Professional development opportunities

Forthcoming events

Spotlight

Congratulations

LDBS Newsletter

Londoners give thumbs up to Church Schools (November 2008)

Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural visit to Normandy - October 2008

Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural visit to Florence - March 2007

Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural visit to Venice - October 2005

LDBS School Survey - September 2008 (Adobe pdf document)

LDBS School Survey - September 2006 (Adobe pdf document)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Leadership and Management of Church of England Schools For further details of courses being run please click on this link or phone Leanne Gowar on 020 7932 1159

The Challenge of Headship For further details of courses being run please click on this link or phone Leanne Gowar on 020 7932 1159

Early Leaders Course For further details of courses being run please click on this link or phone Leanne Gowar on 020 7932 1159

If you would like to train as an Early Years teacher, please follow this link: Early Years Professional Certificate of Education (LDBS SCITT Programme). Also see the latest Graduates from last year 2008-09 Graduation.

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

"2009: The Year of the Child" 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations International Year of the Child. The church is taking this opportunity to celebrate children and childhood, by reviewing the work done with children and young people, celebrating their contribution in the life of the church and of wider society and challenging the church to fresh vision and expression, inspired by the spirit of the child. Further information and a starter pack is available on the website www.yearofthechild2009.co.uk .

"LDBS SMSC trip to Istanbul ~ 4 - 7 March 2010" Following on from previous trips to Venice, Florence and Normandy, we are planning another trip in March 2010 to Istanbul. Istanbul will be the Cultural City of Europe in 2010 which will be exciting for those that have signed up for the experience and information packs will be sent out early in the Spring term.
Have a look at our photoboard of the Normandy trip or other trips.

"LDBS Headteachers Conference (Sandbanks , Poole) ~ 6 - 8 October 2010" Programme details will be sent out to schools in the Summer term. If you would like to apply please click here for the booking form.

"London 2012" As part of hosting the 2012 Olympics, volunteers are being sought by Timeline to help with a range of activities. Skills being asked for include languages, first aid, stewards etc. Volunteers must be over 17 years of age by 2012. All that is needed at the moment is an expression of interest; closer to the event a commitment to be involved will be requested. Information can be found in the BBC website, www.bbc.co.uk , under the link 'Do Your Bit' (12.05)

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SPOTLIGHT

"Charitable Status" The DCSF has given the following guidance for schools.
"The governing bodies of foundation and voluntary schools are statutory charities under section 23 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. The Charities Act 2006 has required certain changes to arrangements for schools. From January 2009 governing bodies became accepted rather than exempt charities. This would normally mean that they would be directly responsible to the Charity Commission for form of accounts, annual statements etc. However, a transitional period is in place under which requirements
have not changed. This is being extended to September 2010 pending reconsideration of the regime under which governing bodies operate. The Secretary of State has agreed in principle that DCSF will become the Principle Regulator for the governing bodies of foundation and voluntary schools. This would mean that governing bodies would regain their exempt status, and their charitable arrangements would continue to be subject to DCSF monitoring arrangements (including the role of the local authority).

The foundations of foundation schools, where they have them, and of voluntary schools, are already excepted charities and generally not subject to Education Law, and this status will not change. It is anticipated that further guidance may be needed on schools' obligations as charities, and DCSF will work with the Charity Commission and others to identify what guidance would be most helpful." (11.09)

"Planning for a Pandemic" - May 2009 (Word doc)

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"Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in LDBS Schools" Reducing carbon emissions is (or should be) high on everyone’s agenda. It is estimated that every year an average school emits 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions for each member of staff and each pupil. If you want to check the figure for your school you can do so via the web site of the Carbon Trust www.carbontrust.co.uk – go to solutions section. The Trust site enables schools to measure their emissions and contains links to web-sites  which offer energy saving opportunities, free surveys, ways in which pupils can become involved through the curriculum etc.  

Inigo Woolf would like to hear from schools which have set up programmes to reduce carbon emissions, have measured their carbon emissions or are thinking about involving pupils. With 148 schools we have a real opportunity to gather data, compare emissions between schools and work out a strategy for reducing emissions during the planned maintenance programme of our buildings. The sharing of information, which we would like to do through the LDBS web-site will enable schools to identify which strategies work in reducing emissions.  The carbon trust reckons every school can reduce emissions by 5% without capital or revenue expenditure. Can you do better? I would like to publicise a list of 20 schools that can get below 2 tonnes of emissions per pupil. Are you up for the challenge? Inigo.Woolf@london.anglican.org (02.09)

"Bishops in Action!" The website www.bishopsinaction.com has been produced by SEER, South-Eastern Education and RE Diocesan Advisers.  It contains useful resources for RE, particularly for KS2, and facts, posters and photos about Bishops and their role in the Church.  It also includes 5 acts of Collective Worship for Primary Schools.  The website encourages multi-cultural, global perspectives in teaching about Christianity. (05.08)
To find out who our Church of England Bishops are click here. (07.08)

"Race Equality Policy" All schools are now required to have a Race Equality Policy. Most if not all LA's will have sent guidance on the formulation of such a policy, probably based on the guidance produced by the Commission for Racial Equality. For Guidance towards developing a Race Equality Policy - please follow this link.

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"Leaflets for parents" The Mothers' Union has produced a series of four leaflets aimed at parents who want to know more about the church in their children's lives. However, schools will find much in these leaflets that will help with parents' enquiries. One deals with children and bereavement and gives very practical advice for parents and other adults on how to respond to children's questions and how to help children come to terms with death. Another deals with children's spirituality and how parents can help children to grow spiritually. 'Taking Children Seriously' explores the place of children in the church while 'Children in Church' offers suggestions to parents on how to support children during services.

