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Online mental health curriculum now available for FREE
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SEND OFSTED & CQC INSPECTION
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Schools Support Team
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January 2023 – Safeguarding & Virtual School Newsletter
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Inter Faith Network for the UK Newsletter – December 2022
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Education jobsfair – 18 January 2023
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Governor Training Opportunities
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EYFS Spring Workshop – Focus Transition
Online mental health curriculum now available for FREE
, we are now able to offer our complete online mental health curriculum to all schools in your area – FREE of charge!
Here’s a rundown of what’s included:
- 10 different courses with topics covering the foundations of mental health
- and wellbeing, resilience, racism and mental health, self-esteem, bullying, and more!
- Over 33 weeks’ worth of content for the whole school year.
- Each lesson is packed with interviews, quizzes, games, music, dance, and downloadables.
- Bonus wellbeing webinars for parents and teachers included.
- All courses are grounded in the latest in clinical mental health research and advise
You can see the curriculum for yourself here: www.thelilyjoproject.com/learn.
We are so passionate about equipping young people with the tools they need to look after their mental health – any recommendations or referrals from you would be invaluable in helping us reach as many school communities as possible with this information.
SEND OFSTED & CQC INSPECTION
Inspections will focus on the things that matter most – improving the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.
See attached for more information.
Schools Support Team
Welcome back – and a Happy New Year to you all.
As you know we had several changes of staff last year causing some disruption on the team. In addition to this, we are having to contend with additional workloads. This necessitated a review of staffing and we now have 4 budget officers on the team as well as myself. As we now have our full complement of staff we are able to allocate new budget officers, some of you will have already met our new staff, Floyd Sefton and Mike Kenyon at recent Mid-Year review meetings.
Please note were possible, we have tried to keep established working relationships in order to reduce any further disruption to schools – so you may not notice any difference! However for those who have a new budget officer, they will shortly be in touch to introduce themselves and arrange the spring term budget planning meeting.
Kind Regards,
Jane Slater
Senior Schools’ Support Officer
January 2023 – Safeguarding & Virtual School Newsletter
FAO Headteacher’s, DSLs, Designated Teachers and Wider School Safeguarding Teams
Dear Colleagues,
Firstly, Happy New Year to you all. I do hope you have had a lovely break over the festive period and enjoyed some time to re-charge your batteries after the first full term back in schools.
I will introduce myself using this platform until I get to meet you all in person. I am Maria Needham, Halton’s new SCIE Officer. I am so looking forward to working with you all to support the best outcomes for the children and young people of Halton. I have over 20 years’ experience within education and have been involved in many different roles, but for the last 15 years my focus has been safeguarding in education.
I am fully aware of the vital role school’s play in safeguarding children and young people, as well as the challenges education establishments face in meeting the needs of the children and young people of today.
I am looking forward to working in partnership with you all. Please find below my contact details:
Email: maria.needham@halton.gov.uk
Telephone Number – 0151 511 6454
Mobile Number – 07385395743
Dates for your diaries and upcoming training.
The next DSL workshop will be on Tuesday 21 March 2023 at 1pm via Teams, please sign up using the booking form via the following link. Due to this being a while off, I have organised additional meetings and visits (detailed below).
Meet and Greet – informal sessions
I thought it would be lovely to meet as many of you as possible in person by calling into schools informally. I have set aside the dates below and would like to invite you to use the link below to book a slot for a visit on the dates stated, which best fits in with your school day. This would be a great opportunity to discuss any needs or concerns you have as a school.
Wednesday 18 January or Thursday 2 February – Widnes Primary Schools
Tuesday 26 January or Friday 3 February – Runcorn Primary Schools
Friday 20 January or Monday 6 February – Secondary Schools & Post 16 Providers
Link to book a visit
DSL Networks Meetings
As well as the planned visits I have also set aside dates and times for the DSL Network Meetings. I would be grateful if schools would volunteer to provide a venue.
If you have any items for the agenda, then please email any items across. Please book on via the links below.
