I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the continued work you are doing to keep early years provisions, schools and colleges open and our children and young people educated, cared for and safe during this challenging time.
I want you to know how much appreciation we have for our city’s teachers and headteachers, college and sixth form staff, governors, childminders, nursery practitioners, support staff, lunchtime staff, cleaners, and so many more who help our children and young people thrive. Thank you also for the amazing support you’ve given to our vulnerable children and young people and those with additional needs, and for the way you’ve reached out to help families living in difficult financial circumstances providing food and other support.
I understand how exhausted everyone is and am very proud of the resilience everyone is showing to keep going until the Christmas break. It’s very important during this time when you are all under so much pressure to try to look after yourself so you can support others. Don’t forget that you can find information about wellbeing support on BEEM and on the Council website’s Covid pages.
Anti-Bullying Week took place this month with the theme of United Against Bullying. The week included Odd Socks Day on Monday 16 November, where children across the city attended school wearing odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique. Last year 75% of schools in the country took part, reaching over 7 million young people and it has been great to hear about events which have taken place across Brighton and Hove to raise awareness of this important week.
At Brackenbury Primary School, pupils created rainbow anti-bullying pledges and these have been displayed all around the school. Well done to everyone at Brackenbury and thank you for sharing this great work. I look forward to hearing more about the activities going on across our city’s schools.
Rainbow anti-bullying pledges by pupils at Brackenbury Primary School
Anti-bullying pledges by pupils at Brackenbury Primary School
Examples of pledges by pupils at Brackenbury Primary School
Progress on Anti-Racist Schools Strategy
On 9 November Children and Young People’s Committee signed off a draft Anti-Racist Schools Strategy ready for engagement with school communities. This strategy draft has been commissioned by the Council and written by consultant Abha Aggarwal in partnership with the Brighton & Hove Educators of Colour Collective. We hope that over the next two terms, schools will engage with this strategy, give feedback on it and get behind it. We are hoping for some funding to be awarded to do this important work from April. If you would like to see the strategy or attend an engagement event please email sam.beal@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
Governance Conference
The Governance Conference – “Keeping our Heads: The Role Governors can play in Headteacher wellbeing”, takes place on MS Teams on Thursday 3 December, 4.30 – 6.00pm. We are delighted that Viv Grant from Integrity Coaching will be our keynote speaker for the conference for this year. For more information, please contact Governor.Support@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
Viv Grant from Integrity Coaching
Youth Participation Team Youth Council - Get Young People’s Voices Heard!
Brighton & Hove Youth Council is made up of young people aged 13-19 (up to 25 with SEND), from local schools, colleges or youth groups. BHYC represents the views of young people in the city with the aim of influencing politicians, Councillors and other local and national decision makers. The BHYC attends youth voice meetings and also sits on the Children & Young People’s Skills Committee. The BHYC is currently involved in:-
• Running a campaign to help ‘Protect the Environment’ to reduce and better recycle plastic waste, as well as educate others about what happens when it is thrown away. To find out more, please see here.
• Helping to set up and work on the Youth Climate Assembly to ensure that young people in the City can have a say on climate change, specifically issues around transport and the Council's pledge to become Carbon Neutral by 2030. For more information please see here.
• Supporting the UK Youth Parliament to listen to the young people of Brighton & Hove through Make Your Mark, a ballot open to all young people aged 11-18 in the UK. Taking part will help to establish the biggest issues facing young people in 2020. To find out more, please see here.
For more information, please contact Rob Scoble, at rob.scoble@brighton-hove.gov.uk or 07795 336311, or follow the Youth Participation Team on Facebook.
Brighton & Hove Schools Active Advent Challenge
It has been great to hear more about the Schools Active Advent Challenge which will be taking place across the city next month. Each day from Tuesday 1 December to Thursday 24 December, a new challenge will take place and is open to anyone who would like to join in. Challenges have been created by school children and secondary sports leaders in Brighton and Hove and include Jumping Jack Frost, Christmas Star Side Plank, Reindeer Lunges and Tinsel Hop. On Friday 11 December the national School Games Santa Dash also takes place. Please click on the image above for more details of the challenges, or contact Emma Greenough for more information Emma.Greenough@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
Role Models: Care Experienced Students Film
The Sussex Learning Network Uni Connect Programme, in collaboration with the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers, has created this short film focusing on care-experienced students at university; it offers advice and insight for younger care-experienced people who are considering their future study options and opportunities.
It would be great if the film could be shared with as many care experienced young people (either in care or previously in care) as possible. There is shorter version that may be more suitable for some platforms, and could offer a teaser to encourage links through to the full film - as per this tweet.
Hertford Infant School will be receiving an Ofsted visit on 1 December. Ofsted inspections are suspended, however Ofsted are still making some visits to school to gather information. No judgements will be made about the school during this time, no lesson observations or work scrutiny will take place, but there will be a letter to the school confirming the discussion issued approximately 3 weeks after the meeting.
Welcomes and Goodbyes
I am pleased to announce that following a restructure in the Employment and Skills service we have a new Employability Manager within the council, Lisa Mitchell, who will lead the Supported Employment Team (SET), Youth Employability Service (YES) and drive forward some key projects that will support the city employment recovery. In addition, we have a new Senior YES Employability Adviser, Rebecca Butler, who joins our Senior SET Adviser, Suzette Attwood. Congratulations on your new roles.
We say goodbye this month to Mo Bham, Principal Educational Psychologist, who has recently been appointed as Principal Educational Psychologist at Leicester City Council. Mo has worked for Brighton & Hove City Council in FCL for over 4 years as a member of the Health SEN & Disability Division, leading the newly formed Brighton & Hove Inclusion Support Service (BHISS) for SEND and Schools Wellbeing Service for children’s mental health. We would like to thank Mo for all of his hard work and wish him the very best with his move and his new position.
Mo Bham
I would like to welcome Sue Franklin who will be taking over from Mo as Principal Educational Psychologist in FCL. With an experienced background in education, Sue is joining Brighton & Hove City Council after seven years as a Principal Educational Psychologist in a London borough. I am sure everyone in Education & Skills will give Sue a very warm welcome and will look forward to working with her.
Sue Franklin
Best wishes,
Jo
Keep in touch and follow me on Twitter @JoMLyons
Find details here Twitter accounts across all council services.
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