UKGovChat – What’s That?

What is UKGovChat?

UKGovChat is a weekly Twitter discussion normally taking place between 8:45 and 9:15 every Sunday evening, providing a home for Governors to learn, share, challenge and support each other and improve the governance of all of schools to the benefit of the children and young people. From the original concept being born in 2013, well, as the website says:

Exactly a week later #UkGovChat was born, delivered to over 400 eager followers in a fast and furious chat encompassing “top tips” for new governors and the biggest challenges to effective governance.

The website remains totally independent of any government or commercial interest. To find out more visit UKGovChat at ukgovchat.wordpress.com, search Twitter for hashtag #ukgovchat or follow the group @UKGovChat. The site also has an impressive list of inks to a range of useful blogs and archives of weekly chats going back to 2013. Recent chats were on subjects such as:

What is the GBs responsibility as far as Health and Safety is concerned?
What are your hopes for the newly announced Foundation for Leadership in Education?
What is your school doing about the DfE challenge of ‘character education’?
What is a Coasting School?
What will inspection of governance look like under the new framework? Ofsted Special with Sean Harford.
Your Hopes and Fears for the Next 5 Years.

Some recent news updates from UKGovChat

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24 February 2015

Teacher Recruitment Fair

Teacher Recruitment Fair to be hosted by HfL

Herts for Learning will be hosting a teacher recruitment fair on Saturday 14th March 2015 at the Hertfordshire Development Centre in Stevenage to help schools address the issue of recruiting quality teaching staff.

This event is being promoted through a national and local advertising campaign and is aimed at attracting current, past or new teachers, or anyone thinking of entering teaching as a profession. Every school in Hertfordshire has been invited to host a free exhibition stand and meet with attendees to discuss current and future teaching opportunities.

If you are a current, past or new teacher, or interested in teaching as a profession this is an essential event for you to attend.
Where can you meet 100s of schools face to face and talk about real jobs? Representatives from 100s of Hertfordshire schools will be available to discuss current and future teaching opportunities. Schools Direct and other teacher training providers will also be attending.
Free to attend.
Free on-site parking.
Inspiring workshops.
Free shuttle bus from Stevenage train station.
Event sponsored by Herts for Learning.
Come along and attend free workshops:
Unmissable tips on applying for your first teaching job,
Train to Teach (run by the National College of Teaching and Leadership),
Returning to teaching,
Thinking of a new career path? Re-train as a teacher from another profession,
Induction, support and training programmes for newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in Herts,
Fast tracking programme – increase your subject knowledge,
Progress your leadership career in Herts,
Why Teach in Hertfordshire?

Further information can be obtained from Lynnette Dexter, Head of Marketing at Herts for Learning Ltd., via email on Lynette.Dexter@nullHertsforlearning.co.uk. HfL website is http://www.hertsforlearning.co.uk/.

Download:

You can download a copy of a poster below:

Teach in Herts Recruitment Fair press advert

11 March 2014

Universal Infant Free School Meals

Need to Know – Free School Meals

The Department for Education has issued an advice document on this subject. In summary:

What legislation does this advice relate to?

The Children and Families Bill places a legal duty on state-funded schools in England, including academies and free schools, to offer a free school lunch to all pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2. Subject to Royal Assent, which is expected in March 2014, the duty will come into force from September 2014.

Who is this advice for?

This advice is for:

School leaders and governing bodies in all maintained schools, academies, free schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision with children in reception, year 1 and year 2
Local authorities

Key points

In the 2014 to 2015 academic year schools will be paid funding at a flat rate of £2.30 for each meal taken by newly eligible pupils. Initial provisional allocations will be based on an estimate of national take-up and then adjusted once the department has details of the actual number of meals taken in individual schools
Additional one-off funding will be provided in the 2014 to 2015 financial year to small schools (those with up to 150 pupils in total) to help with transitional costs
The government is providing £150 million of capital funding in the 2014 to 2015 financial year to support the rollout of UIFSM
Targeted advice and support will be provided to schools and local authorities through the UIFSM implementation support service.

Download

To download the full document please click the link – DfE Advice on Universal infant free school meals