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This FREE event for schools will take place on Wednesday 24 April 10 – 11am
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Donation of withdrawn library books to schools in Halton
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Summer reading challenge 2024
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Queensberry (PCC YouthViolence and Exploitation Service)
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Transition to Primary/Secondary support for parents
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Briefing for area SEND action plan & DBV
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Ofsted Briefing – EYFS
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URGENT NAFN Intel Alert: School Mandate Fraud
FREE event for schools
Authors Aloud UK and Usborne invite your school to come aboard for an ocean adventure with award-winning and bestselling children’s mystery author A.M. Howell to celebrate publication of The Royal Jewel Plot, her new book in the Mysteries at Sea series
This FREE event for schools will take place on Wednesday 24 April 10 – 11am
The event is suitable for Years 4,5,6,7
Please register to attend here: https://tinyurl.com/AAUKAMHowell241
PLEASE NOTE: IF MORE THAN ONE CLASS WILL BE ATTENDING AND LOGGING ON SEPARATELY ,THEY WILL NEED TO REGISTER AS INDIVIDUAL CLASSES
Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom with the link to join on the day
Information about the event:
Come and listen to author A.M. Howell speak about her historical series Mysteries at Sea which is set during the 1930s and how it was inspired by her own childhood voyages with her family. Hear about the Queen Mary, the real ship that helped inspire the first book in the series, Peril on the Atlantic, and fun facts about the vessel and the people who travelled on her. You’ll also learn about the ship’s attempts to win a trophy for crossing the Atlantic in the fastest time. A.M. Howell will then talk about the luxurious yacht that inspired the second book in the series, The Royal Jewel Plot and the famous royal who travelled aboard it. Children will hear about the role of female sailors, the royal family’s relationship with the press, and some incredible octopus facts too! There will also be an opportunity to ask Ann-Marie questions at the end.
Donation of withdrawn library books to schools in Halton
Hello
We have recently had a stock take at our four libraries and have made the difficult decision to
withdraw some of our most underused books from our catalogue. Taking these books off our shelves
has given us more space to create front facing display areas which we know will help to attract
readers to titles.
With permission from the portfolio holder within Halton Borough Council, we are now in a position
to donate these withdrawn items to schools across Halton to add to your own in-house library areas.
All of the books are in excellent condition and are clearly marked, on the inside cover, that they have
been withdrawn from our stock.
We’d like as many schools as possible to benefit from getting some additional books, so at the
moment I am just taking numbers in terms of which schools would be interested; the number of
interested schools will dictate how many books each school receives but if all junior schools in the
borough wanted some, they’d get approx. 10 books each.
Needless to say, I cannot give you a list of books but they are all suitable for juniors (chapter books)
or secondary school and many popular authors are included.
Please email emma.boone@halton.gov.uk if you’d like to be added to our list of schools to receive
some donated books. Due to the books available we are limiting it to junior and secondary schools.
Please let me know by 1st May and I will contact you with details of how we can get the books to you.
Emma Boone, Children and Families Development Officer, Halton Libraries
See attached Summer reading challenge 2024
We love having classes visit us at Halton Libraries.
During the year we get lots of schools visiting us for big, national events, such as World Book Day and
the Summer Reading Challenge. But class visits are available all year round.
We have a range of class visits, from a first introduction to the library, to fiction and non-fiction
focuses, as well our special visit sessions for national events, such as World Book Day, with more
being prepared all the time. You can view the list of current class visit subjects on offer and book a
visit using the online booking form which you can find on our website here: Library Class Visits Form | HBC forms (halton.me)
Our aim from all class visits is to enthuse children about the importance of reading for pleasure; we
do this by giving them hands on time with, and in, books and stories.
If you have any questions about our class visit offer, please email emma.boone@halton.gov.uk
Queensberry (PCC YouthViolence and Exploitation Service)
We are pleased to announce that Queensberry have been successful in being awarded the PCC Youth
Violence and Exploitation Service contract starting on 1st April 2024.
This means that we are able to continue the work we have been delivering in Halton since January 2023.
The contract includes the following interventions;
• One to one mentoring programme (referrals through Childrens Social Care/Early Help)
• One to one preventative programme (delivered in schools)
Referral pathway for school programme
One to one preventative programme
The programme is a trauma informed preventative intervention. The programme (delivered in schools) is 6
– 12 weeks depending on level of need and referrals will target young people in year 6 to year 10. There is a
QAP referral form that schools will need to complete and email to QAP directly.
