SIB – Issue 424 – 09 July 2009

All Items within the SIB are colour coded as follows:

RED – For Action *NEW* – New course information

BLUE – For Information PINK – Courses

All Schools - All Headteachers - For Action

Racist Incidents Monitoring Draft Guidance to Schools

The guidance to schools on Racist Incidents Monitoring is being reviewed and the LA would like to consult with headteachers on the updated draft version.

The updated version includes expectations under the new Ofsted inspection framework and the replacement of the SNAP software reporting programme with an excel spreadsheet. The documents can be accessed via the links below.

We would be grateful to receive feedback/comments on the draft guidance in any format, email or annotated hardcopies. Please send your feedback/comments to Rebecca Carver either by post to Children and Adults - Learning and Caring, Level 4, Gun Wharf, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4TR or e-mail by the end of this term, 24 July 2009.

Links:

Medway Racist Incident Guidance: way.gov.uk/medway_racist_incidents_guidance_for_schools_v1.doc

Incident Monitoring Form 31.03.09: way.gov.uk/incident_monitoring_form_310309.xls

All Schools selected for the TellUs4 survey – All Headteachers - For Action

(For those schools selected by 10 July 2009)

Tellus 4 Survey

If you are a selected school you will have been written to recently by NfER and DCSF (and you may have been contacted by Julie or Michelle by phone). Additionally you should have received a curriculum pack to support the TellUs work. The Tellus 4 Survey is designed to gather the views of children and young people in years 6, 8 and 10 on their lives, their schools and their local areas. The survey provides a really important source of data for children and young people’s views and is used to inform and shape policy development both at a local and national level.

The survey is due to be undertaken in the autumn. Nationally, insufficient schools have yet signed up to meet the target sample for Tellus4. Rose Collinson and colleagues would greatly appreciate it if selected schools were able to sign up - by 10 July – via the link below. You will then be asked to enter the following information:

1. enter the number of pupils who will complete the survey in Oct/Nov 2009 and

2. select two additional questions from the Q bank if you wish to

You will receive anonymised results for children in your school as well as the anonymised information that we will receive.

If you need any further advice or help, please contact: or

Your assistance is really appreciated in this matter.

Link:

Tellus4 portal: lussurvey.org.uk/Default.aspx

All Schools – All Headteachers - For Action

Anti-Bullying Week

Information is now available about this year's anti-bullying week via the link below.

Child exploitation and online protection (CEOP) pages can be accessed from the ‘thinkyouknow’ website via the link below (basic advice on general cyber-safety).

Training on e-safety for staff and pupils is available from Well-Being Services, contact Nicola Nash via email: .

More information on Medway's anti-bullying strategy and action plan can be accessed via the link below.

Links:

Information: htt p ://www.ncb.org.uk/campaigning/media_news/2009_jan_to_jun/anti-bullying_week_2009.a s px

CEOP website: www.thi n k you k n o w.co.uk

Medway anti-bullying information: way.gov.uk/schoolforums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2576

All Schools - All Headteachers - For Information

Planned maintenance agreements through Building and Design Services at Medway

If you have signed up to services through the planned maintenance agreement, please be aware that invoices for these services should not be paid by yourselves. If you receive any invoices from contractors, please forward them to Stan Wiseman in Building and Design Services at Gun Wharf. Payment for these services will be collected direct from the Medway Finance Team by internal transfer. If you have any queries regarding this, please contact Stan Wiseman, tel: 01634 331091.

All Schools - All Science Teachers - For Information

Historic Dockyard - Science Programme

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is planning a new Science programme and wants some feedback from local Science teachers. Can you help us? We have planned two focus groups; one for KS2 Science Coordinators and the other for KS3 Science teachers. The sessions will start at 4.00pm. Tea and coffee will be served on arrival. We envisage that they will finish by 5.30pm at the latest. Delegates will receive a Marks and Spencer’s voucher as a thank you for their participation. The sessions will be led by Peter Wright of Wonderstruck Learning. The location and the dates of both sessions will be as follows:

Tuesday 14 July 2009 – 4.00pm – KS3 Science Teacher Focus Group

Location: The Ballroom, Commissioner’s House, The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

If you can help please contact or Sandra Delahoy (Education Officer for Secondary Schools), tel: 01634 823847.

Wednesday 15 July 2009 – 4.00pm – KS2 Science Co-ordinator Focus Group

Location: The Revenge Room, Commissioner’s House, The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

If you can help please contact or Caroline Mounter (Education Officer for Primary Schools), tel: 01634 823811.

All Schools – All Headteachers - For Information

Swine Flu Update

Whilst currently there have been no confirmed cases of swine flu in our own schools across Medway, you will be aware that we have had some suspected cases of swine flu in schools across Medway (and a confirmed case in a local private school), given below is the newly agreed guidance between the PCT and the Health Protection Agency on what to do if you have a suspected case and what to do if you should have a confirmed case within your school:

Suspected: "If a headteacher has only a suspected case they do not need to contact the HPA. The child should obviously be kept at home but the HPA will contact the school if there are any issues that require further action. Many of the suspected cases are subsequently not confirmed and so no further action is necessary

Confirmed: If a headteacher has a confirmed case, the HPA will contact them if they need to take any further action with respect to other children or the school as a whole. If the Headteacher is concerned at this point they can ring the HPA and ask for advice."

Additionally, the HPA will provide Headteachers with a letter to parents and staff if they have a case in their school, which becomes confirmed. This should help alleviate concerns from staff or parents.

Please contact Julie Ince at Medway Council, tel: 01634 331114 or email if you have suspected cases or any other queries regarding this information.

Further useful information and websites and numbers are listed below.

