News & Views

News & Views 2021

Mindapples for Schools - Free Mental Health & Well-being Training in 2022

Mindapples are offering free training to 100 schools in the New Year. Places are filling up quickly, so make sure you register your school's interest. Please read Mindapples's article below for more information.

Mindapples has been promoting public mental health and wellbeing across the UK since 2008. Over the years we’ve received lots of similar feedback from adults saying “if only I was taught this at school.” Our vision at Mindapples is of a world where taking care of our minds is natural and normal for everyone – and this should start with children and young people.

Since mental wellbeing and resilience has become a statutory part of the curriculum, we want to help schools deliver on this promise to young people. Working with schools across the UK, we have developed a package of training and classroom resources to support teachers in delivering the new curriculum and developing an approach to mental wellbeing that can benefit the whole school community of staff, pupils and parents.

We recently had the opportunity to visit St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Bath and asked them about the impact our training had on the mental health and wellbeing of staff and children. You can watch the film and read more about our schools programme here.

In early December we took part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, a digital match funding campaign. Through the generosity of our donors during the campaign we managed to reach our target of £20,000, meaning we can now provide our training and support packages to another 100 schools in the UK.

We are now looking for more UK Primary and Secondary schools to receive our training so if your school is interested, please email Michele Worden at schools@mindapples.org or nominate your school online by completing the form at www.mindapples.org/nominate.

Our virtual training sessions equip school staff with the awareness and understanding they need to take care of their own minds, and the tools to help them facilitate positive conversations about mental health and wellbeing with pupils, school communities and families, to build cultures which promote healthy habits and open conversations.  

We love hearing from schools about the impact our training has:

“We are so proud to have been a part of the Mindapples well-being pilot. Our children have hugely benefited from a strategic approach to supporting their mental health and well-being upon our full return to school.” - Lyndsey Jefford, Assistant Headteacher, Heber Primary School, Southwark

To complement the training, we provide school campaign packs and age-targeted lesson plans and assembly resources. Packed with colourful materials, posters, applecards and other ideas for engaging young people, these resource packs allow staff to run their own wellbeing campaigns for pupils, colleagues, parents and the wider school community.

“We really loved the apples, it’s just a lovely visual way for the children to think about those things which are positive for them and as it’s such lovely quality card it makes it feel really special.” - Sorcha Rudley, Mindapples champion and Year 4 teacher, St Mary’s RC Primary School, Bath

Mental health can feel like a heavy, medical topic, something to be left to the professionals. But we all have mental health, and the things we do every day affect it. We all each have an amazing opportunity to improve our lives, simply by taking better care of our minds. Let’s give young people the tools to do just that.

Find out more at www.mindapples.org/schools.

Southwark's Winter of Food and Fun (20th - 31st December 2021)

Southwark’s Winter of Food and Fun will run for 2 weeks during the winter holidays (20^th- 31^st December) and will offer free places for children between the ages of 4-16 years, receiving benefits-related free school meals.

We are partnering with local holiday hubs across the borough to provide an exciting programme of food and activities for children and young people in our local communities.

Each programme will provide:

• free, nutritious and tasty food
• fun physical activity sessions
• a wide range of other enriching activities to suit different ages and personalities
• opportunities to learn more about food and nutrition for children and their families.

Our aim is to contact all children on the free school meals register in Southwark via their school to let them know about the free places available. Based upon conversations, an effective way of doing this is to send you a digital version of the letter and flyer targeted at eligible families. This pack can be uploaded to a discreet part of your website/parent portal and eligible families can be contacted via text and signposted to the information. It could also be emailed/text to parents/carers. Please find the letter and flyer at the links below.

Letter for Eligible Children - Southwark's Winter of Food and Fun 2021 ^(pdf)

Flyer - Southwark's Winter of Food and Fun 2021 ^(pdf)

NJC: The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022 - Additional Guidance for Term-time Only Employees - 23rd November 2021

As notified previously in NJC circular dated 13 November 2020, the Government has announced that there will be an additional bank holiday to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Please access the link below for information on what this means for term-time staff.

NJC: The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022 - Additional Guidance for Term-time Only Staff - 23rd November 2021 ^(pdf)

Introduction to Susan Catten, Schools Organiser for Southwark UNISON

November 2021

Dear Schools,

My name is Susan Catten and I am introducing myself as the new Schools Organiser for Southwark UNISON.

My responsibilities include recruitment, organising and representing our members in Southwark Schools.

My background is both working in the public sector- the Department of Work and Pensions and as union representative and a caseworker where I have 35 years’ experience in representing members on employment and health and safety matters and am a keen exponent of alternative dispute resolution as a means of managing conflict within the workplace.

Our members spend many waking hours in the workplace and the safeguarding and promotion of their interests I know is of key importance both to you as an employer and to UNISON as their champion in the workplace.

I generally work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and you can reach me on 07766 410045 or by email southwarkunisonschools@gmail.com

Kind Regards

Susan Catten

Schools Organiser

Southwark UNISON

School Support Staff (Green Book) Local Government Pay Dispute - 17th November 2021

Following the unions rejection of the National Employers’ full and final pay offer for local government services (‘Green Book’) employees, the unions have now confirmed their next steps in the pay dispute.  

UNISON will be conducting a formal national strike ballot from 1 December to 14 January. The results will be collated on an aggregated basis, which means that for strike action to be lawful, at least 50 per cent of UNISON’s national membership is required to cast a vote.  

