28th November 2023
School News
Radford Semele CofE Primary School were the first of our Diocesan schools to be inspected under the new SIAMS framework last month. You can read the newly published report here with a judgement that the school is living up to its foundation, and enabling pupils and adults to flourish. Congratulations to the staff and pupils at the school on all their good work.
Diocesan News – Vacancy in See
With June’s announcement that The Right Reverend Dr Christopher Cocksworth is to be appointed to the Dean of Windsor, the diocese entered a ‘Vacancy in See’ from November 5th. The process to appoint an new Bishop of Coventry is already underway and although the process usually takes between 12-24 months, the ‘Vacancy in See Committee’ hope to keep everyone updated with progress on the diocesan website here: https://www.coventry.anglican.org/about/vacancy-in-see/
How Schools Can Get Involved…
Get Your Staff and Pupils to Contribute to the Diocesan Wide Poll
As part of this process the committee want to hear as many voices as possible from across the diocese and so they’ve put together a very short poll of three questions. It would be fantastic to include the voices of children in this exercise.
Use This Prayer
The Revd Alison Evans, Chaplain to the Vacancy-in-See Committee, has created a prayer for use in schools and family church services.
Heavenly Father,
Please help us as we appoint a new Bishop in our diocese.
Give us wisdom to see as you see,
to hear your voice and listen to oneanother.
May Jesus’ name be honoured.
May your Spirit guide us in our decisions.
May we do all this with your love,
seeking your Kingdom and your glory,
In the name of Jesus our Lord,
Amen
Contribute Your Own Prayer
By emailing the committee here.
Foundation Governor Welcome Service
One of our CofE schools requested some wording that could be included in a church service to welcome a Foundation Governor to their role. This is a lovely idea and an excellent way to promote and emphasise the importance of the Foundation Governor role and help parishioners to better understand it. The short service created is available on the DBE website on the Governance page. If you would like a Word version to edit then please email helen.gibson@coventrydbe.org
Upcoming CPD Session – Clerking in a CofE School
This course provides general information about clerking with an emphasis on what is different about clerking in a Church of England school. It would be useful for clerks new to the job or for clerks who haven’t previously worked in a Church of England school. On Tuesday 12 December 2023 from 18.00 to 19.00 via Zoom – There is NO COST to attend – please forward this booking link to your clerk or tell them to book via the DBE website.
For Your Staff and Parents’ Newsletter – Christmas at Coventry Cathedral
As December fast approaches, Coventry Cathedral’s full Advent and Christmas programme is now available. Please do share this link with your staff and families so that they have the opportunity to experience the special meaning of Christmas by joining in with the Christmas services, quiet candlelit times, music performances and carols.
https://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/christmas
‘Shakespeare’s First Folio, All the Plays: A Children’s Edition’ – Register for a Free Copy and Teaching Resources for Your School
As part of the yearlong celebration to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is working in partnership with the award-winning publishing house, Walker Books to produce a new folio for children to ensure his legacy is preserved for future generations.
Shakespeare’s First Folio, All the Plays: A Children’s Edition will include all 36 plays in the original volume, in the same order, and edited to be performed by 8-12 children, between 7-14 years of age, in under 20 minutes.
Abridged by Dr Anjna Chouhan, the Children’s Folio will use all of Shakespeare’s language, meaning that children can access and enjoy every play in a fun context, learning weird and wonderful words like ‘sluggardise’, and ‘rampallion’, as well as famous lines including ‘friends, Romans, countrymen’, and ‘once more unto the breech’.
The book will be lavishly illustrated by Emily Sutton, whose previous titles with Walker include A First Book of the Sea, The Christmas Eve Tree and William Sieghart’s poetry anthology Everyone Sang. Described by The Times as “one of our greatest children’s illustrators”, Emily has meticulously researched each play using the SBT’s extensive collection, which includes weapons, domestic objects, textiles and early printed books as inspiration.
The Trust want to ensure that every child has a positive first experience with Shakespeare and this new publication is another way to engage and inspire children in an accessible way. On publication, they will distribute 6,000 copies to schools and 3,000 copies to libraries across the country, at no cost, helping children to start their own journey with Shakespeare.
A series of free digital resources for teachers and educators are also being developed to maximise the impact of the children’s folio and will be shared with all participating institutions.
If you like to celebrate the wonder of books, the magic of the plays and the universality of Shakespeare’s language please register your interest on the Shakespeare’s Birth Place Trust website.
2024 Teaching Awards Now Open for Nominations
You may be aware that The One Show has been getting the whole country involved in celebrating all those working in education this week every evening at 7pm on BBC1.
Don’t miss the opportunity to nominate a special teacher, colleague or friend for the 2024 Teaching Awards. The nominations are free and there are 16 categories to choose from, including individual, team and support staff awards. This is a great way to show someone you appreciate their outstanding work and commitment. Click here for further information.
COP28 Explained for Children from Earth Cubs
Learn about COP28, where leaders discuss important ways to tackle climate change. Perfect for ages 3-11, this 5 min video makes complex topics simple and engaging!
Earth Cubs is a free interactive resource on the global goals around climate, sustainability, and environmental learning for 3-11 year olds. There are lots of great resources that can be used as classroom activities or children can do at home.
Mental Health of Children and Young People in England
This week, new statistics were published by NHS Digital on the prevalence of mental health needs in children and young people. The Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 report found that one in five children and young people (20.3% 8 to 16-year-olds) had a probable mental disorder in 2023. Among 17 to 19-year-olds, the proportion was 23.3%, while in 20 to 25-year-olds it was 21.7%. There has not been a significant change in rates since last years survey, which means the high levels of distress we have seen since the pandemic have not fallen away. You can read the summary headlines here.
Parentkind host free webinars in the spring term for parents including topics such as ‘How to Build Your Child’s Resilience’ and ‘Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health’ alongside lots of other ones that are curriculum specific such as ‘Helping Your Child to Succeed in KS1 English’ etc. Do signpost parents and families on your newsletter to the parentkind website where they can sign up.
Top Education Books to Put on Your Christmas List This Year
We think we are living in a golden age of education books, which can make choosing one to put under the Christmas tree a challenge (a rather wonderful one). So, to help you out, the people from Inner Drive have collated some amazing edu books from 2023, as well as a few classics from the vaults. Have a read to find the perfect book your staff or for the educator in your life.
Tips for a Greener Christmas
How can we be better at caring for creation and each other through healthy, eco-friendly and sustainable choices at Christmas? These ideas from A Rocha UK could make a world of difference, and a difference to the world.