Educational Visits Service SLA Reminder
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to this week’s issue of Education Essex. Best wishes for a happy end of term and a good break over Easter.
This is rather a busy edition.
As you will all know we are approaching the county elections in May and many of our current Members have chosen not to stand for re-election, including Cllr Stephen Castle. Many of you will have worked with or met Cllr Castle during his twelve years at ECC and I’m sure that you agree with me that he has contributed hugely to Essex during his time here.
I would like to draw your attention to our Essex Education Services (EES). Over the past six months, we have been busy restructuring our services to make them even more efficient and tailored to schools’ needs. We are also in the process of moving EES to County Hall during the Easter holidays (please click here for a copy of our letter advising you of these moves.) We welcome any final views on what you think works well with Education Essex and Infolink – please click here to share your views.
Tim Coulson
Director of Education and Learning
School Updates
Finance
Events and Resources
Continuous Professional Development
Click on the links above for more information
School Updates
- Educational Visits Service SLA Reminder
- Important Updates from MITIE
- Schools Forum Elections
- Upgrade of the Live@EDU email system – Update
- Update following PSHE Review
Audience: Headteacher/ Chair of Governors/ Educational Visit Coordinator
Phase:All Phases
School Type: All
Action required: Return your completed Service Level Agreement by 31 March 2013.
Further to our note in February regarding Educational Visits Health & Safety Support to all Schools and other Educational Establishments from April 2013, I would like to remind you that if you require the service to continue all Service Level Agreements must be returned by 31 March 2013.
Please note that we have introduced a reduced fee scale for very small schools.
Less than 75 pupils on roll - £75
Less than 150 pupils on roll - £150
For further information:
Contact: Educational Visits
Email:
Telephone: 01245 221022
Visit: Educational Visits
Important Updates from MITIE
Audience: Headteacher
Phase:All Phases
School Type:All
Please see below updates from MITIE, including the attached documents for further information:
- Reminder to take Meter Reading for Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC)
- Change to Display Energy Certificate Legislation
For further information or if you have any queries:
Contact: Les Hicks
Email:
Telephone: 01245 435514
Schools Forum Elections
Audience: Headteacher
Phase:KS1KS2PrimarySecondary
School Type:All
Action required: Place your vote before elections close on Friday 26 April 2013
Elections are currently being held to choose representatives for:
- Community / Voluntary Controlled Junior Governor
- Secondary Academy Governor.
Please clickhere for further information, including ballot form and candidate information regarding the election.All Maintained Infant, Junior and Primary schools can vote for this position.
Secondary Academy Governor
Please clickhere for further information, including ballot form and candidate information regarding the election.All Secondary Academies can vote for this position.
Upgrade of the Live@EDU email system - Update
Audience: Headteacher/ ICT coordinator/ Office Manager
Phase:All Phases
School Type:All
Microsoft Office 365 Email migration
As you are all hopefully aware, Essex email will be migrating from Microsoft Live@Edu to the new Microsoft Office 365 platform. Initially this migration was planned to take place in March/April.
Unfortunately, due to an unforeseen technical constraint at Microsoft, and to ensure that the email migration minimises the impact to your school, email migrations will now be scheduled to happen between now and the 31July 2013. RM, who are working on behalf of Schools Broadband Team, and Microsoft will be able to provide you with 30 days advance warning of your migration date.
As described previously, there will be no need for action by the school as all changes will take place behind the scene. Email will remain available throughout the migration, and online resources and support will be available immediately post migration.
For further information:
Contact: Schools Broadband Team
Telephone: 01245 435293
Update following PSHE Review
Audience: Headteacher / PSHE Coordinator
Key Stage: All Key Stages
School Type: All
The Department for Education has issued theoutcomes of its personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education review.
Even though PSHE is not statutory, it is worth noting that whole school (Section 5) Ofsted inspections take into account whether a school provides its pupils with a ‘broad and balanced curriculum that promotes their good behaviour and safety and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development’.
Please see the attachedupdate for further information especially regarding Ofsted inspections.
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Events and Resources
- Edit Newsletter – Involvement of Children and Young People
- Exploding the Myth - Introduction To Teenage Homelessness
- Summer Reading Challenge – volunteers needed
- Live Local, Love Local
- ICT – Funding and Investment Exhibition
- Have you old but still usable ICT equipment?
