Noticeboard - 12 June 2025

Welcome to this week's noticeboard containing a message from Sue Harrison and Helen Ellis; a request to share and complete the Ofsted/CQC Local Area SEND Inspection survey, the latest Oracle and Equal Pay Programme updates, and more.

This week's noticeboard includes: 

Message from Dr Sue Harrison and Helen Ellis

Dear colleagues

Our Ofsted/CQC Local Area SEND Inspection is underway!

We’re incredibly grateful to all our schools for your continued support, especially during this important time.

On Monday, we took the official call from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) confirming the start of their joint inspection into how we support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This three-week inspection will explore how well we work together across education, health, and care to meet the needs of our children and families.

We want to take a moment to sincerely thank all schools for the invaluable role you play in supporting children and young people with SEND every day. Your ongoing collaboration, insight, and commitment are central to how we deliver 番茄社区, and your input has been a key part of preparing for this inspection. Your partnership is not only appreciated, but also essential. The inspection will reflect how we work together to support families, and we are proud of the strong relationships we’ve built with schools across the city.

As part of the inspection, Ofsted and CQC have asked us to share a confidential survey with all parents and carers of children and young people with SEND, children and young people with SEND, and practitioners who work with them in education, health or care 番茄社区. This is a vital opportunity for everyone to share their experiences and help shape the future of SEND 番茄社区 in our area.

The surveys will remain open until 9am Tuesday, 17 June 2025. Each survey is confidential and simple to complete, with responses going directly to Ofsted/CQC:

We kindly ask all schools to continue sharing this link far and wide. Your help in reaching as many families as possible is hugely appreciated and will make a real difference.

Paper versions of the surveys are available on request. Please reach out to Jodie Newson, SEND Relationship Manager at Jodie.newson@birmingham.gov.uk and she’ll be pleased to help. (Papers surveys must be returned by 1pm on Monday, 16 June.)

Thank you again for your incredible support – we couldn’t do this without you!

With our very best wishes for a wonderful weekend ahead.

Sue, Helen and the SEND & Inclusion Team

Help Shape the Future of SEND Services!

As part of the ongoing Ofsted and CQC inspection, we’ve been asked to share a confidential survey with:

  • Parents and carers of children and young people with SEND
  • Children and young people with SEND
  • Practitioners working with children and young people with SEND in education, health, or care 番茄社区

This is a vital opportunity for everyone to share their experiences and help improve SEND 番茄社区 across our area.

Survey closes: 9am, Tuesday 17 June 2025
Take the survey here:
Quick, easy, and completely confidential – responses go straight to Ofsted/CQC.

Please continue to share this link far and wide with families and colleagues. Your support is making a real difference, thank you!

Need a paper version?
Contact Jodie Newson, SEND Relationship Manager at jodie.newson@birmingham.gov.uk
(Please return paper surveys by 1pm, Monday 16 June)

Oracle Transition for Schools Update

The latest updates can be found at the following links: 

For any queries or further information please contact the team at oracleschoolsrelationship@birmingham.gov.uk and they will be pleased to assist.

Thank you for your ongoing support. 

Equal Pay Programme

Equal Pay Programme Update for Schools where BCC is the Employer

Job Evaluation for Schools where BCC is the Employer

School Meetings

We are now scheduling Job Information Gathering meetings with Heads and Business Managers / JE Leads to take place over the next 5 weeks.

Many thanks to those schools that have responded with your availability. We do understand what an incredibly busy time this is but it is imperative we carry out this work in order to progress with Job Evaluation early next academic year. For those who have not yet responded, a further email will be sent today with links to the form for completion.

Thank you in advance for your support with this work.

Proposed Reshaped Pay and Grading Structure

Pay and Grading

Implementation Timeline

We shared with you last week that the proposal to implement the reshaped Pay and Grading Structure is delayed while work continues to reach collective agreement. This means that implementation will not take place from May 30th. A revised timeline will be issued once confirmed.