These leaflets are available from the Mothers' Union at Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, SW1P 3RB (020 7222 5533) or may be downloaded from the MU website: www.themothersunion.org

"A Culture of Hope? Priorities and Vision in Church Schools" An address by the Archbishop of Canterbury to headteachers of Church of England Secondary Schools at their annual conference - September 2003. Please follow this link.

"The Royal Society of Arts focus on food campaign" is designed to raise the profile and importance of food education in schools. Please follow this link to learn more.

"Eco-Schools" The Eco-Schools scheme is 'rooted in a genuine desire to help children become more effective citizens by encouraging them to take responsibility for the future of their environment'. The scheme encourages schools to start to look at how they impact on the environment, how this is decided upon and how it can be managed. There is a high emphasis on the involvement of learners in both primary and secondary settings. As well as obvious curriculum links, the Eco-Schools scheme can form part of PSHE programmes. An award scheme is available (Bronze, Silver and Green Flag) and the scheme is supported by a variety of partners such as Healthy Schools , Learning Through Landscapes, The National Trust and the RSPB. Several LDBS schools already participate. Details of the scheme are available at www.eco-schools.org.uk (02/06)

"Advice on managing death and bereavement" Please follow this link to learn more.

"Seeds of Hope" Harvest Help is a charity which supports work to improve the lives of families in rural Zambia, Malawi, Ghana and Togo . The charity encourages local communities to work towards self sufficiency and self-reliance, by introducing sustainable farming and small business schemes as well as working to improve clean water supplies and HIV/AIDS awareness. They have produced a free Seeds of Hope pack containing everything a school needs to celebrate Harvest and introduce children to the work of Harvest Help. You can obtain this by contacting them on 01952 260699, or email infor@harvesthelp.org . The pack can also be downloaded from www.harvesthelp.org .

"Bibles for School Leavers" Lord Wharton's Charity distributes Bibles specifically for children under 18. Applications are welcomed on behalf of school leavers from clergy or Headteachers, but the charity is not permitted to issue Bible for general church or school use and therefore concentrates on individual school leavers. It will issue up to 20 Bibles per application. For further details, contact the Clerk to the Trustees, Mrs B Edwards, Magnolis Cottage, Harrowbeer Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6EA.

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CONGRATULATIONS

Beavers Community School (Hounslow) and St Mary & St Pancras (Somers Town), have been awarded the UNICEF UK Rights Respecting Schools Award Level 1. The reward is for those schools that make good progress in four key areas showing that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is embedded in the ethos and life of the school. To find out more follow the link:
http://www.unicef.org.uk/campaigns/publications/pdf/RRSbriefing.pdf to obtain a PDF briefing. UNICEF also promotes its wide range of schools resources in its ‘Teacher Zone’ on its website http://www.unicef.org.uk/tz/
Go to http://www.unicef.org.uk/tz/resources/taster.asp to download your free UNICEF assembly. (11.09)

St James & St Michael’s ((Lancaster Gate) have become the first school in the borough to have been awarded the Basic Skills Quality Mark Award. The Primary Quality Mark award was first developed in 1997, with the help of local education authorities and primary schools throughout England and Wales, to provide a framework that would promote, support and celebrate the improvement of literacy and mathematics in schools. The Primary Quality Mark provides a framework for self-evaluation and continuous improvement of the basic skills of all pupils in a school. This includes both those who underachieve and those whose attainment is lower than would be expected of someone of their age. To find out more go to
http://archive.basic-skills.co.uk/ouractivities/qualitymark/primary/ (11.09)

St Clement Danes (Drury Lane) recently won a competition run by the National Osteoporosis Society to design an programme of study to help support healthy bones. Their prize was a fun day learning all about bones and how to keep them healthy, as well as having dance classes from BBC 1’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ judge Craig Revel Horwood and an award presented to them by the Duchess of Cornwall. Congratulations to the staff and pupils, and remember……………’keep dancing’! (11.09)

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Greig City Academy Year 7 boys’ and girls’ athletics teams finished first place in the Haringey athletics championship in May.  Well done to everyone involved! (06.09)

St Augustine’s High (Westminster)  has recently been named as one of the most improved science colleges in the country by the SSAT (Specialist Schools and Academies Trust), which also placed it in the most improved specialist schools club. (06.09)

St Matthew’s (Westminster) has been awarded an Artsmark Gold award by the Arts Council of England in recognition of the school’s commitment to, and excellence in, arts education.  (06.09)
A school must dedicate a minimum of 10 per cent of its curricular teaching time to the arts to receive an Artsmark; 12 per cent wins a Silver Artsmark and 15 per cent qualifies for Artsmark Gold. An Artsmark school also provides teachers with professional development and involvement with local artists and arts groups.
Any school in England can apply for Artsmark at: www.artsmark.org.uk

St Mary’s Junior (Hornsey) which has been awarded a Healthy Schools Award and an Eco-Schools Award – Congratulations! (06.09)

Twyford High (Ealing) Gospel Choir, which was only formed 2 years ago, was a runner-up in the finals of the BBC Songs of Praise School Choirs 2008 competition but WON the BBC Songs of Praise School Choirs 2009.  Congratulations to all choir members and the choir director! (03.09)

St John the Baptist (Hoxton) which has been awarded Silver Award level in the Food for Life Scheme for its participation over the last year. This has meant that they have been working with the children, food suppliers and the kitchens to improve all aspects of having a healthy diet and producing fresh food.  For further in formation on the scheme, and to see the school receive its award from Prince Charles at The Royal Society of Arts, visit the Food for Life Website. (02.09)

All Souls (Foley Street) which has been awarded Bronze at the Sustainable School Awards, and one of their pupils has also won the Westminster Faith Exchange Art Competition! (02.09)

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