Tuesday 7 February – Widnes Primary Schools – 9.30am – 11.00am – venue to be confirmed. Please email me if you can host this event. Link – to sign up
Thursday 9 February – Runcorn Primary Schools – 1.30pm – 3.00pm – venue to be confirmed. Please email me if you can host this event. Link – sign up here
Friday 10 February – Secondary and Post 16 Schools – 9.30am – 11.30pm – venue to be confirmed. Please email me if you can host this event. Link – to sign up
Other training on offer…
New to the role of DSL Training
Thursday 20 April 9.30am – 4.00pm face to face venue to be confirmed. Please book via Link – sign up here
Thursday 6 July 9.30am – 4.00pm face to face venue to be confirmed. Please book via Link – sign up here
Safeguarding Whole Staff Training Materials
A reminder that whole staff training materials (including L2 Safeguarding, Whole staff safeguarding refresher, Low Level Concerns, SVSH and Private Fostering) can all be found here.
Governor Safeguarding Training
Level 2 Governor Safeguarding Training – Tuesday 7 March 2023 1pm – 4.00pm via teams. Please book via Link – please sign up
Designated Safeguarding Governors Training – Thursday 9 March and Thursday 16 March 5.30pm – 8.00pm via Teams. Please note both sessions must be attended. Link – sign up here
Domestic Abuse Training
My CWA is now able to offer three CPD training dates for secondary school staff to deliver the charity’s brand new early intervention programme ‘Reset’ from within their settings.
For anybody unfamiliar with My CWA, we are a Cheshire-based charity supporting families affected by domestic abuse. From crisis accommodation, practical support and a 24-hour helpline, to counselling & recovery programmes; the charity’s whole family service is designed to help everyone impacted by domestic abuse.
About Reset
Reset is a brand-new early intervention programme designed to educate teenagers on domestic abuse and its warning signs – empowering them with knowledge of what makes a healthy and happy relationship, and promoting self-identification of harmful behaviours.
The interactive programme encompasses 12 x one-hour interactive sessions delivered by professionals working with young people, and complimentary to PHSE. There are group activities and opportunities for discussion throughout the programme, designed to give young people space to share their thoughts and feelings on different topics.
This an exciting opportunity for schools Pan Cheshire to educate and empower young people to engage in healthy relationships, and identify any harmful behaviours around them and even that they themselves may want to address. This programme is designed for and has been delivered to year 9 and 10s but could be amended for older or younger groups.
The breakdown of the Reset programme is as follows:
- Understanding relationships
- Unhealthy relationships
- Power and control
- Jealously in relationships
- Isolation and control in relationships
- Consent
- Sharing nudes/semi nudes
- What are the effects of domestic abuse
- How to keep yourself safe
- Emotional regulation
- Emotional regulation
- Relationship boundaries
We currently have virtual ‘Train the Trainer’ session dates in the calendar to choose from, as well as taking bookings for in person sessions from within your school setting. Please note, you only need to attend one session.
Virtual dates (over MS Teams) are:
- Tuesday 10 January 3.30-5pm
- Tuesday 17 January 3.30-5pm
- Wednesday 18 January 3.30-5pm
Training is delivered by our Reset and Training team, who have themselves all delivered this programme within schools. In the training, we will be covering the different types of domestic abuse, the Reset content, support around delivering it in your school and answering any questions you may have.
To book your space on a virtual session, or to request that we come into your school setting at a time of your choosing, please email training@mycwa.org.uk and we can add you to the list/arrange. If you have any questions, please also use the same email address (copied in).
Partnership Training – Book via the Portal or email safeguarding.training@halton.gov.uk
All DSL’s and Deputy DSL’s must refresh their ‘Working Together’ Level 3 training once every 2 years (with regular updates during this time, such as the DSL workshops).
‘Working Together’ training is delivered by the safeguarding partnership & spaces can be reserved via the new Safeguarding Partnership Training Portal.
All partnership training is expected to be delivered via Teams and will presented by the most relevant agency.
- Managing Allegations against those who work or volunteer with children (9.30am – 12 noon) 12 January 2023
- Working Together Full Course (For new DSLs) (9:30 -16:30) 17 January 202323 March 2023
- Working Together Refresher (To be repeated every 2 years) (9:30 – 15:00)
23 February 2023
We will share dates for April and beyond as soon as they are confirmed
- LADO Training (9:30 – 12:00) 3 March 2023
- Sexual Violence Awareness (9:30 – 12:00) 1 March 2023
- ICON Lunchtime Briefing (12:15 – 13:00)
19 January 2023
- Domestic Abuse (9:30 – 12:30)
6 February 2023
As all the courses above are delivered as a multi-agency offer, the spaces can be booked via the partnerships training portal: https://halton.accessplanit.com/accessplan/LMSPortal/UI/Page/Authentication/Login/Default.aspx
Or, if you can’t access the portal, please email safeguarding.training@halton.gov.uk
ELSA training
The Educational Psychologist Service are once again running free ELSA training to schools on a first come first served basis. This year they will also require a payment of £150 at the time of booking to cover the next years’ worth of supervision for your new ELSA colleague. Each ELSA must attend 6 sessions of supervision over the academic year to develop their practice and to maintain their ELSA status and registration with the ELSA network.
