The End of another Academic Year

For those who work in schools and colleges we are coming to the end of another productive academic year, and for many of us across education & skills we are looking forward to taking a summer break. As always the year has been ‘full on’ with many challenges to face but also so much success to celebrate. Before you rush off to find that sun I'd like to thank you all for your positive contribution to meeting the needs of our children, young people and their families across the City.

Things haven’t slowed down in July, check out some of the fabulous things that have been going on this month.

Poverty Proofing the School Day

I’m delighted our two year project 'poverty proofing the school day' has started very well. A team of 15 researchers made up of staff from across the city have now been trained, the first audits have been carried out and the feedback has been positive, particularly the opportunity to hear from every child / young person in the school. If you would like this at your school, please contact Hilary Ferries (hilary.ferries@brighton-hove.gov.uk). Take a look at the moving and powerful two minute video ' The life of Kieran aged 8' https://vimeo.com/215649190 . Other information and resources are available here: www.povertyproofing.co.uk

Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month

June was national Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) History Month.  This was a chance for schools to celebrate the culture of GRT people and the important contribution that GRT people make to our lives. It was also a time to challenge stereotypes and myths about GRT people, which can lead to racism and bullying.
The theme this year was ‘Friendship across cultures’. This was a very timely theme as it has allowed many links to be made about diversity in general, that diversity is to be respected and celebrated in our city.  

There have been many excellent events around our schools. 3,861 children from infants to secondary aged pupils have had an assembly on the topic provided by Maxine Lambert of our Traveller Education Service. 370 children also had art lessons based on the work of significant Gypsy artists.  There were an estimated 500 entries into GRT History Month competition this year.

Thanks go to all of the schools who took part in Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month this year.

A Westdene Primary pupil draws a trailer with the i360 with the message: Travellers are part of our community

Brighton & Hove Education Partnership

The Strategic Board of the Brighton & Hove Education Partnership met for the second time in July. The terms of reference and the strategic priorities for the next year have now been agreed. This was a positive meeting, bringing all the education family in Brighton & Hove together to work in collaboration to address priorities, such as meeting the needs of the most vulnerable, attendance, equity and recruitment and retention of staff. There was positive and collective agreement across the group to work together to ensure no school or provision and no child or young person is left behind. The two Teaching Schools, Pavilion and Downs Alliance and the Sussex Coast Teaching School Alliance updated the board on their plans. This is a real opportunity to bring resources into the city and develop further our successful model of school to school support, CPD, leadership, research and development and initial teacher training.

Brighton & Hove Governance Conference

Estelle Morris

I was really pleased to be able to introduce the Rt Hon Estelle Morris at our annual Governance Conference at the University of Sussex earlier this month.  It was fascinating to learn from Estelle’s wide-ranging experiences in education throughout her life, from being a teacher in an inner-city multi-racial comprehensive school for 18 years to becoming the Secretary of State for education & skills in 2001. We explored how freedom and constraints have changed over the years – back in the 1980s schools had limited freedom in relation to resources, as budgets were still LA controlled, yet there was more freedom with the curriculum and assessment. This has evolved over the years to quite the opposite now of course! Estelle also explained how schools supporting schools have developed, as we have a collective responsibility for all children in the city. She was pleased to hear about our Brighton & Hove Education Partnership and all the collaborative work going on in the City and the impact this was having.

Local Leaders of Governance (LLGs)

Estelle Morris presenting certificates to governors

This term, our Governor Support Team has offered the ‘Local Leaders of Governance’ programme, run by one of our National Leaders of Governance, Jenny Barnard-Langston. We recognise the importance of top quality governance of schools and of the need to strengthen partnerships and collaboration to drive school improvement. I am delighted that eight of our experienced governors have taken part in this programme and will now be able to support other governing bodies where needed.  Congratulations to Christine Bartley, Stephen Berry, Gordon MacRae, Faith Mair, Amanda Mortensen, Joe Paxton, Karen Preston and Allistare Smedley. Six of these governors attended our Governance Conference and were fortunate enough to be presented with their certificates by Estelle Morris.

Estelle Morris presenting certificates to governors

Congratulations to Coombe Road who have been graded as Good in their recent Ofsted inspection. This has been a challenging journey for the school so congratulations to Vicky Phillips, all staff and governors and all those who have been involved in supporting and challenging the school. 

Mayor’s Parlour with Coombe Road pupils, the headteacher, governors, Nicki O’Neill, Ellen Mulvihill and the Mayor of B&H Cllr Mo Marsh

Mayor Mo Marsh held a reception in the Parlour to celebrate this Ofsted success. The pupils, nominated by their teachers for the visit, got up close with the mayor’s 130-year-old mace and tried on the original 24-carat Hove mayoral chains before enjoying sweets, chocolate and drinks in the mayor’s parlour.

Cllr Marsh said: ‘I am delighted to be here today to congratulate Coombe Road School and everybody in the community for a really hard effort. Now the school is officially a good school as rated by Ofsted, and as a long term governor of the school it is my pleasure to host this reception as mayor. I wish them every success, they have really deserved their summer holiday.’

Coombe Road pupil holding the Mayor’s mace

Varndean Secondary School had a one day Section 8 inspection in June. The result has not yet been announced but I look forward to sharing this with you in my September blog.

