Schoolsnet Bulletin Board

The Gloucestershire SEND Commissioning Strategy sets out our assessment of the needs of children and young people in Gloucestershire with SEND and how we aim to meet them. 

Join the WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre on their free Teacher Open Day for a taste of their unforgettable learning experiences.

On Wednesday 26 June, thousands of children aged 4-11 will put their best feet forward to promote road safety and the benefits of walking.

The charity Living Streets has created the national Walk to School celebration where pupils and grown-ups around the UK unite for one week of walking to school. 

The Cycle to Work scheme is a government initiative that allows employees to have use of a brand new bike and safety equipment (tax free).

For details of your allocation please go to Teachers’ Pay Grant 19 / 20.

Gloucester College have 70 exam tables and 20 science stools available to any school who are able to collect them.

The conference is being held at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel, 9.00am-4.00pm with registration/coffee being served from 8.30am.

The new Secondary School Governor (Maintained) Representative is Dr Adam White, Pittville School, (term of office 4 years, to 31 March 2023).

When: 1.00 pm until 3.30 pm, Wednesday 22^nd May 2019.

Where: Gloucester Farmers’ Club, Agriculture House, Greville Close, Sandhurst Road, Gloucester, GL2 9RG.

Cost: £35.00 per head, with refreshments provided upon arrival and throughout the afternoon.

Deadline for bookings: Friday 10^th May 2019.

The resources from the April/May briefings are now available at  Resources: HT and COG Briefing April/May 2019

In Spring 2018 we conducted a county-wide snapshot survey of Nurturing Practice and Nurture Groups in Gloucestershire.

Property Maintenance Apprenticeship for Schools

There are spaces available on this two year apprenticeship (with one day release at Gloucester College) from September.  For more information and details on how to apply please visit Schoolsnet.

School Business Professional Level 4

There are spaces available on this apprenticeship.  For more information please visit Schoolsnet.

We would like to understand if the current SENCO Cluster meetings are meeting expectations and have produced a short survey to help us learn what is working well in the current Clusters, and what could be improved. 

A reminder for Local Authority schools about the financial risks associated to overpayment of salaries, caused by late submission of leaver’s forms and other changes to Payroll.  This update provides a reminder of the process and timings to mitigate the financial risks.  

Due to staff changes within the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board, please see revised structure chart below.

The local authority is facilitating moderation networks to support schools with making accurate end of key stage teacher assessment (TA) judgements.  The meetings will take place in six special schools (June 2019) and are intended for teachers who have assessed pupils as working below the standard of national curriculum assessments at the end of KS1 and KS2.  Places can be booked using the schools’ online ordering website, GCC Plus.   

As set out in the 2019 KS1 (Section 9.6) and KS2 (Section 8.6) Assessment and Reporting Arrangements (ARA), the local authority (LA) will notify schools on, or after, Friday 17 May 2019 if they have been selected for external moderation.  The LA will facilitate ‘Meet the Moderator’ network meetings for identified schools on Tuesday 4 June 2019.

In 2019, the local authority will not facilitate end of KS1 and KS2 cluster moderation meetings. 

The new TIC+ Parent Support Advice Line was launched on Monday 15^th April 2019. The service is for parents and carers living in Gloucestershire who are worried about the mental health and emotional wellbeing of their child (age 0-25). 

The Governors Budget Plan 2019/20 template is now available to download.

This event will be held at the Adult Education Centre, Commercial Road, Gloucester and runs from 10am-1pm. Booking is available from the Schools Online booking system – GCCPlus. Please see flyer for more details. Spaces limited to 1 per school.

The latest copy of the EY Service Business Support Team Newsletter, which includes up to date business information for Gloucestershire Early Years Providers.

Please do take the time to go to the links included in the newsletter to access additional information and take time to complete the data collection survey.

Your pupil number forecast is now available to download; it is a likely indication of your pupil numbers over future years to enable you to plan provision. 

Your pupil number forecast is now available to download; it is a likely indication of your pupil numbers over future years to enable you to plan provision.  The forecast is available via Perspective Lite.