GMB is currently conducting a national consultative ballot (closes 13 December) in order to determine whether there is support for strike action. If there is such support, the subsequent formal national strike ballot will be collated on a disaggregated basis, which means that strike action could be taken at each council / school etc where a turn-out of at least 50 per cent is secured (if members vote in favour of strike action). 

Unite will be conducting a formal national strike ballot from 14 January to 17 February (24 February in Northern Ireland). The results will also be collated on a disaggregated basis. Unite will also be balloting its members covered by the JNC Craftworkers (‘Red Book’) agreement. 

Online Well-being Questionnaire (Closing Date: 16th December 2021)

Southwark Schools' HR is committed to supporting schools in improving their staff's wellbeing. However, in order to do this, we want to know what you already have in place in your schools and what your main priorities are in regards to wellbeing. Therefore we would appreciate you filling in this questionnaire yourself and sharing with your staff and governors. The questionnaire will remain open until the end of term. Please access the link below:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/7BS5GO/

DfE: Recruitment of Teacher Panellists to the Teaching Regulation Agency Professional Conduct Panel

The DfE has asked local authorities to circulate a recruitment campaign which is most likely to suit "senior school leaders, heads of department and teachers with responsibilities such as Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCO) and/or Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs)". Please read the below for more information.

The Department for Education is currently recruiting teacher panellists for the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) - Professional Conduct Panel (PCP).

DfE want to recruit around 50 serving, or recently serving, teachers.

Successful applicants will be required to sit as one of three PCP panellists to consider allegations of serious misconduct referred to the Secretary of State by employers, the police, the Disclosure and Barring Service, other regulators, other interested organisations, and members of the public. The PCP will consider the evidence and determine whether the facts in the case are proven and if it amounts to unacceptable professional conduct, conduct that brings the profession into disrepute and/or conviction of a relevant offence. The PCP will make recommendations to the Secretary of State as to whether a teacher should be prohibited from teaching.

This role will suit those teachers who have experience in dealing with investigations into school procedures, systems and processes and those with experience in pastoral roles. The position will most likely suit senior school leaders, heads of department and teachers with responsibilities such as Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCO) and/or Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs). Applications from classroom teachers with the necessary skills and experience from outside of their current teaching role would also be welcomed.

For more information on this vacancy please go to https://bit.ly/2021TRA.

Anyone interested in applying for or would like any more information on this vacancy, please contact the Panellist Recruitment Team at TRA.RECRUITMENT@education.gov.uk.

DfE: NTP & NPQ Update and Live Events - November 2021

1. National Tutoring Programme webinar for all state-maintained schools

The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) ran an information webinar on 9th November for all state-maintained schools, which has been recorded and uploaded to the NTP website. Hear directly from Tuition Partner organisations and learn about the subsidy.

2. Schools can sign-up for a free online training course for School-Led tutoring, part of the National Tutoring Programme

As part of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), all state-maintained schools have now received the first instalment of their grant funding allocation for School-Led tutoring.

From Monday 8 November, all schools can book their non-QTS tutoring staff onto the specialist training course to qualify them to become NTP School-Led Tutors.

This free online training course is delivered by the Educational Development Trust and recognised by the Chartered College of Teaching.

To book staff onto the NTP Training, please register your school and request training.

3.  NPQs

The new and updated suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) is now available to teachers and leaders who want to develop their knowledge and skills in school leadership and specialist areas of teaching practice. These reforms include:

• Reforming the three existing NPQs in senior leadership, headship and executive leadership.
• The introduction of three new NPQs (leading teacher development, leading behaviour and culture and leading teaching) for teachers and leaders who want to develop their expertise in specialist areas of teaching practice.

As part of the government’s long-term education recovery plan, teachers and leaders employed in state-funded schools and state-funded organisations that offer 16 to 19 places in England can now access fully funded scholarships to undertake NPQs.

The new and updated suite of NPQs are also available to applicants from non-state-funded schools and organisations.

On the 25^th November, the Department for Education (DfE) will host a webinar for teachers and school leaders wanting to learn more about the recent reforms to National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)

The webinar will cover:

• What are the DfE’s the teacher development reforms and how will they improve the experiences and skills of all teachers and leaders;
• The key changes to the suite of NPQs available, and what each qualification will cover;
• The funding available to schools to help teachers and school leaders access these qualifications;
• The time commitments related to each qualification;
• The assessment requirements; and
• How to sign up.

There will also be the opportunity to submit specific questions about the reformed suite of NPQs to the DfE. This event is likely to be popular so please visit the link below to secure a ticket: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dfe-national-professional-qualifications-live-event-tickets-204956820367?aff=Stakeholder

**Classroom and School Resources Available to Repurpose / Recycle**

Following the closure of St John’s Walworth Primary School, we still have a considerable amount of furniture, fixtures and fittings and teaching resources available to rehome. 

What is available?

Photographs of some (not everything has been photographed) of the items can be viewed here. 

There is a range of electronic equipment such as visualizers, photocopiers, interactive whiteboards etc. Please note that you will need to arrange for disconnection and transportation.

There is also a kitchen full of equipment, Christmas decorations, a library full of books, group reading books as well as phonic work books!

There are also boxes of children’s exercise books (they do have the school name and logo) but you could use a sticker to cover this up repurposed.

