12 September 2025 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back. I very much hope you had a lovely summer break and the beginning of term has gone smoothly.

Welcome to new headteachers and chief executives

I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new headteachers and chief executives. If you are a new to role, new to Kent or new to school, we want to meet you. Please look out for your invitation to the New Headteachers Welcome Event on Friday 10 October. At the event you will have the opportunity to meet and talk with key senior leaders, the chance to network with other new heads and you will receive further information to support you in this vital leadership role. I look forward to meeting you. If the invitation has disappeared in an overflowing inbox, please contact Wendy.Dunmill@kent.gov.uk for the details.

School visits 

Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Beverley Fordham and I, together with other officers were delighted to share A-level results day with the Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School community and GCSE results at St John’s Catholic Comprehensive school in Gravesend. The support available from school staff for students deciding on their next steps was impressive at both schools. A huge thank you to TWGGS headteacher Katie Marchant and her team and headteacher of St John's Matt Barron and his team for their warm welcome.

Specialist Teaching and Learning Service

A really big welcome to the non-statutory STLS services that joined KCC on Monday 1 September. 90 staff were TUPE'd from 12 different special school employers to join our other SEND support services. The staff bring a wealth of experience and expertise and we are all very much looking forward to working with them to further strengthen the offer to schools.

The first couple of weeks have been spent on-boarding the staff and training them in the KCC systems. Work to support transition, AET and PINS will continue. Please use the email address STLS@kent.gov.uk for all contact with the service. Emails will be directed accordingly.

This has been a really complex project and I want to say some special thank yous:

• To the 12 STLS district leads and headteachers of the commissioned schools who have gone over and above to support a smooth transition
• To the STLS staff
• To officers Sam Sheppard, Barbara Van Minnen, Zenia Ford, Rory McDonell, Emily Bambridge, Brian Pottinger and Siobhan Price, as well as consultant Penny Pemberton.

Communities of Schools 

The first Communities of Schools meetings are already taking place and thank you to everyone as we move to a new way of working. Keeping In Touch meetings will take place termly as per the dates below. Please find the request for resource form

• Wednesday 8 October 2025 from 8am to 9am
• Tuesday 16 December 2025 from 8am to 9am
• Tuesday 10 February 2026 from 8am to 9am
• Tuesday 24 March 2026 from 8am to 9am
• Wednesday 20 May 2026 from 8am to 9am
• Tuesday 14 July 2026 from 8am 9am

Family Learning 

We know that the home is a critical factor in children's achievement and I was really interested to see that the DfE published a research report last month The Home Learning Environment and Attainment. This research provides a greater understanding in this important area and can help us refine the work we do with families further.

Kent Adult Education offers a diverse range of free Family Learning courses designed to support the skills, health and wellbeing of families across Kent which provide a unique opportunity for families to learn together in a creative and stimulating environment, fostering a sense of community and shared growth. Over the past year, 3,200 parents and carers (3,900 enrolments) took part in more than 550 Family Learning courses in the county, delivered through strong partnerships with Kent schools, Family Hubs, libraries and community organisations.

Read the rest of the article on Kelsi and have a look at this school case study about healthy eating

World Suicide Prevention Day

Finally, World Suicide Prevention Day took place this week. Sadly, this is an issue that impacts a number of school communities and families. KCC takes this issue very seriously and I think we can be proud of the extensive work that goes on across the LA and with partners on suicide prevention. This media release will give you a flavour of some of the work and the KCC Educational Psychology Service is available to support school communities. The theme this year is Changing the Narrative and as a member of the LinkedIn community, I have been really humbled at the number of families that have shared their stories and photographs of loved ones to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of suicide. You never know what people are carrying and so it's important we all continue to work on developing a culture and practice which supports well being across the Kent education community.

Best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education and SEN