Just a reminder that the meeting for this term is taking place on Tuesday 12 June 2007 from 8:30am to 11:30am, at NLBP, Building 5, Room 11 (Conference Area). The agenda for the meeting will be as follows:

• 08:00 Refreshments
• 08:30 "Being a new Headteacher - an honest reflection" - Jeremy Turner (Headteacher at Friern Barnet) and Eileen Quigley (Headteacher at St Catherine's)
• 09:30 Break for Refreshments
• 10:00 Barnet's New Children's Service - Martin Baker (Deputy Director, Schools and Learning)
• 10:30 Meeting your needs

A letter is in the enclosures section of this week's Circular. Please make every effort to attend, the Learning Network Inspectors look forward to seeing you.
                                                                                   
Ieuan Renowden, Chris Brook, Niamh Arnull and Chris Skinner
Learning Network Inspectors

For Information

New regulations on working at heights

Recent changes have been made to the Regulations on Working at Height. In the Work at Height Regulations 2005, there was an exemption for work concerning instruction or leadership in caving or climbing by way of sport, recreation, team building or similar activities. This meant that a lower standard of protection was required for instructors in caving or climbing. The regulations were amended in 2007, to include these activities.
 
The implication for schools is that if schools have teachers or other employees that instruct or lead these activities, an extra risk assessment will be required to identify appropriate control measures to prevent falls. If your school actually teaches or leads climbing or caving activities, the leader involved must be competent, and a risk assessment will be needed. The change in law makes no changes for schools that do not teach or lead climbing or caving.

For further information on this, contact the Health and Safety Unit on 020 8359 7450

Asbestos checks

We would like to remind all schools that annual checks of asbestos must be carried out and recorded. Following a detailed survey of schools, asbestos registers were issued to all schools in 2005 and 2006 along with a Health and Safety Bulletin (number183). Once asbestos has been identified, it is a statutory duty to regularly inspect the materials for any damage or deterioration to its condition. It has been some time now since the bulletin was issued, so it is essential that checks are carried out now.

Information about the checks that are necessary are contained in H&S Bulletin 183 and the importance of this was explained at the asbestos awareness briefings in 2005. If you have any questions about this, or if you do not have access to an asbestos register for your school, please contact the Asset Management Team on 020 8359 4563, your school's contact in the Education Capital Team, or the Health and Safety Unit on 8359 7450.

Ian Kimmett
Health and Safety Strategist

For Action - Response required by 25 May

Barnet Children's Service is offering up to £10,000 in 'exchange' for exciting play projects and workshops for children and young people in the borough. The deadline for applications is Friday 25 May.

Further information and the application form can be found in the enclosures section of this week's School Circular.

Please call 020 8359 7614 for more details or visit www.barnet.gov.uk/holiday-activities

Rebecca Franklin
Extended Services Co-ordinator

For Information

Hampstead Garden Suburb: 100 Years
Running from 29 April until 7 September 2007
Church Farmhouse Museum
Greyhound Hill, London NW4 4JR

Church Farmhouse Museum's Summer exhibition celebrates the Centenary of this distinctive local area, from its beginnings as the vision of the social reformer Dame Henrietta Barnett to the wealthy conservation area of today. Although as a social experiment - Henrietta Barnett intended it as a place where all social classes would live side by side in harmony - it was a failure virtually from the start, Hampstead Garden Suburb remains as a place of considerable cultural and architectural interest, especially in its earliest buildings, designed by Raymond Unwin and Edwin Lutyens.

Many famous people - soldiers and scientists, politicians and painters, actors and architects - have lived in the Suburb over the past hundred years, and the area still retains its own distinctive ethos and atmosphere.

The exhibition is relevant to History KS2 and KS3. For details, please telephone 0208 359 3942. Admission is free.

Gerrard Roots
Currator, Church Farmhouse Museum

For Information

Congratulations to Underhill Junior School whoich is the first school in Barnet to be awarded the new Transport for London Sustainable Travel Accredited and Recognised (STAR) award - sustainable level.

The deadline for this year for schools with an approved school travel plan to apply for a STAR award is 31 May 2007. For further details please see www.staccreditation.org.uk or contact Alison Sharpe (School Travel Plan Coordinator) on 8359 7603 or alison.sharpe@barnet.gov.uk.

For Information

Draft guidance on new duty to promote community cohesion
The DfES is seeking views on the content and format of the draft guidance:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/familyandcommunity/
Community_cohesion_guidance/

Teacher's magazine
The May issue of Teacher's magazine is now available:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/news/?id=1313

French GCSE
The following website offers free resources to help with learning French to GCSE level:
http://www.targetlanguage.co.uk/contents.html

Exams doctor
The QCA has a website to help with A-level and GCSE revision and questions about the exam system:
http://www.qca.org.uk/592_13755.html

Gifted and talented learning
Schools Minister Andrew Adonis has announced a series of events and online courses for gifted and talented secondary pupils:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2007_0074

Appointment of qualified teachers
Brief guidance for the appointment of qualified teachers is available at the following website:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/staffingandprofessionaldevelopment/
recruitment/checkingqts/

Pete Comley
Assistant Information & Communications Officer

• Flyer re: Exchange Grant
• Exchange Grant Application Form
• Exchange Grant Criteria
• Exchange Grant Guidlines
  All Schools
  Response required by: 25 May 2007  

A flyer, application form and information regarding the Exchange Grant. Up to £10,000 is available in 'exchange' for exciting play projects and workshops for children and young people within the borough. The deadline for applications is 25 May 2007. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Letter re: Audit Commission Survey 2007
  All Schools
  Response required by: 13 July 2007  
  

  A letter regarding the Audit Commission Survey including guidance notes. This survey will be open for six weeks, from 4 June to 13 July 2007. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Letter re: Learning Network Deputy Headteachers Meeting - 12 June
  All Schools  
  

  A letter regarding the Learning Network Deputy Headteachers Meeting taking place at NLBP on 12 June 2007, including the agenda. Please click on the above link for further details.

• LB Enfield flyer re: Multicultural Fair
  All Schools 
  

  A flyer regarding the Multicultural Fair organised by the London Borough of Enfield. The fair takes place on 20 June 2007, from 1.30pm to 6.00pm at Palmers Green Library. Please click on the above link for further details.

• Flyer re: Half Term Activities A5
• Flyer re: Half Term Activities A3
  All Schools (Not on BGFL: Hard copies in School Bag)
  

  A flyer pulicising positive activities for children and young people. Please see enclosures 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