Headlines – 6 October 2023

9th October 2023

School News

St Gabriel’s 5th Birthday

We were pleased to celebrate the 5th ‘birthday’ of St Gabriel’s CofE Academy, Houlton on 26th September. Bishop Christopher, the governors, local clergy and the developers of Houlton joined together in a special collective worship and enjoyed Birthday cake! This video helps you share the celebration.

 

The Beacon Evaluation Event

The DBE hosted an end of the 2 year pilot event at the Charter House in Coventry last Wednesday. We heard the findings of Sussex University’s academic review of the pilot and from the Headteachers, project leads and Family Link Workers about how the project had impacted their practice and the children in their schools. We will be sharing a full full report with you all next half term and give you details of how you can share in the learning from the project.

 

SIAMS Termly Update

11 October 2023 – 16.30-17.30 – online via Zoom; or book to receive the recording.  Book a place here.

Led by Jen Jenkins, DBE RE and Spirituality Officer, these termly sessions are intended to support those schools who are due for inspection within the next two academic years. The session will guide delegates responsively depending on what schools need, and there will be an update on any local and national information on good practice.

 

Picture News – Free Resource Pack for Black History Month

Picture News have produced a free resource to help teachers explore Black History Month this year, it can be used for a whole school assembly, class discussion and to support a display. Get the resource here.

 

National Content Standard for Religious Education

The Religious Education Council Of England And Wales have just published a National Content Standard which provides clarification and a benchmark for excellence in religion and worldviews/religious education (RE) in England. The vision of the RE Council of England and Wales is for every young person to experience an academically rigorous and personally inspiring education in religion and worldviews and this document is a contribution toward this vision.  The RE Council’s National Content Standard provides a non-statutory benchmark for syllabus providers and other bodies to evaluate their work.  It is specifically for use in England.  It is not a curriculum, and it does not determine precisely what content schools should teach.  Rather it is a standard by which different RE curricula, content, pedagogy, and provision can be benchmarked.  The New Local Agreed Syllabus due to be implemented from September 2024 has been written around these standards. You can find out more and download the full document on the REC website here.  There is a also free webinar about this for Senior Leaders and MAT leaders on Tue 5 Dec 2023 at 14:00. The webinar will detail how this will work in your school and trust setting, and the importance of the National Content Standard for student outcomes in RE. For more information and to book click here.

 

SACRE Autumn Term RE Bulletin Now Available

You can find it on the Warwickshire SACRE website here.

 

Church School Governance Online Training Programme

Encourage your governors to book.  Delivered through Hope University, the Church School Governance Online Training Programme (CSGTP) is aimed at Governors and Trustees (Directors) in both church schools and schools with a distinctively Christian ethos, providing support for Governors and Trustees (Directors) committed to improving provision and outcomes for children and young people. The programme has been developed by experts and professionals with a background in church school leadership, governance and inspection.

Course Aims

  • Raise your awareness of the changing expectations of Governing Boards and meeting today’s challenges in the education sector, whilst holding on to the mission and vision of a church school.
  • Engage professionally with others in a collaborative and interactive module.
  • Study online in your own time, whilst benefitting from access to personal tutors and group reflections.
  • Key themes include the changing context, mission, vision and values, collaborative learning, decision making and accountability.
  • Access support with using the online Virtual Learning Environment and Zoom, developing skills which extend to everyday life.

The course is delivered via 6 online topics, each taken over a 3 week period and allows for school holidays. Each topic contains reading materials, videos, workbooks and interactive discussion forums as well as opportunities for a session on Zoom for the whole cohort during for each topic. A Tutor provides personal support throughout the course. There is plenty of help available for accessing and navigating the online Virtual Learning Environment and Zoom meetings. A networking event is also arranged for past and present students.

The course starts in January 2024 and takes 6 months to complete.  Fee: £300 if you book before 1st November (otherwise £350)

To apply or for more information please contact: Tel: 0151 291 3834/3061  Website: www.hope.ac.uk/pld/educationpld or Email: pld@hope.ac.uk

 

‘God and the Big Bang’ 

Subsidised Spaces Available for this Event at Coventry Cathedral

17 October 10.00am to 2.30pm.  Tickets are £10 per student.  

Discover and debate the compatibility of science and faith.  This will be a day of interactive workshops for Year 6 to explore topics including, creation, climate change and innovation with scientists of faith.  Find out more here and to book a place email sarah.moring@durham@durham.ac.uk

 

Prayer Spaces – New Resources for October

October is Black History Month and also includes World Food Day and Halloween. Partnering with World Vision, Prayer Spaces have written some new prayer activities focusing on two case studies to link with World Food Day on 16th October. Last year they were asked for prayer activities around Halloween and fear or not worrying so these have been added too. You can find these and others in their resource library or quick links are:

 

Primary and Secondary Remembrance Resources from the Royal British Legion

Lesson and assembly resources can be found on the Royal British Legion website here: https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/teaching-remembrance

 

Anti-Bullying Week Resources – 13 – 17 November

This year’s theme is ‘Make A Noise About Bullying’ and will take place from Monday 13th to Friday 17th November. The week will be kicked off with Odd Socks Day on Monday 13th November, where adults and children wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique. Find more details on the Anti-Bullying Alliance website

More resources for primary and secondary can be found here:

 

World Kindness Day – 13 November – Free Resources

Free resource pack, ideas and online assembly from 52 Lives – School of Kindness.

 

Free Trees for Schools and Communities

The Woodland Trust want to make sure everybody in the UK has the chance to plant a tree. So they’re giving away hundreds of thousands of trees to schools and communities. The UK needs millions more trees to reach its 2050 carbon net-zero target. By digging in with the Woodland Trust, you’ll help to bring us nearer this important goal.  For more information and to apply go to their website: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/schools-and-communities/

 

 


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