Happy Easter Holiday

As we approach the Easter holiday I wish everyone a happy, safe and restful break. For our children and young people and those working in nurseries, schools, colleges and other education provision across the City, thank you for your hard work and commitment to education and learning this term.

Statutory Relationships and Sex Education

The Primary PSHE lead teachers delivered the annual Development Day to 30 PSHE coordinators, to focus on ensuring our primary schools are well prepared in advance of the relationships and sex education that is becoming statutory in September 2019. Teachers looked at a wide range of newly created Brighton & Hove lessons and resources covering positive body image, gender stereotyping, inclusive families, managing puberty with confidence and positive relationships including online safety. Some of the activities the teachers took part in included designing puberty emojis, making models of their own family, and practicing being body positive about themselves. These resources will be shared on BEEM. 

Puberty Emoji’s

Sarah Rose from Stonewall also came to talk about their new Early Years resource which looks at how to promote gender equality across our schools and shared more of their resources available to primary schools. 

Feedback on the day included:
'The new RSE plans are fantastic and invaluable in teaching children to be confident and love themselves - just as they are'

‘A really useful day. Great to take back to school to empower staff.'

'Fantastic to see the new resources which are very relevant to issues arising at school. They are just what I need and have been looking for. Well judged.'

Primary PSHE Co-ordinators trying out a families activity.

World Book Day 

Despite the snow, this year’s world book day was as spectacular as ever with schools and our children and young people celebrating their love of reading across the city. 

Some of the Moulsecoomb Primary children taking part in the World’s Greatest Book Show World Book Day event

Thank you to Vanessa Lewis from the Book Nook and Louise Zahra, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, for organising the World’s Greatest Book Show World Book Day event. It was great that so many schools got out to The Theatre Royal at the end of the snowy week. They targeted invitations to schools with high disadvantage. The places were free and the children saw a great show from top authors who all then stayed to sign books. 

Here are some comments from the Reading Recovery teachers: 

‘The children were engaged and enchanted by the show. On the bus on the way back they were busy sharing their books and looking at the dedications the authors had written inside. It was a really special event for them! One child asked if she could really keep the book and was excited about how shiny it looked.’

Another child was really interested in the author's stories and how they became writers.

One mum said ‘Thank-you so much for taking her. She came back full of smiles’. Her daughter said ‘I started the book when I got home on Friday and finished it on Saturday! Some bits were scary and some bits made me laugh!’

Maths launch 

Maths launch

I am delighted that the Key Stage 2 maths project has got off to such a great start, with Coldean and Saltdean providing subject expertise and the University of Brighton framing it all in a lesson study model. Thank you to the hard work of our Sussex Coast Teaching School for their partnership work with schools across the city. 

International Women’s Day

PACA students celebrating International Women’s Day

The 8th of March was International Women’s Day. It was great to see many of our city schools and educational provision celebrating and recognising the positive impact of women in our lives. 

Varndean School International Women’s Day poster

Sam Beal, Partnership Adviser: Health and Wellbeing, went to a talk organised by the Council’s Women’s network called Show up, Live Brave and Be Seen. The speaker was Roxanne Hobbs from The Hobbs Consultancy and she talked about the importance of showing up as our authentic selves which might mean showing our vulnerability and imperfections and that this takes courage and an ability to set boundaries. Her talk was based on the work of Brené Brown:

Bridging the Gap Between the Indoor and Outdoor Classroom 

Sussex Wildlife Trust helped seven schools bridge the gap between the indoor and outdoor classroom this month, with free training on how to use their school grounds as an effective learning resource. Teaching in school grounds has great advantages – it’s safe and accessible, there’s no requirement for additional staff or transport and it can be delivered spontaneously.

Held at Brunswick Primary, the two day course covered fire building, using tools such as a bow saw, saw horse and hand drill, cooking flat bread and campfire doughnuts, and gardening to encourage wildlife. Richard James from Brunswick commented:

‘We learnt such a lot. Mike and Katie were superb…a very enjoyable two days - can't wait to put it into practice.’

