Latest EEF news – NEW: ‘The EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium

The Education Endowment Foundation have published an updated Pupil Premium guide for school leaders. This can be accessed via the link below and has been updated based on the new DfE requirements.
 
 
Jo Goodman, who is the Regional Delivery Lead for EEF, will be presenting at the Bucks Education Partnership’s Chairs Strategic Briefing on Friday 12 November and will be talking about this.

DfE School Governance Update notification

Welcome to the November edition of the DfE’s School Governance Update, where you will find key announcements and information to support you in your governance role.

For this edition we have created one version to cover both maintained schools and academy trusts– the articles are listed below for information.

1) Message from Baroness Barran
2) Understanding your data: a guide for school governors and academy trustees updated
3) National Leaders of Governance – Eligibility for funded support and new designations
4) Free services for finding skilled volunteers to become school governors and academy trustees
5) Webinar for governors on implementing flexible working
6) View my financial insights (VMFI) tool has been updated with your latest data (academy trusts only)
7) Update your information – Get Information about schools (GIAS)

Here is the link to the page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-governance-update/school-governance-update-november-2021

If you would like to provide us with any further feedback on the content or format of this update please email: schoolgovernance.update@education.gov.uk.

If you are no longer on a governing or trust board – please contact your former school/academy trust and ask them to update their records on their Get Information About Schools (GIAS) database. This will ensure you do not receive any further communications from the department.
Thank you,

School Governance Unit

Department for Education

 

Ofsted Update from Sue Cox, HMI, 18th October

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you to all those that were able to attend the Ofsted Update on Monday 18th October with Sue Cox, HMI.  Attached is the presentation from Sue.

EIF Refresher October Buckinghamshire LA

Regards,

Hazel David

School Improvement Team

Children’s Services

Statement regarding families remaining abroad

Good evening, please see below with correct email address for queries

 Sent on behalf of James Fowler, Education Entitlement Manager

For queries regarding the email and attachment please contact childrenmissingeducation@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

 Dear Colleagues,

We are aware that many schools have pupils who have travelled overseas during the pandemic and who have not yet committed to a return date.

Please see the attached statement that gives advice on what actions schools can take in these circumstances.

Statement re families remaining abroad

Kind regards

James

James Fowler

Education Entitlement Manager

Children’s Services – Education

Buckinghamshire Council

Have any questions about coronavirus? Follow the links below to find further information.

 Schools FAQs page: https://schoolsweb.buckscc.gov.uk/covid-19-corona-virus-latest-advice/

Support for families: https://www.bucksfamilyinfo.org/coronavirus

 

 

 

 

 

Chairs Network Meeting – Chesham / Amersham / Wendover / Great Missenden Area – Monday 1st November 2021 7pm

The next meeting for chairs in the Chesham/Amersham/Wendover/Missenden area is on Monday 1st November at 7pm using Microsoft Teams.

Key topics that seem to be of interest are:

  1. Mental Health of Pupils
  2. Wellbeing of Staff
  3. Closing the Gap (referencing Bucks programme)
  4. The new traded services from Bucks Council

but other topics can be added – do let me know of anything specific you want covered.  If you are a new chair it could be general questions about the role.

Please contact me on abrown1@chacademy.co.uk to let me know you are going to attend.  To join the meeting use this link.

Andrew Brown

Chair, Chiltern Hills Academy

Governor Vacancy at Speen Church of England School

Speen Church of England VA School

As a small church infant school, we are looking for a foundation governor. They needn’t be a church go-er necessarily, but be happy to support our Christian ethos. We are specifically short of skills on our curriculum committee so would ideally welcome someone who has worked in primary education if at all possible.

Speen Church of England
(VA) School

Flowers Bottom Lane
Speen
Buckinghamshire
HP27 0SX

Headteacher and SENDco: Mrs Jacquie Coles
Email: head@speenschool.com

Tel: 01494 488321

Date for Schools Value Financial Standards (SFVS) Is Confirmed

The Autumn Term Finance Newsletter on Schools Web has highlighted the date for the submission of the SVFS as:

 

Schools Value Financial Standard (SVFS) due 28th February 2022

Ofsted News – Issue 105 – September 2021

OfstedNews

Our free monthly newsletter

Issue 105 | September 2021

Sections

 

