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Cambridgeshire Schools Newsletter

Cambridgeshire Early Years, Childcare and School Readiness Service new Physical Development resources

Cambridgeshire Early Years, Childcare and School Readiness Service have launched a range of new Physical Development resources within the Quality Improvement section of the Learn Together website. Over the coming months, we will be adding resources to support you in meeting your statutory requirements. The dedicated webpages will provide you with good practice examples and advice to ensure you deliver the best early years practice in your setting. Our first pages will help you meet your statutory requirements and good practice principles in relation to nutrition for children in the early years and wraparound provision.

We have collaborated with our colleagues in Public Health to ensure that the information you can access on these pages is reliable in terms of good early years practice and is evidence and research based.

We hope you enjoy exploring our new Learn Together page for Physical Development and we look forward to publishing more guidance soon.

Supporting the mental health and workplace wellbeing of CCC school leaders

immediate support for mental health snip

The Primary Offer booklet graphic shared in the last newsletter article included reference to the endeavour to offer Mental Health First Aid support from within the School Improvement Service if needed. But what does this mean?

Mental Health First Aid England outlines that an MHFAider will be able to:

Recognise those that may be experiencing poor mental health and provide them with first-level support and early intervention
Encourage a person to identify and access sources of professional help and other supports
Practise active listening and empathy
Have a conversation with improved mental health literacy around language and stigma.

To request this support, leaders in CCC maintained schools and other Primary Offer 1 schools/academies can make a request for this via contacting Emma Fuller.

The wider County Council has a whole team of MHFAiders who can be accessed via Mental Health First Aider profiles and contact details CCC.docx if you are in an LA maintained school.

I am one of the Mental Health and Suicide First Aiders in the School Improvement Service. I have also, as an Instructor, trained the other MHFAiders in the team. My role as Professional Development and Improvement Adviser, working with the School Improvement Service for over 20 years, has a strong focus on supporting leadership, including mental health and workplace wellbeing.

Juliet Adloune

Developing YOUR school leadership

The Developing Leadership tab at the School Improvement Service online calendar is where you can find training and development opportunities/courses to support professional development as part of Appraisal this academic year.

Sharing this link to the online booking system, with your leaders who appraise others could be a really useful idea at the start of the year: School Improvement Service courses

I lead some of this training so as well as referring to the Courses Booklet or the booking calendar (link above), you are more than welcome to get in touch with me for further details. In addition, I can signpost you to colleagues who have previously attended and benefitted from this leadership development.

Juliet Adloune

Early Help Newsletter

In this edition of the Early Help Newsletter you will discover fresh insights and exciting updates! This time we’re shining a spotlight on:

Capturing the Voice of the Child – Practical tips and tools to help you listen, understand, and act.

The NEW Information Hub – Your go-to space for resources, guidance, and support.

Cambridgeshire’s Youth Progression and Transitions Service – Learn about this new service and how it supports young people on their journey

Follow the link below for more information:

Cambridgeshire Early Help Newsletter - September 2025

Support young carers in your school with the free V.A.L.U.E Programme!

Named by our Young Carers Advisory Board, the V.A.L.U.E Programme helps schools and colleges in Cambridgeshire identify and support young carers. Schools receive full-day training for their Young Carers Champion, access to resources, workshops, 1:1 and group support for young carers, and tailored needs assessments. Join a growing network of schools championing young carers and ensure they thrive academically and personally.

Religious Education Newsletter

The Autumn 2025 Religious Education newsletter has now been published. Please follow the link below to access the newsletter, which will give all teachers of RE important information on RE in Cambridgeshire and what CPD opportunities are available this academic year:

Religious Education Autumn Newsletter

Christmas HAF Programme

The Christmas HAF Programme runs between 22 December 2025 to 2 January 2026. Eligible children have up to 16 hours of funded holiday scheme access, further details. Bookings will open on 10.11.25.

We are delighted to share that, as part of its Best Start in Life mission, the government has announced funding for the continuation of The HAF Programme for the next three financial years (from 2026/27).

DfE Net Capacity Assessment (NCA) exercise: primary schools

DfE has published the first tranche of primary schools in Cambridgeshire it intends Valuation Office Agency (VOA) officials to survey this term. DfE/VOA will contact the handful of schools involved to confirm dates. The national exercise, from now until Spring 2029, seeks to review and calculate the number of pupils a school can accommodate, based on the size and use of the spaces available. VOA reports will be shared with schools and the local authority. Please see below:

DfE guidance on the programme can be found on its NCA for primary schools webpage.

Guidance on recent headlines about Paracetomol

You may have seen recent media reports suggesting a link between taking Paracetamol during pregnancy and an increased likelihood of Autism in children. We want to reassure you that health authorities in the UK and internationally are unequivocal: the overwhelming scientific consensus based on available evidence is that there is no causal link between taking Paracetamol in pregnancy and an increased incidence of Autism in childhood.

If members of your school community, including parents and carers, approach you with concerns, please reiterate that the overwhelming evidence is that claims about the link between Paracetamol and Autism are inaccurate. Please also emphasise that they should continue to refer to advice from the NHS around matters regarding their health and the health of their families.

The Writing Framework and the 2025 English Conference

One of the many key messages that permeate the Writing Framework is the importance of building strong foundations for writing. This is one of the focuses for this year’s English Conference.