Please note we can’t reserve any items, so please do come down and take a look.

When can I view and collect?

We are organising a series of sessions throughout November, to which school staff are invited. This will provide an opportunity to visit, remove and collect any items that will be of use to your schools. Please sign up to a session using the link to the shared document.

How do I gain access to the school?

On the day before, Cherie Theodore will email you a building guardian contact name and number who will be able to let you in the building. Only people listed on the sheet can attend for health and safety purposes.

• The morning sessions are scheduled from 8am until 12.
• The afternoon sessions are scheduled from 12 – 5pm
• You can arrive at any point between those times.

What is the address of the school?

St John's Walworth CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, Larcom St, London, SE17 1NQ

If you have any questions, please contact Cara Cahill or Cherie Theodore: learningandachievement@southwark.gov.uk

Exit Interview Questionnaire (Update) - November 2021

Southwark Schools' HR would like to help automate some of your processes. With this in mind, we have redesigned our exit survey that can be completed by those leaving at any time electronically. The idea behind this is that you can provide the link below to those who are leaving:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/VW8YPO/

The individual will fill this in themselves before they exit (you can follow up to check they have done it as part of your leaver checklist). The individual will have the choice to fill it in anonymously and this allows our team to help analyse the data for you and also for us to see common themes across Southwark that we may be able to support you to tackle.

We are aware that some individuals or schools will still want face-to-face interviews and so we have provided the questionnaire by Word also. The school has the option to fill in the link themselves with the data at a later stage if they wish to.

Please access the electronic link above, or download the Exit Interview Questionnaire Word doc. from our Policies and Procedures section.

DfE: Staffing and Employment Advice for Schools - October 2021

DfE: Staffing and Employment Advice for Schools

The Department for Education has updated its staffing and employment guidance. This advice is designed to help employers in all schools with staffing and employment issues, and to inform their decision making. It advises on matters contained within the School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 for maintained schools and for independent schools, which include academies and free schools, the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and on wider staffing and employment issues.

NJC Pay Award Update - 19th October 2021

Employers and trade union representatives met on the 19th October to discuss the NJC pay award.

The employers’ side have confirmed that the pay offer of 1.5% is a final offer that “represents the limit of affordability and there is no prospect of this offer being increased”.

Please view the link below for more information.

NJC Pay Update ^(pdf)

Teachers (England): School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) (‘Blue Book’) - 14th October 2021

1. The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) 2021

The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document 2021 comes into force on 22^nd October 2021.

This document is updated annually. 

Headlines on teachers’ pay 2021

The Government has accepted the School Teachers’ Review Body's (STRB’s) recommendation in full.

The main changes are:

• £250 consolidated pay award for eligible unqualified teachers
• reintroduction of advisory pay point structure for the unqualified teacher pay range
• changes in the number of days that teachers must be available to work as a result of the additional Bank Holiday on Friday 3rd June 2022 to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
• incorporates the statutory induction changes for Early Career Teachers (ECTs)
• introduces flexibilities around TLR3 by removing the consecutive use clause, which could introduce a payment mechanism for tutoring when being delivered by main and upper pay range teachers outside of directed time and within the normal school day, to address learning disruption as a result of the pandemic.

There is no recommended pay uplift.

2. Documents

• Pay Policy – updated

This has been updated to reflect the following changes:

• £250 consolidated pay award for eligible unqualified teachers
• reintroduction of advisory pay point structure for the unqualified teacher pay range
• introduces flexibilities around TLR3 by removing the consecutive use clause, which could introduce a payment mechanism for tutoring when being delivered by main and upper pay range teachers outside of directed time and within the normal school day, to address learning disruption as a result of the pandemic

This is available to Southwark Schools HR subscribers only.

• 2021 Southwark recommended pay scales

This is available to Southwark Schools HR subscribers only. 

• School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document 2021
• DfE Document: Implementing your school’s approach to pay Advice for maintained schools, academies and local authorities [September 2018, revised in March 2019]
• Template: Directed Time Calculator (source: The Key)

Please note: the additional Bank Holiday on Friday 3^rd June 2022 to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee has changed the number of days that teachers must be available to work. 

As a result, the number of days and hours that teachers must be available to work, for this year only, has changed:

• DAYS: from 190 (+5 INSET days) to 189 teaching days (+5 INSET days) 
• HOURS: from 1265 hours of ‘directed time’ to 1258.5 hours

This means that teachers will be granted an extra day off. 

Schools are required to ensure that their directed time calculator reflects this change. 

Southwark Education, Learning and Achievement have been in communication with schools regarding the changes for Early Career Teachers (ECTs). Please refer to the link below:

• The statutory induction changes for Early Career Teachers (ECTs)

3. School Action

Governing Bodies are required to:

1. Adopt a policy that sets out the basis on which it determines teachers’ pay and the date by which it will determine teachers’ annual pay reviews;
2. Ensure the pay policy is implemented;
3. Establish procedures for addressing teachers’ grievances in relation to their pay in accordance with the ACAS Code of Practice.

Governing Bodies should delegate authority to the Pay Committee to administer the pay policy on its behalf, including the determination of grade and salaries following the appraisal process for teaching staff.