If you are interested in sending a member of staff (or two) on this training then please email educationalpsyc@halton.gov.uk and we will add you to a list. At this point you will be sent the Job description and person specification for the role, to enable you to choose the right people for this important role. We will also issue you with a contract of terms where you will see the requirements ELSA staff need in schools to be able to maintain registration. If this is something you still feel would work for you in school, then please complete the contract and return and we will allocate you a space. There are 35 spaces available and they will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
School contact details
Thank you to everyone who completed this form last term – if you have not yet done so (or there have been further changes to team structures of the winter holidays, please could I ask that you spend a couple of minutes completing this very short form?
https://forms.office.com/r/bijBrNc0Ud
PEPs
Thank you to all schools for submitting your PEPs ahead of the deadline last term & a big well done to everyone who received a grading of ‘gold’ or ‘green’ for the quality of the submitted documents. (If you are not sure what grading your PEPs received, or what could be done to improve the standard, please get in touch with the PEP leads in the virtual school). The PEP QA process has been refined over the Autumn term, and therefore moving forwards, in order to receive a green or gold grading, all PEP targets must be SMART. If you are unsure what this entails, please contact the team to discuss prior to any PEP meeting or before submission.
All PP+ funding requests have now been authorised for those PEPs completed before the deadline.
Fixed Term Suspension & Permanent Exclusions
The virtual school needs to begin to monitor the number of CYP who receive a fixed term suspension, permanent exclusion (or are at risk of this), as well if information relating to their attendance and attainment.
This is different to our role of CLA young people; it is more strategic and involves looking for spikes, patterns and trends in order to identify areas of support, training and assistance for schools, social care and other agencies in order to improve the outcomes and opportunities for this group of children. Have you considered how this group is tracked internally within school, when it comes to their attendance, behaviour, progress and academic outcomes…etc.
Inform the Virtual School!
Please remember to inform the virtual school about all significant changes or requests for LAC. This includes holiday requests, possible moves and changes in circumstances.
If a Looked-After Child is at risk of exclusion – get in touch – we can help!
If a child becomes ‘Looked After’, an initial PEP must be completed within 10 days – this is a statutory timescale which we need to stick to and will mean we need to act quickly!
Conflict between parents
Destructive conflict between parents – whether they are together or separated – is associated with a range of problems for children and young people as they grow up, including mental health difficulties, poorer academic outcomes, reduced employment prospects and poor future relationship chances. The impact of parental conflict on children and young people places significant pressures across a range of public services, and particularly on local government. Working with families to reduce parental conflict has the potential to reduce many of these pressures.
I am pleased to announce that we have commissioned Amity Relationship Solutions (www.amityrelationshipsolutions.org) as the new provider of resources to support the Reducing Parental Conflict agenda in Halton.
The resources we currently have available to us are as follows;
The Relationship Toolkit –
This is a must have, practical guide to working with parental conflict for the frontline workforce. It includes solution focussed questionnaires, assessments, strategies and tools that can be used to support any couple or individual concerned about parental conflict. It has been cleverly designed by subject matter experts to support the frontline workforce to practically – and very effectively – respond to parental conflict with couples whether they are together or not. The toolkit has been described by a range of frontline practitioners as their “go to essential guide to working with parental conflict.”
Structured Support Sessions –
Sessional structured support intended for use with couples who are concerned about conflict in their relationship and who are working with a frontline practitioner about to spend some time with them across 6 sessions. Designed by subject matter experts who have worked and trained in a variety of specialist roles and has been found to be most useful when used by a range of front-line practitioners across early help, children’s centres, social care, education, health, adult services, youth justice, youth services and voluntary sector organisations. The solution focussed sessions build week on week to help couples understand why they argue, how this impacts on their children, what strategies they can use to communicate more effectively and cope better. Progress can be measured using pre and post evaluations which are included within the resource.
3 hour virtual training sessions (dates and times below) have been arranged. This training is crucial for all practitioners working with individuals, couples or families and will provide them with the skills, confidence, and knowledge they need to recognise, understand, and respond to parental conflict and will include how to use the Relationship Toolkit as well as the Structured Support Sessions. Practitioners who complete this training will be left feeling confident, capable and ready to embed relationship enquiry into their everyday practice.
