LDBS SCHOOLS BULLETIN April 2017
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LDBS SCHOOLS BULLETIN April 2017 Please pass this bulletin on to all members of the leadership team, governors and Heads of RE / RE Co-ordinators www.ldbs.co.uk Bulletin Contents Message from Inigo Woolf 1 Grow Education Partners 6 Training and Development Programme LDBS News 2 Service Provision We would like to welcome… Congratulations Resources and Educational Programmes 6 Determined Admissions Policies The Prince William Award Resources from the Mayor’s Education & Youth Safeguarding Advice 3 Team at GLA Safeguarding advice Springs Dance Company Single Central Record (SCR) clarifications National Citizen Service (NCS) HR & Recruitment Advice 3 Teaching London 8 Employment Contracts Assessment-Only Route to QTS Religious Education and Collective Worship 4 Teacher Training placements RE Courses hosted by the Guildford Education Upcoming events 9 Department Headteachers’ & Secondary Deputy / Christian Aid Week Assistant Headteachers’ Narnian Virtues Character Education Project Walk for Wildlife Governors and Governance 5 Reminders 9 Governance Briefing – April 2017 LDBS Newsletter Governor Training Programme Governing Body School Anniversaries in 2018 Filling a LDBS Foundation Governor Vacancy Governing Body Minutes Message from Inigo Woolf Welcome back. On the 22nd March, the consultation on the national fair funding proposals closed. 20% of LDBS schools benefit and 80% lose out. A number of schools have written to Justine Greening and it will be interesting to hear whether the large volume of correspondence will have any impact. Whatever the outcome of the consultation, we know you have to deliver first class education with fewer resources than in each preceding year. We will succeed providing we collaborate and search for innovative ways to deliver the outcomes staff, parents and pupils want. The LDBS website is now live. So far we have had some highly complementary messages and some requests to fix bugs. Please keep sending your reaction to the new website. 1 LDBS News We would like to welcome: Executive Headteachers, Headteachers & Heads of School Name Position School LA Clive Hale Headteacher St Paul’s Primary School Camden Caroline Chamberlain Headteacher Edward Betham Primary School Ealing Matthew White Headteacher St Mary’s Hampton Primary School Richmond Emily Wright Interim Head Stepney Greencoat Primary School Tower Hamlets Vice Principals, Deputy & Assistant Headteachers Name Position School LA Ella Moynihan Deputy Head Bishop Stopford School Enfield Shereka James Deputy Head Bishop Stopford School Enfield Congratulations Ofsted and SIAMS inspection Grades We offer our congratulations to the following schools who were rated either ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’ in their recent OFSTED or SIAMS inspections. St Mary’s Primary School, Barnet – Outstanding (SIAMS) Christ Church Primary School, Albany Street, Camden – Good (SIAMS) St James Primary School, Enfield – Good (SIAMS) St Michael’s Primary School, Enfield – Good (Ofsted) St Paul with St Michael’s Primary School, Hackney – Outstanding (Ofsted) The Urswick School, Hackney – Good (Ofsted) St John’s Primary School, Upper Holloway, Islington – Good (Ofsted) Cowley St Laurence Primary School, Hillingdon – Good (Ofsted) St Mary’s Hampton Primary School, Richmond – Outstanding (SIAMS) St Augustine’s Primary School, Westminster – Outstanding (SIAMS) St George’s Primary School, Westminster – Outstanding (SIAMS) SSAT Awards We offer our congratulations to staff and pupils at Chelsea Academy (K&C) who have been awarded three national awards for exceptional 2016 results. Educational Outcomes data analysis from the Schools, Students and Teachers Network (SSAT) has shown that the school is in the top 20% of non-selective schools nationally for attainment and for progress. The Academy has also been recognised for its success in achieving high levels of performance for students eligible for the pupil premium. London Healthy Workplace Charter Award We offer our congratulations to staff at St Mary Abbots School (K&C) who have been awarded Level One ‘Commitment’ Status of the London Healthy Workplace Charter. The Charter, backed by the Mayor of London, helps employers address issues such as sickness absence, productivity, recruitment and staff retention. If offers employers a framework for reviewing and developing management practices and practical considerations across a wide range of areas, including mental health and well-being, smoking, alcohol, physical activity and healthy eating. 