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Cambridgeshire Schools Newsletter

Happy new year and welcome to the spring term 2026

Pinpoint - Cambridgeshire's parent carers forum

Pinpoint is the local Parent Carer Forum and hub for information, signposting and events for all things SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). Navigating the landscape of SEND can be daunting for parents and carers - which is why making sure they have the right support is key to helping their child or young person thrive. 

Pinpoint is passionate about making sure parents feel informed, supported, and connected. The Pinpoint Tii Hubs offer monthly, online peer support - a space to meet other parents who truly understand the journey. Weekly, in-person Parent Connect sessions are also run across Cambridgeshire, giving families a warm welcome, a cuppa, and a chance to chat. And when it comes to expert knowledge, Pinpoint's information sessions offer trusted guidance from professionals who know what matters most. Together, it all adds up to support that’s consistent, compassionate, and completely free. 

For more information and how to book: Pinpoint Events

Consultation on school term and holiday dates 2027 - 2028

We are consulting on school term and holiday dates for the academic year 2027-2028.

Local Authorities have a duty to determine school term dates for Local Authority maintained schools. Foundation, Voluntary Aided, Academies and Free schools are responsible for setting their own dates and so may choose to follow a pattern and/or specific dates that do not match those set by Cambridgeshire.

The proposed term time dates are here: CCC Proposed term dates 2027 - 2028

Please see the link below to the consultation on the council website: School term dates - Cambridgeshire County Council . We welcome your views. The consultation will close at 6.00pm on Friday 23 January 2026.

If you have any queries, on this, please contact Phil Nash (Senior Adviser for Leadership): phil.nash@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

DfE project to understand how primary school breakfast clubs are staffed and delivered in England

The Open Innovation Team, based in government, is inviting primary school staff to complete an online survey on primary school breakfast clubs. This is a chance for school staff to share views on staffing for breakfast clubs, and to feed into policy design. All responses are anonymous, and no individual school will be identified. 

The survey is open to all primary school staff, whether you are involved in running a breakfast club or not. You can also sign up for focus groups and 1-1 interviews, but this is completely optional. 

The Open Innovation Team understands that January is a busy time, and is grateful for any feedback that you have time to give.  

They are particularly keen to hear from teaching assistants and other school support staff, so please share this with any team members who would be interested in sharing their views. Deadline for completion is 30 January 2026.  

Attend Well Study launches to develop whole school approaches to improving school attendance

The University of Cambridge are inviting parents/carers, young people and school staff to take part in a study about Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA).

Participants can contribute valuable information about why school attendance difficulties are increasing, what support is available/missing, and what could help young people to re-engage with education.

The five-year project will develop a whole school approach to improving school attendance.

Participants are invited to complete online questionnaires about school experiences and have the option to take part in an interview. You will also be reimbursed for your time.

To learn more, visit attendwell.org.uk or email attendwell@medschl.cam.ac.uk.

Melbourn Village College changing transport arrangements for school visits following an inspiring Educational Visits Coordinator course

We took our first train trip with around 100 Year 7s from Meldreth to Stevenage with 8 school staff, and it was a fantastic experience. The customer service was excellent from the start. When I bought the tickets at Royston, staff asked which trains we were planning to use, and they actually phoned the day before just to confirm our times.

On the day, the support was brilliant. They had gone above and beyond to support, additional staff were put on duty at the station (normally there aren’t any), helping students board the train and travelling with them to Stevenage. The same happened on the return journey - lots of station staff present, making sure everything ran smoothly and safely.

If anyone feels anxious about organising or taking similar train trips, please be reassured by our experience - we now have no worries at all about doing this again! It was much cheaper and a real experience. We plan to do another one at the end of term.  

Elizabeth Elvin
Assistant Principal and EVC

How the Council responds to planning applications for residential developments

Following a request from a Headteacher, here is an advice note on the process the County Council follows when responding to planning applications, together with general advice for school leaders. The note is here: https://www.cambslearntogether.co.uk/cambridgeshire-services-to-schools/0-19-place-planning-and-sufficiency/advice-on-planning-applications

Free webinar for schools: The difference between domestic abuse and parental conflict

You may find yourself supporting a parent and wondering whether the behaviours you are seeing indicate domestic abuse or parental conflict. The two are very different (although can look similar), and it is important that we are able to identify which is happening and know how respond with the appropriate advice and support.

The Targeted Support Team have commissioned Amity to deliver free of charge training on this topic.

Wednesday 11 February 2026, 10am - 12pm

Book Here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/2e85d94b-6188-4ab7-96c4-e757c8c7f1c9@c8385521-96fe-4230-8920-2f9d15fdd2c5

If you experience any difficulties registering, please email: RPCLead@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Stop Vaping events for young people

A social prescriber in Peterborough, Ashwini Joshi, has offered to share feedback with us on Stop Vaping events that were held at their local GP practice.

Stop Vaping events were held in partnership with Everyone Health under their Catch Your Breath programme. Their primary focus was to raise awareness about the ill effects of vaping and to empower young people with information about the marketing trends in this industry that make vaping look ‘harmless’, ‘cool’, ‘safe’ or ‘attractive’.

The events were scheduled over 3 different weeks (one being in half term), on different days and at different times, to help to overcome difficulties people had with attending. Personal text messages were used to advertise the sessions and they were kept as information sharing events, keeping in mind those young people whose families may not be aware of their vaping.