Reducing Parental Conflict Practitioner Training dates;
– Monday 16 January 2023 (10am – 1pm)
– Monday 20 February (10am-1pm)
– Monday 20 March (10am-1pm)
Please email your date of choice to parenting@halton.gov.uk – you will then receive a Microsoft Teams link to access the session.
For individuals who have previously attended a reducing parental conflict training session, in order to obtain the new resources you will need to attend a short briefing to receive an overview of the new offer of support and expectations of usage. Please contact me directly to arrange.
We also have www.relationkit.co.uk which was created in conjunction with our colleagues across the Liverpool City Region and offers lower-level support and mindfulness exercises to couples and individuals experiencing conflict. If you would like to include RelationKit on your social media pages/websites, please contact me for an engagement pack.
Prejudicial / discriminatory incident reporting link
Here is the link to be able to report any prejudicial incidents (such as racist or homophobic behaviours) to the LA: https://forms.office.com/r/zHwRT618nd
Thankyou of those schools who have submitted incident forms.
Prevent Support for Halton Schools
Nigel Lund, who has been supporting Higher and Further education providers in relation to Prevent for over 9 years, will now also be providing support to schools in Halton in relation to specific Prevent related issues and concerns. He will be available to assist those settings with advice regarding potential Prevent referrals or serious incidents relating to extremism or terrorism. Here is a quick introductory message from Nigel:
Dear all,
I am writing to you to introduce myself and to ask that you, or an appropriate colleague, share the attached document with all the Prevent Leads in the schools in your Local Authority area.
For those of you that don’t know me I have been supporting Higher and Further education providers in relation to Prevent for over 9 years. My remit is about to change and I will now also be providing support to schools in your area in relation to specific Prevent related issues and concerns. I will not be providing any training to individual settings but will be available to assist those settings with advice regarding potential Prevent referrals or serious incidents relating to extremism or terrorism. I would also like to offer you, or the appropriate colleague, the opportunity to be put on my mailing list so that you can receive information about new resources and guidance that are published etc. going forward. This would enable you to share anything you feel is relevant with the schools in your area and in doing so help ensure Prevent Duty compliance in relation to those settings.
I would like to thank you in anticipation of your support in relation to this request and look forward to working in partnership in the future.
Regards
Nigel Lund
North West HE & FE Regional Prevent Coordinator
Department for Education
Counter Extremism Division
07384 452146
A Prevent Self-Assessment Tool for Schools
The Department for Education has released a new tool for schools in England to help them better understand how well they meet their Prevent duty responsibilities. The tool can help schools understand how well embedded their Prevent policies and practices are and encourages a cycle of continuous review and improvement.
The tool includes: a guide on how to make use of the tool as well as a supporting spreadsheet to help measure how well embedded policies are practices are.
The Dept for Education Prevent Team will also be hosting four free webinars that will help to make best of the tool and embed improved practices. Schools can register to attend the webinars using these Eventbrite links:
- Wednesday 18 January 2023 10.45am to 11.30am – A webinar to support schools to use the Prevent Self-Assessment Toolkit Tickets, Wed 18 Jan 2023 at 10:45 | Eventbrite
- Tuesday 28 February 2023 10.45am to 11.30am – A webinar to support schools to use the Prevent Self-Assessment Toolkit Tickets, Tue 28 Feb 2023 at 10:45 | Eventbrite
A Prevent DSL Handbook for schools and colleges
The Dept for Education has also published new non-statutory guidance for Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) to help them safeguard learners vulnerable to radicalisation.
The guidance is designed to explain the Prevent referral process and statutory responsibilities to keep children, young people and adult learners safe from the risk of extremist ideology and radicalisation. The guidance has been developed by frontline practitioners in local authorities, with support from the Dept for Education. It reflects learning since the introduction of the Prevent Duty in 2015.
Kind regards,
Benjamin Holmes
Headteacher of Halton’s Virtual School
Inter Faith Network for the UK Newsletter – December 2022
I am pleased to let you know that the latest issue of the Inter Faith Network for the UK’s newsletter (formerly known as the e-bulletin) is available at https://www.interfaith.org.uk/news/newsletter.
