briefings are designed to support your work as an effective governing body and we hope you will encourage at least one governor to put the relevant date in their diaries. Details of our spring sessions are below. Please book your place in advance to ensure there are sufficient handouts and refreshments at each venue. The Erewash venue has been confirmed as Friesland School, Sandiacre. Venue Date Code Glossopdale Community College Wednesday, 25 February SP1512 Freisland School, Sandiacre Monday, 2 March SP1513 County Hall, Matlock Monday, 9 March SP1514 Parkside Community School, Chesterfield Wednesday, 11 March SP1515 1 All sessions will start at 6.30pm promptly and end at approximately 8.30pm. Please allow time on arrival to pick up refreshments. To book a place, please email [email protected] . Urgent – maintained schools Whilst the deadline for your new Instrument of Government coming into effect is 1 September 2015 under reconstitution, we would encourage Governing Bodies to submit their Instrument to Steve Foyster, [email protected] , by the end of the Spring Term if at all possible to ensure that the deadline is met comfortably. For further information about reconstitution please see the details on our website, http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/education/school_governors/governor_support/reconstitution_of _the_governing_body/default.asp , and do not hesitate to contact Governor Support if you have any queries, [email protected], 01629 535769. Exclusions Training - cancelled The above training scheduled for 10 March 2015 at County Hall has had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Please accept my apologies for this. If you are booked onto this course, a member of the Governor Support Team will contact you to rearrange your booking. The next course will be on Wednesday 24 June 2015 at County Hall (course ref: SU1508). Support Service for Special Educational Needs – SEND reforms training workshops – available to Governors for information Please see Appendix B for information about SEND reforms training workshops. The workshops are not specifically for Governors but are part of SSSEN’s specialist training to school staff including class teachers, SENCOs and SMTs so schools have been directly invited. However, if there is spare capacity then Governors are welcome to book and attend by contacting the bases by telephone. Whilst we would welcome Governors who wish to attend to broaden their knowledge of SEN, the workshops are not focused on the role of Governors. School staff who attend the workshops should be able to feedback to their SEN Governor/Governing Body as an additional way of dissemination. Workshops for Governors – Eco Schools and effective waste management Please see Appendix C for information about two free workshops run by Derbyshire County Council’s Eco Schools Officer, Anne Welch, to which governors are invited. For further details and book a place, please email [email protected] or phone 01629 539792. Audit Newsletter Please see Appendix D for the latest Audit Newsletter and ensure it is seen by the members of your finance committee. PTFA accounts / Friends of accounts The Governors have a responsibility to ensure that the financial activity of groups, which fund raise in the name of the school and/or have use of the school premises, do not harm the reputation of the School. Therefore, in order to ensure transparency of the financial management of such groups the Governors should apply best practice in terms of holding details of the constitution of the group. In addition, as evidence that the group produces annual accounts in accordance with the requirements of the guidance issued by the Charities Commission, a copy of the accounts should be reported to the Governing Body which should be minuted. 2 School website The school website is becoming increasingly important and it is a useful vehicle for communicating key information about the school. Governing Bodies are required to publish specified information on a website and Ofsted will check school websites prior to inspection. You will be aware of the document “Information to be published on a school website” which can be found on the following page of our website: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/education/school_governors/governor_support/default.asp . Please note this has recently been updated. Point 9 has the following addition: “By April 2015, schools in receipt of the primary PE and sport premium must publish information online about their use of the funding. Schools must publish the amount of grant received, how it has been spent (or will be spent) and the effect on pupils’ PE (physical education) and sport participation, and attainment. Schools should also consider how the funding is helping to ensure pupils develop healthy lifestyles.’ Pupil Premium Summer Schools Programme 2015 – has your school applied? Summer schools provide an excellent opportunity for secondary schools to help disadvantaged new pupils understand what and how they will be studying in key stage 3. It is also an opportunity for schools to help disadvantaged pupils who are behind in key areas such as literacy and numeracy to catch up with their peers. Secondary schools can now apply for funding by completing a short online form by 29 May 2015. Please go to the following link for further details - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-summer-schools- programme-2014 . First Aid in schools First aid at work covers the arrangements that establishments must make to ensure that people at work who suffer an injury or fall ill, receive immediate attention and that an ambulance is called in serious cases. Although the regulations are intended to cover employees, the same level of provision should be available for any other person on school premises (e.g. pupils/young people, visitors, contractors, service users) and are a requirement for Early Years Providers. The Governing Body should ensure that there is adequate cover for their school and that the required number of first-aiders are adequately trained. Schools buying in to the LA Health and Safety package will have received guidance on this. Governors’ Handbook – new edition A revised edition of the Governors’ Handbook was published on 16 January 2015 and can be accessed via https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governors-handbook--3. Ofsted guidance A summary of the changes made to the Ofsted maintained school inspection documents January 2015 can be accessed via https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maintained-school-inspection-documents- january-2015-summary-of-changes . DfE publishes new guidance for exclusions The DfE has released revised statutory exclusions guidance. While there has been no legislative change, the update provides more explicit guidance on the role of governors. The new guidance takes effect from 5 January 2015 and can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion . 3 New university funding initiative launched by the Sutton Trust The Sutton Trust has launched a new programme to support the brightest students in the country. In collaboration with four top UK universities - Cambridge, Warwick, Nottingham and University College London - the aim is to fill the gap left after the government abolished the “gifted and talented” programme in 2011. The top 10% of students from low and middle incomes will be invited to attend regular academic seminars, skills sessions and university visits at these institutions. Details of the new programme can be found at http://www.suttontrust.com/newsarchive/new-scheme-to-send-bright-11-14-year-olds-to-top- universities/ . Advice on promoting British values in schools published The DfE has published advice on promoting British values as part of SMSC (social, moral, spiritual and cultural education) with the aim to ensure that young people leave schools prepared for life in modern Britain. It contains examples of actions that a school can take. The full advice from the DfE can be assessed for maintained schools at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380595/SMSC_G uidance_Maintained_Schools.pdf and for academies at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380396/Improvin g_the_spiritual__moral__social_and_cultural__SMSC__development_of_pupils_supplementary _information.pdf . Do you have vacancies on your governing body? Please email [email protected] and we will try to help you fill your vacancy.