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Cambridgeshire Schools Newsletter

Our Great Year 5 Maths Challenge Experience

On Wednesday 23rd April, Thorndown Primary School hosted the Year 5 Maths Challenge. Nine teams from nine different schools attended and all of them had a brilliant time. There were various different rounds such as: estimation, memory and team rounds. We really enjoyed working as a team and trying new challenges. The questions really made us think and although lots of them were challenging, they were really fun.

Every team put all their effort in but in the end Westfield Junior came away with the win. Thorndown came second and will wait to see if they have made the final.

Thank you to the organisers of the competition. If we could do it every year, we would!

Malcom, Ava, Frank and Charlie (Thorndown Primary School)

PSHE Service primary school subscriptions

Your school will have now received an invitation to re-subscribe to the PSHE Wellbeing Subscription for the next academic year. If your school is part of a Trust or Federation arrangement, these are in the pipeline too (please ask if you need more details). Please ask headteachers to sign, and then return your forms asap – deadline Friday 11th July.

If you would like further details please email pshe@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Summer Holiday Activities and Food Programme

Eligibility vouchers for the summer HAF Programme (24 July and 29 August) will be emailed to parents on 6 June. Eligible pupils can attend participating holiday schemes for up to 64 hours, fully funded; a daily meal and engagement in enriching experiences is available. A parent letter will be sent to schools this week along with the link to request booking codes under the additional eligibility critera.

Further details: HAF@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Public Health Funded Offer for schools to support Health and Wellbeing

We are very pleased to announce the following free opportunities for Cambs Primary, Secondary and 6th forms.

We are able to support you in the following areas:

·       Training on Childhood Anxiety and EBSA

·       Training for Midday supervisors on resolving conflict and healthy lunchtimes.

·       Support for individual schools to develop approaches to anti-bullying and healthy relationships skills, including training

·       Support for individual schools to develop their RSE provision and access to RSE briefings.

·       Network for secondary PSHE leaders.

To sign up for in-school provision please complete this form by 20th June.

To sign up for courses please use  Booking Bug 

2025 Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) updates

On Tuesday 1 April, STA published the 2025 RBA assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA). This guidance sets out the statutory requirements for the RBA and includes:

• changes for the academic year 2025 to 2026
• important dates
• responsibilities
• participation and administration details
• reporting requirement
• legal obligations

There is a new RBA information video, which provides an overview of the changes and important dates for the academic year 2025 to 2026. In line with these changes, there is an updated RBA assessment framework, which includes information about the assessment.

FREE KS2 class visits at Nene Park

Thanks to generous funding from the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, Nene Park Trust are thrilled to offer local schools free half-day educational visits to their Rural Estate near Castor.

KS2 students will be given a hands-on learning experience, where they will:

•         Discover how land is managed for both food production and wildlife conservation

•         Explore nature using maps and plant identification

•         Get their hands dirty sampling soil types

•         Create their own seed bombs to support biodiversity

25 fully funded visits are available from April to October. If you’re interested in booking a free visit, get in touch them at education@neneparktrust.org.uk.

Clean Air Day - Thursday 19 June 2025

Cleaning up our air is good for us in many ways: it benefits our physical and mental health as well as the environment.

Here are some tips on how you can help us to improve the air quality in and around schools:

- Walk, wheel or use public transport to get to school.

- If you do use the car, try to avoid leaving it idling outside the school gates.

- Or why not try leaving the car at home one day a week?

Find out more about Clear Air Day and how you can help to support it Action for clean air 

Important news for Cambridgeshire's secondary schools

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities Service receives Rainbow Flag Award 

We are pleased to announce that the Communities Service within Cambridgeshire County Council has achieved the Rainbow Flag Award. They participated through the Kite Trust, one of Cambridgeshire’s Community Youth Partners. This award comes at a particularly meaningful time, as Cambridgeshire County Council celebrates Pride Month this June.

The Rainbow Flag Award is a national quality assurance framework, focused on LGBTQ+ inclusion and visibility in education, youth, and community settings.

This award demonstrates the Community Service’s commitment to improving the lives of the young people they work with, as well as the LGBTQ+ young people in our care, those from LGBTQ+ families, and LGBTQ+ staff members.

Receiving the Rainbow Flag Award underscores the team’s dedication to empowering LGBTQ+ young people, ensuring their voices are not only heard, but that they are involved in shaping the services that directly affect them.

Network meeting for RE

For primary and Secondary schools. - Wednesday 11 June 25, 16:00 -17:15 at Monkfield Park Primary School, Cambourne, CB23 5AX and Robert Arkenstall Primary, Haddenham, CB6 3UA.