The school’s pay policy should set out the following:

1. When teachers can apply, and the basic requirement for meeting the upper pay range threshold.
2. Individual pay policies should set out the precise criteria teachers will need to meet to move through to the upper pay range.
3. How all pay decisions are made, including the principles by which the governing body will exercise its discretion in pay matters.
4. How appeals against pay decisions can be made

Southwark Council provide a model pay policy template, which is available for schools subscribing to the Schools HR service.  

The Headteacher will report to the governing body pay committee recommendations as part of the performance management/appraisal arrangements to make decisions on pay progression.

4. Headteacher Performance Management – specific guidance for Governing Bodies

Governing Bodies' roles and responsibilities:  

1. Appoint a Headteacher Appraisal Committee;
2. To ensure that local governor appraisers are trained for the role;
3. Appoint an external adviser;
4. To ensure that the headteacher is enabled to achieve a satisfactory work life balance;
5. To ensure that objectives are set for the headteacher which contribute to improving the education of pupils;
6. To ensure that the headteacher is given a written appraisal report, which sets out:
   • an assessment of their performance in the previous appraisal period
   • agreed objectives for future performance
   • an assessment of their training and development needs
   • where relevant, a recommendation on pay progression
7. To report to the governing board at the next meeting that they have completed the appraisal process on behalf of the governing body;
8. Appoint a Pay Committee, who will consider the recommendation from the Headteacher Appraisal Committee regarding the Headteacher’s pay progression. 

5. Annual School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Training Session

Southwark Schools HR will be running workshops for schools on the essentials of teachers pay and conditions and the updates to the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document.

The sessions will be held on 11^th November as follows:

Session 1:      9am to 11am

Session 2:      11.30am to 1.30pm

Session 3:      2pm to 4pm

To book on any of the sessions, click here: https://form.jotform.com/202075018822347

6. To contact us:

For general queries, please email: schoolshr@southwark.gov.uk

For specific queries, please liaise with your designated HR Business Partner or Shereen Moussa, Head of Schools Human Resources, email: Shereen.Moussa@southwark.gov.uk

Roles and Responsibilities

The table below sets out the responsibilities as defined by the Department for Education in “Implementing your school’s approach to pay: Departmental advice for maintained schools, academies and local authorities.”

NJC Support Staff Pay Update - 6th October 2021

We have been informed that UNISON members have voted by a majority of 79% to 21% to reject the National Employers’ final pay offer to local government services (‘Green Book’) employees. UNISON’s local government committee has also agreed to begin preparations for an industrial action ballot. We will continue to keep you informed of developments but UNISON’s decision does mean that a pay deal will not be agreed for some time yet.

GMB and Unite will be announcing the outcome of their pay offer consultations next week.

The National Employers will be meeting on 19th October to take stock of the situation.

Teachers (England): School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) (‘Blue Book’) - 17th September 2021

UPDATE

The final version of the School Teachers Pay & Conditions Document 2021 is expected to be laid in Parliament on 24 September 2021 to become a legal document on 15 October 2021 and be backdated with effect from 1 September 2021.

This page brings together all the information you will need in relation to school teachers’ pay in 2021/22. The LGA provides the secretariat for NEOST (National Employers Organisation for School Teachers).

NEOST have responded (informed by views of councils) to the governments consultation on teachers' pay (pay pause for qualified teachers and £250 uplift for eligible unqualified teachers) supporting the uplift for lower paid unqualified teachers, whilst agreeing with the STRB’s conclusion that it is likely to increase existing recruitment and retention difficulties.

Teachers (England): School Teachers Pay & Conditions Document (STPCD) ('Blue Book') - 1st September 2021

1. Recommendations for 2021/22

The School Teachers Review Body has made the following recommendations for 2021/22:

• A consolidated award of £250 to all teachers whose full-time equivalent basic earnings are less than:
  • £24,000 in the Rest of England
  • £25,194 in the Fringe
  • £27,419 in Outer London
  • £28,681 in Inner London
• Any part-time teacher whose full-time equivalent basic earnings meet the eligibility criteria receive the award on a pro-rata basis according to their working hours
• The award be paid to all eligible teachers, whether located on a published pay point or not
• This award be independent of any progression considerations
• The treatment of teachers between existing published pay points, including the management of possible leapfrogging, be at the discretion of employers who should ensure no teachers located just above the pay thresholds for eligibility are significantly disadvantaged relative to other teachers
• That employers ensure that implementation of the pay award complies with the National Living Wage policy
• Advisory pay points be reintroduced on the unqualified teachers’ pay range for 2021/22. The recommended levels of these points is as set out in the table below.

2. The current position as of 1^st September 2021:

In early September, the National Employers Organisation for School Teachers will submit a response (informed by the views of councils) back to Government on the proposals that include a pay pause for qualified teachers' pay and a £250 pay award for eligible unqualified teachers for 2021.

3. Timeline

We are currently in the process of national consultation and parliamentary process to finalise the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) 2021. 

It is likely to be October / November before the STPCD becomes law.

4. Implementation

The STPCD 2021 will be implemented from 1^st September 2021.

5. Southwark Schools' HR – Training Sessions

Southwark Schools HR are offering schools the following dates to deliver an update to schools on the STPCD 2021:

Essentials of Teachers’ Terms and Conditions 2021 – 11^th November 2021

The sessions will be held virtually.

To book, please click the link below:

https://form.jotform.com/202075018822347

Link:

Refer to the 'one stop webpage'  for all the information you need to understand the proposed changes following Gavin Williamson’s (Secretary of State for Education) announcement late on 21 July. 

