17.06.2021 Message from Director - Education
FAO: All Schools / All Phases
Dear Headteacher/Principal,
I hope this letter finds you and all in your school well and enjoying the summer. I have seen many examples of children really enjoying learning on recent school visits to Keys Meadow, St John & St James and Wren- it is a real privilege to see some great practice in schools and I look forward to visiting many other schools this term.
As usual, I have attached the latest local data as shared at the headteachers’ briefing yesterday (apologies for the music failure!!). As Gayan noted, there has been an increase in cases but fortunately not reflected significantly currently in the number of deaths or hospital admissions. Clearly, this will be monitored very closely by public health.
i) COVID Letter for parents/carers - please see attached a letter from public health for parents/carers for your school website and/or to be sent to parents/carers. This focuses on testing, vaccinations and also the event mentioned yesterday at the Tottenham Stadium.
ii) COVID DfE update 15th June - Please see attached a latest update from the DfE which covers sports days, proms, transition days and singing. It is likely that this guidance will be further developed – the guidance does raise a number of potential challenges for schools in terms of organisation, risk assessments etc. We hope to write to you shortly with further advice but are always happy to discuss specific school issues.
iii) Letter from Union of Workers - a number of schools have received a letter from the Rev Leigh concerning COVID and schools. Please see the response to him from myself after consulting with our legal department which academy schools may wish to refer to.
iv) Data Sharing Protocol Request - The Enfield Learning Excellence Board has had a subcommittee looking at the data available for schools to use within the borough. This included working out how we could have relevant, local information shared between schools , and between schools and the LA in a timely fashion. As a result of this debate the group developed some data sharing protocols, which are GDPR compliant. Additionally, they have been scrutinised by data managers and headteachers. I know that some of the headteachers from the subcommittee have spoken about these protocols at EPHA and ESHA. A borough profile has been produced which includes information about all the schools in the borough. Most the information that is included throughout the report that is specific to a school is publicly available.
I have attached the protocols to this email and a link (see below) to a Microsoft form for you to fill in to show that you have agreed for your school to be included. This protocol will also cover schools to share data when they are working together in school improvement activities e.g. moderation processes.
Please fill in the form using this link Data Sharing Agreement - Consent Form and return if at all possible by noon on the 24th of June 2021. Do not hesitate to contact Lucy.Nutt@enfield.gov.uk if you have any comments or queries on the agreement. If you have issues submitting the form please contact Francesca.falcini@enfield.gov.uk.
V) Inspection at Capel Manor - please also find attached a detailed document from the Headteacher at Capel Manor (thanks Marianne) related to their inspection which we hope you will find useful to look over.
I hope primary school colleagues enjoyed the sharing of good practice presentations from Lavender and Churchfield Primary Schools and as they both said, there will be opportunities to visit their schools next term. 7 schools submitted applications to share their practice (and to have it verified) including three secondary schools. We are keen to develop this further so that great practice in our schools can be shared further. As Picasso once said “There is only one way of seeing things until someone shows us how to look at them with different eyes”. At the inclusion charter event last night, three schools also presented on their inclusive practice which was really interesting and eye-opening. The charter development is an exciting initiative with the intention of championing and committing all of us to quality inclusive practice.
I hope you have a great weekend when it comes. For me (apart from a little work) it is cricket of course and coping with everything that is growing so fast on the allotment including wonderful strawberries this year!
Best wishes
Peter Nathan
Director of Education
People Department
Enfield Council