Audience: Headteacher/ Student Support Services
Phase: KS2PrimarySecondaryPost 16 Special Schools
School Type:Academy CSSIndependent Schools
“Edit” is a termly newsletter issued by the SCF Involvement Team. It gives up-to-date news and opportunities for children and young people to get involved and have a say in services that affect them.
It is very important to us to hear the voices of children and young people. Please open the newsletter and share it with colleagues who can support our work.
For further information:
Contact: SCF Involvement Team
Email:
Telephone: 01206 762923
Exploding the Myth - Introduction To Teenage Homelessness
Audience: Headteacher/ PSHE Coordinator
Phase:KS2SecondarySpecial Schools
School Type:All
One in three children for every school are homeless
Following statistics released regarding young homelessness, ‘Exploding the Myth’ is a new project aimed at raising awareness and providing advice to schools, families and young people.
Over the Summer Term a selection of instalments will be available which will offer information and updates on homelessness, support services available, links and resources and guidance to assist learning and offer support for those affected by homelessness.
The first instalment provides:
- Overview and background information about the project
- Presenting ‘Exploding the Myth’ for Year 9 – 11 pupils
- Insight in to support available to schools and upcoming resources
- Introducing ‘Instructions not included’ directed at Year 6 pupils
- Information on what to expect in upcoming instalments.
For further information or if your school would be interested in receiving support:
Contact: Fiona Cook, Housing Development Officer
Email:
Telephone: 01245 436630
Summer Reading Challenge – volunteers needed
Audience: Headteacher/ Careers Advisor/ Heads of Year
Key Stage:SecondaryPost 16 Special Schools
School Type:All
Action required: Closing date for applications is Friday 26 April 2013 for students aged 16 or over, and Friday 14 June 2013 if under 16.
Essex Libraries are looking for volunteers aged 14 and over to help with the Summer Reading Challenge during the summer holidays. It’s a great way to gain new skills and it’s also excellent for CV’s. Volunteers just need to commit to a minimum of 15 hours of volunteering between 21 July 2013 and 2 September 2013.
Please see the attached Role Description that provides information to share with pupils.
Application forms are available in libraries or from the Essex Libraries website, Summer Reading Challenge Volunteerpage. Alternatively, you can download the application form here.
For more information:
Contact: Essex Libraries
Email:
Telephone: 01277 624624
Live Local, Love Local
Audience: All Staff/ Parents and Carers
Phase:All Phases
School Type:All
Action required: Please share information regarding the voucher book and events with parents and carers.
Visit Essex’s (Essex County Council’s tourism body) Live Local, Love Localcampaign is designed to encourage residents to ‘explore, experience and enjoy Essex’.
Central to the campaign is a Live Local, Love Local voucher book, filled with offers from some of the wonderful array of venues on our doorstep from castles and gardens, to restaurants and more – perfect for families!
So families can benefit from these great opportunities over the Easter break, we are happy for you to include information about the campaign and how to access the voucher book in your school newsletter and online on your school website. Please see the below links to help direct staff, parents and carers to Live Local, Love Local:
- To access the site:
- Link to sign up page to access and download the voucher book:
- Printed voucher books will also be available from libraries, Tourism Information Centres, attractions, train stations and supermarkets across the county.
ICT – Funding and Investment Exhibition
Audience: Headteacher / Finance Officer / ICT Subject Leader / Governors
Phase:All Phases
School Type:All
To support you with your ICT strategy and your school development plan, you are invited to attend a FREEICT resources exhibition in Basildon on the 30April 2013 from 13:00 to 18:00.
The DfE specifically highlights ICT as one of only two expenditure priorities in its published guidance to schools for the use of the Devolved Formula Capital grant, so please come along to view the latest resources and training available, as well as, meet with ICT specialists.
Please see the attached exhibition information and details of how attending the exhibition can support your school.
For further informationand to pre-register:
Contact: Peter Featherstone
Email:
Telephone: 07527 739250
Visit:
Have you old but still usable ICT equipment?
Audience: Headteacher/ ICT Coordinator or Technician
Phase:All Phases
School Type:All
Is your school replacing old ICT equipment that's still in working order? If so, would you like them to be used by students in Tanzania who would otherwise learn ICT through books alone?
The Rotary Club of Chelmsford Mildmay would be pleased to collect, within 20 miles of Chelmsford, any working equipment you can donate. We will provide a receipt and guarantee to wipe any data, then ship it to Tanzania, where free-to-use software will be loaded before the equipment is distributed to local schools.
