Hertfordshire Headteacher Update

DfE briefing

This DfE briefing paper provides a summary of the current DfE consultations, publications and guidance materials. This list is not exhaustive and additional guidance can be found on the Department for Education website

Current DfE Consultations
Title: Changes to Statutory Guidance: Working Together to Safeguard Children; and new regulations
Link:
Key dates
Launch: 25 October 2017Closing date: 31 December 2017
Description:
  • This consultation seeks views on significant revisions to ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ – the statutory guidance which sets out what is expected of organisations, individually and jointly, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
  • These revisions are being made largely to reflect the legislative changes introduced through the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and new 'child death review' guidance.

Title: Revised Statutory Guidance for Virtual School Heads and Designated Teachers
Link:
Key dates: Launch 16 October 2017Closing date 27 November 2017
Description:
  • The consultation seeks views on changes to two statutory guidance documents: Promoting the education of looked after children; and roles and responsibilities of designated teachers for looked after children following the Children and Social Work Act 2017.
  • The Children and Social Work Act 2017 expanded the role of Virtual School Heads and designated teachers to include providing information and advice to certain previously looked after children and their families. For many previously looked after children the impact of their pre-care experiences can continue to act as a barrier to educational progress after leaving care. The changes to the Virtual School Head and designated teacher role will help ensure previously looked after children receive support to help them achieve their full potential.
  • These new duties apply to children who leave care as a result of adoption, special guardianship or child arrangement order and children adopted from state care abroad.

Cross-phase publications and guidance
Title:Exclusions from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England: Statutory Guidance
Link:
Description:
This versions of the guidance has updated the exclusion review process and included non-statutory annexes for head teachers and parents.
Key points are:
  • This version came into force on the 1st of September
  • The changes within the document are factual and aim to provide clarity
  • The changes do not change the rights of, of requirements on schools, children or parents.

Title:Unique Pupil Numbers (UPN)Guidance
Link:
Description:
This document provides guidance on the use of Unique Pupil Numbers. It includes information on:
  • The purpose of the UPN system
  • The revised UPN generation formula
  • Data protection implications
  • The roles and responsibilities on schools and academies in the process
  • A section on frequently asked questions.

Title:Developing Character Skills in Schools
Link:
Description:
This report provides a summary of the key findings from the DfE research into the provision of character education in schools. This research included a national survey on provision and case studies exploring decision-making, models of delivery and experiences of different approaches to developing character, followed by a workshop to consolidate learning from the workshop.
The DfE understands character education to include any initiatives that aim to develop desirable character traits or attributes in in children and young people. The DfE believe that such desirable character traits:
  • Can support improved academic attainment;
  • Are valued by employers; and
  • Can enable children to make a positive contribution to British society.

Title:Developing Character Skills in Schools
Link:
Description:
This research was commissioned to explore and share learning about how schools are delivering character education. It includes the following information:
  • The approach used to the research
  • How did schools understand and approach character education
  • How did schools develop character
  • What is key to success for developing character
  • Conclusions and next steps.

Title:Safeguarding Strategy: Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children
Link:
Description:
A cross-departmental approach to safeguarding the UASR children in the UK. In 2015/16 over 6,000 UASR children entered the UK.
This document provides guidance on:
  • The National Transfer Scheme
  • Revised statutory guidance for Local Authorities
  • Information and guidance for families and children
  • Protection and safeguarding for UASR pupils
  • Commitments made by the various key stakeholders

Title:Literacy and Numeracy Catch-Up strategies
Link:
Description:
  • This paper reviews catch-up strategies and interventions which are intended for low attaining pupils in literacy or numeracy at the end of key stage 2. This includes interventions which have been trialed and proved successful with younger children
  • This paper only includes programmes where independent analysis has provided an assessment of their effectiveness.
  • This paper is intended to support teachers to make evidence informed decisions about how they support low-attaining year 7 pupils.
  • This guidance will also be of interest to senior leaders in primary schools.

Title:Care of Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Modern Slavery
Link:
Description:
This document outlines the statutory responsibility for Local Authorities, but also has implications for schools.
It provides clear information on these such as:
  • When is a child a victim of modern slavery?
  • The process of age determination for children and young people
  • Family reunification
  • Protocols on the planning, protection and placement of unaccompanied migrant children and victims of modern slavery

Primary Phase
Title:Primary Assessment in England – Government Consultation Response
Link:
Description:
  • This is the Government response to the consultation on the future of primary assessment. This response includes the key questions asked, alongside the information obtained from the 4,165 responses.
  • This consultation response outlines the key changes that will occur within the primary assessment system, alongside a timescale of implementation.
  • The document outlines the key changes for each of the key stages in terms of statutory end of key stage assessment, alongside the introduction of new assessments, for example, the Year 4 multiplication tables check.

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