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A message from Christine McInnes:

11 November 2021 weekly update

11 November 2021

This week, Christine summarises this week's headteacher briefings; and shares details of the 16 to 19 review and our Corporate Parenting Christmas Appeal.

Dear Colleagues,

This week we had lively debates at the two headteacher briefing meetings about the main SEND agenda item. It was great to see so many headteachers and thank you for your participation and suggestions, including those that have arrived by email following the meetings.  We are now considering suggestions to identify some ‘quick wins’ as well as informing longer term planning. As promised, please find the November 2021 Headteacher Briefings presentation (PDF, 1.2 MB).

Also on the agenda was a summary update on learning from Ofsted inspections that have taken place so far this term. A huge thank you to colleagues that shared their experiences in the meetings. We have provisionally agreed a date for a KCC briefing from Ofsted which is planned to take place on Monday 29 November from 4pm. Please hold the date and we will confirm the details as soon as possible.

We also highlighted the work KCC has been leading on reviewing 16 to 19 provision. I am really pleased to let you know that the the findings and draft recommendations are now live through the soft consultation with responses needed by Friday 10 December.

Over this last week I was also privileged to be involved in reviewing applications for the Associate Research School. It is really exciting to be involved in this development and to find out more about the work going on in Kent schools, as well as future plans. I know it’s going to be a very difficult decision to identify one successful school and I am very much looking forward to seeing the presentations at the next stage in the recruitment process.

Yesterday I was really pleased to visit Valance school. I was shown round by headteacher Roland Gooding and found out more about how changes in the way in which therapy services are being delivered impact on pupils and their families. Many thanks to Roland and his team.

Finally, I just wanted to take the opportunity to highlight the work of KCC in supporting care leavers, particularly at Christmas which last year benefited 1,900 care leavers. Watch our Participation Team launch this year’s Christmas appeal, and hear one of our care leavers from last year share her thoughts on what it meant to know someone had thought of her. 

After the overwhelming success of last year, KCC is teaming up with Young Lives Foundation again, a local Kent Charity, and we hope to raise £20,000, so we can give each of our young people a £10 gift on Christmas morning. If your school is fund raising this Christmas and yet to decide on your good cause, this could be it!

With all best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education