Included in this week's noticeboard:

• Balanced Education System and School Improvement Workshop - 25 April 2024
• Update on Primary School Offer Day - 16 April 2024
• 2023-2024 Year End Accruals – Guidance and Documentation (Non-CHB/EPA)
• Annual Statutory Compliance Return 
• Travel to Succeed Programme
• SENAR Service Contact Information
• Think Circular Home Design Challenge
• Transport for West Midlands Road Safety Action Plan Survey
• Money Heroes – helping schools teach children about money
• Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - Referrals
• Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - Makaton Workshops
• Occupational Health & Safety - Training Courses 
• Services for Education - Training Opportunities

Balanced Education System and School Improvement Workshop – 25 April 2024

A reminder that headteachers are invited to the Balanced Education System and School Improvement Workshop at Prince Albert High School on Thursday, 25 April 2024. To register your place simply follow this link. We very much look forward to seeing you!   

Update on Primary School Offer Day - 16 April 2024

Primary School Offer Day was on 16 April 2024 and we are pleased to report 98.99% of on-time applicants were offered one of their preferences.

A Newsletter with key information was also sent to all on-time applicants and is available online https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/primary-school-offer

The School Admissions team will not generate waiting lists until 7 May 2024. This is to allow families time to consider offers made and submit any refusals to the local authority by the deadline of 30 April 2024, the outcome of which will be more robust waiting lists.

The deadline for appeals which are subject to infant class size legislation is 15 May 2024. Appeals received after this date will be classed as late and may not be heard before the start of September 2024. Parents who have applied for non-Birmingham schools should make enquiries with the relevant local authority regarding the operation of waiting lists and their process for submitting appeals.

Finally, a reminder that in line with the co-ordinated admissions scheme, schools should not be making direct offers. Any late applications received after the final closing date (15 January 2024) will be processed in date order by the School Admissions Team. If you are aware of any families who have not submitted an application for their child to start reception class in September, please advise them to apply online as a matter of urgency by visiting https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions

2023-2024 Year End Accruals - Guidance and Documentation (Non-CHB/EPA)

Please note that the final date for submitting year end accruals is Friday, 19 April 2024, and we’d appreciate your support in advising all staff involved in the closedown process.

If schools have any queries in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact the team at SchoolsAccruals@birmingham.gov.uk

With many thanks for your continued support - School Finance Team.

Annual Statutory Compliance Return 

The Annual Statutory Compliance Return deadline has been extended to Friday, 3 May 2024, and can be accessed using this link: https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/economy/d79529a8  

Once the deadline for returns has passed, a sample of schools will be selected for an audit of their compliance which will be undertaken by Schools Safety Services. Please note that any school failing to submit a return will be first on the list to be audited.

If schools require further information or support please contact edsi.enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk

Travel to Succeed Programme

The Travel to Succeed programme was designed to support young people aged 16–18 (and up to 25 years old with an Education Health and Care Plan) not in education, employment or training where travel costs could be a barrier to attending school, a job or an apprenticeship.

You may be aware that a consultation has recently been undertaken on proposed changes to the council’s travel assistance policy. The decision has been made, therefore, to postpone the Travel to Succeed programme for the foreseeable future.

Should the situation change, and the programme be reinstated, a further communication will be issued to all parties.

We recognise this will be disappointing for many young people and hope you will understand the difficult decisions that are having to be made under the present circumstances.

SENAR Service Contact Information

If schools need help and support from the SENAR service please don’t forget you can find out the contact information for your assigned officer here: SENAR - Local Offer Birmingham. This information is updated weekly to ensure contact details remain fresh and schools can reach the right person first time.

Think Circular Home Design Challenge for Schools and Colleges

Find out more about this exciting challenge by booking a free design and built environment workshop! 

Join the Lovell and Ministry of Building, Innovation and Education (MOBIE) Think Circular home design challenge and be part of shaping the future of Birmingham's built environment.

To help inspire and engage students and to promote the challenge, MOBIE is running free design workshops for schools and colleges throughout April, May and June. Students will learn about sustainability, housing design, master planning and the built environment. The workshops are relevant to all STEAM subjects and other curricula. They help deliver Gatsby Benchmarks 4 and 5 – linking curriculum learning to careers and encounters with employers and employees. 

The 2-3 hour workshops are designed as practical hands-on sessions, where students will work in small groups to create home designs and create communities of the future. All drawing materials and equipment are provided.

Schools interested in taking part in the challenge, or booking a free workshop, should please contact Mark Southgate, Chief Executive, MOBIE at mark.southgate@mobie.org.uk or call 07917 427474.

The challenge is open to ages 11-15 and 16-18. Entries should be submitted by 30 June 2024 with the winners announced in July 2024. There is a cash prize for the winning teams and schools - £100 per team member (max 6) for the winning entries and £500 for their school or college.

Full details and the challenge brief are on the MOBIE website at this link.

