Congratulations to our new Teaching Schools

Benfield primary school children celebrating with the hats they have made

I am delighted that the Sussex Coast Teaching School Alliance is now up and running and will be led by Benfield Primary in Portslade. It is made up of an alliance of schools including primary, secondary and special schools. This is a great success for this partnership and for the city. See Twitter account @BenfieldPrimary @Portslade Leader

Congratulations also to Pavilion & Downs Teaching School who have just had a very successful launch which I attended earlier this month. Follow their Twitter account on https://twitter.com/paviliondowns and their new website http://www.pavilionanddowns.co.uk/ to hear about their offer and aspirations.

William Deighan at the launch of the Pavilion & Downs Teaching School

The two teaching schools are such important developments for the Brighton & Hove Education Partnership and will provide us with a great opportunity to support initial teacher training and ensure continued professional development is in place for our entire school workforce. The teaching schools will also promote and develop school-to-school support and will share best practice and support schools with a range of needs.

Ellen Mulvihill speaking at the Pavilion & Downs Teaching School launch

Special School & PRU Reorganisation

Our proposals to merge our existing special schools and PRUs to create three integrated Hubs was given final approval at the council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee last month. You can read the full committee report here. This means that we can now move ahead to implement changes after a very lengthy period of debate and consultation. While we know there have been mixed views about the various elements of proposed changes, we are confident that all of us will want to work together to fulfil the vision for our new Hubs and improve even further provision and outcomes for our young people with SEND.

This is an exciting development for the city. We already have good and outstanding specialist provision in our city. Our vision, based on feedback and consultation with families and professionals, is to improve this by:

• Ensuring excellence consistently across the board for all children and young people
• Extending the integrated education, health and care (extended day / respite for short breaks) offer on the site of each Hub
• Providing more support for our families coping with the most complex needs and challenging behaviours
• Extending the post 16 offer for our most vulnerable young people
• Improving the process of transition to adulthood·      

If you require any further information, please contact Regan.Delf@brighton-hove.gov.uk

World Mental Health Day

Fairlight Pupils with ‘Flo and the Funny Feelings’ author Anna Williamson

Carlton Hill, St Luke’s and Fairlight pupils recognised World Mental Health Day on the 10^th of October. Year 4 children at Fairlight learnt to understand their different feeling like happiness and anxiety from the story ‘Flo and the Funny Feelings’. Author, TV presenter and Childline counsellor: Anna Williamson visited the school to share the story about safety and how to recognise worry, stress and anxiety. The story also explains some coping mechanisms and the importance of seeking help from trusted adults if they are worried.

   

Anna Williamson reading to a class at Fairlight

Read more at: Brighton & Hove Independent and The Argus

Well done to all schools involved.

This learning is part of the Primary Schools Mental Health Initiative. Sign up here to receive the Primary Schools Toolkit. www.findgetgive.com

The YMCA have also been busy and produced the Right Here Parent / Carer Mini-Guide to support parents and carers of children aged 5 – 10, providing information and advice around how to talk to your child about their emotional mental health wellbeing: Parent Guide

For more information: https://www.brightonandhovewellbeing.org/

Celebrating our local Black History

In conjunction with the University of Brighton’s Race and Faith Staff Equality Network Group, all are welcomed to discover the incredible Black History of Brighton & Hove, and the ongoing impact and contribution of African and Caribbean people in Sussex at the Edward Street Lecture Theatre on Friday 20^th Oct, 4-6pm.

Join Bert Williams MBE, who leads the Brighton & Hove Black History Project as he reveals the hidden history of Brighton & Hove, and provides an opportunity for you to engage with the stories of Black and Asian men and women and their connection to the city.

The talk will be followed by a wine reception and exhibition of Diversity Lewes' heritage project, which celebrates diversity in Sussex and tells the stories of some of the county's most extraordinary residents.

The event is free, but please book your place by following the link: Event Brite tickets

I would love to hear from schools and other providers what positive things you are doing to celebrate Black History.

Our Education Offer

I’m delighted we now have our first published Local Authority brochure, which outlines the services and support our Families, Children and Learning teams provide to early years settings, schools, colleges, universities and other education establishments across the city. Information about each of the services available in our ‘Education Offer’ is provided, together with details of how your school or settings can access them, the potential benefits and how they can help to support better outcomes.

This publication clearly signposts to the wide range of services and support available to you, your staff and pupils. It also highlights our shared commitment to working in partnership with you to improve standards in education and achieve better outcomes for all children & young people in Brighton & Hove.