Annual Governance Conference

Delegates at the Annual Governors Conference

Our Governor Support Team, led by Sharon MacKenzie, hosted its annual conference at the University of Sussex on the 3rd of March. It was really impressive to see so many committed governors and clerks travel in the snow on a Saturday to engage in debate and share good practice. Dr Tony Breslin led the conference all morning, which was based on his RSA report ‘Who Governs our Schools’. In this he explores the importance of stakeholder involvement on governing bodies and encouraging everyone to be more aware of the role of the governor. Tony has been delivering keynote speeches across the country and he recognised it as a ‘great privilege’ to be working with Brighton & Hove governors, reporting on Twitter that it was a ‘fantastic turnout, brilliantly organised and fun to be part of; thanks to all governors who attended and participated, and to all involved in planning the day!’  Follow Tony on Twitter @Ukpolicywatch and Governor Support @BHSchoolGovs.

Dr Tony Breslin speaking at the Annual Governors Conference

 Working in Education Fair

Recruitment Fair

Another great Saturday event when B&H Education Partnership hosted its first ‘Working in Education’ recruitment fair on the 10th of March at the Jury’s Inn on Brighton seafront. Amongst the exhibitors were representatives from our schools, universities, colleges, council teams and teaching schools, all giving advice about working in different roles in education. There were also workshops that participants could attend, such as interview tips and different routes into teaching. It was great to see that so many people were keen to work in schools in Brighton & Hove, and we look forward to running the event again next year.

 Recruitment Fair (photo credit: Nancy Meaker, Patcham High School)

Apprentice Graduation

Elizabeth Flegg and John Druce, Co-Chairs of the South East Apprenticeship Ambassador Network

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) ‘Class of 2018’ Graduation Ceremonies was held on the 9th of March. It was great to attend with Pinaki Ghoshal, Director of Children’s Services, and Rachel Carter, Head of Skills and Employment, and celebrate with the young people and their families. It was also a good way to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week and individual achievements including our own Brighton & Hove City Council apprentice graduates. 

Pinaki Ghoshal, Director of Children’s Services, presenting award to Fifi Bula, Apprentice

Pinaki Ghoshal, Director of Children’s Services, and Rachel Carter, Head of Skills and Employment, with the apprentices

The Supported Employment Team 

Stephen Howse at his work experience in the Mad Hatter Café on Western Road.

The Supported Employment Team (SET) work with employers and people with disabilities who face barriers to employment to gain experience and work towards finding and maintaining paid work.

Most of us identify ourselves by our work. When we meet someone new, often one of the first things we ask is ‘what do you do?’ Being able to join in properly with that conversation makes a huge difference to people’s self-esteem and wellbeing.

Stephen is a client of the SET team and is always working hard in his work experience at the Mad Hatter Café. He has increased the hours he is spending there by agreement with the café manager. His sister (who took the photo above) says that since starting his work experience ‘his head is held high and he’s walking like a giant full of pride’.

Celebrating Academic Progress at Key Stage 5 

Brighton & Hove City Council has received an award for academic progress at KS5 (A level). The award given by Learning Plus UK acknowledges the progress students who studied A levels at maintained schools or colleges in the city made between the end of KS4 and the end of their A level studies, compared to similar students across England. BHCC have an academic progress score that is in the top quintile for LA’s in England.

Shiromi Cabraal (BHCC) & Calum Watson (PACA) were there to collect the award.

Learning Plus certificate

Rachel Carter, Head of Skills and Employment, said ‘BHCC are delighted to accept this award on behalf of all young people studying in the city, and acknowledges the efforts that all schools and 6th form colleges make to ensure young people are successful in their studies. In addition, our team continues to champion post 16 learning at all levels and to improve the offer in the city for vocational and apprenticeships opportunities working will all providers’. 

Learning Plus UK is a not for profit organisation providing support to the education sector to improve performance and raise standards.