In the interim, we are responding to individual Governing Body concerns and will continue to support those discussions and decisions to conclude before the end of this term. I appreciate and am very grateful for the additional work you and your FGB have undertaken on the Council’s proposals.

For non-teaching staff in schools where BCC is the employer

Additional information will be issued via email next week to respond to frequently asked questions raised by staff and will give individuals some more detailed information on what will happen at the point the reshaped pay and grading is implemented.

For Schools out of scope of the Equal Pay Programme (Foundation schools, VA schools and Academies)

We have received a number of queries asking for clarification about the implications of the introduction of BCC’s reshaped pay and grading structure for schools out of scope of the Equal Pay Programme. Thank you for your patience during this time. You will receive information and clarification next week, providing details of what is being proposed with some responses to FAQs raised by schools out of scope.

As ever, please raise queries through eppschools@birmingham.gov.uk

Schools Finance

2025/26 LA Statement of Funding and Provisional School Budget Payment Schedule

The updated cash sheet as of 01 June 2025 can be found at this link: Statement of funding and provisional school budget payment schedule 2025 to 2026 | 番茄社区 City Council. 

We hope you find this useful in reconciling the monthly instalment as well as grant payments the authority will pay during the financial year. 

If you have trouble accessing the file, you may need to save the spreadsheet to your personal desktop, then unblock the file by right clicking, properties, and clicking unblock and applying changes. 

Any queries should be directed to the SchoolsFinance@番茄社区.gov.uk mailbox in the first instance.

LA Expenditure

The LA Expenditure file includes income and expenditure posted to the school cost centre during the May period, broken down by CFR code. To request a copy of the transaction listing to support the figure, kindly email SchoolsFinance@番茄社区.gov.uk

For financial year 25/26, we have removed the deduction from the school’s monthly instalment on the cash sheet, however, we have shown the total figure in row 111.

The LA will shortly be raising an invoice to the school to recover the cost of the expenditure or be making a payment to the school where applicable.

Cash Flow Statement

The cash sheet now includes a cash flow statement template for school use. We encourage schools to use this template in projecting their cash flow over a 12-month period.

Please note, if you are using this at any point before a grant is due to be paid, the school should adjust the income from BCC in line 17, for example Pupil Premium.

Schools in deficit will be required to provide the LA with a cash flow statement to support the use of either an overdraft with Barclays bank under the BCC corporate contract or a request for an advance with an external bank account.

CFR Update

There has been an update to the Consistent Financial Reporting Framework.

I18 no longer exists, and any grants previously reported under this code should now be reported under I06.

There have also been changes to expenditure reporting, specifically spend on technology. More information can be found here: .

Year End Feedback 

Schools Finance would like to offer the opportunity to provide feedback on the updated year end process, to discover what works well, and what schools consider needs improvement. Please do engage with us, and complete the  - Deadline is 20 June 2025 - 16:00

App Levy Payments in Schools - REMINDER

Schools alongside pension contributions and payroll, are required to pay into the Apprentice Levy. Please ensure your payroll providers are aware, and align the correct PAYE code to your school. 

Guidance on App Levy pay is available in the below downloadable link: /downloads/file/30342/apprenticeship_levy_responsibilities_for_schools

If you have any questions about the App Levy, please reach out to earlycareers@birmingham.gov.uk

Changes to Shared Mailboxes

Please be advised that the following shared mailboxes will soon no longer be monitored:

Going forward, please direct all communications to the appropriate mailboxes listed below:

Invitation to participate: Preparation for Adulthood Schools Audit

As part of the Local Area Partnership’s ongoing review of our Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) support and 番茄社区, we are reaching out to schools and further education settings to take part in an important discussion.

We are keen to hear directly how well schools and FE settings are supporting young people with SEND to prepare for adulthood. This includes topics such as how well collaboration with parents, local authority is working, access to information, health, plus much more.

We will be hosting a dedicated discussion session on Tuesday 24 June from 3pm - 5pm, online via Teams, and we are inviting representatives from schools and FE providers to attend and contribute to this vital conversation.