Printed copies of this Family, Children and Learning Education Offer will shortly be distributed to schools and other settings. You can now view a downloadable PDF copy of the brochure at Beem

               

I’m delighted to announce that Elm Grove were graded as Good in their last Ofsted inspection. Congratulations to Louise Willard and all staff, young people and governors on this outcome. Elm Grove Ofsted Report  

St Martin’s were also inspected last month and have also been judged good. Congratulations to Alex Wingham and all staff, young people and governors on this positive outcome. St Martin's Ofsted Report

We are very proud of both schools’ success – well done.

Education Partnership developments

The strategic board of the Brighton & Hove Education Partnership met again this month and mapped out the work they will lead across the city involving all education partners. Some of this work will include:

The recruitment, retention and celebration of staff in education - a group is looking at the development of materials all schools can use, considering 'pool' arrangements or joint advertising and interviewing and hosting an annual award ceremony to recognise education success across the city.

A plan to improve attendance and reduce exclusions in schools was begun. This includes our team liaising with the early years team to address 'good habits early'. The plan also involves school cluster partnerships and the Local Authority working together with a clear message across the city to parents that ‘every day counts’.

An outstanding PSHE event on SRE

Secondary PSHE leads at the Brighton Museum training session

Monday 9^th of October saw an exciting new project and resources being brought to Brighton & Hove by Alice Hoyle from the Sex Education Forum and Dr Jen Groves from Exeter University and hosted by Brighton Museum. The regular Personal, Social, Health and Economic consortium with many of the secondary school PSHE leads had a fun, informative and engaging training session learning about sex and history. Using objects from the past to open up discussion about issues in relationship and sex education in a safe and removed way including things such as consent, body image, gender identity, healthy and unhealthy relationships and pornography. The session was brilliant with lots of laughter and learning, with many of the PSHE leads already looking at how to develop this into classroom practice. PSHE colleagues also got the opportunity to view the fascinating Museum of Transology.

If you would like more information, please contact Helen.Emerson@brighton-hove.gov.uk .

School Admissions Animation

Following the agreement of the Children, Young People & Skills Committee, the Council has now started its public consultation phase regarding proposed changes to the admission arrangements for September 2019. The major proposals are changes to the secondary school catchment areas to better manage the numbers of pupils in the Varndean / Dorothy Stringer and Hove Park / Blatchington Mill catchment areas and a reduction in the Published Admission Number of 5 primary schools. The public consultation will close on 19 November and there are 11 public meetings so far scheduled to give people the opportunity to hear about the proposals and to ask questions.

Further details are available at: Consultation Press Release. The consultation and accompanying documentation can be found at: Consultation.

We have produced a quick guide to help everyone gain a better understanding of the secondary school admission process. The deadline to apply for a secondary school place is 31 October. Take a look at the School Admissions Animation. 

Heads up: Anti-bullying week 13 – 17 November

Anti-bullying week this year has the theme is ‘All Different, All Equal’ and suggests particularly celebration of difference and equality.

Let us know what exciting things you will be doing. Some helpful links to get you thinking:

Childline bullying advice

https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/

http://www.bullying.co.uk

www.antibullyingweek.co.uk/

Communication 

Almost all schools and LA services are now using Twitter to celebrate best practice and communicate across the city – take a look. If you’re not yet up and running and need help, please ask.

Best wishes,

Jo

Keep in touch and follow me on Twitter @JoMLyons

Find details here Twitter accounts across all council services.

A great start to the academic year

Varndean students at work

We started the academic year on a high with a positive set of education outcomes at primary, secondary and post 16 with data at or above the national average. A great result for our education partnership across the city and credit to our teachers, support staff and young people. 

‘Poverty Proofing the School Day’

An outcome of the Fairness Commission was to offer every school in the city the opportunity to take part in ‘Poverty proofing the School Day’. The team of trained researchers from across B&H schools carried out four audits last term and are in six schools this term. The team speak to every child and young person in the school about a range of aspects and the results are analysed and compiled into a report for the school. This identifies good practice, which will be shared across the city and also raises questions for the school to consider about how to make school life better for children whose families are struggling with money. Feedback from schools that have taken part has been very positive and some of the primary headteachers will be talking about their experience at the primary headteacher meeting on 10 October where Luke from Children North East will be talking a little more about it. If you would like to take part, please contact Hilary Ferries hilary.ferries@brighton-hove.gov.uk .