Ashwini Joshi feels that schools may be well equipped to communicate messages to children and address barriers to Stop Vaping campaigns. If you would like to explore and discuss this further, you can contact Ashwini Joshi, Social Prescriber, Thomas Walker Westgate Healthcare

New media literacy series to help teens separate fact from fiction online launched by BBC Bitesize

-        New research indicates the majority of teachers believe critical thinking is the most essential skill for young people, but only a third teach it under the current curriculum.

-        More support is needed to help pupils identify misinformation according to over half of the teachers surveyed, as teens report rising anxiety linked to online content.

-        Research indicates nearly half of schools lack the resources to teach media literacy, as parents say their own digital skills are now “out of date”.

-        BBC Bitesize is launching Solve the Story in schools, the latest step to support teachers and students with essential media literacy skills.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Critical thinking and media literacy are now seen as essential skills for young people, yet many schools lack the resources to teach them, according to new research with teachers, commissioned for BBC Bitesize. Over half of teachers say they need more support to help pupils identify misinformation, as teens increasingly struggle to separate fact from fiction online, a challenge linked to rising anxiety levels.

To bridge this gap, BBC Bitesize is launching Solve the Story, a six-part media literacy series designed to equip students, teachers, and schools with practical tools to tackle misinformation and disinformation. The series premiered in schools on 5 January 2026, and forms part of the Bitesize Other Side of the Story initiative and will help teenagers question what they see online, verify sources, spot fakes, and understand how misleading narratives spread: BBC Solve the Story

Training and events

Training provider: CCC

SIS – Leading Improvements in Phonics – Core Training Offer tab
For phonics and early reading leaders and English subject leaders – Wednesday 21 January 2026 1.30pm until 4pm – Over Community Centre. £75 per person for LA schools and £85 per person for Cambridgeshire academies or out of county schools or independent schools.

SIS – Developing Spoken Language – A Whole-School Approach – English Tab
For Oracy Leads, Senior Leaders and English Subject Leaders – Wednesday 28 January 2026. 1.30pm until 4.30pm – Hunts FA. £85 per person for LA schools and £95 per person for Cambridgeshire academies or out of county schools or independent schools.

A creative approach to RE
Thursday 15 January 2026, 9.00am – 12.00pm in person, Sunley Room 1 Papworth, £69 for LA schools and £75 for Academies. This course will look at how RE can be delivered in a creative way while still giving a knowledge rich curriculum.

RE and assessment
Tuesday 10th March 2026, 3.30- 5.00pm, online via Teams. £29 for LA schools and £39 for Academies. This course will look at what assessment and progression looks like in RE across a primary school.

Early Support Pathway and early years SEND information for schools
For School SENCo’s, early years leaders, and headteachers. Thursday 5th February 2026, 13.30 – 14.30. Members £7.20, Non-Members £12.

Introduction to Making it REAL (Raising Early Achievement in Literacy)

For practitioners working with families with children from two to five years old. Thursday 12th February 2026, 10.00 – 17.00. Ely Library. £8.

Interactions and Assessment in the Continuous Provision

For teachers, teaching assistants, and early years practitioners working in preschool, nursery or Reception classes. Wednesday 25th February 2026, 13.15 – 16.15. Sunley House, Papworth Everard. Members £32.50. Non-members £54.

Training provider: The ICT Service

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.

Training provider: Science Learning East

KS3 Chemistry – Acids, Alkalis and Bases
For Secondary Teachers. Monday 26th January, 16.00 – 17.30. Online webinar. £25

Engaging science in year 4
For Primary Teachers. Wednesday 28th January, 15.30 – 17.00. Online webinar. £25

Cambridgeshire primary science leader network
Spring term meeting: Wednesday 11th February, 3.30 – 5.00. Online webinar. Summer term meeting: Tuesday 09th June, 1.30 – 3.30. @ Cambridge Science Centre. £50 to join the both meetings.

Training provider: Diamond Education and Professional Learning

Maths Subject Lead Day
Primary Maths Subject Leads, 25th March 2026, 9:30 – 15:00
Face to Face Wintringham Primary, St Neots - £95

Moderating Y2 Teacher Assessment
Year 2 Teachers, 15th April 2026, 14:00 – 16:30
Face to Face Winhills Primary, St Neots - £60

Moderating Y6 Writing
Year 6 Teachers, 16th April 2026, 14:00 – 16:30
Face to Face Winhills Primary, St Neots - £60

Training provider: Karin Horowitz

Sustaining Healthy and Effective Leadership 2025 - 2026

For headteachers and trust senior leaders to continue to develop their leadership knowledge, skills and effective to make schools the best learning environment possible for children and staff alike. Dates to be arranged. Cost £440 for annual group programme including six half-termly group sessions and one one-to-one coaching meeting. People can join at any stage during the year and the cost reflects the joining time.

Quick links

SEND Information Hub (Local Offer)

SEND OAP toolkits - Learn Together

Cambridgeshire Learn Together

Cambridgeshire County Council

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub

Early Years, Childcare, and School Readiness Service

Knowledge Hub

Cambridgeshire Schools Newsletter – Learn Together

Keeping in touch...

Email Cambridgeshire Schools Newsletter  if you have suggestions for content or would like to provide feedback.

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