Support Staff: National Joint Council (NJC) Terms & Conditions ('Green Book') - 1st September 2021

The National Joint Council negotiates the pay, terms and conditions of staff in local authorities.  This is effective from 1^st April of each year.  

It agrees an annual uplift to the national pay spine, on which each individual council decides where to place its employees. There are no nationally determined jobs or pay grades in local government, unlike in other parts of the public sector.

The trade unions (GMB, Unison and Unite) represent their members’ interests at a national level. 

The National Employers have offered the following final pay offer:

• The majority of employees, those on salaries starting at £18,198 per annum, would receive an uplift of 1.75% on 1^st April 2021, with those on the lowest salary receiving 2.75%.

The trade unions are currently running consultation ballots with their members on the National Employers’ final pay offer.  This will run through to late September / early October 2021.  All three unions will be recommending the pay offer(s) be rejected.

Although there is no agreement as of yet on the final pay offer, any final pay award will be backdated to 1^st April 2021. 

NOTE: This pay offer does not apply to council chief executives, senior officers, teachers or firefighters, who are covered by separate national pay arrangements.

LINKS:

https://www.local.gov.uk/national-employers-local-government-services-local-government-pay-july-2021

Letter from NJC to Local Authority ^(pdf)

The Early Career Teacher Framework - 1st September 2021

The Early Career Teacher (ECT) has replaced the Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) with effect from 1^st September 2021.

All Early career Teachers (ECTs) who start induction from 1 September 2021 will be required to follow the two years induction.

Key changes

• Length of induction increased from one to two school years
• The term early career teacher (ECT) replaces newly qualified teacher (NQT)
• In addition to the 10 per cent timetable reduction in the 1st year, ECTs will also receive a five per cent reduction in the 2nd year of induction.
• Funding will be available to cover time off timetable for early career teachers and mentors, in the second year of induction, paid directly to schools.  The amount per ECT and mentor for inner London schools will equate to £2600.
• The new Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms will make it a statutory requirement for any school inducting new teachers to offer them a two-year package of high-quality professional development. This is fully funded.
• You will still need to register your ECT with an Appropriate Body.  Southwark Council are providing these services.
• Sign up https://southwark.ectmanager.com/Login.aspx or contact Vilma Edwards, Vilma.edwards@southwark.gov.uk or Cara Cahill, Cara.cahill@southwark.gov.uk

Link:

https://local.gov.uk/our-support/workforce-and-hr-support/education-and-young-people/early-career-teachers

Early career framework reforms: overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For queries, please contact:

Cara Cahill

Cara.cahill@southwark.gov.uk

Vilma Edwards

Vilma.edwards@southwark.gov.uk

DfE Update - 1st September 2021

• DfE have recorded a webinar to remind school and college leaders of the changes that came into effect from step 4 (19 July) and to provide an update on our latest contingency planning and COVID-19 management advice.  This complements existing guidance and is hopefully a useful additional tool for schools and colleges. [Further detail below]
• Information on the EdTech demonstrator programme - free peer-to-peer support on effective use of technology in education

Preparing for Autumn Term webinar

Link to the webinar on the G Drive Training - Google Drive –  Ref RP158 Preparing for Autumn Term  

Aims of Autumn Term webinar:

• Remind school and college leaders of Step 4 changes to Covid safety measures.
• Provide an update on vaccinations.
• Support preparations for testing at the start of the Autumn term.
• Provide update on managing COVID cases in settings.
• Answer FAQs:

1. Self-Isolation: Should staff who choose not to be vaccinated be paid when isolating for ten days?
2. ATS: Why are settings being asked to stand up on-site testing for students first two tests in September rather than going straight to home testing?
3. What definition of ‘close contact’ will be used by NHS Test and Trace in educational settings? Will the PHE definition of ‘close contact’ still apply to educational settings?
4. Contact tracing: What if a setting doesn’t agree with the close contacts that have been identified by one of their pupils, students or legal guardian?
5. What’s taken the Government so long to make this announcement on ventilation? Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and other countries internationally already have a strategy in place?

EdTech Demonstrator programme

The EdTech Demonstrator programme provides schools and colleges free peer-to-peer support on effective use of technology in education. The Demonstrators are schools and colleges who have significant experience and expertise in the effective use of education technology.

The Demonstrator network support schools and colleges to use technology to:

• Help improve students' outcomes
• Reduce unnecessary teacher workload burden
• Support school/college improvement plans
• Help schools/colleges manage their resources effectively
• Secure an accessible and inclusive curriculum, including for pupils with SEND

You can read testimonials from demonstrators and some of the schools and colleges they work with on the EdTech Demonstrator website.

Who the programme is for

Any publicly funded school or further education institution in England can apply for support from an EdTech Demonstrator. Independent schools and training providers are not eligible for the scheme.

How to apply for free training and support

Visit the EdTech Demonstrator website and register your interest. You’ll then be contacted to find out more about your EdTech needs.

EdTech Demonstrator National Webinar Series lines:

The EdTech Demonstrator Programme has recently shared the National Webinar Series schedule for the September and October. Topics covered by the upcoming webinars range from the case for creating a digital strategy to digital wellbeing for pupils, and the power of technology to reduce workload. For more information and to sign up to the webinars:
Register for the national webinar series

Pfizer Mass Vaccination Event at Millwall FC on Saturday 10th July 2021

On Saturday 10th July, we are supporting Southwark and Lewisham NHS partners to run a mass vaccination event at Millwall FC in South Bermondsey. There are thousands of Pfizer jabs available.

