Schoolsnet Bulletin Board

The Children’s Commissioner for England has launched a campaign aimed at parents and carers to help them to encourage their children to enjoy the online world without being totally consumed by it.

RM SecureNet

You should already be aware that RM SecureNet was withdrawn by RM at the end of August due to the product becoming non compliant and therefore obsolete.

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) visited Gloucestershire local authority (LA) in June 2016 (KS2) and June 2017 (KS1) as part of its statutory duty to ensure consistency and accuracy with national standards

The DfE has published procedures for the KS2 data checking exercise. 

In accordance with the School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009, we would like to remind the governing boards of all maintained schools to notify the authority in writing “of any vacancy for the headteacher and any post for a deputy headteacher which it has identified as one to be filled”.

Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) form Year 2017-18 is now available.

The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham, Glos GL51 6PN

Primary: Tuesday 3^rd October 2017. 9:15am-12:15pm.

Secondary: Wednesday 11th October 2017. 9:15am-12:15pm.

Refreshments available from 8:45am

The Write-Off Form, Guidance and Options for Salary Overpayment have been updated with new information August 2017.

Under the Education (School Teachers’ Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2012, Governing Bodies in maintained schools have a statutory duty to appoint an external adviser for advice and support on the headteacher’s appraisal. 

All suppliers have now confirmed their new payment details and are updated on the council payment system. Any issues with Water Plus can be resolved.

Schools are requested to submit their GCSE results as soon as possible using the pro-forma attached.

Key Stage 4 results proforma 2017

Please find attached information regarding the changes to the free school meals application process.

Free School Meals

For those schools that buy HR services and are part of the council’s levy, the apprenticeship page on Schoolsnet has been updated. 

Gloucestershire Care Services would like to promote Flu Immunisation that has been commissioned for all Primary Schools for September 2017.

Primary, Special and Alternative Provision Schools - The Final 16/17 Academic Year Universal Infant Free School Meal Grant and the Provisional 17/18 Academic Year Universal Infant Free School Meal Grant will be made in July 2017.

All Academies have until 31^st July 2017 to buy back their school support services from GCCPLUS  if they would like to be invoiced monthly rather than in one go in September.

As you may already know Water Plus has recently changed account details.

From September 2017, children in reception class and school years 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be offered a flu vaccination at schools in Gloucestershire.

The report from the meeting held on 21 June 2017 is attached.

Gloucestershire Schools Forum Outcome Report

There have been several recent changes in Children’s Services. Linda Uren has decided to retire at the end of August. Alison Williams, currently Director of Young People and Families at Prospects, has taken over as the Interim Director of Children’s Services (DCS). Whilst Alison will hold the full statutory DCS responsibility, Linda Uren will provide leadership for Commissioning and Education until her retirement.

New guidance came into force in April 2017 regarding identity verification for new Chairs of Trustees.

We have been made aware by Gloucestershire Police that Ransomware attacks are increasingly targeting schools and colleges. Please ensure that you are familiar with the following guidance.

For information about the Arts Council Music Survey and help to deliver the music curriculum in your school, go to Make Music Gloucestershire.

At the GSCB Executive Committee meeting on the 26^th April 2017 there was a discussion in relation to the role of the Lead Practitioner and how it is currently working across the partnership. It was agreed that an electronic survey would be carried out to gain a broader understanding of how practitioners and organisations view the role of Lead Practitioner.

Children's reading can 'dip' during the long summer holidays if they don’t have regular access to books and encouragement to read for pleasure. In Gloucestershire over 10,000 children signed up in 2016. We hope even more children will sign up this year! 

The next Traveller Education Network meeting is planned for Thursday 28^th September, 9am-12.30pm, at The Pavilion in Cheltenham. 

GHLL have launched new Relationship and Sexual Education (RSE) Resource for primary school settings.

Please note the attached Private Fostering information regarding your legal duty to notify the local authority about a private fostering arrangement.

Free Stonewall Equality & Diversity Training for Primary Schools is available on 11th July 2017, 9.30 - 4.00pm and for Secondary Schools on12th July 2017, 9.30 - 4.00pm at 2&6 Therapy Rooms, Gloucester.

