For Information

The Choice Advice Service provides advice and assistance to enable parents to express a realistic preference for a secondary school for their child.

Further information is provided in the letter in the enclosures section of this week's School Circular.

Cecilia Dunne
Choice Adviser

For Information

This year, for the first time, Ofsted is surveying the views of a sample of children and young people in every local authority through an on line survey called Tellus2. The survey seeks to find out what children and young people in years  6, 8 and 10 think about a range of health issues, whether they know how to stay safe and what things help them do well at school and make them want to participate in activities.

Ofsted has selected 40 primary schools and 15 secondary schools to conduct the survey in Barnet and these schools have already been notified via an email sent out by Gillian Palmer, Director of Children's Service, on the 26 March. The results of the survey will be available in September 2007 and will be used as evidence in the annual assessment of the local authority's performance in improving outcomes for children. The results will also be made available to schools.

If you require further information please contact Jane Elliott at jane.elliott@barnet.gov.uk or on 020 8359 7621.

Val White
Assistant Director
Partnerships, Performance and Planning

For Information and Action

Contained within this week's enclosures are two new Health and Safety Bulletins:

• Health and Safety Bulletin 192 - Accident Reporting in Schools and Educational Settings
  This bulletin provides information and answers to common questions about accident reporting and why we do it.
• Health and Safety Bulletin 193 - Plaster of Paris
  This bulletin contains important information for health and safety in the teaching of art and design and technology.

If you need any further guidance please contact Barnet's Health and Safety Unit on 020 8359 7960 or 7450. 

Ian Kimmet
Health and Safety Consultant

For Information

Following the Government's requirement for all schools and colleges to publish on-line the details of the courses they offer, the pan-London eProspectus, now called 'choice', is live.

'choice' is a searchable, up-to-date directory of the 25000 courses and programmes that all of London's 640 schools, colleges and work-based learning providers are offering. As well as detailing every 14-19 course in every institution, it is fully integrated with links to other websites to assist young people in choosing suitable courses, such as local Connexions Offices, London mapping and Transport for London.

Secondary schools will soon be sent publicity material for this significant initiative, addressed to the Pastoral Deputy. Details of the training sessions to help schools benefit fully from this resource will be held early next term.

For further information, contact Dick Elms, dick.elms@barnet.gov.uk

Paul Grey
Secondary Curriculum Advisor

For Information

Thursday 19 April 2007, 9.00-11.30: NLBP Building 5, Room 8

REMINDER

In line with request from schools, this term's joint session will focus on the process of a child becoming Looked After by the Local Authority, information sharing and the role of schools in safeguarding the welfare of its vulnerable children.

If you have not already confirmed your attendance, please contact Rita Odumosu at rita.odumosu@barnet.gov.uk or on 0208 359 4496 or Patricia Davies at patricia.davies@barnet.gov.uk or on 0208 359 4534.

Rita Odumosu
Advisory Teacher
Looked After Children

For Information

Fairway Early Years Centre's telephone number is now 0208 359 3730

Jan Parker
Head Teacher/Project Manager
Fairway Primary/Fairway Early Years

For Information

Further summaries have been placed on the BGfL website:-

• The Early Years Foundation Statutory Framework
  Summary of DfES Framework, Ref. DfES 00013-2007, March 2007
• The Foundation Stage
  Summary of Ofsted Report, Ref. HMI 2610, March 2007
• Language Review
  Summary of DfES Report, Ref. 00212-2007Dom-EN, March 2007
• Postgraduate Professional Development Impact Evaluation
  Summary of TDA Report, March 2007

Once you have logged on to BGfL, the summaries can be found in the Document Summary Service folder under the Information for Schools tab.

Pete Comley
Assistant Information & Communications Officer

For Information

Bad Weather Situations
The Director General for Schools at the DfES, Ralph Tabberer, has written to schools in England about staying open in bad weather. Further details can be found at:-
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/educationoverview/briefing/news/weather/

School Uniform Consultation
The DfES is consulting on draft guidance on school uniform, dress codes and other rules on appearance:-
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1468
 
Budget 2007
The Chancellor has announced the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement for education, skills and children's services as part of the Budget 2007.
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/news/?id=1288

Green Paper Consultation on Raising Expectations
The DfES is consulting on proposals for young people to remain in education or training until their 18th birthday:-
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/educationoverview/briefing/consultations/
raisingexpectations/

Pete Comley
Assistant Information & Communications Officer

• Letter re: Financial Standards in Schools - 2007/08
  All Nursery, Primary and Special Schools
  Response required by: 30 April 
  
  

  A letter regarding the requirement to meet the national Financial Management Standard in schools. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Letter re: Choice Advice Service
  All Primary Schools
  

  A letter detailing information regarding the Choice Advice Service. The Choice Advice Service provides advice and assistance to enable parents to express a realistic preference for a secondary school for their child. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Flyer re: Assessment in the Foundation Stage Course - 15 May
  All Primary Schools
  Response required by: 4 May 
  
  

  A flyer regarding a one-day course, on 15 May 2007 at NLBP, for headteachers and senior staff of schools with Foundation Stage pupils. The closing date for application is 4 May 2007. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Letter and flyer re: Shoe Friends and Clothes Collectors Recycling Scheme
  All Primary Schools
  

  A letter and flyer regarding the Shoe Friends and Clothes Collectors Recycling Scheme. Since September 2005, Barnet Council has been working in partnership with LMB Education to provide primary schools with a recycling service for shoes and clothes. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Flyer re: Learning for Life Resource Pack
  All Primary Schools
  

  A flyer regarding a free development education resource pack. The pack provided by Learning for Life, funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), promotes development education focused on the lives of children in South Asia. Due to the overwhelming demand for the pack, from the end of March Learning for Life will no longer be able to provide it free of charge and will ask for a small fee. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Letter re: Independant School Appeals Panel Members
  All Schools - All Governors on School Governing Bodies

A letter and information regarding recruitment of Panel Members for school admission and exclusion appeals. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Letter re: Reserve Account Interest Rate
  All Schools

A letter detailing changes to the payment of interest on school reserve accounts. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Barnet Impact Booklet
  All Secondary Schools (Not on BGFL: Hard copy in School Bag) 

  A booklet from Barnet Impact, Barnet's young people's drug and alcohol service. The booklet provides information about and contacts within the service for professionals working with young people. Please see enclosure in the school bag for further details.

• Health and Safety Bulletin 192 - Accident Reporting in Schools and Educational Settings
• Health and Safety Bulletin 193 - Plaster of Paris
  All Schools
  

  Bulletin 192 provides information and answers to common questions about accident reporting and why we do it. Bulletin 193 contains important information for health and safety in the teaching of art and design and technology. Please click on the above links for further details.

• Poster re: Area Forums - 18 April
• Posters re: Individual Area Forums - 18 April
  All Schools
  

  Posters detailing Area Forums taking place on 18 April 2007. Please click on the above links for further details.

• Flyer re: Casting Search for Oliver Twist - 31 March
  All Schools

A flyer regarding a Casting Search for a new BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. An Open Audition is being held for boys 9yrs to 12yrs for the roles of Oliver and Artful Dodger on 31 March 2007. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Flyer re: Easter Break Activities @ Barnet
  All Schools (Not on BGFL: Hard copy in School Bag)
  

  Flyers regarding Easter activities for children and young people. Please distribute the flyers as appropriate, for example on notice boards and in common rooms. Please see enclosure in the school bag for further details.

• Flyer re: Recorder Workshop - 20 May
  All Schools - Not Infant (Not on BGFL: Hard copy in School Bag)
  Response required by: 9 May

  A flyer regarding a Recorder Workshop on Sunday 20 May 2007 at St Albans Music School. The deadline for the return of registration forms is 9 May 2007. Please see enclosure in the school bag for further details.

• Flyer re: West London Affordable Homes Show - 20 April
  All Primary Schools (Not on BGFL: Hard copy in School Bag)
  

  A flyer for the West London Affordable Homes Show on 20 April 2007 at the Ramada Hotel W5. Please see enclosure in the school bag 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

Primary CPD Flyers organised by Issue Date

Secondary CPD Flyers organised by Issue Date