COVID-19 rates are rising extremely fast in Southwark and the majority of cases are in our younger age groups (18-39 year olds). 

Get your Pfizer jab at the Den on Saturday

Anyone aged 18 or over, who hasn't had their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, can get vaccinated at Millwall FC on Saturday. The Pfizer vaccine will be on offer. Second doses of Pfizer will also be available to people who had their first dose eight weeks ago or longer.

• Location: Millwall Football Club, The Den, Zampa Road, London, SE16 3LN
• Day and time: Saturday 10 July, 8am to 8pm
• Booking information: Please book in advance, but walk-ins are accepted  

Book your vaccination at Millwall FC via this link

If residents book their vaccine TODAY (Thursday 8th July), they can also enter a prize draw to win tickets to the EUROs final at Wembley on Sunday or tickets to watch the final in the Trafalgar Square Fan Zone. See more details about the prize draw.

Teachers’ Pay 2021 (England) Update - June 2021

The National Employers Organisation for School Teachers (NEOST) written evidence to the School Teachers Review Body (STRB) can be found on our one stop page.

Officers gave oral evidence in March, ahead of the STRB submitting its recommendations to Government 'as soon as is practically possible in May'.

It is hoped that councils will be consulted on the draft School Teachers Pay and Conditions (STPCD) by early July.

In the meantime, we will continue to keep you updated.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – 3rd June 2022 (Additional Bank Holiday)

DfE have laid regulations to reduce the minimum number of sessions schools are required to meet in the academic year 2021/22 and enable everyone to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen on 3 June 2022.

Many schools will be on their half term breaks in the week commencing 31 May 2022, but where the additional bank holiday falls in term time, DfE have advised that schools and LAs should observe the Bank Holidays on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 June and may therefore need to prepare and make any amendments to their published term dates for the academic year 2021/22.

DfE  have also laid regulations to allows schools in England to hold the extra INSET day on 4 January 2021 which was to help teachers train and prepare for coronavirus testing in schools. The amendment to regulations will mean that schools will not be at risk of breaching their statutory duty.

DfE have confirmed they intend to amend the STPCD to reflect the additional bank holiday in teachers' terms and conditions and we will be consulting on those and the proposed changes in the usual way over the summer (hopefully early July as part of the LGA pay webinar on 13 July)  as part of the Governments consultation process for the 2021 pay award.

Working Arrangements – Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year (2021/22)

Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2021 fall on Saturday and Sunday respectively and New Year’s Day 2022 falls on a Saturday.

Monday 27 December automatically becomes a public holiday in place of Christmas Day and the Government has designated Tuesday 28 December and Monday 3 January 2022 as public holidays with pay in substitution for Boxing Day and New Year’s Day respectively.

In accordance with joint advice issued in previous years to deal with these circumstances, authorities are advised that payments, unless a local agreement is in place, should be made in accordance with Green Book Part 3 Para 2.6 as follows:

• Employees required to work either on Saturday 25 December or Monday 27 December (but not both) should receive public holiday pay, plus time off with pay at a later date, for the day on which they work
• Employees required to work on both Saturday 25 December and Monday 27 December should receive Saturday rates of pay for Saturday 25 December and public holiday pay, plus time off with pay at a later date, for Monday 27 December
• Employees required to work either Sunday 26 December or Tuesday 28 December (but not both) should receive public holiday pay, plus time off with pay at a later date, for the day on which they work
• Employees required to work on both Sunday 26 December and Tuesday 28 December should receive Sunday rates of pay for Sunday 26 December and public holiday pay, plus time off with pay at a later date, for Tuesday 28 December
• Employees required to work either Saturday 1 January or Monday 3 January (but not both) should receive public holiday pay, plus time off with pay at a later date, for the day on which they work
• Employees required to work on both Saturday 1 January and Monday 3 January receive Saturday rates of pay for Saturday 1 January and public holiday pay, plus time off with pay at a later date, for Monday 3 January.

NJC Pay Award: Support Staff Terms & Conditions - June 2021

The National Employers for Local Government Services have been in discussions with the national trade unions on the local government national pay negotiations for 2021.  This is in relation to support staff pay. 

On 14^th May 2021, the National Employers put forward the following one-year offer: 

• With effect from 1 April 2021, an increase of 1.50 per cent on all NJC pay points 1 and above
• Completion of the outstanding work of the joint Term-Time Only review group

As of 21^st May 2021, the trade unions wrote to the National Employers to reject the 1.50% pay offer. 

The National Employers will consider the trade unions letter and respond in due course.

Once we have more information, we will share this with schools as appropriate.

LINK:   https://www.local.gov.uk/local-government-pay-2021

Free Well-being Support for Headteachers - Education Support

School leaders are some of the most stressed professionals in education. Education Support is the only UK charity dedicated to supporting the mental health and well-being of education staff in schools, colleges and universities. Their latest polling revealed that 84% of senior leaders are feeling stressed.

Education Support’s free, high-quality facilitated peer support service brings school leaders together to discuss challenges and issues in a safe and supportive space. There are limited spaces left, so please apply now via the link below.