We end the year in Brighton & Hove in an extremely positive position, 93% of our schools have been rated good or outstanding.

Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, gave a speech at the recent Association of Directors of Children's Services conference I attended, which included some positive words about Ofsted’s direction of travel. Take a look: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/amanda-spielmans-speech-at-the-association-of-directors-of-childrens-services-conference

This year’s Primary School Results

Children across Brighton & Hove are leaving primary school with above average reading, writing and maths skills, according to the latest national figures. Newly published provisional Key Stage 2 results show that across the city as a whole 63% of pupils reached the expected combined standard in the three subjects, compared to 61% nationally. Last year’s figures were 58% for the city and 53% nationally.

The percentage of local children meeting the national higher target across the three subjects is also up from 7% last year to 9%. I’m delighted with this year’s results and that we have been ahead of the game nationally at primary level for a number of years now. I’d like to congratulate all our schools for their hard work and commitment to achieve this success and to our education and skills team for the effective challenge and support they provide in partnership with our schools. 

30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds for working parents
The Early Years team have been working with early years providers to prepare for the extension to 30 hours of childcare for 3 and 4 year olds from September. A range of business planning workshops have been held this term and we are very happy that to date 131 providers have signed up to offer 30 hours from September. Congratulations to the team for their hard work and success. More information about 30 hours and other funding for childcare is available here: www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/childcarefunding . Parents need to get their eligibility code from HMRC’s Childcare Service and take it to their childcare provider well before 31 August for their child to have the extended hours in the autumn term.

The Early Years team also held a citywide network meeting for early years providers in July focussing on disadvantaged children and the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP).  The morning included:

• a presentation from the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service on the changing ethnic profile of Brighton & Hove’s population
• examples of effective EYPP spending from four local Outstanding settings
• workshop on refugee children and families, Secure Base and Attachment Aware practice and Word Play.

For more information and advice about the Early Years Pupil Premium follow this link: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/children-and-education/working-childcare/early-years-pupil-premium 

Providing Access to Childcare and Employment (PACE) Project

Colleagues and EU project partners visited the Brighton Pavilion

We hosted an event for the European Union funded PACE project. Our project partners from Belgium, Holland, France and the UK spent the two days in the city sharing information and further developing the project. PACE aims to support families to access good quality early education and childcare to improve outcomes, enhance participation in society and reduce child poverty. We are focussing the PACE project on low income families with two year olds, helping parents to access free childcare and providing additional support to find training, work experience and employment opportunities. For more information about PACE contact Fiona Ricci at the Family Information Service Fiona.Ricci@brighton-hove.gcsx.gov.uk 

Women in Education

Claire Jarman introducing speaker Alison Peacock at our WomenEd event

This month Claire Jarman organised and hosted at Cardinal Newman, our first Brighton WomenEd event. I attended alongside other education leaders across the city for an inspiring and uplifting event. It was particularly impressive to hear from a number of women leaders about their challenges and success. We are all looking forward to the next one. See @womenEdSE and @JarmanClaire 

Apprenticeship Event

It’s been a long time since we’ve had queues around the block to enter Hove Town Hall, but the 'Bust the Myth’s' apprenticeship event held on 4 July attracted hundreds of student and parents/carers keen to find out more about apprenticeships from employers, colleges, universities and training providers. The event was arranged by the Skills and Employment Team in conjunction with Apprenticeships in Sussex to provide up to date information on reforms to apprenticeships. There was a real buzz in the building and lots of interest in higher and degree apprenticeships which is great. It was really encouraging to hear from our young people about their ambitions for the future. 

Carla Butler, Council Apprenticeships Programme Officer, and the Apprenticeship team

Goodbye and Thank You  

Thank you to Tracey Grennan for her leadership at Downs Infants since the previous head left and for leading the school so well through a time of change.

Thank you to Ashley Seymour Williams for doing an amazing job at Patcham Juniors, his determination and perseverance took the school from notice to improve to good, a testament of his leadership skills.

Thank you to Mike Jee for the many years of service to the pupils, families and staff at Aldrington CE Primary. His unique and positive leadership style has enabled so many pupils to succeed over the years. 

Sincere thanks and gratitude go to Liz McCullough at the PRU for her work with and for the vulnerable children and young people in the city with social, emotional and mental health issues. Her leadership over 31 years has enabled some of our most vulnerable pupils to succeed. 

Thank you to Lalli Howell for all her leadership and hard work over the years in the different roles she has had in the city. A particular thank you for everything she has done for the children and young people at the Cedar Centre. 

Ellen Mulvilhill, our Head of Standards & Achievement, will be moving on in August for her new role for the Pavilion and Downs Teaching Schools Alliance (PADTSA). She has been a fabulous member of our education & skills team here in Families, Children and Learning. I’d like to thank her for her commitment and dedication to improvement in all our schools and to education within the city. We are looking forward to continued work with her in her new role. 

I would also like to say thank you and goodbye to Dion Page-Hammond, Education Safeguarding Officer as he leaves the council this summer. Dion has made a massive contribution to Schools Safeguarding in this City and really shaped what was a new role in the authority. Dion has been successful in obtaining a new position as Support and Intervention Manager (Safeguarding) at East Sussex County Council, a significant promotion.

We wish them all well in their future careers and the next chapters in their lives. 

Best wishes,

Jo

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