Your input will play a key role in shaping how 番茄社区 are developed and improved across the local area.

To express your interest please email Bethan George at Bethan.George@birmingham.gov.uk by Wednesday, 18 June 2025.

We greatly appreciate your time and expertise, and we look forward to working together to improve outcomes for our young people.

Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn - 18 June 2025

Lentils for lunch: Creative and simple ways to improve healthy eating in schools

The 番茄社区 Healthy Schools Lunch & Learn series are online information/training webinars, around 20 minutes long, for school staff.

The next webinar topic is 'Lentils for lunch: creative, simple ways to improve healthy eating in schools' taking place on Wednesday, 18 June at 2pm. This session is available to all school staff interested in the wellbeing, and nutrition of their pupils and is particularly relevant for anyone involved in catering and menu planning, delivering cooking or food technology, and those managing carbon targets or sustainability.

In this session, Sarah Block from Lentils.org will explain how using lentils in school meals can reduce costs and carbon while increasing protein and fibre for your pupils. Join this session to:

  • Learn more about lentils including the nutrients they contain
  • Discover the benefits of using lentils in your school meals - for school budgets, pupils, and the environment
  • Hear about ways you can include lentils in your school meals with different recipes to try
  • Find out about a free offer to work with your school to develop healthy school meals.

To register for this webinar, please follow this link:

Health Related Absence Referrals for School Nursing Service

FAO: SENCO’s , Teachers and Attendance Managers

Health related Absence referrals cut-off and restart dates

As per last academic year, please note that the 番茄社区 School Health Support Service will not accept referrals for health-related absences for this academic year (2024-25) after 17:00 Friday, 4 July 2025.

This is because they will be unable to process the referrals before the end of the summer term. Time needs to be given to book health assessments with children and parents and an outcome to be shared with schools by the end of the academic year.

Referral for health-related absence will resume as normal from 1 September 2025.

If schools have children who have health related absences, below 85% and were planning to refer to the school health service, please complete the referral form, to meet the deadline.

Please note referrals that meet other criteria (excluding health related absences) will still be triaged and assessed as normal. Children and families for these referrals can be contacted and assessed by nurses during the summer break and an email feedback/outcome sent to the referrer.

For any queries please contact BCHNT.southcentralsnteam@nhs.net  or BCHNT.northeastsnteam@nhs.net

番茄社区 番茄社区 Healthcare Plus School Nursing Service

FAO: Headteacher and SENCO

Through its BCHC Plus (Traded Services) the School Nursing service can provide additional education focused 番茄社区 that supplement the NHS ‘core’ school nurse service.

The link between educational attainment and positive health is well documented; however sometimes schools find that incidence of health-related needs amongst their pupils requires more clinical support. BCHC Plus (Traded Services) offers schools the opportunity to buy additional dedicated school nurse time to address health needs that lie beyond the scope of the core service.

School health topics include:

  • Curriculum input focused on health and wellbeing.
  • Issues arising in school that may have a link to health.
  • Dedicated support addressing a school’s wider health related challenges.
  • Liaison with GP’s Health Visitors and other professionals.
  • Health education and promotion activities.

To find out more about how BCHC Plus (Traded Services) can benefit your school, pupils, families and staff, please contact the BCHC Plus team on 0121 466 6266 or e-mail Bchc.bchcplus@nhs.net. 

STEM with Wings: What’s Next for Quantum?

Celebrate the International Year of Quantum with two exciting, free digital events featuring Dr Jess Wade and scientists from Imperial College London!

Tuesday, 17 & Thursday, 19 June 2025

Dive into the fascinating world of quantum science, discover how it shapes our everyday lives and explore what the future holds with experts at the cutting edge of research.

Perfect for pupils aged 7–14
Free to attend – book your place now at

For more information contact: STEM@big-ideas.org

 

This entry was posted by Jaspal Shambi on 09/06/2025.