Apply now

After experiencing the charity’s well-being services, 95% of headteachers reported feeling less anxious and 100% felt more supported. They said:

“It gave me space and permission to talk only about how I was.”

“I’ve gained improved confidence and self-esteem.”

“It allowed me to clear my head.”

Get news and updates about the mental health and well-being of teachers and school staff and find out more about Education Support’s work by signing up to their newsletter. You can do this via the link below.

Sign up for the newsletter

Department for Education (DfE) Webinars - Upcoming Reforms to Statutory Induction - 20th May & 17th June 2021

DfE is to host webinars for schools to provide an opportunity for teachers and school leaders to learn more about the upcoming reforms to statutory induction which will roll out from September.

The webinar will cover all aspects of the new reforms, including:

• The background of the early career framework and DfE aim of improving the experiences and skills of early career teachers.
• The key changes to statutory induction and how these new arrangements will replace current induction requirements.
• The funding which will be available to schools to support the delivery of an ECF-based induction.
• The options which are available for schools to meet statutory requirements and actions which schools can take to begin preparing ahead of September.
• The role of appropriate bodies in supporting national roll-out.

DfE will answer questions from the audience and share resources to help schools learn more about the ECF and find the best option for their setting.

Visit the link below to secure a ticket:

Early Career Framework (ECF) explainer webinar Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

Revised Pension Admin Strategy - May 2021

Under Regulation 59 of The Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013, the administering authority has had a Pension Administration Strategy since 2016.

This strategy has now been updated and revised. Please view the attachment here ^(pdf). The council are now opening a consultation until the 24^th May on its contents.

If you wish to comment on the strategy, please email your comments to lbspensions@southwark.gov.uk.

We are also offering a training course on the new strategy, which is available on My Learning Source here.

If your organisation hasn’t used My Learning Source before, instructions on how to register are at the foot of this page.

The course will cover:

• The reason why there is a Pension Administration Strategy
• Its importance
• Things to be aware of
• Administering authority
• Employing authority responsibilities 

As an organisation, you will need to register on My Learning Source here.

This will take you to the page displayed below, where you need to click ‘Support & Login Instructions‘. Registration instructions are in the pop up box.

Teachers' Pensions - End of Year Certificate (EOYC) Webinars - May 2021

Following feedback from employers, the Teachers' Pension service will be hosting five webinars in May that'll go through how to complete the End of Year Certificate (EOYC) template, timescales for the process and give you the chance to ask questions. These webinars are ideal for any employers new to the task or in need of a refresher. The EOYC process is completed on an annual basis by all employers and provides an assurance to the Secretary of State that all contributions due have been correctly paid over to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. 

Due to popularity, only one employer per establishment can register onto the webinar, to ensure as many establishments as possible will have access to this vital training.

If you'd like to register onto one of the three webinars, you can do so below:

Register onto our EOYC webinar on 18 May 2021 at 11am - 12pm

Register onto our EOYC webinar on 24 May at 11am - 12pm

Register onto our EOYC webinar on 26 May at 11am - 12pm

Register onto our EOYC webinar on 27 May at 2pm - 3pm

Register onto our EOYC webinar on 28 May at 2pm - 3pm

Source: https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/employers/managing-members/contributions/end-of-year-certificate/eoyc-training.aspx

DBS Regional Outreach Service - Greater London

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has launched a new Regional Outreach Service to focus on working collaboratively with safeguarding and recruiting organisations. The aim is to work closer with organisations and networks to build and develop relationships, acting as a single point of contact for all DBS related enquiries within their region.

Kiran Rehal is the DBS Regional Outreach Advisor for Greater London and will be based in the region. She is available to discuss all matters in relation to DBS, as well as support you and your colleagues in safeguarding and safer recruitment.

Kiran is able to work with you and your organisation in a number of ways, including:

• Answering phone calls or emails to clarify any DBS related queries/questions or advice
• Attending meetings, training, conferences or visiting organisations to have a face to face discussion (in lines with pandemic restrictions)
• Developing and delivering presentations, workshops, webinars or discussions to provide an overview of DBS and safer recruitment
• Taking any feedback, suggestions or comments from DBS experiences and feeding this back into the business
• Helping to understand what level of check can be applied for and what information these checks will provide
• Informing organisations and employers of their duty or power to refer individuals who may pose a future risk of harm within regulated activity. Including an overview of:
  • How to make barring referrals;
  • When should a referral be made and
  • How DBS assess whether a referred person should be included on the Children’s and/or Adults’ Barred List.

If you have any questions regarding the DBS or would like any further information, please do contact Kiran:

Email: Kiranpreet.rehal@dbs.gov.uk  / DBSRegionaloutreach@dbs.gov.uk

Tel: 0300 105 3081

Chefs in Schools and Veg Power - June 2021

Chefs in Schools is a charity co-founded by Henry Dimbleby (the author of the National Food Strategy), Nicole Pisani (the former Head Chef at top London restaurant NOPI) and Louise Nichols (the Exec Head at three state schools in Hackney). They work hands-on in 80 schools across London and are now developing a training programme to improve school food and child health in the UK.

This September, Chefs in Schools are launching with Impact on Urban Health, a free qualification for school catering teams in Southwark and Lambeth.

The School Chef Educator Qualification teaches catering staff the School Food Standards and about child nutrition, ensuring they’re serving the right food, the right portion sizes and able to promote nutritious choices well.

