New support for Headteachers in their first two years of Headship – The Additional Support Offer.

6th September 2021Matthew Welton

The Church of England’s Additional Support Offer (ASO) provides a personalised learning journey for headteachers during their first two years in post, prioritising their wellbeing and personal development as a school leader and supporting them through local networks. The ASO is for new headteachers, within the first two years of headship who have either already completed the NPQH or are now undertaking the revised NPQH.

To find out more please click here or visit the CEFEL website for a full overview of the programme.

Church School Governor Conference

6th September 2021Matthew Welton

Church School Governors – National Virtual Conference

Church School Governors Conference FINAL

An opportunity for church of England school governors from across England to begin the new school year together

Featuring:

Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell,

Rev Nigel Genders, CofE Chief Education Officer

Dr Margaret James, National Director of SIAMS

Rev Mary Hawes, National Growing Faith Advisor

Cheryl Govier, Go Team Advisor, Diocese of Bath & Wells

Date: Wednesday 22nd September

Time: 18:00 – 20:00

For more information or to book, please click here

Arrangements for CDA Visits – Autumn 2021

1st September 2021P Lloyd

As we move to step 4 of the government’s roadmap, the team have considered how we can best reduce risks related to COVID-19. I write to outline some considerations you may wish to make when deciding to meet with your allocated CDA.

As social distancing measures have now ended in the workplace, LDBE officers will no longer be instructed to work from home. However, as the HSE guidance identifies, you can help reduce transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in your premises by:

  • limiting visitor times to a specific time window and restricting access to required visitors only

Your designated CDA will contact you to discuss how you would like to plan your visits. Each CDA will ensure that the programmed visits across the Autumn Term are balanced across the week. The CDA Team can visit six or more schools in a week. Therefore, I would like you to consider whether you wish for a remote or virtual visit to your school.

Asymptomatic testing

Each CDA will undertake twice weekly home tests until the end of September, when this will be reviewed in line with the schools COVID-19 operational guidance. Any positive testing will follow the PCR guidance, and all schools with planned visits will receive communication to request a change of visit date.

Physical or remote visits beyond the Autumn Term.

As well as reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19, I would welcome you to consider the wider benefits of a blended approach to working with your CDA. Clearly there are both time and environmental benefits that can be achieved when working remotely. The travel time that is saved this year, will be used by each CDA to offer further training, and develop additional resources that can be used in school.

There will, of course, be a need for physical visits to resume. The entire team have missed not being with you in school and are very much looking forward to meeting you all again.

SIAMS Inspection Update 2021

1st February 2021P Lloyd

The revised SIAMS Evaluation Schedule (September 2021) is now available on the SIAMS webpage. You will also find an annotated version of the Evaluation Schedule, so you can see clearly what changes have been made. In addition to the amended Schedule, you will find revised and new policies that will help schools to prepare for the resumption of inspection. These are the COVID-19 Policy, the SIAMS Inspection Deferral Policy, and the SIAMS Appeals and Complaints Policy. An Information for Schools document is also included. This is designed to provide schools with a digest of the most pertinent information about the SIAMS process.

The latest SIAMS news including updated documents September 2021