• Direct face to face work with young people on a weekly basis
• Social skills training to support young people to think before they act, understand other people’s
perspectives, communicate effectively, and use strategies for managing impulsiveness or aggression
• Programme includes support around regulating emotions, developing social skills and encouraging selfcontrol to reduce the risk of offending
• In addition to ‘core offer’ a menu of topics will be used within the programme to educate young people
around the risks of exploitation and youth violence through the use of the ‘lived experiences’ sessions of
work
• On completion every young person will receive a report detailing contents of the intervention,
assessment data, engagement level and suggested strategies
Any questions please contact Nic via email – nic@queensberryap.com
Transition to Primary/Secondary support for parents
Moving up and changing school is a big change for children and parents or caregivers. It’s a new stage of growing independence and separation. Fears and worries are normal as well as excitement, as with each stage of childhood development. As parents, their role is to help children cope with and overcome their fears, to nurture them to feel brave and capable.
As part of our parenting offer in Halton, we are excited to share that www.inourplace.co.uk/moving-up is now live and ready for you to share with early years settings, schools and parents in your area.
The ‘moving up’ hub includes new free video guides, relevant online course information and topical blogs for parents on preparing for new school transitions. With a focus on starting primary school and moving up to secondary school, ahead of primary school places being announced next week, these resources are designed to introduce the Solihull Approach and key concepts around childhood development and emotional health. Please could the following be shared with parents/carers across your settings.
This link is for Early Years settings to send to parents – Preparing to ‘move up’: support for parents and families (campaign-archive.com)
This link is for schools to send to incoming reception families – Preparing to ‘move up’: support for parents and families (campaign-archive.com)
This link is for schools to send to families who are moving up to high school – Preparing to ‘move up’: support for parents and families (campaign-archive.com)
Solihull Approach online offers a range of free, evidence based programmes for all parents and carers in Halton, simply go to www.inourplace.co.uk and enter our access code TOGETHER. I have attached some information leaflets that can be shared with parents/carers in addition to the moving up hub information.
Please see attached supporting emotional health and wellbeing
Please see attached understanding your child from toddler to teenager
Please see attached understanding your child with additional needs
Please reach out directly if you need any more information
Sam Edwards | Parenting and Healthy Relationships Coordinator | Team around the Family Division | Early Help & Intervention
Lync: 0151 511 5206 | Mobile: 07392287921
Briefing for area SEND action plan & DBV
Tuesday 30th April | @DCBL Stadium | 9am
Last year, Halton was identified as one of a number of Local Authorities eligible to apply for the SEND – Delivering Better Value grant. We recently received confirmation that our grant application was successful and we are now ready to move on to the implementation phase of this important piece of improvement work.
Alongside this, following the recent Area SEND Inspection, we were required to submit a Priority Action Plan; a detailed outline of our immediate and future plans to improve SEND Services across the area. This plan has now been accepted by Ofsted and the CQC, and we need to move at pace to implement the content of the plan. The two improvement plans will run concurrently, over the next two years. We have drafted an ambitious delivery schedule, which if implemented effectively, will have a significant positive outcome on SEND support processes across Halton.
We are writing today to invite you to attend a briefing, where we will share our ambitious vision with you. We will explain how you can get involved in the work going forward and how we hope this will benefit your settings. SEND presents many challenges, but these two initiatives present an opportunity for real, positive change and we are keen to invite you to work with us to design and implement lasting solutions.
The briefing will take place on Tuesday 30th April. I sincerely hope you will be able to join us for this half-day briefing and look forward to seeing you there.
To book: https://forms.office.com/e/geMPDvgsz1
Ofsted Briefing – EYFS
15th July 2024 | 10am-11am | @ DBCL Stadium
School Improvement Halton have invited Tim Vaughan HMI to talk about Ofsted and EYFS
During the briefing Tim will look at all stakeholder responsibilities and how this forms judgements around EYFS during inspections.
Tim Vaughan, HMI, maintained schools and academies
Tim holds qualified teacher status and previously worked in leadership roles in maintained nursery schools, primary schools and children’s centres. He held a senior role for a local authority and worked as an adviser for the Department for Education. He has extensive experience of inspection, investigation and survey work across nursery, infant and primary schools, children’s centres, teacher training and early years. Tim contributes to the training of inspectors. Tim holds a BEd (Hons) and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education with Care. He is qualified at level 7 in investigative practice. Tim qualified as a headteacher and is trained in leadership development. He has advised nationally on this topic and has taught about leadership at postgraduate level.
Further information please contact mike.stapleton-chambers@halton.gov.uk
To Book: https://forms.office.com/e/6zrWuGNazj
Primary Headteachers Meeting
Thursday 13 June | @DCBL Stadium | 9am
This event is free to SLA taking schools and £100 for other schools
Agenda to be announced
TO book: https://forms.office.com/e/7RKFaH6MkC
URGENT NAFN Intel Alert: School Mandate Fraud
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