In this issue:
Warren Dell school achieves the Inclusive School Award
Our mainstream schools in Hertfordshire can support most children and young people to thrive. Inclusive practice is helping more children stay in their local schools, with their peers.
One of our schools, Warren Dell Primary School in South Oxhey, has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Flagship status for the way that it is helping pupils of all abilities to thrive.
Councillor Terry Douris, Executive Member for Education, Libraries, Lifelong Learning and Localism, said: “I am delighted that Warren Dell School has gained this this important and prestigious award. We are rightly proud of the work that Hertfordshire schools do in promoting and delivering inclusion and Warren Dell will be able to display the award and all that it represents with rightful pride.”
Director for Inclusion and Skills, Hero Slinn, added: “This is a truly tremendous achievement for one of our primary schools; it demonstrates a practice that is focused on children’s needs, giving the right support at the right time, and enabling all children to achieve their best possible outcomes. To have this level of national recognition is a testament to what can be done, and I thank the leadership of this school for their commitment and focus on enabling all children, as well as all of the school’s staff for their dedication and willingness to work in different ways that has underpinned this well-deserved level of recognition.”
The IQM award recognises inclusive practice in both state and independent schools. The IQM assessors found the school to have good pupil support and parent communication, a focus on outdoor learning and a caring culture.
‘Everyone matters in Warren Dell, be they pupils, staff or parents and time and thought is given to recognising, understanding, and meeting individual needs.’
Learn more about the inclusive practice at Warren Dell school
Help us name our new Wellbeing cafes for children and young people (ages 10 - 18)
Excitingly, Watford and Stevenage will soon be host to 2 new Wellbeing Cafes, where children and young people ages 10 - 18 years can go, to receive face to face emotional and wellbeing support and guidance.
It will be a drop-in service but with the option of booking 1 to 1 sessions with trained professionals.
The cafés will be open from about 3.30pm - 8.30pm Monday - Thursday and 1pm - 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
If the cafes are successful, there is a possibility that we can open more of them around the county.
Aged 10 - 18? Help us name our Wellbeing Cafes
CAMHS (Children and Adolescents Mental Health Services) would like to ask children and young people in Hertfordshire to help them name the cafes and design the spaces. To thank them for their time, if they complete the survey along with their name and email details by 8 March 2023, they will be entered into a draw, for a chance to win a £25 Amazon voucher.
Help us name and design our cafes - complete the survey
Learn more about Community Learning Disability Nurses (ages 18+)
The Community Nursing Teams in Adult Care Services wanted to introduce you to the work they do. If you'd like to understand more about them, you might like to grab a cuppa and watch this 10 minute video, where you will meet members of the team and hear about how the service works.
Online information session about home to school transport consultation
The home to school transport team is consulting on its home-school/college transport policies and would like your views on policy changes and feedback on other proposals.
They are running webinars to give extra information about the proposals and to answer your questions:
7 March 2023, 10am - 11am – join the webinar on MS Teams using this link
8 March 2023, 7.30pm - 8.30pm – join the webinar on MS Teams using this link
View the Consultation on Home School Transport page
Changes to the EP Contact Line (all ages)
Contactline is a ‘quick queries’ service for parents, carers, and young people (aged 16-25) where you can speak directly to an Educational Psychologist. You can call if you are a parent or carer of a Hertfordshire child or young person aged between 0-16 or if you are a young person aged between 16-25. This telephone service is available for all Hertfordshire residents, regardless of whether the child or young person is on roll at a Hertfordshire educational setting.
Tel: 01992 588574
Please note that from 22 February the service will be running every other week (from 2pm - 4.30pm) on the following dates:
8 March 2023
22 March 2023
19 April 2023
3 May 2023
17 May 2023
7 June 2023
21 June 2023
5 July 2023
19 July 2023
Events
View all activities and courses here
Teddy's Friends - Family Support Group
Every Monday 3.30 - 4.30pm (term time only) at The Bullfields Centre, Sawbridgeworth
Run by High Wych Pre-school Nursery. A safe space for families of children with SEND to connect with one another.
ADD-Vance - Supporting the transition to secondary school: online workshop
Monday 6 March 10am - 11.30am
An online introductory workshop for parents/carers of children up to 12 years with a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of ADHD and/or Autism.
Autism Hertfordshire - Steps to Independence programme (ages 16-25)
Wednesdays at 11am, online
Online workshops aimed at taking the first steps to independence, and helping young autistic adults prepare for adulthood
Childminder SEND Information Cluster for childminders in East Herts, Broxbourne, Welwyn and Hatfield
Wednesday 22 March 7pm - 8pm, online via Teams
All childminders welcome! Join us to learn more about the SEND Local Offer, SEND funding and assessment tools to support early identification.