Issue 20

Wednesday 21 February 2007
 
LA Advice Line
from 8.00am
weekdays
(term time only)
Tel: 020 8359 7626
For more information
please contact
Suzanne Crouch,
Education Information Officer
Tel: 020 8359 7618
CONTENTS
  1. Director of Children's Service's Meetings with Headteachers

  2. LGfL

  3. Provisional School Budget Allocations 2007/08

  4. Scheme for Financing Schools

  5. Council Moves to End-Month Pay for All Staff

  6. Sickness Absence & Maternity Leave Pooling Arrangements 2007/08

  7. Consultation Document on School Admisssions

  8. Fingerprinting Pupils

  9. University of Bristol: Document Summary Service

  10. Useful Web Links
Enclosures
  • Headteachers
  • School Staff
  • Professional Development
 
Director of Children's Service's Meetings with Headteachers

For Information

Please note the arrangements for the Director of Children's Service's meetings with primary and secondary headteachers:-

Primary Headteachers Meeting
Thursday 1 March 2007
Conference Area, Building 5, North London Business Park

Secondary Headteachers Meeting
Friday 2 March 2007
Room 5, Building 5, North London Business Park

Agenda for these meetings will be included in next week's Circular.
The meetings will start at 8.30am, with refreshments available from 8.00am.

Pete Comley
Assistant Information & Communications Officer
 
LGfL

(a) LGfL e-mail

For Information

As you will all be aware we have suffered from a number of problems in delivery and receipt of e-mail through the London Grid for Learning (LGfL) in the last few months. We have been working very closely with LGfL and Digitalbrain to resolve these issues.

As a result Digitalbrain have rewritten the email system and provided a new user interface which we are now trialing in a number of schools. We are monitoring progress very closely and indications are that it is both more user-friendly and faster.

As of 12th February the following schools have been converted to the new system:

Primary: 

Barnfield, Claremont, Colindale, Cromer Road, Danegrove, Deansbrook Junior, Independent Jewish Day, Livingstone, Mathilda Marks Kennedy, Moss Hall Junior, St Agnes, Tudor, Underhill Junior, Wessex Gardens.

Secondary:

St James' Catholic.

As well as the whole-school conversions ICT Coordinators' email accounts have been converted across all schools to allow them to become familiar with it.

We will monitor in these schools until the end of February. If all is going well we will want to convert a further tranche. If you would like to be an early converter, please get in touch.

(b)The London Managed Learning Environment

For Action

The London Grid for Learning has procured a new managed learning environment (MLE) for London which will integrate school learning and management systems. The DfES require that all schools implement an MLE by 2010.

Barnet will be hosting a presentation by LGfL and the successful bidder, Fronter, on the morning of Friday 23rd March. Representatives of school leadership teams, Governors and ICT staff are invited to attend.

The conflict of date with the Primary Deputy-Headteachers' Conference was unavoidable, but if you are unable to attend there are two further dates in Central London on 29th March and 20th April. There will also be follow-up in Barnet.

Please see the enclosed flyer for further information.

John Schmitz
ICT Strategy Officer (Education)
020 8359 7273
 
Provisional School Budget Allocations 2007/08

For Action - Response required by 28 February 2007 (or 26 February for Statement Schedules)

I am pleased to inform you that your provisional budget allocations for 2007/8 and final allocations for 2006/7 are now ready to download. Please go to our website www.funding.barnet.lgfl.net and follow the link. You will need to enter your school's 4 digit DfES number to see your own school's funding sheets but you do not have to log in to LGfL. The letter included in the enclosures, which has also been sent in the school bag to Headteachers and by post to Chairs of Governors, gives more details.

These provisional allocations will be firmed up in two weeks time (6th March) so if you have any queries please ensure that you contact us by 28th February so that we have time to investigate the query and make any necessary adjustments.

Carol Beckman
School Funding Manager
 
Scheme for Financing Schools

Amendments to the Scheme for Financing Schools including Control of Surplus Balances

For Action

The full text of the directed revisions to the Scheme for Financing Schools with effect from January 2007 is set out in Appendix A. The changes related to:

  • Multi-year budgets - requirement to submit multi-year budgets
  • Financial Management Standards in Schools - requirement for schools to demonstrate compliance through submission of evidence of an external assessment
  • Notice of Concern - the LA may issue notice to a school which the LA believes has failed to comply with Scheme or where actions need to be taken to safeguard the financial position of the LA or the school.
  • Control of surplus balances mechanism

Details of the methodology and the proposed timetable for assessing the need for the clawback of surplus balances is set out in Appendix B.

Headteachers are asked to ensure governing bodies are made aware of the Scheme changes. An updated version of the Scheme will be sent to all schools in the near future.

Any queries relating to the Scheme changes or their implementation should be made to myself by email - nick.adams@barnet.gov.uk or by telephone 020 8359 7203

Nick Adams
Schools Finance Services Manager
 
Council Moves to End-Month Pay for All Staff

For Information

Barnet Council is consulting on plans to move all staff to end-month pay from May this year. Currently, approximately half the council's workforce are paid mid-month and half are paid end month.

The proposed change will bring the pay date in line for the whole of the council's workforce but will largely affect centrally-based staff.

Most school-based staff will not be directly affected as most are already paid at the end of the month. Regular communications will be issued by Payroll in the lead up to the change.

Further information is available from Peter Dempsey,  Head of HR Shared Services, 020 8359 7955.
 
Sickness Absence & Maternity Leave Pooling Arrangements 2007/08

For Action - Response required by Wednesday 21 March 2007

Please find details of the arrangements for 2007/08 in the school bag this week and posted on the Barnet Schools Funding and Finance website -

             www.funding.barnet.lgfl.net

Schools wishing to participate are asked to send in their Participation Forms before Wednesday 21 March 2007.

Nick Adams
Schools Finance Services Manager
 
Consultation Document on School Admisssions

For Action - Response required by Thursday 1 March 2007

A reminder that all schools were e-mailed the Consultation Document on School Admissions for 2008/2009 prior to half term. The letter and documents are included in the enclosures section.

Comments on the documents should be sent to David Clark, School Organisation and Admissions Manager, Building 4, North London Business Park, London N11 1NP or by email to david.clark@barnet.gov.uk by 1st March 2007.

David Clark
School Organisation & Admissions Manager
020 8359 7644
 
Fingerprinting Pupils

For Action

Some schools may be considering the use of pupils' fingerprints for cashless provision of lunches, registration or issuing library books. The Information Commissioner's Office has issued guidance that best practice would be to obtain parents' permission before undertaking this. Therefore we advise that you contact parents before you undertake fingerprinting in your school.

Pete Comley
Assistant Information & Communications Officer
 
University of Bristol: Document Summary Service

For Information

Further summaries have been placed on the BGfL website:-                            

  • Secondary Curriculum Review
    Summary of QCA Consultation publication, February 2007
  • Diversity and Citizenship Curriculum Review
    Summary of Report for DfES, Ref. DfES-00045-2007, January 2007
  • Independent Study into School Leadership
    Summary of Report for DfES, Ref. RR818A, January 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
 
Useful Web Links

For Information

Secondary Curriculum Review
The QCA is consulting on a major review of the secondary curriculum for 11-14 year-olds. Further details can be found at:-
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/news/?id=1244

Teachers' Pay
The STRB has issued their 16th Report on teachers' pay. Further details can be found at:-
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/
payandperformance/pay/News/

School Travel
The DfES is consulting on new guidance for home to school travel. Further details can be found at:-
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/educationoverview/briefing/
currentstrategy/schooltransport/

Personal, Social and Health Education
A new subject association has been launched to champion the quality of teaching and learning that can have a big impact on the health and well-being of young people. Further details can be found at:-
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2007_0023

Red Nose Day 2007
Friday 16 March is Red Nose Day. Further details, including free resources for schools, can be found at:-
http://www.rednoseday.com/at-school/ 

Teacher Assessment Activities
QCA has new teacher assessment activities in five foundation subjects. Further details can be found at:-
http://www.qca.org.uk/13116_16119.html

KS2 Music
The Open University and Trinity College London have been contracted by the DfES to run a continuing professional development programme for those involved in the delivery of music at KS2. Further details can be found at:-
http://www.ks2music.org.uk/site/

Delivering Skills at 6th Form
Consultation events have been organised by the DfES/LSC in March 2007 covering how 6th Forms will be funded in 2008/09. Further details can be found at:-
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/news/?id=1252

Pete Comley
Assistant Information & Communications Officer
 
 

   
Headteachers

 

A reminder that schools need to submit their applications to the London Centre for Leadership in Learning.   Please click on the above link for further details

 

  •  Institute of Directors - Annual Conference Competition
    All Secondary Schools (Not on BGFL: Hard copy in School Bag)
    URGENT - Response required by 3 March 2007

Students are invited to write a report/essay to enter a competition with prizes of free tickets to the Institute of Directors' Annual Conference  at the Albert Hall. Please see enclosure in the school bag for further details.

 

Gives information about Sarah Harty, Assistant Chief Education Officer Resources and Performance, leaving Barnet to join Hillingdon. Please click on the above link for further details.

 

Gives more details about provisional budget allocations for 2007/08, together with a weblink to access your school's funding sheets. Please click on the above link for further details and see hard copy in School Bag.

 

Details and an application form for this years arrangements.  Please click on the above link for further details and see hard copy in the school bag . 

 

 

  

Information about Barnet's Managed Learning Environment Information event and deatils about booking a place. Please click on the above link for further details.

 

Information and registration form for the competition. Please click on the above link for further details.

 

  • Letter re: Schools Open Evening at Hendon Library, 6 March 5.30 - 7.00pm 
    All Schools (Not on BGFL: Hard copy in School Bag)

Information about a Schools Open Evening at Hendon Library so that you can meet key staff from the Libraries, Museums and Local Studies. Please see enclosure in the school bag for further details.
   
School Staff

 

  • CLEAPSS  Newsletter: Number 37, Spring 2007
    All Primary Schools (Not on BGFL: Hard copy in School Bag)

The Spring Newsletter. Please see enclosure in the school bag for further details.

 

Information about the availability of a kit for teachers to enable first aid training for 11 -14 year olds as part of the PHSE curriculum . There are 500 free kits available. Please click on the above link for further details.

  

Information about an event by Housing Options to be held at NLBP from 3pm - 6pm  on 26 March 2007. Please click on the above link for further details.

 

  • Poster: Teacher Support Network -  Teacher Support Line
    All Schools (Not on BGFL: Hard copies in School Bag)

    Provides details of services provided by the Network. Please see enclosure in the school bag for further details.

 
   
Professional Development

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