2 Determined Admissions Policies Can you make sure that you send a copy of your determined arrangements to Penny Harvey as soon as possible (email: [email protected] ). You will also need to send a copy to your Local Authority. Safeguarding Advice Safeguarding Advice Safeguarding is a high priority in inspections. Last term several issues emerged for schools which caused additional difficulties and upheaval. Please ensure you have referred to the documents on our website under Policies and downloads /safeguarding, in particular the self-evaluation document, which will support you in ensuring you are compliant. There are also additional documents on Child Protection files which are helpful. If you have any safeguarding queries please do contact your link adviser or Helen Ridding by email on [email protected] Single Central Record (SCR) clarifications Fee-funded trainee teachers There is no requirement to enter the vetting checks of student teachers from third-party providers on the school’s SCR. The school should obtain written confirmation from the training provider that vetting checks have been completed and the person is suitable to work with children. Trainee teachers employed by the school should be entered onto the SCR in the same way as other employees. SCR for Multi-Academy Trusts Staff who are not allocated to a specific school should be kept on the MAT’s central SCR. Staff who work at a number of different schools in the MAT, need only to be recorded on the SCR where they spend most time. Other schools in the MAT that they visit should record the person’s name on their SCR and note that the person’s full record is detailed on the SCR at their main academy. HR & Recruitment Advice Employment Contracts The National Society has updated the templates for employment contracts in Church of England Schools. They consulted with the national offices of all the main trade unions. The new contracts are more succinct and easier to complete. The main change is the introduction of probation for teaching staff of one term which can be extended to two terms if necessary. As this is a significant change, each governing body, as the employer, will need to decide whether to retain this clause or not. It does not affect existing staff and as consultation has already taken place does not need to be consulted upon locally. Our advice would be to adopt the new template unless there is a clear reason locally not to. The new contracts also state that support staff have a period of probation of one term which can be extended to two terms rather than the current period of six months. The revised contracts can be found on the LDBS website. If you have any queries please contact your link HR adviser. 3 Religious Education and Collective Worship RE Courses hosted by Guildford Education Department Guildford Diocese are hosting some free RE training for their schools which they are willing to open up to schools in the London and Southwark Dioceses: Thursday 18th May 2017 (10am – 2pm) – Getting Started with Prayer Spaces for Schools Thursday 25th May 2017 (10am – 3pm) – Songs for Life: Music for Collective Worship and PHSE Both sessions are held at venues close to Guildford mainline station. For more information or to book places please use the links above or email Jane Whittington. Christian Aid Week (14-20th May 2017) For the past few years, news headlines have been dominated by stories of conflict and the people who are fleeing from fighting and seeking refuge. There have been lots of debates about what the political response should be to the refugee crisis in Europe and beyond. Christian Aid believes that all people, including refugees, should be safe and looked-after. Christian Aid Week (14th-20th May 2017) resources are designed to help your pupils understand more about choices and challenges facing people making difficult journeys in search of a safe place and to empathise with the situation currently facing many refugees. For more information and to download resources please visit the Christian Aid ‘Learn’ website. Narnian Virtues Character Education Project (KS3) The University of Leeds, in collaboration with State University of New York (SUNY) Cortland, and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, has developed a curriculum which utilise three novels from the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’. Aimed at 11-14 year olds, and designed to be delivered in concurrent years, each stage of the curriculum is 12 weeks long, based on 2 hours per week class time, usually in English lessons. The curriculum focuses on six virtues: wisdom, love, integrity, self-control, fortitude and justice. Students learn about virtues through textual analysis, and then apply what they have learnt about the virtue to themselves. Students also complete homework activities to reinforce their reflections on character. For more information please see the flyer in the document section of the bulletin or email: [email protected]