All Ofsted
Amanda Spielman at researchED National Conference 2021 – The Chief Inspector discussed Ofsted’s research on education during the pandemic, remote education and curriculum. Ofsted’s curriculum lead Heather Fearn also spoke at the conference and we have published the accompanying presentation slides.
Schools and early education update: academic year 2021 to 2022 – Updates for inspectors and stakeholders with the latest information and guidance about Ofsted’s inspection work in schools and early education settings.
Ofsted to review two education catch-up reforms – Ofsted has been asked by the government to carry out an independent review of two key catch-up reforms: tutoring and teachers’ professional development.
Ofsted and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) say it is time to give prison education ‘the attention it deserves’ – The Chief Inspectors of Ofsted and HMIP have written a joint commentary discussing the impact of COVID-19 on prison education and announcing the launch of a new prison education review.
Inspecting education, skills and work activities in prisons and young offender institutions – From 25 October 2021, this handbook will come back into force for inspections carried out with HMIP. Ofsted will resume full inspections of prison education aligned with the education inspection framework (EIF). The handbook has been revised to cover the impact and context of COVID-19 when making judgements (see paragraphs 20 to 33). Inspectors will apply the handbook with the expectation that the prison is planning to deliver the curriculum making the best use of opportunities permitted at each stage of the recovery, as determined by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
Ofsted pen portraits of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) – Updated HMI pen portraits for all regions.
Ofsted Inspectors: lists – Updated list of Ofsted Inspectors as at 10 September 2021.

Schools
Ofsted launches updated guidance for summary evaluations of multi-academy trusts (MATs) – Updated summary evaluations of MATs guidance explains how Ofsted will carry out these visits.
Video: Lee Owston on MATs and the focus of summary evaluations – Lee Owston, Ofsted’s Programme Director, Schools Inspection Improvement, talks about the focus of summary evaluations, which look at the impact that the MAT is having on improving the quality of education in its schools.
Video: Lee Owston on MATs, summary evaluations and inspection – Lee Owston talks about MAT summary evaluations and how they are a way of gathering wider evidence, beyond an inspection.
Inspecting schools: guide for maintained and academy schools – Updated to reflect changes to inspection intervals following the pandemic.
Inspecting schools: guidance for parents – Updated to reflect changes to inspection intervals following the pandemic.
State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information – Published management information as at 31 August 2021.
Non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes: management information – Published management information as at 31 July 2021.

Children’s social care
Ofsted’s social care blog: Applying to register a children’s home: top tips – Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s National Director for Regulation and Social Care, sets out some top tips for completing an application to register a children’s home.
Introduction to children’s homes – Clarified our guidance on one manager managing two children’s homes.
Fostering and adoption agency datasets – Added data as at 31 March 2021.
Inspection outcomes of the largest children’s social care providers – Updated to correct two settings that were assigned to the wrong company.

Further education and skills
Ofsted to carry out survey of effectiveness of Skills Bootcamps – Ofsted has been asked by the government to carry out a thematic survey of how well providers are developing and delivering Skills Bootcamps programmes.
Inspecting initial training for the Armed Forces – Updated with details of the EIF.
Further education and skills inspections and outcomes: management information from September 2020 to August 2021 – Uploaded management information as at 31 August 2021.

Early years and childcare
Childminder agencies: registration and suitability – Added guidance for childminders or providers of childcare on domestic premises who want to register with a childminder agency.
Reported coronavirus (COVID-19) notifications by registered early years and childcare settings – Added data for weeks beginning 9, 16, 23 and 30 August 2021.
Consented addresses for childminders and domestic childcare – Updated consented addresses for childminders and domestic childcare as at 31 August 2021.

Governor Training from BESST Autumn 2021

Dear Colleagues,

We have been made aware of some difficulties encountered with access to the links in our newsletters, so I am sending this in the hope that you are all able to access the information and booking pages.  Places are still available on all the training sessions below, just click on the titles to follow the links.

Topic Date Time Day Presenter
Working in Partnership to Support School Improvement 30.09.21 18.30 – 19.30 Thu Yvette Thomas & Team
Embedding Equality and Diversity in Your School 06.10.21 18.30 – 19.30 Wed Yvette Thomas
The Primary Governor’s Role in School Improvement 12.10.21 18.30 – 19.30 Tue Naureen Kausar
Being Strategic – What Good Governance Looks Like 13.10.21 18.30 – 19.30 Wed Paul Randall & Anne Sheddick
The Secondary Governor’s Role in School Improvement 19.10.21 18.30 – 19.30 Tue Georgina Masefield
Allegations – a guide for governors 03.11.21 18.30 – 19.30 Wed Nicola Johnstone
Financial Management for Maintained Schools 11.11.21 18.30 – 19.30 Thu Cheryl Stead & Jonathan Carter
Educational Visits 17.11.21 18.30 – 19.30 Wed Mike Harwin
Internet Safety 18.11.21 18.30 – 19.30 Thu Alison Watts
Exclusions – Introduction for All 30.11.21 18.30 – 20.30 Tue Rose Lindsay, Berni Little and Jan Underhill
Developing Your Board – Keeping up-to-date 02.12.21 18.30 – 19.30 Thu Paul Randall & Anne Sheddick

We apologise for any inconvenience and we will continue to work on the communications process for BESST and training available.

Kind regards,

The BESST Team