Southwark schools bulletin
Welcome to the Southwark schools bulletin archive page.
June 2025
Hello everyone,
I hope everyone had a chance to take a well-earned break last week and recharge ahead of the end of school year.
For our primary schools, the end of SATs will come as a relief, and attention now turns to supporting Year 6 pupils as they prepare for their transition to secondary school. For those who may need a confidence boost, don’t forget our free transition to secondary school summer programme is available again this year. We’re also hosting the Year 6 and Year 7 SENDCo networking event on 20 June at Tooley Street — a great opportunity to strengthen transition support for vulnerable pupils.
In our secondary schools, exam season is still in full swing. Supporting pupils to stay calm and manage stress remains a key focus for staff. Resources for children, parents, and school teams are available via Young Minds to help navigate this period.
Within the council, we’ve been reviewing the latest suspension and exclusion data to better understand the systemic challenges to inclusion. The figures show that suspension rates have now surpassed pre-COVID levels, with a 12 per cent increase in the latest full-year census. This equates to over 6,500 days of lost learning across nearly 1,600 pupils. The data also highlights significant disparities: suspension rates are nearly double for Black or mixed ethnicity pupils compared to white pupils, and are also higher for those with SEND or in receipt of free school meals. If you’d like a copy of the full report or are interested in sharing your school’s approaches to tackling these challenges, please get in touch: jenny.brennan@southwark.gov.uk. We will let you know about future opportunities to work with us on this issue in the autumn.
I also wanted to say a big thank you to all the schools who welcomed the joint inspection team during the recent SEND thematic review on out-of-school provision. Inspectors shared positive verbal feedback, noting strong strategic and operational partnerships. They were particularly impressed by the innovative, collaborative work supporting children and families out of education. Schools also reported feeling more heard and supported over the past year — a testament to the progress we’ve made together. While challenges remain, especially around capacity and specialist provision, it’s encouraging to see our collective efforts recognised.
On 21 July, 2.00pm, we will be holding a new partnership board, our Good Start in Life Partnership. This is to bring together partners across the whole system of support and opportunity for children and young people to deliver on our Southwark 2030 priority of a good start in life, and in particular our joint efforts to improve the early help and prevention offer for our most in need residents. We’ll have senior leaders from children’s, housing, libraries, leisure and youth services, as well as colleagues from across the health system and the voluntary and community sector. We need the voice of schools round the table and we’d like to invite anyone who is interested in joining the Board and representing schools to let us know.
Finally, our next Headteachers' Breakfast Forum will be on 18 June from 8.30am to 10.00am, Tooley Street with a light continental breakfast from 8.00am. The theme of the forum will be SEND and strengthening partnership working. All are welcome to attend regardless of their school’s designation. Please register to attend.
Jenny Brennan
Assistant Director, Family Help and Youth Justice
Schools bulletin survey
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Key updates
>> Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) framework survey
[Please email southwarkeducationcommunications@southwark.gov.uk if you would like to take part in this survey.]
We have been working together with professionals across the borough to review and develop the systems, processes and frameworks that support a broad and complex range of needs to create a system that works for everyone.
As part of this we are developing a borough-wide Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) framework that sets out what support should be available in all education settings for children and young people with SEND (0-25 years of age), without the need for an EHCP. This piece of work links directly to the strategic plan in relation to early intervention and the graduated response to better clarify expectations and offer guidance to meet these.
To start, and in support of the co-production process, we have created a document using best practice recommended by colleagues in the Department for Education (DfE) from other local authorities.
Please can you review our draft OAP framework and good practice examples, and offer your feedback using our survey. It is important that we hear from as many of you as possible to shape the content and help set borough-wide expectations
There will be further opportunities for engagement over the course of this and next academic year. Thank you for helping us build a stronger, more inclusive local offer to help our children and young people achieve.
>> Pilot of the EHCP template and annual review forms
We have been reviewing the EHCP and annual review templates in partnership with schools, families and professionals to ensure they are compliant and improve efficiency. Changes include greater alignment between SEND statutory forms, removal of unnecessary sections, clearer instructions, and a greater focus on preparing for adulthood for older young people.
In our recent SEND thematic Ofsted inspection, the new EHCP was commended. Thank you to those who have supported the completion of these.
We recognise that not all annual reviews will be on the new form, but we are keen to test with as many schools as possible. The pilot will close at the end of this academic year. We will let you know the outcome next term, but please get in touch with kate.hannam@southwark.gov.uk if you have any questions.
>> Working Together to Safeguard Children
The Department for Education (DfE) has published an illustrated guide to Working Together to Safeguard Children for children and young people along with a short animated video, to help children understand how organisations work together to help, support and protect them.
A toolkit is also available for practitioners to use, which you can request from workingtogether.statutoryguidance@education.gov.uk.
>> Measles and Mumps alert in Southwark
There is a rise in measles and mumps cases in Southwark. These illnesses spread easily and can cause serious complications. Children are most at risk. Please encourage parents to check their child’s MMR vaccination status. It’s never too late to catch up.
