9th June 2020
Teaching about mental wellbeing
Following the Government’s announcement on Sunday about additional mental health support for pupils and teachers, we have published a training module that supports the physical health and mental wellbeing section of the statutory relationships, sex and health education curriculum. This is the first of a series of 14 modules to support schools to implement the new curriculum.
We have developed this mental wellbeing teacher training module to help subject leads and teachers understand what they should teach, as well as improving their confidence in delivering mental wellbeing as part of the new curriculum.
The new curriculum becomes statutory in September 2020, but the content in this module may be useful for teachers who are currently working with pupils, either face-to-face or remotely, to support them to maintain good mental health and address issues before they escalate.
Further information on this training module can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-mental-wellbeing
Study launched to monitor prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Government has today launched a new voluntary study to assess and monitor the prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) among pre-school, primary and secondary school pupils and teachers.
The initial phase will collect data from up to 100 schools across England, with results available over the summer. We are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to identify suitable schools that may wish to be part of the initial phase of the study.
Participation from schools is on a voluntary basis, and all parents and guardians will be asked to provide informed consent prior to testing.
Further information on this study can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/study-launched-to-monitor-prevalence-of-covid-19-in-schools
EdTech Demonstrator Programme launched to help schools and colleges provide education remotely
We have launched the EdTech Demonstrator programme. This is a network of schools and colleges funded to provide peer-to-peer support on making the best use of technology to support remote education.
EdTech Demonstrators are schools and colleges across the country that exemplify excellence in their use of technology. These establishments will provide training through webinars and recorded content, as well as direct and bespoke support for the schools and colleges that need it most. This includes training on how to use digital education platforms effectively (such as Google G Suite for Education, Microsoft Office 365, etc.) to support pupil’s education and to communicate effectively with the school community. It will also cover related content on digital safeguarding, supporting pupil and teacher wellbeing remotely and using technology to help support the needs of students with special educational needs and disability (SEND). Support can be tailored to the needs of your school or college and will be based on your start point, confidence in technology practices and the time available to senior leaders to engage in this continued professional development offer.
The programme is free to all state-funded schools and colleges across England. Those new to the use of digital education platforms or in receipt of devices from DfE, are particularly encouraged to engage in this programme.
You can find out more about the programme and register your interest in receiving free support here:
https://edtech-demonstrator.lgfl.net/
Guidance on safeguarding and remote education can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-and-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19
Funding available for set-up and training on digital education platforms
Funding is available to access expert technical support to get set-up on either Google’s G Suite for Education or Microsoft’s Office 365 Education.
Digital education platforms can help schools to:
|
Schools and academy trusts can apply for funding through The Key: