For Information

Funding of redundancy (severance) costs and associated costs for school based redundancies - Maintained Schools

I am writing to advise you that future there will be a revision to the funding of redundancy payments within maintained schools in Barnet. 

Please find in this weeks enclosures section an advisory document detailing changes.

The purpose of the revision of process and producing an advisory document is to provide schools with clarity about the legal position in relation to the council's responsibilities for payments in maintained schools. In addition the document sets out the protocol that schools will be expected to follow in cases where the council is obliged to meet redundancy costs. The revision also enables redundancy handling in schools to be managed in a more consistent way and similar to redundancy handling across the council.

In formulating guidance, legal advice was obtained and research was conducted by Barnet's HR service including comparing practice within neighbouring local authorities.

The document clarifies the legal position regarding funding obligations for redundancy/dismissal costs and which of these costs will be met by the council. In future only the costs of redundancy/severance payment will be met by the council and agreement to fund costs will be given where schools comply with the agreed protocol. Schools will become  responsible for funding pension costs (final and ongoing). The council will continue to co-ordinate the costs of salary protection which will be met through the Dedicated Schools Grant.

The guidance document was presented for consideration at Schools Forum on 10 October 2011.

The new arrangements will come into force from 1 November 2011 and no retrospective costs will be charged to schools.

If you have any questions about the document, revision to process or any aspect of restructuring or redundancy handling then please do not hesitate to contact me on deborah.shaw@barnet.gov.uk  or 020 8359 7937.

Deborah Shaw
Schools Business Partner (HR)

For Information

We are pleased to announce that the 2011/12 funding for all schools and early years settings has been increased.  This follows last week's approval by the Schools Forum to distribute the whole of an extra £1.46m of Dedicated Schools Grant to schools on a per pupil basis.   

The age weighted pupil unit (AWPU) will increase for all age groups (Reception to Year 11) by £31 per annum.

The rate per hour for nursery age children will rise by 3p from £3.66 to £3.69. 

Special school place rates will rise by £157 per annum. 

The extra DSG arose from the DfE's slightly different calculation of pupil numbers from that which we had expected. Revised budget funding sheets will be available on Barnet Online later this term.

Please also note that we have issued an update to the mid-year budget shares, available from www.barnet.gov.uk/school-funding. Most schools are unaffected, but we have made some corrections to apportionment for academies converting this year.

School Funding 2012/13
Our consultation with schools on changes to the 2012/13 funding formula is now online, and for the first time you can respond electronically with the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RFP9D9D.

Pupil Premium 2011/12
The government has announced that the annual pupil premium for 2011/12 has increased by £58 to £488 per pupil for looked after children and children eligible for free school meals. The rate for Service Children remains at £200. Adjustments to school funding sheets will be made later this term ready for the December forecasts, but schools may like to make their own budget adjustments before that. 

Carol Beckman
School Funding Manager

For Information

At a recent social care/education breakfast meeting concerns were raised over the correct way for schools to communicate with Barnet's Social Care department specifically in relation to keeping confidential information safe and secure.

The following options are available for schools if they need to speak to someone about a safeguarding issue:

• Telephone: To contact our duty team if you have a safeguarding concern you can either call our consultation line (open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9.30-11.30am on 020 8359 4336) for advice.
  Or call our Referral and assessment team (on 020 8359 4066/ 4097 9am-5.15pm Monday to Friday) who can answer your question more quickly and ensure the right person helps you.
• Secure email: In Barnet we have a secure email system that encrypts the message and allows us to send confidential information via emails to schools other organisations and families. If you call our Referral and assessment team they can email you a link that will allow you to reply to the message which is also encrypted.
• By normal email:  You only need to use secure email if the information you want to send is personal or confidential and it is possible to identify the individuals in the email. You can still email us normally and attach documents if you remove any way to identify the individuals (use initials or first names only, refer to parents as "mother", "father" instead of by name). you can email our referral and assessment teams using the following email address dutyfrontdesk@barnet.gov.uk. Please do not send us anything from a personal email address but only use a work address.

If you have any questions please contact our duty team manager or Paul Kennedy on 020 8359 4459 or paul.kennedy@barnet.gov.uk.

Paul Kennedy
Information Manager

For Information and Action by 4 November 2011

Barnet Council has made some revisions to the Barnet Council handbook for the Free Early Years Provision (September 2010).

The 'Barnet Council handbook for the free early years provision' October 2011, can only be downloaded from www.barnet.gov.uk/early-years-funding.

An overview of the changes in the document are as follows, however, we would advise that you read the handbook to familiarise yourself with how Barnet Council funds the free early years provision (FEYP) and the two year old scheme.

Overview of the changes

• the handbook now includes how Barnet Council administers the two year old scheme
• eligibility for the FEYP is based on a Barnet Council three term school year
• emphasis on parental contract as these must be completed with all parents
• the hourly payment rate has increased from £3.66 to £3.69, payments will be backdated from 1 April 2011 
• new providers joining the FEYP will receive funding at the end of the term in which they make their first claim
• claim forms and FEYP adjustment forms must be sent using the USO-FX secure website, claims sent by email or the postal delivery service will be destroyed and the provider notified
• adjustment forms for children starting or leaving a provision must be submitted within four weeks of the change, funding may be affected for claims returned after this period of time
• officers carrying out an FEYP audit will check a sample of children's date of birth recorded on the claim form against the daily attendance register and copies of birth certificates (where available) to ensure children are eligible to claim the FEYP.

Barnet Council is committed to reducing the amount of paper it uses therefore hard copies of the handbook will not be sent to settings.

Please find in this week's enclosures section a Provider Contract (this is similar to the Provider agreement that all providers signed and returned in September 2010) and the 'Free Early Years Provision Guide'. This is a leaflet for parents/carers, for additional copies please contact Melanie Young on 020 8359 7876. Please discard previous versions of the leaflet as they are now out of date (new copies have a reference code on the back: 007891_FEYP A5 Booklet 27/09/2011).

To continue receiving free early years funding, the Provider Contract must be signed, dated and returned to Lyn Gallacher at lyn.gallacher@barnet.gov.uk or by post at the address below by 4 November 2011. 

Early Intervention & Prevention Team, Children's Service
London Borough of Barnet
Building 4, North London Business Park
Oakleigh Road South
London N11 1NP

If you have any questions relating to the handbook or need further clarification on the contents please contact:
Lyn Gallacher for questions regarding the funding of the FEYP
Johanna Goslin for questions regarding the Two Year Old Scheme.

Please refer to the Barnet Council handbook for the free early years provision' October 2011, contact details section 10.0.

Johanna Goslin
Project Co-ordinator

For Information

Earlier this year schools were advised that the section in the Financial Guide relating to this area Section 6.2 Taxation) had been revised and now included the option to use the HMRC's Employment Status Indicator. Following queries I write to clarify certain aspects of responsibility and procedure.

Headteachers have a critical responsibility to make sure that the delegated budget is spent in accordance with relevant legislation and best practice and that procedures within their schools are set up and adhered to which facilitate this.

It is important to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken that contractor and individuals are paid correctly so as not to facilitate the tax evasion. Headteachers should carry out a risk assessment in respect of all payments outside the payroll process and ensure that any member of staff in the school who has delegated authority to engage an individual or contractor knows the appropriate checks and procedures to be carried out before a contract is entered into and method of payment is determined. 

Where a person/contractor presents as self -employed they should be asked for evidence e.g.

• Unique Tax Reference (UTR) 10 digit number
• VAT registration number
• Letter from their accountant.

If the person is unable to provide evidence then a series of questions set out in the Financial Guide may make their position clear and these should be formalised by the use of the HMRC Employment Status Indicator. The HMRC will accept the tool's outcome as binding, as long as your answers accurately reflect the terms and conditions under which your worker provides their services. You must also retain a printout of:

• the ESI result screen
• the Enquiry Details screen showing your replies to the questions asked

You can use the ESI for all workers except some who are covered by different rules - see HMRC website.

If the person's circumstances demonstrate Self Employment evidence of this must be kept and the person can be paid directly. If this is not the case the person must be paid via the school's payroll.  

Nick Adams
Schools Finance Services Manager

For Information 

At the 2011 Transport for London STAR (Sustainable Travel Accredited and Recognised) award event for the North West boroughs, Barnet's schools' achievements in promoting the benefits of more sustainable forms of travel to and from school and therefore in reducing the reliance on the car, were celebrated in front of an audience of school and authority representatives and from N.W. London and across Europe.

