On Tuesday 6th December, following a request from some coordinators, Nicole Valencia will be repeating a meeting which was held last June, entitled Two years on.... The aims of the meeting are to check that MFL co-ordinators have in place all the documentation that is expected for a statutory subject: e.g. progressive scheme of work, policies, transition, etc.

Nicole will also be providing an update on the latest expectations of OFSTED regarding Primary languages.
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If you would like to attend, please contact Nicole at nvalencia@shsg.org.

​A free twilight briefing for schools interested in Artsmark will take place on:

8th December 2016, 4 - 5.15pm
Southend High School for Boys, Southend-on-Sea (Map)
 
What is Artsmark?
Artsmark is an award for schools who demonstrate their commitment to putting arts and cultural provision at the heart of their school. Artsmark aims to support schools to embed arts and culture within a school's development plans to enable schools to deliver quality arts provision for all children and young people.
 
Awarded by Arts Council England the new Artsmark Award is a useful, practical and valuable tool for enriching a school's arts provision and ensuring the myriad of benefits brought by the arts are infused across the curriculum and the school community. 

A briefing for you
Royal Opera House Bridge is hosting a twilight briefing event for anyone interested in Artsmark. 

This is your chance to learn more about the Artsmark Award, meet colleagues from local schools, ask questions and share examples of good practice. You will leave with clear information to discuss within your school and will feel ready to start your Artsmark journey.

1:30pm -  3:00pm, Tuesday 6 December 2016 (Year 1 lesson)
1:30pm - 3:00pm, Wednesday 7 December 2016 (Year 6 lesson) 

From participating in the recent Shanghai Exchange programme, Kimpton Primary School is hosting two Shanghai teachers who will be leading two open sessions for participants to experience “Teaching for Mastery “style lessons.
 
This exciting opportunity will enable delegates to:

• See teaching for mastery ‘in action’ with Kimpton Primary School pupils
• Have a greater awareness of National and Local priorities: Teaching for Mastery
• Understand the key principles of Teaching for Mastery
• Discuss strategies and approaches observed at a question and answer session

Target audience: This will be especially useful for Subject leaders, Senior Leaders or Teachers who are
developing a teaching for mastery approach.
 
There is no cost for attending this unique professional development opportunity.

Attending this session will enable you to see first-hand the key ideas behind the principles of teaching for mastery in mathematics

Click here to register for the course.

Flyer: http://matrixmathshub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Flyer-Shanghai-Showcase.pdf

In 2016/17 all Maths Hubs are participating in a national collaborative project addressing secondary mathematics teaching for mastery.

As part of this project, Secondary Mastery Specialists will be offering support to schools across each hub area interested in developing teaching for mastery approaches in their departments. They will do this by setting up and leading a Work Group which models the approaches of a teacher research group. Maths Hubs are therefore now looking to recruit schools to participate in this exciting and innovative project as members of these Work Groups.

Each Work Group is led by a Mastery Specialist and will involve up to 12 teachers with ideally two teachers from each interested school (to ensure sustainable, collaborative working). The group will meet on four occasions (half-termly during the Spring and Summer terms), normally at the Mastery Specialist’s school.

Among the benefits for participating schools are:

• The Work Groups provide an opportunity for your school to engage in high-quality, sustained, collaborative professional development and participate in an important national project. The aim of these groups is to support participating teachers in developing teaching for mastery in their own classroom and across their department and to support the setting up of teacher research groups in the participant schools. As this is a pilot year, it will also be important to learn lessons about the design and planning of teacher research group type activities so that the processes can be refined for future use
• There is no fee or charge to participating schools to participate in this Work Group. The Maths Hub meets the cost of running the Work Group

If your school wishes to participate in the Work Group, please complete and return the Expression of Interest form below to Matrix Maths Hub a Helen.Mason-Smith@hertsandessex.herts.sch.uk by 
Friday 16th December.

For further information and how to apply click here.

There is a NEW network group for teachers and HoDs who are teaching Business Studies.

Meetings will take place at Southend High School for Boys and the group chair is Laura March.
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If you or your staff would like to be involved in these the meetings, please email Laura in the first instant to express your interest: lxm@shsb.org.uk
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The meetings will take place from approx 4pm, dates as follows:
Weds 25th January 2017   (Spring Term)
Weds 14th June 2017       (Summer Term)

For details of all network groups please visit our Network Groups page.

Please find attached a programme outline and booking form for a Cover Supervisor Programme from the Billericay TSA which is also open for Southend area schools to book.  This is for Secondary School Cover Supervisors who have a desire to be more effective in the classroom when supporting learning. 
 
On leaving this programme, Cover Supervisors will:

• have increased understanding of Pedagogy and practice in bringing about effective learning;
• increase their current skills, strategies and techniques used in the classroom;
• increase the enjoyment of the role through enhanced Behaviour Management ’for’ and ’of’ Learning;
• raise levels of engagement and achievement in learning;
• use coaching strategies to further develop student ownership and belief of learning;
• be able to think on their feet to support access to learning.

This programme is recognised by Billericay Educational Consortium ITT in supporting professional development towards gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
 
Comprising of 4 afternoon sessions – 23 & 30 November, 5 & 8 December 2016 (1.00pm – 4.00pm) - £200 at The Billericay School, CM12 9LH.
 
To book a place on this programme, please complete the attached booking form and return to mjones@billericay.essex.sch.uk or book online via the Billericay Teaching School Alliance website at www.billericayteachingschoolalliance.com/courses

A message for Student Teachers, NQTs, Early Career Teachers:

Invitation to an information and mini taster event regarding continuation of your Masters study:
Monday 7th November 2016
4.30pm-6pm
at Southend High School for Girls Southchurch Boulevard, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 4UZ

Please see the attached from information from Canterbury Christ Church University >>