Cost – Free

Booking and reservations for Religious Education Service (bookingbug.com)

Training and Events

SIS – Supporting KS1 Teacher Assessment – Moderation Workshops – Assessment Tab

For Year 2 Teachers and KS1 Leaders – Monday 23 June 2025 – 9.30am until 12pm OR 1.30 until 3.30pm. Over Community Centre. £65 per person per session for LA schools and £75 per person per session for Cambridgeshire Academies and out of county schools.

SIS – English Conference - From the Ground Up – Building Firm Foundations in Primary English - Conference Tab

For English Subject Leaders, Senior Leaders, KS1 & KS2 Teachers – Wednesday 19 November 2025 – 9am until 4.30pm - Delta Hotels Huntingdon. £130 per delegate

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion for Primary, Special & Secondary Schools

11th June 2025, 3.30pm-5.30pm. Online. £40 subscribing schools, £50 for non-subscribing schools.

Audience: PSHE Leads, Senior Leaders and Governors.

New to Leading PSHE in Primary & Special Schools

17th June 2025 – 1.30pm-3.30pm.   Online. £40 subscribing schools, £50 for non-subscribing schools

Audience:  PSHE Leads

Special & Secondary PSHE Leaders’ Network Meeting

23rd June 2025 – 1.30pm-3.30pm.   Online. Cambridgeshire Special/Secondary Schools (maintained and academies) can attend for free.

Audience:  Special and Secondary PSHE leaders and other school leaders responsible for Personal Development, Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing and other such areas.

British Gymnastics Teachers Trampolining Award – Refresher

10th July 2025, 9am-3.30pm.  St Ivo School, St Ives. £179

Audience: KS3/4 secondary PE staff

Moderation of the EYFS Profile 2025

This course is suitable for all practitioners in schools, including class teachers, assessment coordinators or year one teachers who are responsible for contributing towards the end of year EYFS Profile assessments. Thursday 5 June 2025, 13:15 – 16:15, Cambs FA Histon and Tuesday 10 June 2025 13:15 – 16:15, Hemingford Pavilion. Free of charge.

A Package for Practitioners in EYFS Aiming for Excellence - How to Accelerate Writing Progress in the Continuous Provision

For Teachers and Teaching Assistants working the in Reception. Wednesday, 25 June 2025, 13:30 – 15:30. Barrington C of E Primary School. Early Years Members £18, Non Members £30.

Developing and Reflection Upon your EYFS Curriculum

For early years teachers or early years leaders in schools and members of staff supporting the development of the EYFS curriculum. Tuesday, 1 July 2025, 13:00-16:00. The Grove Primary School. Early Years Members £27, Non Members £45

Leading Religious Education in the Primary School

For Primary teachers,– 8th July 2025 , 15:30 – 17:00, via Teams, Cost LA Schools £29 and all others £39

Practical ideas for teaching evolution in primary science

For Primary Teachers. Thursday 05th June 2025, 3.30pm – 4.30pm.

Remote delivered. £20

Variation & Inheritance (KS4 Biology Subject Knowledge Enhancement)

For Secondary Teachers. Thursday 19th June 2025, 4.00pm – 5.00pm.

Remote delivered. £20

Science Teacher Conference – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

For Primary and Secondary Teachers. Monday 23rd June, 09.00 – 15.30. Peterborough. £25ctical ideas for teaching evolution in primary science

For Primary Teachers. Thursday 05th June 2025, 3.30pm – 4.30pm.

Remote delivered. £20

Variation & Inheritance (KS4 Biology Subject Knowledge Enhancement)

For Secondary Teachers. Thursday 19th June 2025, 4.00pm – 5.00pm.

Remote delivered. £20

Science Teacher Conference – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

For Primary and Secondary Teachers. Monday 23^rd June, 09.00 – 15.30. Peterborough. £25

Level 2 Award in Curriculum Based Outdoor Learning at Ferry Meadows

For all teachers and teaching assistants looking to build confidence and skills in outdoor teaching. Friday 4 July, 9.30 – 16.30. In person at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough. £425.

Level 3 Certificate - Leading Forest School at Ferry Meadows

For all teachers and teaching assistants looking to lead and develop their own Forest School programmes. Course dates: 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26 September and 2, 3 October. In person at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough. £975.

Level 2 Award - Assisting Forest School at Ferry Meadows

For all teachers and teaching assistants looking to assist at an established Forest School. Course dates: 11, 12, 18, 19, September and 2 October. In person at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough. £525.

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