On Friday 17 November, the annual Children in Care Awards Ceremony took place at the Amex Stadium. This year the event was hosted by two care leavers who did an amazing job! There were four categories of awards, Big Hearts, Big Thinkers, Big Strengths and Big Talents, with two very special awards also presented to The Care Leaver of the Year and the Child in Care of Year.
The entertainment this year was fantastic. Two of our children in care, both budding musicians, played solo pieces. One played the piano and the other played the guitar. In addition to this, our newly formed Care to Dance group, showed their talents in two dance pieces that were both performed superbly. There was also an amazing table tennis demonstration from some of our very talented young people in care who play regularly with the Brighton Table Tennis Club. The Ceremony was closed with a motivational and very energetic performance by one of our care leavers who is an exceptional rap music artist. Congratulations to everyone involved in this wonderful event and to all of the award winners.
Healing Classrooms - Helping refugee children through art
It has been lovely to hear about the International Rescue Committee’s Healing Classrooms Programme which trains schools and educators on how to offer refugee and asylum-seeking children a safe place to learn and thrive after experiencing conflict and crisis. Children are able to create artwork based around themselves, their families, their countries and culture to promote healing and community through creative expression. Teacher Suzanne Fisher has recently been working with children on a project inspired by Judy Bowman - an African American artist who makes portraits from different fabrics and paper designs - with the children using fabrics from Syria, Afghanistan and more. When contacted about the children’s project, the artist asked to see pictures of the children’s work. The work was also displayed as part of an exhibition in the Library in Brighton and Hove during Refugee Week with personal invites sent to parents to join the celebration. After seeing the exhibition, Judy Bowman wrote to the children to say how happy she was to “see how creative these pieces of art are – they warm my heart”.
Sixth Annual Brighton and Hove Apprenticeship Graduation
The sixth annual Brighton and Hove Apprenticeship Graduation took place in November with over 150 guests and four special award categories recognising and celebrating graduates, training providers and employers and their invaluable work supporting apprentices across the city. Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, opened the event which was followed by an employer spotlight from Morgan Sindall Construction. An apprenticeship spotlight focused on teaching apprenticeships with apprentices from the University of Brighton, Downs View Special School and BHASVIC sharing their experiences. Graduates were presented with their certificates by the Mayor, Councillor Jackie O'Quinn. Congratulations to all of this year’s Graduates and Award winners.
Youth Employment Hub
I am delighted to announce that The Youth Employment Hub has successfully secured year three funding from the DWP. The Youth Employment Hub has supported 684 young people into work, apprenticeships and traineeships. It provides a safe, welcoming space for young people with a number of services being co-located. This ensures all needs are met, from wellbeing to independent living skills and applying for work.
NHS Taster Day
The Council’s Skills and Employment team, in partnership with the NHS, recently held a taster day at the new Louisa Martindale Building at the Royal Sussex County hospital to raise awareness of the different roles and career pathways available in the NHS. The day was available to anyone over the age of 16, with collaboration from City Partners DWP, Sussex Council of Training Providers, Youth Employment Hub and the National Careers Service who helped to promote the day. Over 40 people attended the day and were given the opportunity to have a go at simulating keyhole surgery and how to insert needles to take blood. This was an amazing experience for the attendees and gave them an insight into some of the procedures which take place on a day-to-day basis.
Downs Junior School received an inspection this month and we are expecting the report to be published soon.
The Ofsted report for Dorothy Stringer School has now been published and they retained their ‘Good’ grade. Inspectors recognised that staff are ambitious for all pupils and ‘dedicated to inclusivity’. There was praise for leaders and governors, stating that ‘the impact of leadership at all levels of the school is clearly demonstrated in improvements and outcomes’. Well done to all involved.
Welcomes
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We welcome Philip Edkins as Acting Head at Homewood College. We wish him well and are all looking forward to working with him.
Best wishes,
Jo
Keep in touch and follow me on Twitter @JoMLyons
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