17 March 2023

Hope you’re having a good week! Happy Red Nose Day!

We need you!

Angela (head of CPD) is starting ‘Excelsior teach meets’. The first one is in June. It’s a chance for teachers from any school not just ours, to talk about their passion project and hear from other colleagues. It’s a great CPD and networking opportunity and we would love you to attend to represent your school.

Angela would love to hear from any staff who would like to present. It’s very informal and not scary. You talk for 5 or 10 minutes (you choose) followed by a Q&A. Please email a.schofield@excelsiormat.org to register your interest.

Masterclass

Last chance to get booked in!

If you haven’t signed up yes send an email to hr@excelsiormat.org

Childrens Mental Health

TOOLKIT

This year the focus for Children’s Mental Health Week was ‘let’s connect’, looking at the importance that connections with others have on our mental health.

Healthy relationships with family, friends and others are vital for children and young people’s wellbeing, offering a strong protective factor against poor mental health.

Connections within a school setting are also very important – pupils should feel that they belong to, and are a valued part of, a school or college community. Their relationships with adults in the school or college should be positive, consistent, and based on trust and mutual respect.

In this toolkit, we’re sharing free resources to help you explore the theme of connections with your pupils, and celebrate the week in your setting.

Excelwell

10 Tips for saving money

Make a budget – Creating a budget can help you identify areas where you can cut back on spending and save money.

Cut back on unnecessary expenses – Identify areas where you’re spending money unnecessarily, such as eating out or buying expensive coffee, and cut back on these expenses.

Shop around for the best deals – Take the time to shop around and compare prices before making a purchase, whether it’s for groceries or larger purchases like electronics.

Use cashback and rewards programs – Many credit cards and online shopping sites offer cashback or rewards programs, which can help you save money on purchases you would make anyway.

Consider switching providers – Shop around for better deals on utilities, insurance, and other services to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money.

Set financial goals – Whether it’s saving for a holiday or a down payment on a home, setting financial goals can help you stay motivated and on track with your saving.

Use automatic savings – Set up automatic savings plans, where a portion of your income is automatically transferred to a savings account each month.

Reduce debt – Pay off high-interest debt as quickly as possible, such as credit card debt, to reduce the amount of interest you’re paying and save money in the long run.

Avoid impulse buying – Resist the urge to make impulse purchases by taking the time to think through whether you really need or want the item.

Plan ahead for big expenses – Plan ahead for big expenses like car repairs, medical bills, or home repairs, by setting aside money in a separate savings account to cover these costs when they arise.

6 websites offering financial support

Money Advice Service: This is a free and impartial service set up by the UK government to provide advice and resources on all aspects of personal finance, including budgeting, saving, and investing.

MoneySavingExpert: This website provides advice and resources on saving money and reducing debt, as well as product comparison tools and a range of guides on personal finance topics.

Which?: This website provides product reviews and comparisons for a wide range of financial products, including savings accounts, credit cards, and insurance.

The Motley Fool UK: This website provides investment advice and resources for those looking to invest their money and build wealth over the long term.

Citizens Advice: This website provides free, confidential, and impartial advice on a wide range of issues, including debt, benefits, and money management. They also have local branches throughout the UK where you can speak to an advisor in person.

Budget 2023 - Childcare Support

Hundreds of thousands more working parents will be supported through an extension of the free childcare on offer, more than doubling the current support in place. This will help mums in particular to stay in work and keep the economy growing.

We know that childcare is one of the biggest costs facing working households, which is why we want to make it cheaper and more accessible, to reduce the barriers preventing some parents from going back to work.

Here we explain everything you need to know about childcare from the Spring Budget.

How much will your appliances cost to run?

Electricity will cost 33.2p per kWh from April: here’s how much your appliances will cost to run

Discounts for You at Discounts For Teachers

You can find enormous savings with local and independent businesses through Discounts for Teachers.

Celebration 'Days' next week

TODAY:	St Patrick’s Day / Red Nose Day
18th March:	Recycling Day
19th March:	Mother’s Day (UK)
20th March:	First Day Of Spring / Day Of Happiness
21st March:	World Down Syndrome Day
22nd March:	World Water Day / Ramadan Begins
23rd March:	Puppy Day
26th March:	Purple Day (Epilepsy Awareness)

Technology Support

As part of our drive to use technology more effectively within the Trust, we will be sharing some top tips videos. They are really useful tools that are for everyone and not just for in the classroom.

This week is all about Microsoft Excel.