Following an election which took place on 12 June 2017, Sue Padfield, All Saints’ Academy is elected to the Forum as a Secondary (Academy) Governor representative (term of office 22 June 2017 – 31 March 2019).   

Gloucestershire County Council in partnership with the NHS, are running a campaign to educate parents and carers of the risks and encourage them to ensure their child is properly vaccinated and your help to raise uptake of pre school immunisation is required.

In response to a recent Freedom of Information Request that appears to have been sent to all schools with the County, the Information Management Service has attached some advice and guidance for schools to use when dealing with this request.

Gloucestershire County Council has launched an online survey (link expired) for parents to understand possible demand for the increased free childcare entitlement of 30 hours for 3 & 4 year olds from September 2017.

For schools who have a Gloucestershire child in care in their school there is now an opportunity to have free e-training from Gloucestershire Virtual School. This e-learning will allow you to train at your own convenience.

Please note that Academies can now buy traded services for the next academic year (1^st September 2017 - 31^st August 2018).   

Fraudsters have contacted a number of schools by post with a letter which claims to be from Gamma. The letter informs the recipient that Gamma has changed its bank details and requests that they amend their records with the new details. The letter is an attempt by impersonation fraudsters to elicit funds, so please do not provide any information or amend your records with the bank details they’ve given as indicated in the letter.

The Attendance Network is taking place on Wednesday 14^th June, 09:00 – 12:15 at The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham, Glos. GL51 6PN.  Refreshments available from 8:45am.

For the majority of NQTs, completed NQT assessment paperwork should be returned to the LA by 28^th June 2017.  Please return the assessments from the Headteacher’s mailbox to: NQTs@gloucestershire.gov.uk

The summer editions of the Leaders of Learning Newsletters are now available. 

DBS checks remain an important part of Safer recruitment.

On Tuesday 16 May 2017, the NSPCC, in partnership with O2, launched the new burst of their Share Aware campaign, supporting parents to help keep their children safe online.  Share Aware gives straightforward, step by step advice to help teach children how to make the right decisions online, even when their parents aren’t there. 

Through our Schools Service we aim to empower and help children and provide you and all teachers across the UK, with the tools to do that.  Because we know that through working together, the NSPCC and the whole school community can have a tremendous impact in preventing abuse and keeping children and young people safe.  One element of our schools services is out Speak Out. Stay Safe Programme.This programme is available  to all schools free of charge.

The ‘Fearless from Knife Crime’ project has been set up with the  aim of addressing the problem of knife crime in the medium and long term in Gloucestershire by engaging, informing and educating young people about the risks and consequences of knife crime activities whilst promoting local services available to them (including the anonymous reporting service available on fearless.org). 

The Water Competition or Open Water Market where we have a choice of where we buy water is now operating, similarly to how; we as a business buy gas and electricity. Payment details update – Water Plus remains the same as previously used for Severn Trent, Castle Water have confirmed new details and Water2business will confirm them on the next scheduled invoice.

The purpose of each briefing will be to discuss and understand fully the implications of the announcement from STA on Friday 10^th March about the common misconceptions surrounding teacher assessment (TA) of KS2 writing. As a result, this will ensure greater consistency in 2017 KS2 writing TA across the local authority.

All meetings will begin at 4.00pm and conclude by 5.30pm.

Reading, writing and mathematics will be moderated at the same meetings, so evidence to facilitate this discussion will be needed for all three aspects.  You will therefore only need to sign up for one meeting.

All meetings will begin at 4.00pm and conclude by 5.30pm and the local authority would encourage Year 3 teachers to accompany their Year 2 colleagues if at all possible.

This week marks the launch of a Public Health campaign to promote the uptake of childhood vaccinations; it coincides with the World Health Organisation Immunisation Awareness Week.

Please find attached a poster from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

A letter from the Chair of the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board (GSCB) regarding the mandatory use of the Gloucestershire multi-agency service request form (MARF) is attached.

Letter from Independent Chair of the GSCB