Newsletter | Autumn Term 2023

READ

Our most recent blogs:

Teaching Art in the Curriculum
Why has book scrutiny become an integral part of monitoring standards in school?
The Curriculum Jigsaw
Curriculum Development: Substantive Concepts in History
Top Tips for Subject Leaders before an Inspection
Time flies when you’re teaching History
Changes to the conduct of Ofsted inspections
Developing Progression across the curriculum

Useful Information issued over the last few weeks…

• Ofsted have published the management information from Parent View showing the percentage responses from maintained schools and academies up to September 2023.
• The Education Secretary is writing to all schools in England to make clear that they can and should share RSHE curriculum materials with parents.
• National Statistics have released provisional information on the 2023 phonics screening check and assessments at key stage 1, including breakdowns by pupil characteristics.
• DfE press release announcing Sir Martyn Oliver confirmed as the next Ofsted chief inspector from January 2024
• Government Grant available to primary schools with a percentage of pupils on free school meals at or over 57.5% to provide a range of chess opportunities.

The DFE Website >>>
Ofsted website link >>>

*** Focus Education provide a service for primary leaders with short summaries of important documents, publications and developments. The service ensures that busy leaders get the information straight to their email as PDF documents. Each update outlines the main headlines in clear no-nonsense language and tells you where you can find more information. This service is intended to save you time and keep you up to speed. The cost is £150 for the year (just £12.50 per month).*** Find out more information

TEAM NEWS 

Consultants

We have a wide range of expertise that makes up our consultancy team and we are proud to offer their services. They work with schools in different contexts all over the country and have excellent feedback. You can find out more about their backgrounds here
We can provide bespoke training in any area you feel you need support in or we can work with you in a SIP capacity. Read more

If you would like to discuss how we can work with your school organisation, please contact the team on 01457 821818 or email consultancy@focus-education.co.uk

Head Office Team
We are delighted to announce that Danielle in our Marketing department gave birth to a baby boy earlier this month. Noah James was 8lb 4oz. He popped into the office for a cuddle recently and he is gorgeous!

We also have a new team member, Chloe Knight, who joined us in October. Chloe left her previous role as a Teaching Assistant and will be undertaking an apprenticeship with us alongside her role as Business Support Executive.

FREE DOWNLOAD 

FREE DOWNLOAD > Auditing the Intent, Implementation and Impact of History

This audit has been designed to assist subject leaders to consider their subject in the light of the recent Ofsted research and subsequent draft inspection grade descriptors based on the quality of education and the impact of subject leadership. The document provides a list of questions and subject specific prompts to enable each subject leader to consider the three strands of intent, implementation and impact. They can then make a note of the evidence that supports their response to each main question and note any action that is required. This can then form the basis for development planning in their subject.

To see the product on our website, click here
To receive your free download, please email customerservices@focus-education.co.uk

COURSES 

Our Autumn term courses are well and truly up and running and we have recently released our Spring courses. We have a good variety of half day CPD courses covering many phases and subjects, all taking place over zoom. Don’t forget, if you are unable to attend, we can offer you a 2-week window to access the recording of the training. Just drop us an email to events@focus-education.co.uk to let us know.
View all Focus Live Courses here

TRAINING VIDEOS – NOW AVAILABLE TO RENT
We now offer a full library of OnDemand courses you can watch at your leisure. Prices range from £35 – £250 and you now have the option to rent the training or ‘buy and keep it’. Find out more here

Top 5 OnDemand Training Clips

1. Using Timelines Effectively
2. Teaching History through Concepts
3. Improving Outcomes for Boys
4. Developing our ASD Practice
5. The Ofsted Phone call: What to expect and how best to prepare

INSPECTION BRIEFINGS 

Our popular Inspection Briefings are back for 2023-2024. These half-termly online sessions will inform headteachers and deputy headteachers of the latest messages from Ofsted. These will be highly relevant and up-to-date, informed by the latest training for inspectors, as well as feedback and first-hand experience from schools that have recently been inspected. Each half-termly session will run for between 30 to 60 minutes depending on content and all material will be shared as a handout.