Links and contact numbers:

chernet.gov.uk/educationoverview/flupandemic/

Kent Health Protection Unit -01622 713059 or 0845 425 1757

NHS Direct 0845 4647

Swine Flu Symptom checker is available on:

direct.nhs.uk/Sat/Topics/WizardStepOne.aspx?Host=Nhsd&SyndicationPartnerGuid=d19370ea-a100-407d-9695-b73407f701c7&TopicGuid=8c903315-a302-412a-bfae-9cb576d4b4cd

For more information regarding Swine flu on NHS Choices

.uk/Pages/homepage.aspx

For Swine Flu Information leaflet from Dept of Health

.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_098685

For an update on Swine Flu

.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1241337631435?p=1231252394302

All Secondary Schools - All Secondary Headteachers/Media Studies & Drama heads/

Sustainability Coordinators - For information & Action

Makatuno Junction

Makatuno Junction is a Global Dimension project that looks at sustainability issues and as been piloted in the North East of England. This is now being piloted in the South East by Commonwork, with funding from the Department for International Development.

Commonwork are seeking expressions of interest from schools who would be interested in working with them on this pilot. Please email Jane Hale at Commonwork to lodge your interest in the project on . Full details of the pilot can be found on the link below.

Link:

Makatuno Junction: http://www . medway.gov.uk/schoolforums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=97

All Secondary Schools - All Staff - For Information

Youth Service Bulletin – Issue 34 (3 July 2009)

Issue 34 of the weekly Youth Service Bulletin (3 July 2009) can be accessed via the link below.

Link:

Issue 34: way.gov.uk/schoolforums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=103

All Infant, Junior and Primary Schools – All Primary ICT Subject Leaders – For Information

The Medway Primary ICT Scheme of Work Toolkit will be available for download from July 20 2009 onwards

This Medway toolkit, written by a group of Medway primary ICT subject leaders, has been created to support schools in strengthening the breadth, depth and progression in the ICT curriculum across the primary phases. It provides support for delivering the curriculum from Foundation Stage to transition units between Year 6 and Year 7.

The toolkit is divided into three sections: ‘Medway Primary ICT Scheme of Work Toolkit’ document (including curriculum map, progression sheets, units of work from Foundation Stage to Year 6/7 transition, advice on level five and a user guide for the Medway ICT tracker), Medway ICT Tracker and Resources folder.

You can download the entire toolkit (from July 20 onwards), or sections of it, by clicking on the link below. This link takes you to a 'Primary ICT' table, where you will find a row and link to the toolkit. Please note the link will not appear until lunchtime on July 20 2009.

Link:

Primary ICT:

way.gov.uk/index/learning/schoolinfo/38557/37417/ictinschools/39267.htm

All Infant, Junior and Primary Schools – All Headteachers – For Information

Marie Curie Cancer Care

Fancy getting your hands dirty? Marie Curie Cancer Care is inviting all children aged 3-11 to get their hands dirty this autumn by growing their own daffodils for the charity’s Mini Pots of Care fundraising activity.

Mini Pots of Care is a creative and educational project for schools and groups where children can learn about science and nature as well as the work of the Marie Curie Nursing service.

Each child will receive their own pot and daffodil bulb to plant in the autumn term. The children will then care for their flower over the winter months to reflect the work of Marie Curie Nurses who provide free care to patients with terminal cancer and other illnesses in their own homes.

In spring, when the daffodils bloom, the children have fun painting their pots before taking them home to someone they care about in return for a small donation to help fund Marie Curie Nurses. Free detailed lesson plans supporting Key Stages 1 and 2 of the National Curriculum as well as activity resources for youth groups are available to download from the website.

Distribution and delivery of the kits to schools and groups is free of charge. Register by August 31 and receive your free planting kit before the end of September. Further information can be accessed via the link below or call 08700 340 040 to register. Registrations for 2009/2010 close on 2 October 2009.

Link:

Website: www.mariecurie.or g .uk/minipotsofcare

COURSE ADVERT

All Infant and Primary Schools – All Infant and Primary Headteachers and Foundation Stage Leaders – For Information

An Introduction to working in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Date: Friday 17 July 2009

Time: 9.00am -16.00pm

Venue: Professional Development Centre, Bligh Way Strood, ME7 2EW

This course is for Newly Qualified Teachers and experienced teachers new to/returning to the Early Years Foundation Stage.

The course will:

§ Develop practitioners understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

§ Support practitioners to consider the key elements of an enabling environment.

§ Sign post practitioners to further CPD opportunities offered by Medway Early Years and Childcare Learning and Support Team

To book a place please contact Kim Turner, tel: 01634 338529 or email .

COURSE ADVERT

All Secondary Schools – All Science Technicians – For Information

Medway Triple Science Technicians Network - Biology Meeting

Date: Monday 13 July 2009

Time: 1.00pm – 3.00pm (lunch provided)

Venue: Rainham Mark Grammar School

Cost: No charge to Medway Schools [Cancellation fee applies]

Details and booking form available on the Medway Council website at the link below.

Link:

Details and booking form: way.gov. u k/index/learning/schoolinfo/cpd/39105/81205/92108.htm

All Schools – All Staff – For Information

Prospects 492

Link:

Prospects 492: way . gov.uk/schoolforums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2622

All Schools – All Staff – For Information

DAILY NEWS

Link:

Daily news: way.gov.uk/schoolforums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=39

All Schools – All Staff – For Information

Previous SIB bulletins

Links:

for 2009: way.gov.uk/index/learning/schoolinfo/sib/85537/85812.htm

for 2008. way.gov.uk/index/learning/schoolinfo/sib/72058/72061.htm

for 2007: way.gov.uk/i n dex/learning/schoolimprov/57769/57495.htm

for 2006: way.gov.uk/categories.htm?theme=19551