I was delighted to be able to watch the Children’s Parade earlier this month which kicked off this year’s Brighton Festival. The theme of the Parade was “one world, learning and growing from each other” and it was amazing to see all of the fantastic costumes and experience the wonderful atmosphere created by the Heads, teachers, children, parents and wider partners who took part from schools around our city. Well done to everyone involved.
“Leading for Sustainability” Conference
Attendees at the Conference
Kelvin Newman, School Energy and Water Manager, presenting at the Conference
19 May was ‘Earth Overshoot Day’ in the UK – the day when humans’ demand on nature in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate. It was a lucky coincidence that this was the date chosen to host the third ‘Leading for Sustainability’ conference, for schools embarking on the ‘Our City Our World’ programme.
Headteachers, senior project leads and business managers from 14 primary schools met in Brighton Town Hall to explore the global and local context to climate change as well as the process in which they can embed sustainability and climate change into their school curriculum and operations. In the city, around 50 of our schools are engaged in this transformational programme, including a secondary focused ‘Sustainable Schools for the Future’ group. The work is gaining much interest from schools and organisations nationally as well as the DfE and National Climate Education Action Plan. More details can be found at www.ourcityourworld.co.uk.
Interacting or interfering? Enhancing language, communication, and relationships
Colleagues from our Early Years settings spent a wonderful day with Julie Fisher, Early Years Adviser and Visiting Professor of Early Childhood Education at Oxford Brookes University, earlier this month. Using the on-line platform Teams, Julie shared clips of nursery and reception pupils that became the focus for rich discussions between colleagues in the breakout rooms. Julie has a strong background as a practitioner, researcher and advisor which forms the basis of her book “Interacting or Interfering? Improving Interactions in the Early Years”. Throughout the day, she was open to sharing her observations, thoughts and expertise. At the end of the session, all the participants said the day had either met or exceeded their expectations. When asked to describe the event in one word they used the words above.
Youth Council Mental Health Convention in the Pipeline!
The Youth Council Health and Wellbeing Campaign has been on a process of listening and formulating their campaign, involving both a national consultation and localised focus groups, to form key priorities. Working with the wider Youth Council to look at solutions, they have agreed to run an education campaign with a Young People’s Mental Health Convention taking place. This aims to better help young people understand what Mental Health is and looks like, how to identify when you might need support, to improve understanding of different mental illnesses and how they might differ to mental ill health and what support is available. Work is now underway with partners across the city to set up this work and with the aim of holding the convention on Tuesday 10 October 2023 – World Mental Health Day.
Girls Football School Partnerships – Equal Access Survey 2022/2023
In March, the Government announced a transformational pledge to ensure all girls are given equal access to Physical Education and School Sport in England. We have made significant strides to inspire positive change for girls, all made possible by the thousands of dedicated teachers in schools, for which we are extremely grateful. But as always, we still have more to do and must continue on this journey together. As we deliver this change for schoolgirls nationwide, it is vital we have an accurate picture on school football provision. We are reaching out to every school for help, with a polite request to complete the short survey below. This will provide us with the most up-to-date statistics and national picture, enabling us to influence further. Emails have gone out to Schools PE leads with the survey link. If you haven’t received the email or would like more information please email: Laura.Howley@brighton-hove.gov.uk. Also don’t forget that lots of local football opportunities are listed here to share with your school community.
Youth Council Social Action Project Secures Funding
Congratulations to a group of youth council representatives, supported by other young people in Brighton and Hove, who have recently been successful in securing £800 to run an event with Migrant Women in the city which they have titled ‘Cooking Across Continents’. The Youth Council held a Dragon’s Den style pitch event at their Youth Council meeting in March, where ‘Cooking Across Continents’ was narrowly selected as their chosen social action project. The campaign team then pitched their project to a panel of judges in Burgess Hill last month. The funding is provided through UK Youth and the Inspire 22 Project, being delivered local by Youth Work Charity – Sussex Clubs for Young People. The judges were blown away by the pitch and the project was successfully awarded the funding. The group was recognised for their detail and dedication to inclusivity. They will now be building connections with local partners around food and working with migrant communities to deliver the day of cooking by August.
Building a Child’s Resilience Courses
I was so pleased to hear more about the positive feedback for the Adult Education Hub’s online courses for parents whose children (aged 4-18) are struggling with anxiety and building resilience. The courses focus on helping to build self esteem and are free to anyone on a low income or in receipt of means tested benefit. Comments have included: “Thanks so much for the course – it’s been really helpful, particularly techniques to ease my daughter’s worrying. It’s been so useful thinking about my approach as a parent” and “I was really impressed by the quality of the course and the way it brought out such key points. Since doing the course I’ve held back from over-complicating things at home and it’s helping.” For more information about course dates and how to join please see here.
Virtual School Summer Education Conference
On 20 June 2023, Brighton and Hove Virtual School will be hosting its annual Education Conference, “Mind the Gap” aimed at headteachers, designated teachers, governors and other education and social care colleagues working with young people in care/ previously in care. This year’s theme, ‘Mind the Gap’ looks at how we go about addressing the gaps that exist for children in care and young people of socio-economic disadvantage, be it the need for quality first education, or the gaps in mentoring and relationship coaching.
Speakers include educational expert Victoria Flynn; care-experienced Ashley-John Baptiste, now a senior reporter at the BBC; and a Brighton and Hove young adult in care will share her personal experiences. Tickets are free and can be booked via the Eventbrite website using the link here.
Shifting Cultures: Embedding anti-racism in the heart of education settings
Now entering its third year, the Brighton and Hove anti-racist education strategy is shifting the conversation around racism in education in our city and across the country. On Friday 23 June, an anti-racist education conference for support staff and pastoral leaders in schools, nurseries and colleges will be taking place at the BMECP Centre in Brighton.
I do hope you will be able to join us for this exciting day of learning, networking, skills development and valuable conversations. Workshops and panels throughout the day will provide delegates with the opportunity to further knowledge, skills and understanding around anti-racist education practice and will leave all attendees with a clear sense of purpose and direction to affect change in your own education setting. To register your interest, please email camille.kumar@brighton-hove.gov.uk. A registration link and full programme will be circulated after half-term.
Ofsted has visited Cardinal Newman this month. We look forward to seeing the result of their visit. Congratulations to Cottesmore St Mary’s Primary, Woodingdean Primary and Westdene Primary who have all received Good gradings for their previous results.
The Westdene Primary School report said: “There is an incredibly strong sense of family and community in Westdene Primary School. All staff have high expectations of pupils, and pupils rise to meet these exceptionally well” and also “there is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded inspection now”.
At Woodingdean Primary School the inspector reported: “Children in the early years get off to the best start with endless opportunities to ‘discover and do’. Children adore the well-thought-out and ever-changing learning environment that enables them to investigate, be curious, get creative and explore”.
The Cottesmore St Mary’s report said: “Leaders have high expectations for pupils at this school. Pupils are supported to believe in themselves and to become resilient and curious learners.”
Well done to all at BACA who have moved from Inadequate to Requires Improvement. A positive report to read with many areas now good. Ofsted said “This is an improving school. Dynamic leadership in the school has raised expectations of pupils’ education and behaviour since the last full inspection”.
We are awaiting reports for Patcham High School and St Paul’s CE Primary School but hope to have these soon.
Best wishes,
Jo
Keep in touch and follow me on Twitter @JoMLyons
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