>> Youth and Play service offer for young people aged 11-19 (up to 25 with SEND)
Southwark Council runs a number of youth clubs for young people across the borough. As well as being open after school in term time and during the holidays, the service operates drop-in sessions at the Damilola Taylor Centre every Thursday term-time, 1.00pm to 5.30pm, offering a wide range of specialist support from providers: Change Grow Live, Turning Point, Adolescent Sure Start, The Nest, ACN and The King’s Trust. We also offer a wide range of creative, exciting activities, workshops, football and basketball.
We currently facilitate free lunchtime sessions at three schools in Southwark. These include sports, team games, arts and crafts and life skills. If any schools/inclusive learning service are interested in us facilitating at their school or speaking at an assembly, please contact cat.phillips@southwark.gov.uk.
>> Staying Safe in Hot Weather
As temperatures rise, schools should:
- Ensure children drink plenty of water.
- Protect children from direct sunlight with hats, sunscreen, and shade.
- Dress children in light, loose-fitting clothes.
- Keep indoor areas cool and ventilated.
>> Attendance and inclusion support
As we all strive to enhance attendance rates and support our students' education, it is crucial that we understand and implement the DfE’s statutory guidance 'Working Together to Improve School Attendance' effectively. To support you we have collated a number of resources on our schools website.
>> Resources
- Windrush Day teaching guide on Sam King (Mr Windrush), the first Black Mayor of Southwark. (KS2, Years 4 to 6)
- Free period and puberty educational posters, flyers and app from Ove – raise awareness and normalise conversations to support menstrual education. If interested, please contact eden.girma@southwark.gov.uk.
Governor update
>> Southwark Governors' Association (SGA) – management committee members needed
We need more governors to join the SGA management committee to keep our schools thriving. The SGA is a great forum for governors from maintained and academy schools in Southwark, meeting once a term to discuss important issues. We have seven vacancies and would love for you to join us. We're excited to relaunch the SGA in Autumn 2025 and your participation is key to this. Please self-nominate if you’re interested.
>> Updated statutory careers guidance
The DfE has updated its statutory ‘Careers guidance and access for education and training providers’, including:
- new expectations for work experience in years 7 to 9
- changes to the Gatsby Benchmarks
- new definitions of ‘meaningful’ work experience.
The changes come into force in September 2025. Your school’s careers programme should have your board's ‘explicit backing’, according to the updated guidance. Governors should also be 'actively engaged' in setting the direction for a whole-institution approach to careers guidance. Engage with your school’s careers programme by reviewing and questioning it and approving it. It’s likely that you already meet this expectation through the work of your careers link governor.
>> Southwark governor training summer 2025
Governor Services have produced a training brochure for the Summer 2025 training programme. We have sessions for new and longstanding governors, sessions which will develop your skills and specialist knowledge, and sessions aimed at chairs and leading governors. Please share with your boards. If you have a question contact selina.mcclure@southwark.gov.uk.
>> Governors for Schools new enhanced recruitment scheme
Governors for Schools offer a paid for and targeted headhunting service for schools who want a more proactive approach to governor recruitment. The recruitment team contacts potential candidates who may not have considered being a school governor before but have the necessary skills and are keen to volunteer in their local communities. Schools can continue to register their vacancies for free.
What's on
>> School Meals Transformation programme celebration event – 10 June
11.00am-1.00pm, St Paul’s Primary School. The School Meals Transformation programme supports settings to deliver better school food. We would like to celebrate all schools in the borough by providing lunch, networking opportunities and a chance to hear about our current opportunities. Spaces are limited to one per organisation.
>> The role of governors in meeting school food standards – 10 and 17 June
School Food Action are offering two free online sessions about the role of governors in meeting school food standards, looking at statutory duties, improving school food and how to cultivate a positive school food culture.
>> Free period education webinar for teachers, students and parents – 12 June
4.00pm, online. Ove is hosting a webinar to explore period education, reduce stigma, and empower students aged 8 to 17 with facts and confidence. Please register in advance.
>> Free mental health training for school staff – 26 and 27 June
Free Mental Health First Aid and Suicide First Aid training for organisations working with children and young people, including school staff.
>> DfE Prevent in education: Training for governors and trustees in schools
The Prevent duty requires schools to ‘have due regard to the need to prevent people being drawn into terrorism’. As a governor, your role is one of oversight.
>> Safeguarding in Schools 'harmful sexual behaviour’ webinar – 14 July
4.00pm, online. Staff from all education settings in Southwark are invited to attend our harmful sexual behaviour webinar, including developing methods to address this. Please register in advance.
The recording from our previous session ‘reducing parental conflict' is also now available to watch.
>> Free transition to secondary school summer programme – 28 July to 8 August
Rye Oak Primary School. For children supported by Early Family Help, aged 9 to 11. Designed to empower and assist children in developing crucial life skills to ensure a smooth and successful transition to secondary school.
>> Governors’ Forum dates 2025/26
Please hold the dates for this year’s Governors’ Forum in your diaries. Please register your interest.