Announcements

Adult Learning Service Bulletin

Adult Learning Service Bulletin

by Nals Admin -
Number of replies: 0

26 February 2016

Message from Anne Wilshin – acting Service Manager

Keep in touch meetings

I am holding a ‘Keep in Touch’ afternoon on Tuesday 8th March 2016 at William Knibb Centre in Kettering. This is for anyone in the service (casual, zero hours or substantive staff) to call or meet with me and share their ideas on improvements that could be made within the service over the next six months.  I can’t promise that what you suggest will definitely be done but I can promise to listen and investigate.

 

Six half-hour appointment slots are available for anyone to book to have a chat with me.  Please email me if you would like a slot (1pm, 1.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm, 3.30pm) and I will book you in – please let me know if you would like a face-to-face meeting, at William Knibb, or a telephone conversation. Meetings will be completely confidential and SMT are fully behind this initiative. You are very welcome to bring a colleague if you would like to.

 

Once again, many thanks for all your support, and I hope the term is going well for you.

 

Anne Wilshin, <span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;">awilshin@northamptonshire.gov.uk</span>

 

Queries about increases in fees on some courses in the summer brochure

 

You will be aware that a number of courses in the new summer brochure are more expensive than previously.  As you would expect some members of the general public are very disappointed about this and have been contacting the service to ask why or to complain.  Please do not get too involved in conversations about this but refer the individual to adulted-customerfeedback@northamptonshire.gov.uk

 

In order to have a consistent approach SMT have agreed the following procedure.

 

·         All  queries or complaints will be sent to adult Ed customer feedback and assigned to Maureen Patton to respond.

·         If there are a huge number SMT will review if it is fair for Maureen to deal with all of them but in the meantime the attached standard email will be sent as an explanation or used as a basis to explain the changes.  

 

Message from Helen Doel – acting NL Curriculum Manager

Staffing changes in Neighbourhood Learning

I would like to welcome David Yarnall to the Neighbourhood Learning team.  He will be taking over some of my coordinating hours as of this week, along with Sarah King who will be extending her hours.

 

Sarah King will be taking on the coordination within Wellingborough.  David Yarnall will be starting on some projects including staff training for NL and organising courses in Corby.

 

I look forward to working with them both.

 

Information about changes in the law regarding reporting safeguarding concerns

All staff have a copy of the staff handbook which gives clear information regarding safeguarding and our responsibilities and in addition most staff have now attended training on Prevent. It is worth noting however that new legislation has been passed regarding the reporting of safeguarding. 

 

Community Safety

This information appeared in the bulletin before half term but we are including again because we now have a very  useful additional  link on safeguarding including information on FGM.  The link is   http://www.northamptonshirescb.org.uk/young-people/what-is-abuse/yp-fgm

 

·         On 31st October a new mandatory duty for all practitioners to report concerns of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) to the police came into effect. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mandatory-reporting-of-female-genital-mutilation-procedural-information. A failure to do so under this new legislation could result in disciplinary action.  The Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board has identified FGM as a key priority and are working together with the communities affected by FGM to a strategy to ensure training opportunities are available for practitioners across the workforce and resources are available to respond appropriately to concerns. More information about courses (including E:Learning on cultural awareness) and resources for FGM, please visit the NSCB website: http://www.northamptonshirescb.org.uk

·         A second significant piece of legislation implemented on 29th December 2015 is around coercive control in domestically and sexually violent relationships. This new law will exercise power to prosecute offenders who emotionally and psychologically abuse a partner in a relationship. More information regarding this new legislation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/482528/Controlling_or_coercive_behaviour_-_statutory_guidance.pdf

·         The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a duty on certain bodies to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. This is the basis for our “Prevent†programme. Frontline staff who engage with the public should understand what radicalisation means and why people may be vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism as a consequence of it. There is currently training available for staff via the online learning centre (http://lgss.learningpool.com/)  or via the Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board website http://www.northamptonshirescb.org.uk/schools/safeguarding-themes/violent-extremism-and-radicalisation/ . For further information about Prevent, contact Emma Hildreth or Sham Mahmood from the Communities Team.

FAQs about First for Wellbeing

There have been a number of queries about NCC employees’ terms and conditions and what TUPE means so the council has produced a fact sheet which is attached.  If you have any queries please contact your line manager in the first instance.

 

Administrative support at the William Knibb Adult Learning Centre in Kettering

The Adult Learning Service base at William Knibb now has a land based telephone number.

Extension: 66977

Full number: 01604 366977

 

Please note that externally you have to use the Northampton STD code.  The number also appears on the outlook contact for WilliamKnibbALS.

 

Emily Town will be at William Knibb once a month to put office processes and procedures into place. If you would like to speak to Emily about any of the processes, she will be at William Knibb on the following dates:

 

Monday 7th March 2016

Monday 4th April 2016

Monday 2nd May 2016

 

The bulletin will be updated as more dates are confirmed. Please note: If you require any administrative services such as photocopying or printing, please refer this through to the Support Services Team on al-supportservices@northamptonshire.gov.uk or 01604 367119, instead of referring these directly to Emily.

 

SMT update

 

SMT met this week  and discussed the whole service budget.  We are now half way through the academic year but are on target to spend our SFA grant and fee income is higher than this time last year.  SMT also discussed the performance of our subcontractor KBT who are continuing to make good progress with their apprenticeship programme.  There are some challenges recruiting apprentices in the 16 – 18 bracket, mainly because many young people are choosing to stay on at school, but there is increased demand for apprentices aged 19+ which is good news for the service.   


Out of hours office support for Tutors and Evening Administrators

 

Please note that the out of hours office number is 01604 365909. This number enables a tutor to seek assistance if there is a problem at their teaching venue when the JDH administration office base is closed

 

 

Pay claim deadlines for 2015 - 2016 academic year

 

Period of Claim

Dates

Deadline

Payment Date

February 2016

01/02/16 – 28/02/16

02/03/16

24/03/16

March 2016

01/03/16 – 31/03/16

01/04/16

25/04/16

April 2016

01/04/16 – 30/04/16

03/05/16

25/05/16

May 2016

01/05/16 – 31/05/16

01/06/16

24/06/16

June 2016

01/06/16 – 30/06/16

01/07/16

25/07/16

July 2016

01/07/16 – 31/07/16

03/08/16

25/08/16

August 2016

01/08/16 – 31/08/16

01/09/16

23/09/16

 

If you have any questions about any information in this bulletin please contact cberrevoets@northamptonshire.gov.uk