Among the topics in this issue of the e-bulletin are:
- 2021 Census data on religion
- Places of worship and the Protect Duty
- Faith communities responding to the cost of living crisis
- Faith communities and domestic abuse and violence against women and girls
- Inter faith projects, including sport and youth
- Inter faith resources, including faith festival guidance and inter faith poetry
- Job and volunteering opportunities with IFN
- Dates of forthcoming special Weeks and Days
If you have items that you would like to suggest for inclusion in the next issue, please email ifnet@interfaith.org.uk by 23 January.
Education jobsfair – 18 January 2023
Jobcentre Plus will be holding Education Jobsfair on 18 January 2023 to focus on jobs within the education world:
See attached for more infromation.
Governor Training Opportunities
Governors Termly Briefing
Tuesday 24 January 6pm-7pm
Governor Training – Pupil Premium, Disadvantaged & SEND
8th March 2023
Supporting Schools & Governing Bodies With Exclusions
Thursday 5 April 2023
Early Years Training Opportunities
EYFS Spring Workshop – Focus Transition
@ DBCL Stadium
Three possible sessions:
Wednesday 8 March 0930-1130
Wednesday 8 March 1pm-3pm
Wednesday 8 March 3.30pm-5.30pm
The main focus of the event will be around transition with other items to be agreed in due course.
To Book: click here
If you have any questions please contact:
Gail.Vaughan-Hodkinson@halton.gov.uk or Mike.stapleton-chambers@halton.gov.uk
Assessment & Moderation Training Opportunities
Phonics Screening Check Training
28 February 2023
9am-11.30am
28th February 2023
9am-11.30am
Audience: New to delivery of the Phonics Screening Check
This briefing has been planned to support delegates to:
-become familiar with the Phonics Administration Guidance
-understand how to accurately complete the phonics screening check
-know the key dates and deadlines for completion
-understand the LA’s role in monitoring the check
-share experiences with new and recently appointed teachers
To book: click here
Halton End of Key Stage Teacher Moderation Training
Yr2 & Yr6 Teacher Moderation Training
The Bridge Suite DBCL Stadium
These courses will provide an early opportunity for Year 2 & Yr6 teachers to review writing evidence against the KS1 and KS2 teacher assessment framework standards to inform next steps in the teaching, learning and assessment process.
Important Information:
Each delegate should bring routine evidence of pupil performance derived from normal classroom practice for three, sample pupils who represent the teacher assessment framework standards of WTS, EXS and GDS as appropriate.
During the course, participants will gain:
Peer moderation and review of writing across all standards awarded within the national teacher assessment framework
An understanding of what constitutes independent and effective evidence to ensure consistent and reliable teacher assessment judgements
An opportunity to reflect on necessary next steps and opportunities needed to ensure a robust end of key stage teacher assessment process.
To book follow the link:
For further information please contact: mike.stapleton-chambers@halton.gov.uk
Halton update on statutory assessment and moderation 2022/23
Tuesday 28 March 2023
@ The Bridge DCBL Stadium 9am
Outline
A comprehensive update on statutory assessment and moderation 2022/23, and clarification of the Halton model.
Description
This session will ensure that senior leaders with responsibility for assessment understand their statutory responsibilities and clarify national and local changes to assessment and moderation processes. There will be review of all Standards & Testing Agency (STA) materials and a reminder of assessment deadlines. There will also be a chance to reflect on wider aspects of school assessment, latest research and evidence, and share good practice.
Audience
Headteachers or senior leaders with a responsibility for assessment
Booking Information here
For further information please contact mike.stapleton-chambers@halton.gov.uk
Governors Briefing Tuesday 24th January 6pm-7pm
To Book: click here
Governor Training – Pupil Premium, Disadvantaged & SEND Wednesday 8th March 2023
To Book: click here
Supporting Schools & Governing Bodies With Exclusions Wednesday 19th April (Governors & Headteachers)
To Book: click here
Over the next few months as well as developing the CPD available to governors, Halton will be looking at recruitment of governors.
To enable us to do this, could you please complete the following: form
The form takes two minutes to complete and will be a starting point to help fill your positions.
EYFS Spring Workshop – Focus Transition
@ DBCL Stadium
Three possible sessions:
Wednesday 8 March 0930-1130
Wednesday 8 March 1pm-3pm
Wednesday 8 March 3.30pm-5.30pm
The main focus of the event will be around transition with other items to be agreed in due course.
If you have any questions please contact:
Gail.Vaughan-Hodkinson@halton.gov.uk or Mike.stapleton-chambers@halton.gov.uk
Please book here