It was announced that 79 Barnet schools received 2011 STAR awards, far exceeding the average number per borough of 32. 61 schools received the sustainable level (bronze), 14 the Higher Standards level (silver) and 4 schools the Outstanding level (Gold). These schools were Edgware Infant School, Deansbrook Infant School, Rosh Pinah and St Mary's N3.

Following the announcement of the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards schools that have made exceptional contributions to promoting sustainable travel for the region were announced. St Mary's Primary School was selected to be a STAR Beacon School in recognition of the fantastic work particularly with regard to promoting Road Safety.

Deansbrook Infant School was awarded the highest possible award of all, School of the Region - the Platinum STAR award, in recognition of their continuing extensive work in encouraging their pupils and families, staff and visitors to travel more sustainable and safely to school.

The work of schools across Barnet in promoting safer and more sustainable travel through their School Travel Plans has seen a significant reduction in single household car use on the school run of 12.71%, double the London average of 6.34%. Involvement in the STAR accreditation process has demonstrated that even higher reductions in single household car use are possible, with all Barnet's accredited schools showing an average reduction of 15.61% and those schools with Higher Standards and Outstanding STAR awards reaching an incredible 21.62% average reduction in single household car journeys to and from schools.

Alison Sharpe 
Travel Plan Coordinator

For Information

The Barnet Safeguarding Children Board is pleased to invite you to its annual conference on 24 November 2011. This is an important opportunity for colleagues from all sectors to explore some of the challenges of safeguarding in the current climate. This includes a focus on sexual abuse and initiatives to promote prevention across the wider community.

Date:  Thursday 24 November 2011
Venue: Conference Area, Building 2, NLBP
Time:  9.30am - 4pm

The aim will be to provide a balance of input and interaction and the programme will include the following elements with a keynote speech on Professionals who abuse from renowned forensic psychologist, Dr Joe Sullivan.

• Professionals who abuse
• Safeguarding in Scouting
• Parents Protect: Sexual Abuse Awareness
• CRAM : A multi-agency model of risk assessment
• Choice of workshops (further information will be circulated in due course)

This event, which is free of charge, is suitable for colleagues from all services working with children and families in Barnet.

To book a place, please complete the form in this week's enclosures section and return to childrens.workforce@barnet.gov.uk  no later than 18 November 2011.

Helen Elliott
Safeguarding Children Board Development Manager

For Information - Please inform parents

Get fit, look great and live well with our low cost female only activity.

For women of all ages 16+, just £2 per session, all you need to do is turn up!

Every Tuesday from 9.30-10.30am at Burnt Oak Leisure Centre, Watling Avenue, Middlesex, HA8 0NP

This is a very casual, fun session in partnership with GLL & Badminton England. 

For more information contact thinkfit@tottenhamhotspur.com or phone 020 8365 5138.

Lucy Peirce
Tottenham Hotspur Foundation

For Information

Congratulations to St Mary's & St John's Primary School who have achieved the full International Schools award.

Lauren Burbidge
School Business Officer

• Guidance re: Redundancy Handling for all School Staff in Maintained Schools
  All Maintained Schools 
  

  An advisory document is to provide schools with clarity about the legal position in relation to the council's responsibilities for payments in maintained schools. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Flyer re: The International School Award (ISA) - Developing the International Dimension in Schools
  All Schools 

A flyer and booking form for the The International School Award (ISA) - Developing the International Dimension in Schools on Wednesday 2 November 2011. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Leaflet re: 2nd Girls Individual Chess Championships
  All Primary Schools 
  Response required by: 24 November 2011
  

  Barnet Schools Chess Association invites entries for the 2nd annual Individual Girls  Championships, 27 November 2011 at St. Paul's C of E Primary School, NW7. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Leaflet re: Free Early Years Provision Guide
• Contract re: FEYP Provider Contract
• Handbook re: Free Early Years Provision
  All Primary and Nursery Schools 
  Response required by: 4 November 2011

Documents that set out the changes to the Free Early Years Provision. Please click on the above link for further details. 

 

• Flyer re: Barnet Safeguarding Children Board Conference
  All Schools
  Response required by: 18 November 2011

A flyer for the Barnet Safeguarding Children Board annual conference on 24 November 2011. To book a place, please complete the booking form and return to by 18 November 2011. Please click on the above link for further details.  

Please click the relevant links below for all of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Flyers.

All CPD Flyers organised by Programme Strand

CPD Flyers organised by Issue Date

Early Years' Training & Development Guides