The training is free and requires support for catering staff to spend just two hours a week on training. The total investment cost and time per participant is 30 hours, at their hourly rate.

Chefs in Schools’ Head of Training, Yenny, would love to talk to you about the qualification and find out if, and how, you can get your school on board. Please email: yenny@chefsinschools.org.uk.

Veg Power June 2021

Veg Power is a national campaign that encourages children to eat more vegetables, with free resources available for schools and caterers. To find out more, please contact: stephanie.douglas@vegpower.org.uk.

The Early Career Framework (ECF) - Change from September 2021

LGA - Early Career Framework - Change from September 2021 ^(pdf)

The Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms provide a funded entitlement to a structured two-year package of professional development from September 2021 for all early career teachers in England. This update includes information on the statutory provisions that have now been laid before parliament as well as some DfE responses to FAQs.

New Statutory Pay Rates - Change from 6^th April 2021

Children's Barred List Checks - Change from 1st April 2021

From 1^st April 2021, stand-alone checks of the children’s barred list will be administered by the Teaching Regulation Agency, on behalf of the DfE.  Currently they are being administered through TP Online. 

To minimise the risk of unsuitable people being appointed, schools & FE colleges should wait for sight of the original (paper) DBS certificate for ALL new appointments in regulated activity with children.

Where there is a pressing need to start someone before the certificate is received, the school or college should request a stand-alone barred list check via TRA.

If there is a name match, the school must not let the individual start until the situation has been clarified and the paper certificate received.

If the appointee is transferring directly from another school in England without a break in service of 3 months or more, the appointing school may undertake a stand-alone barred list check via the TRA website.

Guidance on next steps will be sent out to those that the TRA has identified as organisations that has access to the Employer Access-Organisations/Agent.

School Job Vacancies Page 

We are reviewing our service offer based on feedback that schools would like a place to advertise job vacancies. We are trialling this with our new School Job Vacancies page, which is currently free of charge. To advertise a role, please contact schoolshr@southwark.gov.uk with the following information:

• Job title
• Job description
• Job application
• Application guidance
• Link to apply
• Any other relevant information

Brexit - EU Settlement Scheme: 2021

IMPORTANT UPDATE: EU SETTLEMENT SCHEME – DEADLINE FOR EU, EEA or Swiss citizens – 30^th JUNE 2021

This is a reminder that if you have any workers who are classed as EU, EEA or Swiss citizens, the deadline for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme is 30^th June 2021.

If you have not already done so, you may wish to speak to your staff and remind them of this.  This is because in order to retain their right to live and work in the UK, they need to have applied under the EU Settlement Scheme by this date. 

For more information, please see below:

https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/applying-for-settled-status?utm_campaign=EU_SettlementScheme(apply)&utm_medium=PaidSearch&utm_source=GoogleBing&utm_content=ExpandedLink&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4u-Qnfi58QIVkrrtCh1hmw7yEAAYASAAEgJFMPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

We have updated our website for schools that trade with us to have access to a letter template that they can send out to their staff, as well as signpost to the government guidance on the scheme.

EU Settlement Scheme ^{(pdf, 13kb)}

Public Sector Exit Payments Cap: February 2021

The government has issued the Exit Payment Cap Directions 2021, which dis-apply parts of the Restriction of Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020 in England with immediate effect. The Directions dis-apply Regulation 3, which places a £95,000 cap on public sector exit payments. On this basis, the exit cap no longer applies in England with effect from 12 February 2021. 

Public Sector Exit Payments - £95k revoked - February 2021 ^{(pdf, 192kb)}

Public Sector Exit Payments Cap: January 2021

On 4^th November 2020 the government passed a law The Restriction of Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020 (the Exit Payments Regulations) limiting severance payments in the public sector to £95,000. 

This affects compensation that can be awarded under the Compensation Regulations, namely:

• Discretionary Compensation for Redundancy
• Discretionary Compensation for Termination (DCT)
• The cost to the employer of Premature Retirement Compensation (PRC)

Pension strain costs are included in this cap (although this not affect ill health retirement).  Therefore it is particularly important that during the planning stage of the reorganisation process or early retirement that all potential payments are assessed to see if they are over the cap.

Please ensure you discuss this with your Schools HR Business Partner and Southwark Pensions team.

• LGA Information

The Reform of Local Government Exit Payments webpage is maintained by the LGA Workforce team. The page is regularly reviewed to provide up to date information for local government employers and includes:

• links to consultations and responses, regulations, draft regulations and guidance
• a summary of the HM Treasury Directions and Guidance that accompany the Exit Payment Regulations
• a position statement on the exit payment cap for employers.

• Local Government Pension Scheme [LGPS]

For more information, please review the following FAQs/information regarding the cap:

https://lgpsmember.org/news/story/exitcap_qanda.php

https://www.local.gov.uk/public-sector-exit-payments-cap-impact-teachers-pension-scheme 

• Teachers Pensions Scheme [TPS]

Teacher Pensions also has an employer support helpline 0345 300 3756, and the opening times are Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 6.00pm.

Staffing and Employment Advice for Schools (January 2021) now replaces the previous DfE Statutory Guidance on Managing Staff Employment in Schools (2018)

Staffing and Employment Advice for Schools January 2021 ^{(pdf, 370kb)}

KCSIE January 2021 Update

KCSIE 2021 Update