Brighton & Hove School and College Leaders Conference

Pinaki Ghoshal, Director of Children’s Services, opening the B&H School and College Leaders Conference

I was delighted to join leaders from across our schools and wider education partnership for our annual School and College Leaders Conference at Sussex University. It was great to see so many leaders turn out for this important event. We had two excellent speakers: Dame Alison Peacock, from the new Chartered College of Teaching and Mary Myatt, independent consultant and author. They both gave inspirational talks about leadership. Themes included; the importance of learning from each other, not setting limits on children, professionals having a voice in education and making learning look irresistible through a high-challenge, low-threat culture, and remembering we are humans first and professional second (see BEEM for details of presentations and video links). If you are interested in planning next year’s conference with us, do let me know! 

Colleagues at the B&H School and College Leaders Conference

Supported Apprenticeships at B&H City Council 

Apprenticeships create opportunities for many people and we have been making sure everyone gets the chance to kick start their career. More flexibility allows those who have previously faced barriers to entering the world of work to get their foot on the ladder. The difficulties encountered by SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), BAME and women candidates are more easily overcome with the possibility of part time work and greater support. Take a look at our video: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/supportedapprenticeships 

We are holding an apprenticeship awareness session for all school, colleges and Early Years providers at Hove Town Hall on the 7th of November (see BEEM for more details http://www.beem.org.uk/Event/60300). I look forward to seeing you then. 

Brighton & Hove Education Partnership 

The Strategic Board of the B&H Education Partnership meets again on 3 October. At this meeting we will be beginning to plan for the education priorities that the board has agreed to focus on across the city. These include the recruitment, retention, development and celebration of education staff in the city, supporting the promotion of attendance, school-to-school support and improving outcomes for disadvantaged children. The aim is for all members of the education family to work together and to explore what each can contribute to make things better for children and young people in our city. The board are planning to start a half-termly newsletter and will publish our progress regularly on BEEM. 

Working with residents in Whitehawk 

Teams on the day supporting the pirate theme!

On Wednesday 20 September many services took part in an open day up at the Whitehawk Hub. This open event encouraged a wide group of residents to find out more about the services on offer to them and it provided an opportunity for teams to get to know each other better too. The day had a great atmosphere and I thank our teams for all their hard work to help make the day a success. 

Above are colleagues from our apprenticeship team, youth employability service, the supported employment team, children’s centre staff, plus colleagues talking to residents about the Providing Access to Childcare & Employment (PACE) project.

Early Years Jobs – Celebrate

Over the summer, Early Years Jobs celebrated 15 years of service, previously known as the Childcare Job Vacancy List (or JVL). The City Early Years and Childcare team produces this publication on behalf of all early years and childcare providers in and around the city and they also provide invaluable safer recruitment support and guidance. Since 2002, the advertising service has continued to be popular with both employers and jobseekers and continues to be the most up to date list of early years and childcare jobs in the city. The team celebrated with a little afternoon tea and cake party. 

The Early Years Team celebratory tea party

Here is the latest Jobs in Early Years and Childcare and webpage for those who want to find out more. 

Youth Employability Service

YES Employability Advisor Elle Dyson with Young Person Connor Day

This month I was pleased to visit a Youth Employability Service drop-in session at Whitehawk Community Hub. The YES team offers free support to young people aged 16-19 (or up to 24 if they have ever had a statement of special educational needs or an EHCP) who are not in education, employment or training and live in B&H. It was great to see Dean and Elle in action supporting the young people and hear from them first-hand the challenges the young people face and the provision for supporting them to overcome these barriers and to get into training and work. 

YES Employability Advisors Dean Coussens and Elle Dyson

youthemployabilityservice@brighton-hove.gov.uk, www.facebook.com/yesbrightonhove, @yesbrightonhove  

Ofsted are certainly back in town with Elm Grove and St Martin’s being inspected this month. Their results have not yet been announced but I look forward to sharing them with you in my October blog.

Varndean young people

And we couldn’t forget the goats, of course!

I’m delighted to announce that Varndean were graded as Good in their last Ofsted inspection. Congratulations to William Deighan and all staff, young people and governors on this outcome. Take a look at their fabulous report, which we are very proud of: http://www.varndean.co.uk/_site/data/files/documents/ofsted/Varndean%20School%2010024794%20final%20report.pdf  William Deighan, headteacher: ‘We're pleased that the report recognises that Varndean has moved up a gear in all aspects. Inspectors quickly grasped the ethos and culture of our school that drives our curriculum, our smaller schools provision and the need to see young people as individuals. As ever, more to do and excited to be already getting on with it.’