Thanks to Essex schools, we have shipped two containers with donated equipment, and are now collecting for a third. Please click here to find out more about the PC for Tanzania project.
For further information or if you have any queries:
Contact: Nanette Wright
Email:
Telephone: 01245 420268
Visit:
Donate equipment:
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Continuous Professional Development
- SENCO Bulletin – 26 March 2013
- EMTAS e-bulletin – Issue 3
- Meeting the needs of newly arrived learners of English as an additional language (EAL) in the secondary phase.
Audience: SENCO
Phase:All Phases
School Type: All
This edition of the SENCO bulletin contains important details about the scholarships being offered to HLTAs/TAs holding Level 3 qualifications and SENCOs. There is a very short window of opportunity to apply for a scholarship so look at this asap!
Also in this bulletin:
- Level 4 courses for TAs accredited by Hertfordshire University
- Level 7 courses for SENCOs (potentially leading to a full Masters qualification)
- Also news of the Indicative Draft of the SEN Code of Practice
For further information:
Contact: INSET TEAM
Email:
Telephone: 01268 632360
EMTAS e-bulletin – Issue 3
Audience: Inclusion/ Multicultural/ PSHE/ RE Coordinators
Phase:All Phases
School Type: All
Issue 3 of The Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS) termly e-bulletin is now available.
Features in Issue 3 include:
- Opportunity for a free pupil workshop on cultural diversity
- Information about funding for KS2 MFL teachers’ CPD
- Find about major festivals and celebrations during the summer term including links to some excellent resources.
For further information or if you have any queries, please refer to the contact details within the bulletin.
Meeting the needs of newly arrived learners of English as an additional language (EAL) in the secondary phase.
Audience: Inclusion Manager/ EAL Coordinator/Teachers with management responsibilities for EAL
Phase:SecondarySpecial Schools
School Type:All
Action required: Book your place by 10 May 2013.
Admission, induction & inclusion – putting it into practice
A regional one day conference on 12 June 2013 in Cambridge organised by Essex EMTAS in partnership with the east and east midlands ethnic minority achievement network.
Please see the attached course information and booking form.
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Finance
- S251 School Budget Shares 2013/14
- Changes to payroll (Oracle) system
- VAT Newsletter
Audience: Headteacher/ Finance
Phase:All Phases
School Type:All
Section 251 School Budget Shares 2013/14 for maintained schools are now available on the Essex Schools Infolink.
Changes to payroll (Oracle) system
Audience: Administration and Finance
Phase:All Phases
School Type:Central Payment Schools Only
Action Required: Please ensure that the ledger codes on your financial accounting systems agree to those on F201 in time for April’s pay upload.
As mentioned in F Note 201- Updated County Code List ESI - Finance Notes (F Notes) there were problems with Schools using some payroll codes, as these had not been actioned on the Local Authority’s payroll (Oracle) system.
From 1 April 2013 central payment Schools will be able to use the payroll codes listed on F201. Therefore all central payment Schools should ensure that the ledger codes on their financial accounting systems agree to those on F201 in time for April’s pay upload. Failure to do this will result in transactions falling into suspense.
Please note that some items might still go to the old codes, particularly in the first month. These should be limited to overtime entries created before records are updated on the employee’s cost codes in Oracle. Schools can manually over-ride the automatically generated codes in the overtime system should they need to.
For information in how to complete these changes please contact your finance support provider or consortium manager in the first instance.
Work is continuing on the Oracle system to update the codes for external bank Schools. Further information will be issued once this has been carried out.
VAT Newsletter
Audience: Headteacher/ Chair of Governors/ Finance
Phase:All Phases
School Type: All
Please see the attached VAT Newsletterwhich provides guidance and updates on VAT issues affecting schools.
Topics featured in this issue include:
- Voluntary aided schools capital expenditure new rules
- Sales of goods in class and the Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme
- Sales of laptops to staff
- Breakfast and after school clubs
- ePayroll VAT reconciliation reports and mileage claims
Contact: Richard Miller, Financial Compliance
Email:
Telephone: 01245 431302.
Visit: Essex Schools Infolink
Education Essex is written by the Schools Communications team.If you have any comments or would like something included in a future edition of Education Essex please contact us:
Telephone: 01245 434745 Extension: 40745
Email:
Previous editions of Education Essex can be found on the Essex Schools Infolink website by visiting the Home page > General Information > Education Essex
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