These sessions are available to access via Zoom. If you are unable to attend, just drop us an email prior to the briefing and we can send you a link to watch it as an OnDemand clip (the link will last for 2 weeks after the briefing date).

Dates | 2.10.23 (CLIP AVAILABLE) | 4.12.23 | 12.2.24 | 18.3.24 | 20.5.24 | 8.7.24
Time | 15:45pm – 17:00pm
Price | £35 per briefing (if booked separately) Book Individual Session >>>
Special Offer | All 6 for £180 Book all 6 sessions >>>
(recording available for the 1st briefing which has now run)

PUBLICATIONS 

5 Latest Releases from Focus Education
1. Geoff and Margaret’s Old School Book of Retirement Tales
2. The Responsible Behaviour Curriculum
3. Developing an Art and Design Curriculum in Primary Schools
4. Creating Continuity and Progression in Design and Technology
5. Teaching and Assessing High Quality PE Lessons in Primary Schools

5 Best Sellers so far this term
1. Preparing for an Ofsted Inspection
2. End of Unit Assessments for History & Geography
3. Progression in the National Curriculum (Focus Mini)
4. Early Years Units of Learning
5. Subject Leadership Range

**** We offer 2 ways to pay; You can checkout using a debit or credit card or if you’re ordering on behalf of a school, academy or local authority, we can invoice you. If you’re not sure of your account details or want to create an account, just contact customer services on 01457 821818 or email customerservice@focus-education.co.uk ****

WORTH NOTING: FREE UPDATES 

All of our Inspection related publications have been updated in line with any changes to the framework 2023. If you have bought e-books on your school account, these will be updated automatically and free of charge. Don’t forget to log in to your school account and download the latest versions.

DEVELOPMENTS COMING SOON 

We are currently working on our website to bring you easier and quicker access to your e-products. We understand that sometimes at the weekends or evenings when you order our products it can be frustrating to wait for it. We are introducing instant access to customers that pay by card. This will take affect in the new year.

WATCH 

FREE Curriculum Webinar with Clive Davies, OBE
Our free webinar is still available to watch online

It is just over 1 hour long and Clive talks about substantive and disciplinary knowledge. You can watch this at any time, just complete the online form and select the best time to watch and it will send you a reminder.
Recent feedback from one Blackburn headteacher ‘Really helpful to support honing in on curriculum development, sequencing and learning’.

SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT 

As you know, we have our own flagship curriculum called the Learning Challenge Curriculum. Created in 2011, it's now in many schools across the country.

We thought you’d like to read the latest extract taken from an Ofsted report of a primary academy in Blackburn using the learning challenge curriculum:

“Pupils benefit from a curriculum that is broad, exciting and highly ambitious. This curriculum takes account of the wide range of needs of pupils in the school, including those with SEND. The curriculum is clearly organised from early years to Year 6. The school introduces pupils to essential knowledge in each subject in small, well-ordered steps. This means that pupils’ new knowledge is solidly built on firm foundations. Over time, pupils learn deeply. The school provides pupils with learning that is engaging and exciting. Pupils develop strong connections between new and earlier learning. These connections help pupils to understand bigger ideas and concepts over time.”

We’re pretty happy with this!
To read more extracts from ofsted reports click here.
To find out more about our amazing curriculum, click here.

GET IN TOUCH / CONNECT WITH US

Call Us | 01457 821818
Email Us | customerservice@focus-education.co.uk
Write to us | Focus Education, Hollinwood Business Centre, Albert Street, Oldham, OL8 3QL

Tweet Focus Education | @focuseducation1
Tweet our Focus Curriculum | @FocusEd_LCC
Tweet our Owner/Director | @mrs_claire_d
Facebook | @focuseducation1
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Connect on Linked In | Focus Education
Connect with our owner on Linked In | Claire Dutton

Find out more about Focus Education | www.focus-education.co.uk
Find out more about our Curriculum | www.learningchallengecurriculum.com