St Bartholomew’s Primary using sign language

I was pleased to hear about some of the KS2 children from St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School who have been taking part in this amazing project involving poetry performed using sign language. I thought you might like to see this brilliantly creative film! This is ‘Do You Speak Seagull?’ by Lilian Simonsson on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/226572940

Fostering and Adoption 

Our need for loving foster homes for our looked after children is ever growing in B&H and we are committed to supporting these children to remain living within the area and continue at their local school. As many of you know, we have an ongoing  project to recruit more foster carers to enable our children and young people to be cared for within our own Service and to receive the high quality ‘wrap around care’ that they need. In order to be able to achieve this we need your help. When children and young people are placed with our in-house carers, we are in the unique position of supporting both the carers and the children, which will enable close and improved working together to support the placement overall.

Further to this, one of our key objectives for Children’s Services is to increase the number of in-house foster carers. By transferring from an IFA to Brighton & Hove, we can save over £20,000 per annum, per placement.  Attached is a link to the website, including blogs about the experiences that our foster carers have as part of B&H Fostering Community: https://www.fosteringinbrightonandhove.org.uk  and also a video that brings fostering to life. You’ll hear from our foster carers and one of our care leavers too. https://youtu.be/RNV6hPlwK5g

We need your help to spread our message far and wide, so please do talk to your teams, friends and families about fostering and invite them to the monthly fostering information sessions held around the city. For more information visit the website: https://www.fosteringinbrightonandhove.org.uk or call 01273 295444.

Royal Visit to Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital

Princess Alexandra has visited the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital. Whilst there, the Princess spent some time in our hospital schoolroom, where she met Ann Diver and Suzanne Cowie, two of the staff in our Access to Education team who provide education for children and young people during their stay in hospital. It was a great opportunity for the team to showcase their work.  

Ann Driver (Hospital Teacher) with the Princess                          Suzanne Cowie (Hospital Teacher) with the Princess

Homewood College get a makeover

Two National Citizen Service teams joined forces on a huge job to renovate and decorate this local school which was in need of some attention. They achieved an astounding amount of work - especially with their clearing of undergrowth and bushes to restore a half-made bike track, laying gravel to make it functional for the students of Homewood. They painted inside corridors, classrooms and hallways and cleared gardens and planted flowers. They made and painted a bench and table to place near the bike track and generally lifted the atmosphere creating a fresher feeling to the environment for students and teachers returning after the summer holiday. Thank you and well done. 

The renovation team receiving their awards

Welcome to our Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT) 

Mark Storey (Head of Educational Standards &Achievement) welcoming NQTs             Aaron O’Shaughnessy from Hove Junior    

Earlier this month it was good to meet our NQTs at our annual welcome events at the University of Brighton and Newman College. NQTs were given valuable information about all the support available during their induction year from Sharon MacKenzie and the School & Governance Development Team. As well as the speeches from LA colleagues, it was great to see so many second year teachers providing input at the events, giving top tips about how to survive and thrive in the first year of teaching. Our NQT induction service has now been using BEEM as a one-stop shop for NQT support for over a year now, with all registrations, assessments, resources and training opportunities available in one place. We’ve had some very positive feedback from schools who have appreciated this streamlined system to help support them in their roles of monitoring their NQT progress. We hope NQTs have a successful and rewarding year!

Lily Peacock and Nina Scerri from Benfield Primary                                  Mark Holdaway, Senior SEN Specialist Teacher

Welcome, Goodbye and thankyou  

I was joined by Pinaki Ghoshal (Director of Children’s Services) to welcome our new and acting headteachers and heads of school at our induction this September and support them all in their new roles. 

Welcome to our new headteachers Hildi Mitchell at Downs Infants and Alister Sutherland at Patcham Junior. 

Welcome also to our new Acting heads of school Joyti Azad and Sarah Kirby at Mile Oak, and the acting headteacher Rachel Kershaw at Cottesmore St Mary, and to Tim Self as the Acting headteacher at BHPRU. 
We also have new interim staff in our Virtual School: Gill Hibbert, our new Education Safeguarding Officer and Jill Dyson, interim Virtual School Lead. 

I would also like to welcome Mark Storey as the new Head of Educational Standards and Achievement. Mark has already been working with many of us as Headteacher for the Virtual School over the last 3 years and we are delighted that this new role will strengthen this partnership working.

Communication 

So many schools and education providers in our B&H Education Partnership are now using twitter as one way of communicating information and sharing news and best practice. If you are not yet signed up and want some help to get started just let me know.

Best wishes,

Jo

Keep in touch and follow me on Twitter @JoMLyons
Find details here Twitter accounts across all council services.

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

Keep in touch and follow me on Twitter @JoMLyons
Find details here Twitter accounts across all council services.