If you would like to contribute an item to our newsletter please download our template here.
Contents
Our newsletter is divided into the following sections:
National News - including the latest Government advice and information Local News - including Back to school resources Business Section - including Policies, CPD opportunities, Our Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Scheme, contact details, Plus, News from the Key.
National News
Mental Health Champions – Foundation programme Free online children’s mental health training
Place2Be are offering FREE online training to UK qualified teachers and school-based staff in open groups, starting in October 2020.
Length - 5 week online programme
Frequency - 1-1.5 hours per week done at a time to suit you
To be eligible for the funded programme, you need to have UK QTS, be an NQT or have a permanent role in-school. For full details and to find out how to apply, click here.
Below are a few of the most recent Government updates for Educational settings:
Further information, guidance and resources can be found on 'The Key' at the bottom of this newsletter or by logging onto our members page on the ConnectEd website and clicking The Key and selecting The Key for School Leaders.
LOCAL NEWS
The Well Schools Movement
The Youth Sport Trust is passionate about working with schools to deliver improved outcomes for young people. We have a proud history of supporting schools with the development of physical, social and emotional well-being, and are increasingly addressing the complex mental health issues of this generation. We do this by working in partnership with schools, charities and other organisations with complementary expertise. This term the Youth Sport Trust have launched the Well School Movement in a bid to create a school-led community, committed to putting staff and student well-being at the heart of the school. The outcome of this will be a healthier and happier school workforce contributing to improved recruitment and retention of staff and young people that are well rounded citizens of the future with the skills and experiences to be successful.
A Well School makes a promise to staff and students to hold themselves to account against three key pillars on which a Well school is built.
Well Led – Staff and Senior Leaders well-being is actively supported and championed by all, ensuring that a positive well-being culture is in place allowing staff to be at their best for themselves and their pupils. A school that ensures positive well-being of all its staff is a school that will be well led.
Well Prepared – In order for young people to be prepared for the world they must develop a broad interest and understanding of the world around them. The 5 ways to well-being are embedded within the school and pupils develop morals and character while gaining experiences that will help them be well prepared to thrive in a turbulent and ever-changing world
Well Equipped – Pupils develop the skills needed for the modern world and are ready for employment in their future. Pupils will become well equipped through the taught curriculum and wider enrichment programme.
Working with a range of founding schools, school leadership organisation, BUPA and various other charities a platform has been developed to allow these pillars to be explored and contributed to by our school communities.
3 weeks ago 18 schools took advantage of their Youth Sport Trust Membership and accessed the first of 10 webinars The topic of said webinars are "Post COVID-19: Principles to support the return of pupils to the school environment and supporting teachers to deliver PE” - a highly informative and realistic approach to teaching PE in these ever changing and challenging times.
The next webinar is on Thursday October 22 at 3.30pm and focuses on the topic:
“Reviewing your current position in relation to PESSPA and the connection to whole school development- Getting the most from the YST Quality Mark”
To read the latest City of Wolverhampton Council Education Providers' Bulletin, please click here.
This webinar explains about the testing kits that schools should have received, how to order more and also how to conduct a test on yourself and what to do afterwards with the registering of it and priority post boxes.
Safeguarding Updates
Ann Brown, who delivers ConnectEd's Safeguarding programme has put together a useful Safeguarding newsletter which is particularly relevant this term. To view the newsletter please click here.
If any staff are interested in our Safeguarding training, full details of our programme, dates and how to apply can be found here.
Back to school Resources
Picture News - Impact Award - New!
Picture News are passionate about using current affairs to help children learn from their world, give them a voice and allow them to make a difference.They have introduced Picture News Impact Award so that they cancelebrate schools who feel the same way.
To find out how you can take part click here
The Black Country Rainbow Hour Updated!
The Rainbow Hour is back for the new academic year. We currently have 113 schools, over 35,000 pupils and 34 organisations currently supporting the campaign across the Black Country and have developed a range of new resources and materials for this academic year including:
Rainbow Book Edition 4 – We’ve revised the strands from the summer and have a new half-termly edition featuring over 35 activities for pupils to complete both at school or for those isolating at home as well as links to the latest advice and guidance from our partners on PESSPA delivery during this time.
Rainbow Hour Activity TrackersUpdated!
These have been updated and Schools can now acquire Children’s University Stamps. A slightly revised version for each award can be downloaded here:
The Activity Trackers are a Bronze, Silver and Gold tracking system for children to complete as they do their daily rainbow hours. Complete each tracker and submit online and children can earn one of 3 different badges throughout the year!
New Celebration and promotional videos – A new promotional video is available to view on the homepage of the website, whilst each term we will also be collating a highlights reel of schools and children completing their Rainbow Hours. Submit your images and videos online and you could feature in the next video!
Please feel free to share and circulate this among your networks and get as many schools as possible involved. A number of schools have uploaded the booklet onto their school websites, others have printed and sent these out to families, whilst others circulated it electronically through their newsletters. We are more than happy for you to promote, share and utilise the resource however you see fit.
Remember if you haven’t signed up and pledged your schools or organisations support and involvement in the campaign please do so below:
As always further details including previous Rainbow Book editions can all be found and downloaded on the official webpage too.
If you have any comments, questions or would like us to feature some of your content in future Rainbow Book editions or be involved in the next celebration video please get in touch with Sam Perks in the first instance.
Halloween / Guy Fawkes Challenge
With so many autumnal festivities like Trick-or-Treating and Bonfire Night being cancelled this year due to COVID-19, ConnectEd Partnership and PASS Team are proud to bring you the "Walking Halloween" and "Guy Fawkes Street Parade" challenges! Please find all challenge info and resources in the links below:
Competitions News The school games virtual calendar has had a strong start, with lots of schools across the City taking part in the Daily Mile and Skipping.
A big well done to Uplands Junior, D'Eyncourt Primary, Woden Primary, Parkfield Primary and The Royal for finishing in the top five schools for the fastest mile.
St Andrew's Primary, Oak Meadow Primary, The Royal School, and Parkfield Primary finished in the top five for completing the most amount of miles.
Watch this space for the Skipping results!
Follow us on our social media platforms for up-to-date news and information:
Does your school have any staff who are interested in training to become a qualified teacher through the School Direct Route? The application window for teacher training starting September 2021 is now open. To find out more, and to book a place on one of our School Direct Information events being held soon, please click here.
Final Call! School Sports Offer 2020/21
ConnectEd Partnership are pleased to bring the following CPD, guidance and support to all of our members through our Physical Activity and School Sport Partnership Team for 2020/21.
ConnectEd Coaching Teams
These coaching teams are for staff who don’t feel confident in the delivery of certain aspects of the National Curriculum for PE. These identified staff will be invited to join a team led by an expert around the area of need. There will be a mixture of support that will include virtual, face to face, peer support and signposting that will be ready to fit the ever-changing environment. The areas where support is offered are: Gymnastics Dance Games Early Years KS1 PE Inclusion/SEND in PE
Work will begin next week so, if you are interested, please contact Sam Perks - the closing date for Coaching Teams is this Friday 16th October 2020!!!
NEW MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT! PSHE Association membership for ConnectEd Partnership schools
ConnectEd Partnership are pleased to be working with The PSHE Association to support our schools effectively deliver PSHE education. As part of our relationship ConnectEd have purchased PSHE Association membership for our schools until September 2021.
Please note that for schools who have an existing membership, PSHE Association will have contacted you directly with regards to extending your membership.
If you haven't taken advantage of this yet, you can sign up for this free membership by visiting the PSHE Association website: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/ConnectEd and select "ConnectEd Partnership, Wolverhampton" from the drop-down options.
As a member of The PSHE Association you will have full access to a library of quality downloadable resources that will help you develop and improve practices. For example The PSHE Association has recently published Programme Builders for PSHE Education, KS1-4 which will support you in planning schemes of work tailored to your pupils. The Programme Builders for PSHE Education provide five models (two for primary, two for secondary and one for middle/prep schools), each comprising a long-term plan, separate grids for each year group and links to resources.
In light of the new requirements for statutory Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education, they are here to help you get your PSHE planned, sealed and delivered. Read more about their Programme Builder planning tools, guidance and resources to get you ‘statutory ready’.
During the coronavirus situation they have also published home-learning versions of their key member resources offering member-only online training webinars and one-to-one virtual support – visit our support hub for further details.
The PHSE Association will also be publishing many member-only lesson plans and other resources this year so there are more benefits than ever to being part of this growing professional community.
Please feel free to contact Robert Bickers at the PSHE Association if you have any questions (robert@pshe-association.org.uk).
New! NASENCO Training
Best Practice Network are still recruiting for their NASENCO programme starting this autumn. To find out full details please click here.
This is a 6 day Programe:
Day 1 and Day 2 will be delivered online for all participants. The aim will be to deliver days 3-6 as face-to-face sessions but this will be reviewed in the new year.
If you wish to discuss the programme with us, please email Harinder Jandu in the first instance.
Policies and Procedures Updated!