We would like to invite you to a Wellbeing event on Tuesday 11^th June at Elmbridge Primary School, Elmbridge Rd, Gloucester GL2 0PE from 1.15pm – 4.30pm that will focus on the importance of a whole school approach to physical activity in supporting physical, social and emotional wellbeing and the links to the new Ofsted framework.

An e-mail has been sent to all Infant and Primary schools outlining the data collection process for 2019. 

The Department for Education (DfE) has published the response to the public consultation on the impact of the increase in employer contribution rate of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) from 16.4% to 23.6%.

Over 40 schools and colleges in the county were approached and asked to submit entries into a competition to help raise awareness of antibiotic resistance amongst sixteen – twenty four year olds. Antibiotic resistance doesn’t just affect us here in Gloucestershire - if nothing changes, by 2050, 90,000 people in the UK will have died from antibiotic resistance. People develop antibiotic resistance from taking too many antibiotics, often when they are not needed. For example did you know that the common cold and flu are viruses and cannot be treated with antibiotics?

The EEF has released details of the next round of recruitment for new Research Schools. Full details can be found here  -  note the deadline for applications is 4 May. This is an exciting opportunity to establish a Research School in the county. 

We live in an aging population where the need for young people to have knowledge and awareness of Dementia is vital. Not only to challenge stigma and help people live with the condition, but to help them understand the importance of healthy lifestyles in the prevention of Dementia in later life.  The emphasis this year is on prevention.

Gloucestershire County Council has identified the need to establish two new primary schools following proposed developments in Chesterton & Stonehouse.

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) has provided updated information  about the national voluntary pilot of the MTC (June2019), including release of the ‘MTC administration guidance’ and ‘MTC system guidance’.  The guidance is for schools that are participating in the June 2019 pilot.  The MTC assessment framework was published in November 2018. 

The resources from the second networks held in March for primary and secondary English, mathematics and science subject leaders are now available on Schoolsnet using the links below.

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) Media and Training site complements the GOV.UK webpages.  It contains useful videos on Primary Assessment, English reading and KS1/KS2 Test Administration.

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) has published guidance for how local authorities conduct monitoring visits to schools for KS1/KS2 national curriculum assessments and the PSC.

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) has published information and guidance to support schools with the administration of the 2019 KS1 and KS2 national curriculum tests.

The Scheme for Financing Maintained Schools 2019/20 is now available via the following link:

The results of the election count which took place on 21 March 2019, plus an update on the representatives now appointed to the vacant seats, is available below.

GCCPlus, the system through which your school services (including training, services & packages) are bought, is coming under a new owner.

The Secondary Senior Leaders' meeting will be held on 12th June, 1.30pm - 3.45pm at The National Star Centre, Ullenwood, Cheltenham, GL53 9QU.

Chemical treatments for head lice are no longer routinely prescribed by GP surgeries in Gloucestershire and community pharmacies are no longer permitted to supply the lotions without charge. The wet combing method is first line treatment for head lice (using a fine-toothed detector comb)

If you are an EU citizen, you and your family will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021.

Days out at farms are an enjoyable and educational experience; however, animals can carry infections that may be harmful to children and pregnant women.

Understanding your Gloucestershire Local Authority Early Years Foundation Stage Moderation visit.

Audience:  New to reception/ First EYFS moderation/NQT’s

Date:          25 April 2019

Time:         09.30 – 12.30

Venue:      FREE half day event at The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham, GL51 6PN.

Refreshments will be provided on arrival, car parking is free on site - but limited, please may we remind you to park considerably.

If you have appointed an NQT who will join your school in the summer term, please complete and return a NQT registration form by 10^th May 2019 to: NQTs@gloucestershire.gov.uk 

Delegate registration is now open.  Please click on the following link for full details and to register: 2019 Delegate Registration

Unfortunately we’ve had a number of apologies for next week’s Secondary Senior Leaders’ Meeting due to teaching commitments and school events. The decision has therefore been made to postpone the event planned for Wednesday 27th March 2019 until the summer term.  A new date will be notified to you as soon as possible. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused. 

Tim Browne, Director of Education, sent an update to all head teachers on 14 March about the changes to the national pay spine and proposed changes for support staff pay and grading.

The recent attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand and in the Dutch city of Utrecht are likely to be discussed by students and teachers in schools across the UK and beyond.