Foster Carers Conference

Sam Wilson speaking at the Foster Carer’s Conference

On the 13th of March the Virtual School held its annual Foster Carer Conference at the Sussex County Cricket Ground. The Virtual School really value this as a great opportunity to work closely with Foster Carers, facilitating dialogue about all educational matters. 

Rob Caddick speaking at the Foster Carer’s Conference

The Virtual School sees our Foster Carers as one of the most valuable resources available to the education of our Brighton & Hove Children in Care. This year Rob Caddick led the conference and introduced the speakers. There were informative and interesting presentations from Mark Holdaway and Elizabeth Freeman from BHISS on working with the behaviour symptoms of SEMH; Sam Beal, the partnership advisor in Health & Wellbeing, spoke about bullying, prejudice and unkindness and Fay Lofty from National Collaborative Outreach Programme on supporting getting Brighton & Hove CIC to university.

The event was a great success and will be followed up on the 12th of April with a Foster Carer Q&A on ‘transitions’ with Rob Caddick and Darren Muirhead who will advise on transitions post statutory school age.

It’s been a busy Ofsted time for us. 

Goldstone Primary had a short inspection at the end of January, and were judged by Ofsted as Good. Well done to the staff, parents and children. 

Last month Longhill High School received a ‘section 8’ Ofsted monitoring inspection. The report confirmed the school’s journey to becoming a ‘good’ school is firmly on the right track. It is an overwhelmingly positive report that reflects the hard work and determination to succeed shown by senior leaders, governors, staff and students.

The report clearly highlights improvements that the school has made since its last inspection in 2016 and includes strong acknowledgements of these from the students themselves.  Some of these include: 

• Through better quality day-to-day teaching and learning, we are raising standards, without losing any of the school's welcoming atmosphere
• Teachers feel more confident about asserting themselves and insisting upon high standards
• The inspector saw motivated pupils who want to learn and who value the positive relationship they have with staff 
• We have introduced a number of initiatives to inspire pupils and raise their aspirations
• Pupils told the inspector that they were motivated to try harder and push themselves because their targets were so ambitious

We are very proud of all the hard work and success of students, teachers, staff and parents. Keep up the great work. 
  

Longhill Science pupils

                                                  

Longhill Science pupils

Longhill Ukulele lesson

Dorothy Stringer Secondary School, Tarnerland Nursery, St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Queen’s Park Primary have been inspected, and I look forward to reporting back next time. 

Let's Dance

Let’s Dance poster

Last week was the annual 'Let's Dance' event. This is a great example of the B&H Education Partnership in action. It’s the largest celebration of schools dance in the country which brings together youth dance from 78 schools, groups, universities and colleges from Brighton & Hove and its surrounding areas to perform together on the Dome’s stage. Well done to all those who performed. 

Welcome and Goodbye  

Dr. Mark Poston, PACA’s new Principal

Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA) has announced that Mark Poston, currently Vice Principal at Miltoncross Academy in Portsmouth, has been appointed as the school’s next Principal. 
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) has announced that Bob Speight has been appointed as the school’s next Principal. Bob Speight has taught at five schools in London, as well as gaining teaching experience in Spain and Uganda. He has been a Deputy Headteacher / Vice Principal / Acting Principal for eight years in two contrasting London schools.

We look forward to welcoming them both to the schools and the wider education partnership. Bob will succeed Dylan Davies, who is leaving the academy at the end of this term to take up a new position as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools. We thank Dylan for everything he has done for the children and young people at BACA and his partnership work across the city and wish him well in his new role.

Bob Speight, BACA’s new Principal

Congratulations to Lizzie Mullarky, the new substantive Head at Brackenbury. 

Simon Hateley is leaving St Margaret’s CE Primary at the end of this term. We wish him all the very best in his future endeavours. Clare Price, Deputy Head, will be the interim head until September. 

Best wishes,

Jo

Keep in touch and follow me on Twitter @JoMLyons
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