We are there! Christmas is within touching distance, with a break and some time with your families.

There is no denying that this year has been TOUGH! There is lots we have said and could continue to say about that, but we wanted to end on a positive.

Gratitude is often said to be the opposite of negativity. In a year that has thrown so much at so many, there has been little time to reflect and be grateful for the positives this year has given us. 

At Educate Norfolk we are grateful for:

• YOU! The leaders that faced the adversity and uncertainty this year responded with strength and determination. 
• School staff - they learnt new things, taught lessons in multiple ways, did overtime, coated every surface in your school in antibac and sanitiser, mucked in and got the job done. 
• Our students, who showed so much resilience throughout. 
• Parents and community members that took the time whether on social media, by phone, email or letter to thank the school for the work they were doing. 
• Technology - Microsoft Teams, Zoom, emails, iPads, government laptops and more. 
• Whats App and Headteacher Peer Support Groups that have allowed us to work more collaboratively and support each other. 
• Waving the flag, MAT's, The LA, VNET, Educator Solutions, The Key and all the organisations that supported you. 

Thank you everyone

and

Merry Christmas 

From Educate Norfolk.

Our Executive Committee has remained busy representing you on a number of boards and committees. Where it is possible to share please find the over views of these meetings below, as well as any opinions or feedback sought from yourselves. 

Teresa Doggett

NASMA

Simon Minter

Capital Priorities Group - This board meets each half term and is completely confidential so there is no feedback. 

Paula Jones 

SENDIASS

Jim Adams, Jess Balado & Sarah Shirras

Our Co-chairs represent you on a number of groups and boards each week, many which are multi agency. Recent meetings did not require feedback from Norfolk headteachers or have anything to share.

Please find below the details of meetings we are holding in the early part of next year, outlines of each meeting are below and agendas will follow closer to the time. 

Please ensure you complete the registration link to receive the login details for each meeting  

Primary - Catch up

An opportunity to catch up after the return to school has calmed, identifying the priorities for the coming term/year and addressing any issues that have arisen. A drop in meeting with no formal agenda.  

Secondary - Covid catch up funding and NTP

This meeting is specifically for Secondary phase leaders and leaders of all through schools. We ask everyone to come ready to share the work/plans your school has to use their Covid catch up funding. We aim to have several providers as part of the NTP there as well so you are able to speak with them and ask questions. There will be small group discussions via break out rooms as well as the main meeting.

Headteacher Induction

The next session as part of Headteacher Induction. The agenda will be based on responses to the end of term 1 survey to target areas of specific interest/need. There will be the main meeting, small discussion groups and the opportunity to participate in the ask the expert round-table session at the end. Full details to be shared by mid January. 

Spring Leadership Updates

The agendas for these will be set mid January to reflect information needs at the time. If there is something you would like featured or to hear about please let Kirsty know. 

Spring conference

In replacement of our usual annual conference, we will be working with a number of providers both local and national to offer themed webinars to attend across the two mornings. As always, if there are particular topics you would like to hear about or speakers you would like to hear from, please let us know, we will do our best to have it covered.  

Norfolk Apprenticeships Team are now working with the training provider Best Practice Network to deliver the Operations/Departmental Manager level 5 apprenticeships which also includes NPQML/NPQSL and is funded by the apprenticeship levy.

Any enquiries regarding this apprenticeship should come direct in the first instance to the NCC apprenticeship team at [email protected]  once we have confirmed the schools agreement and funding applicants will then need to apply directly to Best Practice Network. The deadline for the next available cohort due to start in February 2021 is 31/12/2020 and for the September 2021 cohort it’s May/June 2021

The National College of Education are also delivering school/education bespoke apprenticeships at levels 3,5 and 7, further details can be found here https://www.nationaleducation.college/

Brochure

The National Centre for Computing Education has set up a number of courses for both primary and Secondary schools to help upskill staff. these courses often come at no or minimal costs and can even have a bursary which is apaid directly to the school. In Norfolk they are delivered by the Norfolk Computing Hub which we are very lucky to have.

The NCCE has also recently created curriculum resources to deliver at PRimary level that are linked on Oak Academy. The find out more about computing opportunities please read this letter: 

Teachcomputing.org: Helping you teach computing

Discover Training, Resources and Guidance to help you teach computing with confidence.

The National Centre for Computing Education wants to help schools and teachers to transform lives through changing computer education across England.

We all hope school life will be more “Normal” once we are back at school after the Christmas break. However, if your primary or secondary school needs support or simply would like a health check on their computing offer, just get in touch by emailing me [email protected] or by using this link and a Subject Matter Expert will get in touch to go over what is available (curriculum, bursaries, support, resources, tools, projects, research, pedagogy) and how NCCE can help.

In Norfolk we are privileged to have one of the NCCE Computing hubs (Norfolk Computing Hub). Providing computing quality training for all key stages as well as computing support to Norfolk schools, Adam and Anna will help you with your computing curriculum and training queries – whether you are a Senior Leader or have just started training in a school. You can also join the Facebook Hub community here.

Christmas is near (phew! Everyone needs a good rest after such a unique autumn term!) so an amazing resource which many schools and teachers still do not know about is the TEACH COMPUTING CURRICULUM. Our curriculum contains everything you need to teach computing at key stages 1 to 4, including lesson plans, slides, worksheets, homework and assessment.

We cannot have our amazing Christmas parties together this year. So the Norfolk and Suffolk Computing at Schools Communities of Practices would like to invite you to our Christmas Quiz’n’drinks. Book your place HERE. Make sure you create an account on the CAS website and you will never miss the best free network and resources you have always wanted. See you at the party where there will be a quiz, unicorn racing and covid origami. Christmas hats/jumpers preferred, prize categories for those who try.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Carmine De Grandis

Subject Matter Expert

National Centre for Computing Education

[email protected]

@wearecomputing

Introduction
Due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve changed the way Speak out. Stay safe. is delivered and have therefore launched a virtual version of our safeguarding programme for the autumn term. ‘Speak out. Stay safe.’ online is an effective way to support your school's safeguarding duties and links directly to the curriculum.

There is an online assembly presentation for:
• Key Stage 1 
• Key Stage 2
• A specially adapted SEND version of Speak out. Stay safe. 

Main features of the online assemblies
• Both assemblies feature guest appearances from Celebrities as well as ‘Hello’s’ from colleagues across the NSPCC.
• We consider how Coronavirus (Covid-19) has changed children’s lives and how this might make us feel.
• The online assemblies are engaging and have interactive Pause points where teachers can have discussion with their class.
• Both assemblies cover Children’s Rights -
the right of every child to:
o Speak out and be heard
o Be safe
o Get help when they need it
• We cover the different forms of abuse in child-friendly language, communicating the important message that abuse is never okay.
• We talk about the importance of talking to a trusted grown up/adult and to Childline
• We encourage children to keep speaking out until something changes.

Supporting Resources
There are supporting resources that complement the online assemblies. They provide fun and engaging classroom based activities that prepare children prior to watching the onlineassembly and help reinforce learning after the assembly. These consist of a:
• A presentation pack to use before the assembly (Key Stage 2 only).
• Teaching Guidance and a Lesson Plan to use after the assembly (both Key Stages).

For more information or to gain access to these resources, please contact: 

Georgia Lazell

Area Coordinator – Norfolk & Suffolk

NSPCC Schools Service

[email protected]
07973 366164