20 October 2022 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

Following the breaking news that Liz Truss has resigned, to say it’s been an eventful week would be to under egg the pudding somewhat.

It may have left you wrestling with the question of whether or not sharing one’s antibiotics technically makes one a drug dealer, if so this article may provide reassurance or reflecting on the complex interplay of policy, procedures, communication and influence that enable organisations such as schools to maintain discipline.

It’s worthy of comment here because you are dealing with the consequences of the uncertainly that is impacting on families and family budgets every day, including amongst your staff. The most obvious impact is on food security with extensive national media coverage this week, including some very powerful statements from education leaders, about increasing numbers of parents and children reducing and skipping meals.

Schools and education settings were the key anchor for many families during covid, requiring high levels of resilience within and across education communities. This need to provide reassurance, as well as tangible support, continues but for different reasons. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on this at the forthcoming KAH Headteacher conference, Resilient leaders; ready for tomorrow, but in the meantime I hope you are looking forward to a well-earned break to recharge for the challenges ahead.

Just a few updates this week, including confirming the dates of the forthcoming headteacher briefings, the first of which has been changed, apologies for any inconvenience caused by this. So, final confirmed dates and venues are as follows:

• CONFIRMED RESCHEDULED DATE - East - Tuesday 8 November, 1pm to 4pm - St. Augustine’s, Westgate
• North - Wednesday 9 November, 1pm to 4pm - The Darenth Country Club
• West - Wednesday 23 November, 1pm to 4pm - The Orchards Events Venue
• South - Monday 28 November, 9am to 12pm - Dover Marina Hotel

To reserve your place, please email CYPESupportTeam@kent.gov.uk confirming your name, school and the session you are able to join.

There have been numerous rumours about the plans for new education legislation but it now looks likely that the Schools Bill will be dropped from this session of Parliament. Officials are working to identify key powers that should be enacted in fresh legislation, but it’s unlikely this will be brought forward until May 2023. However, the DfE is working with the sector to enact the existing legislation which as you know already supports academisation. Within KCC we are continuing our work and I will write to you about this in Term 2.

You will be aware that the DfE have been reorganising and investing more resource in their regional structure, this PowerPoint presentation (PDF, 4.2 MB) was shared with the SE Region last week will bring you up to date with developments.

Thinking about the curriculum, for secondary colleagues interested in developing STEM, the Royal Society is offering Partnership Grants. Schools can apply to work with a university academic or science business to support and this piece includes case examples of schools that have benefited. Do contact us if you need support in identifying a partner organisation.

Following the Hackathon in March 2022, the winning team at Simon Langton Girls Grammar School have launched their Biojoyversity platform together with their new dimensions space. To find out more about how to get involved, please see this letter (PDF, 357.4 KB).

And finally, I was really pleased to join the wonderful KCC Virtual School conference last week. Not only were there two thought provoking and challenging keynote speakers, Luke Rodgers, founder of The Care Leaders and Jaz Ampaw-Farr, former teacher and a ‘resilience ninja’, but a huge venue filled with professionals committed to making things better. Inspirational doesn’t touch it.

Have a good week.

Best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education