Managing Safeguarding Allegations The Managing Safeguarding allegations against staff, including supply staff and volunteers who work with children and young people policy has now been amended in response to the KCSiE document which was updated in September 2020.
Model Pay Policy The Model Pay Policy has now been amended, approved and is recommended to schools.
Schools that have bought into LPAAC will have received these documents via email.
Both documents can be accessed in the members area of the ConnectEd Partnership website.
Empowerment and Inclusion TeamUpdated!
Please find attached the updated organisation structure of the Empowerment and Inclusion Team - this now includes contact details.
2020-21 CPD PROGRAMME
ConnectEd Partnership are pleased to offer the following CPD opportunities for 2020-21 – please click on the relevant programme to see full details and how to apply:
All our CPD programmes can also be found on our website
Additional CPD will be advertised on this newsletter and via our website as it becomes available, including our Secondary NQT Professional Development Network and Secondary Curriculum Networks.
If you have any questions relating to CPD opportunities please contact Harinder Jandu.
Schools’ Forum Representatives needed
Schools’ Forum have the following vacancies. Please forward this information on to your Governors as appropriate.
Maintained Special Schools: Governor Representative and Substitute Representative
Maintained Primary Schools: Governor Representative and Substitute Governor Representative
Academies: Representative and Substitute Representative
If you would like to nominate yourself, a colleague or Governor please contact Kate Hodgetts
(Please be aware that the Scheme was not overspent for the 19/20 financial year, therefore all schools that overspent their premium did not have to repay their overspend)
Please ensure you notify the scheme of resignations. Employees receiving occupational maternity pay (twelve weeks at half pay) are required to repay this money if they decide not to return to work. Credits reimbursed by ConnectEd to the school for non-returning maternity employees will be repayable to the scheme. It is the responsibility of the Head teacher to notify the scheme accordingly. In this situation the scheme will invoice the school to recover the full amount reimbursed for the employee concerned.
ConnectEd Partnership reserves the right to delay reimbursements to schools that have overspent their premium contribution until the school have confirmed in writing the following year buy in. Therefore for the few schools that have only joined for one year please start to consider what your intentions are for the following year. You still have time to join for the second year 21- 22 at fixed rates.
The Terms of the Scheme determine that any overspend is met by schools contributing additional funding based on claims made compared to premium contributions. If, at the end of the financial year, the account is in surplus the money will be rolled over to the following year and reflected in the premium charges. If the account is overspent, the amount will be charged to schools in the proportion to which they have claimed on the account. Schools who decide not to renew their membership of the scheme will be recharged the full amount of claims offset against the premium paid along with ConnectEd Partnership reserving the right to charge a leaving administrative fee of up to 5% of premium paid. The leaving administrative fee is payable regardless of the reimbursements made.
Schools will be reminded by email as staff reach the end of their paid leave period (39 weeks) to ensure that return to work and resignations are notified to the Scheme.
Phase Group and Network Meetings for Autumn Term
It has been agreed that the ConnectEd meetings scheduled for (at least) the first half term of the new academic year will be held online via Teams.
A number of meeting invitations have already been sent to colleagues; thank you to the large number who have already responded. The meeting schedule for the first half term is as follows
Friday 16 October at 9.30am – CN 2
Wednesday 11th November at 8am - WHIPS
Thursday 19th November at 8am - WSH
Tuesday 24th November at 9am - ASPIC
If you have any questions or would like to propose an agenda item for a meeting please email Kate Hodgetts
Shaw Maths Hub
SHaW Maths Hub provide highly regarded, free Maths professional development for teachers from EY to Post-16 to support ALL schools.
The following funded Professional Development opportunities are now available - Please click on the links below for further details and booking information:
REMINDER - There is a 'helpline' available to members Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm who can be contacted on 0800 061 4500 or via email enquiries@thekeysupport.com
The Key provides a weekly news bulletin on policy changes and developments that will affect schools.
If you would like to share your stories with us, we would love to hear from you. There is a template at the top of this newsletter, or alternatively contact one of our members of staff at the bottom of the newsletter.
Get In Touch
Here is an overview of the ConnectEd Partnership Team
Got a query or request and not sure who to contact?
To join the Partnership or for further information about what the Partnership can offer you contact us!
Comments/Feedback The Partnership welcomes comments and feedback on activities of the Partnership, and any suggestions for future development. enquiries@connectedpartnership.com
Our mailing address is:
ConnectEd Partnership Ltd
Berrybrook Education Business Suite, Berrybrook Primary School
Greenacres Avenue, Underhill
Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV10 8NZ
United Kingdom