A one-day event focusing on enthusing and empowering leaders and teachers to provide effective practice which both supports and challenges all learners. The conference brings together inspirational speaks from teams within the county such as Early Years, Outdoor Education and the English advisory team along with Matty Long, an award-winning illustrator and author, Laura Mucha, author in residence at Cambridge University, Fiona Maine – Professor of Language and Literacy in Education, Exeter University and The Bell Foundation.

More information and how to book a place can be found here: Cambridgeshire Primary English Conference 2025

Strictly Come Dance Teaching!!

We are excited to present a suite of dance workshops across the year ahead, in collaboration with Charlotte Cooney of Talent Dance Academy.

Teaching dance in primary schools

Supporting the reluctant dancer

Literacy through dance

How to put on a production

We are confident that all of these will inspire and enthuse colleagues as they develop the teaching of dance, and movement to music with children.

Further information is available at: Cambridgeshire Physical Education forthcoming courses and activities

Please contact Ian Roberts at PE.Adviser@cambridgeshire.gov.uk with any questions about all things for PE.

Your Future Councils - Local Government Review information and engagement

Please have a look at the poster below to find out more about the changes being proposed to how local government will work in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough:

Your Future Councils - Local Government Review information

Training and Events

Training Provider: CCC

SIS - Leading Improvements in Phonics - Core training offer tab

For English subject leaders, phonics leads and senior leaders, – Wednesday 1 October 2025 – 1.30pm until 4pm – Over Community Centre. No charge for schools who have purchased Element 2 of the Primary Offer or £75 per person for LA schools and £85 per person for Cambridgeshire academies or out of county schools or independent schools.

SIS – Becoming 1stClass@Number – Maths tab

For Year 1 teachers, Year 1 teaching assistants and maths subject leaders – Session 1 of 2 – Monday 6 October 2025 – 9.30am until 3.30pm – Stanton House (Huntingdon) £600 for Cambridgeshire LA schools and £700 for Cambridgeshire academies or out of county schools or independent schools.

SIS – Developing Reading for Pleasure – English tab

For KS1 and KS2 teachers, school librarians and English subject leaders – Session 1 of 6 – Tuesday 7 October 2025 – 4pm until 5pm – Online. No charge for Cambridgeshire LA maintained or academy schools or for out of county or independent schools

Teaching Dance in Primary Schools (2 half days)

Wednesday 8 October and Wednesday 3 December 2025, 1.30pm-3.30pm. Papworth Village Hall, Papworth Everard. £140 for Cambs maintained schools, £162 for Cambs Academies and all non-Cambs schools. Audience: any teacher, coach or assistant in the primary phase

What Does Outstanding Physical Education Look Like in Primary Schools

21 October 2025, 1.30pm-3.30pm. Online. £49 for Cambs maintained schools, £54 for Cambs Academies and all non-Cambs schools. Audience: any teacher, coach or assistant in the primary phase.

Primary PE Subject Leader Network meeting

23rd October 2025 and/or 18th March 2026, 1.30pm-3.30pm. Online. £49 for Cambs maintained schools, £54 for Cambs Academies and all non-Cambs schools

Audience: Primary phase PE coordinators. It is recommended that leads attend both meetings as topics will be different.

Building the Mental Health and Relationships Programme in your school

7 October 2025, 1.30 to 4.30, Sunley House.

Cambs schools can attend for free. Schools from Peterborough and other counties may also attend. Cost £40 for licence holders of the Primary Personal Development Programme, £55 for non-licence holders. Audience: PSHE leads, wellbeing leads and mental health leads and senior leaders.

RSE briefings - Gathering pupil and parent views in primary/special schools

14th October 3.45pm-4.45pm. Online.

Cambridgeshire Schools can attend for free. Schools from Peterborough and other counties may also attend. Cost £40 for Licence holders of the Primary Personal Development Programme, £55 for non-licence holders. Audience: Primary and special school leaders, PSHE leaders, classroom teachers, support staff or governors.

Delivering Statutory Safeguarding Requirements in the PSHE curriculum in primary and special schools

15 October 2025, 1.30pm to 3pm. Online. Cost: £40 for subscribing schools, £55 for non-subscribing schools. Audience: PSHE leads and designated safeguarding leads.

Working with the EYFS Nutrition Guidance

Tuesday 21 October 2025, 6.30 - 7.30pm, online via Teams. To book a place, click on the heading, scroll down to the course heading and click. Audience: those working within the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework.

Training Provider: The ICT Service (CCC)

UK GDPR, Data Protection Training Opportunities for Schools for 2025/26

Suitable for all school staff, Bitesize Live Online Sessions delivered by The ICT Service (CCC), For DPO Service Customers - £45 per delegate / For Non-DPO Service Customers £90 per delegate.

Thursday 2 October 2025, 16:00 – 16:30

Handling Data: Subject Access Requests and Consent

Wednesday 8 October 2025, 10:30 – 11:00

Data Breaches: Mistakes and how to avoid them

Wednesday 22 October 2025, 10:30 – 11:00

Training Provider: Diamond Education and Professional Learning

English Subject Leader Days

Primary English Subject Leads, 20th October 2025, 9:30 – 15:00

Face to Face Winhills Primary, St Neots - £95

Maths Subject Leader Day

Primary Maths Subject Leads, 5th November 2025, 9:30 – 15:00

Face to Face Winhills Primary, St Neots - £95