Transport for West Midlands - Road Safety Action Plan Survey

During 2024 Transport for West Midlands will be updating the Road Safety Action Plan, setting out the actions they will take to halve road deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

Parents and carers can share their views on how road safety could be improved across the region by completing the Home Road Safety Action Plan Survey which closes at 5pm on Friday, 10 May 2024.

Please share the link as widely as possible, thank you!

For any queries regarding the survey, please contact roadsafety@tfwm.org.uk

Money Heroes – helping schools teach children about money

Money Heroes is an award-winning FREE programme from Young Enterprise, supported by HSBC UK, seeking to transform financial education for children working at a learning age of 3-11 at school and at home through a range of high-quality, fun and engaging resources. Money Heroes believes all children, no matter their background or circumstance, should be given the opportunity to develop money management skills for the future.

Schools can learn more about embedding financial education at a FREE CPD training event, taking place on Thursday, 6 June 2024 at HSBCs Birmingham office between 15:00-16:30. To book your free place simply follow this link

The event will help schools develop the knowledge of financial education, navigate where and how it can be implemented in school, support schools to address any challenges they might face embedding financial education and most importantly introduce them to ready-to-use, cross-curricular Money Heroes resources that all class teachers can access straight away!

Find out more about Money Heroes - www.moneyheroes.org.uk

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - Referrals

The Neurodevelopmental Pathway team at Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC) continue to review their service in response to the increasing demand, to improve both children and their families and referrer’s experience, and to ensure all referrals made to the service are appropriate.

As such, they are changing their referral criteria, in line with other regional and national ASD assessment providers, by now requiring evidence of support (graduated approach) for all children referred to the service. They are also improving the way in which they gather all information, including referrals, from professionals and families with the launch of One Portal.

Full details can be found at this link and at www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/NDP

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – Makaton Workshops

FAO: SENCO/Head Teacher

Levels 1 and 2
This workshop is suitable for Professionals who need to use Makaton in their work (as well as for others who wish a more in-depth training) and Parents and non-professional carers e.g. child-minders; who need to use Makaton in everyday situations. Signs and symbols in Stages 1-4 and Additional will be taught. Current best practice around sign and symbol use. Participant manuals provided.

Workshop Dates:

• Level 1: 30 April and 17 September 2024 
• Level 2: 7 May and 24 September 2024

Level 3
Builds on the signs and symbols learnt in Levels 1 and 2. It aims to increase participants’ knowledge and skills. It develops ideas and confidence in using signs and symbols and teaches accurate interpretative skills. Sign analysis is considered, and Stages 5 and 6 signs and symbols are taught. Participant manuals are provided.

• Workshop Date: 11 June 2024

For further information or to book a place, please contact Helene Elia at Helene.elia@nhs.net

Occupational Health & Safety - Training Courses

Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work – 22, 23 and 24 April 2024  

Start Time: 09:00-16:00
Cost: £194.00 per delegate
Venue:  Stirchley Baths, Bournville Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2JT
Schools must book on BESS Website 
Please note that ​lunch or refreshments are not provided

Fire Marshall Training - 8 May 2024 (Online)

Start Time: 13:00-15:00 
Cost: £21.50 per delegate. Book here

Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work - 13, 14 and 17 May 2024

Start Time: 09:00-16:00
Cost: £194.00 per delegate Book here
Venue: Stirchley Baths, Bournville Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2JT
Please note that ​lunch or refreshments are not provided

MIDAS Full Course - Theory (Online)

Cost: £265.00 per delegate - Learner Passes now available for purchasing
Schools must book online 

MIDAS Refresher - Theory (Online)

Cost: £171.00 per delegate - Learner Passes now available for purchasing
Schools must book online

For any general enquiries regarding the above courses please contact schoolsafety@birmingham.gov.uk

Services for Education - Training Opportunities

Interim Writing Moderation at KS1 – For Year 2 Teachers (Centre-Based) Thursday, 23 April 2024

This shared moderation will be an opportunity for Year 2 teachers to ensure that assessments of writing are secure. Although now non-statutory, it is best practice to continue using the 2019 KS1 Teacher Assessment Framework to maintain rigour and make robust and accurate judgements at KS1. Book a place by following this link

Update for Existing DSLs on Safeguarding and Child Protection (Centre-Based) Wednesday, 22 May 2024: 09.00-12.15 Book a place here and Tuesday, 18 June 2024 Book a place here
This centre- based course is designed for existing Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and Deputy DSLs who have previously attended the two-day DSL training course and require update training in line with the requirement set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Safer Recruitment – Thursday, 6 June 2024: 09.00-16.00
Delivered by accredited Safer Recruitment Consortium trainers, this course enables schools to meet statutory requirements and to improve processes that help deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children or who are otherwise unsuited to working with them and identifies ways settings can create safer environments with a culture of vigilance. Book a place by following this link

Twilight Online Safer Recruitment – Monday, 17 June 2024; Monday, 24 June 2024; Monday, 1 July 2024 and Monday, 8 July 2024: 17.30-19.00. Book a place by following this link