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Knowsley council welcome back to school letter

Tue 03 Nov 2020 Mr Youngman

Dear Parent / Carers,

I hope you have had a restful half term holiday and are all ready for a new half term of learning. I hope very much that the half term goes well for you all and I thank you for all that you are doing to support your child’s education.

I know that these are challenging and anxious times for us all and once again I commend the work undertaken by our schools and our families to maintain teaching and learning in safe and supportive environments. I have seen lots of examples on social media of great learning happening in our schools and at home. I hope very much that we will be able to build upon this as we move into the second part of the Autumn term.

Keeping good attendance when we can is now more important than ever; schools have worked hard to complete risk assessments and put measures in place to make school settings safe and this means that across Knowsley many children and young people are attending school regularly and achieving great things.

Thank you to all the children, young people and families that have, so far, maintained good attendance. I know a small minority of you remain concerned about sending your child into school, and I would urge you to discuss this with a member of staff. I am sure they will be keen to work with you to address your concerns and make sure your child does not have any unnecessary breaks in their education.

We know that at present COVID-19 continues to spread in our community, so now, more than ever we must continue to work together to do all that we can to stop it, keep each other safe and well and reduce the demand within our hospitals.

With cases also increasing nationally, you will be aware that the Prime Minister announced a national lockdown on Saturday 31 October, which comes into force on Thursday 5 November. Whilst there are no changes for schools or colleges, several new measures have been introduced across the wider community as part of this second lockdown. These measures are designed to reduce the chance of transmission in the community.

The ‘new’ national measures mean that once again non-essential shops, leisure centres, hairdressers, pubs and restaurants will all close (supermarkets and food shops will remain open). The restrictions will be reviewed on 2 December 2020 and you can read the full guidance around the restrictions on the Government’s website.

Schools will remain open for all pupils who are able to attend. To keep school a safe place it is important that we remain alert to the signs and symptoms of COVID19 and follow the guidance from Public Health. This includes:

Staying at home if you have symptoms – a high temperature, new or persistent cough, loss of taste or smell – and book a test through www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or ring 119. Other members of your household need to stay at home until your test result comes back.
If your result is negative, you (and other people in your household) no longer need to self- isolate. If it is positive, you need to self-isolate for 10 days from when you started with symptoms or from the date that you had your test if you don’t have symptoms and others in your household need to self-isolate for 14 days from when your symptoms developed / the date of your test.
Wear a face covering when dropping off / picking up from school and other places such as shops, on public transport, in taxis and in hospital settings. (unless exempt)
Leave the school premises when you have dropped off / pick up – don’t congregate in groups on the playground.
Continue to regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Maintain a 2m distance between you and others.
Limit social interactions with others. As part of the lockdown restrictions, you can’t mix with people from other households (unless they are part of your support bubble) in any indoor setting or private garden.
Remember to carry a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes. Bin the tissue and wash your hands afterwards.

Thank you once again for your continued support, I hope you all stay safe and well this half term.

Yours faithfully

Jill Albertina

Assistant Executive Director (Education & Early Help)

Knowsley Children's University update Nov 2020

Tue 03 Nov 2020 Mr Youngman

Children’s University

Dear parent(s)/carer(s),

Due to the restrictions in place at present and for the foreseeable future, we have received details of how the children’s university credits will be awarded given that currently children cannot earn credits by attendance at the school’s customary after school clubs. Please read the following information from Enrich education about how the allocation of credits is changing.

At present with the current restrictions in place children may not have access to the usual extracurricular clubs and provision to gain Children’s University credits like in previous years. As part of the Children’s University we want to make sure that children still have an opportunity to access and benefit from a wide and varied amount of enrichment activities and experiences.

We have enhanced and developed the Children’s University programme this year to provide families with different ways to collect credits that will count towards the children’s graduation next summer. Below are a couple of ways you can gain Children’s University credits:

Enrich Education - Activities/Resources - Home Learning

The Home Learning section on the Enrich Education website has a range of Children’s University accredited activities that can be completed at home. The activities are broken down into different subject (Sport, Art, Science, Geography, Maths, English & STEM). New fun and engaging activities are being created and uploaded every week.

Throughout this school year will have the opportunity to earn over 100 credits if they undertake these activities. Children’s University hours will be credited once the session/work has been completed and evidence provided to school’s children’s university coordinator along with the activity’s individual ‘Activity Stamp Code’. The code is usually a colour followed by 4 numbers i.e. purple5017 The code can be found at the bottom of the activity session sheets.To access these activities please visit:

http://www.enricheducationuk.com/home-learning/

In addition to the Enrich Education activities, National Children’s University Trust has an online learning activities page. There are lots of validated activities for children to engage with and gain credits for.

To access these activities please visit:

https://www.childrensuniversity.co.uk/get-involved/activities-to-do-at-home-and-online/

Enrich Education - Online Mini Master Classes

To provide further learning opportunities Enrich Education will be hosting a number of free, informal, fun, and engaging online Mini Master Classes that children can participate in. The Mini Master Classes will be hosted Live on our Youtube channel and will take place on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Working with teachers with specialisms in a range of different subjects from Art, Crafts, Drama, Maths, English and History. Children will have the opportunity to participate in the sessions in the comfort of their own home. All of the resources for the sessions will be posted on the Enrich Education Home Learning section on the website in the Master Classes tab.

A full timetable of events will be released on the events page on the Enrich Education website here:

http://www.enricheducationuk.com/events/

The first master class will be held on Saturday 7^th November at 10:30 this session will have an art focus.

Enrich Education – Learning Destinations

Many children are still accessing enrichment activities away from the school, in their local communities. For the organisation’s activities to count towards a participants Children’s University credits they must have undertaken a short validation process.

We have taken the decision to relax the validation process and allow children to gain hours from organisations that have not yet undertaken the validation process yet. This will enable children to gain a maximum of 30 hours from any non-validated activities/organisations. For example, if a child attends a drama group and a football group that are not validated, they will be eligible to receive up to 30 hours attending these organisations.

If possible, these hours should be recorded in a Children’s University passport to learning, this is the official process of logging hours for external hours. However, there are some school that are not currently utilising the passport to learning and we will work with these schools to ensure their pupils are still benefiting from attending external activities. Providing some evidence and maybe even a piece of work (report, scrapbook, medals, photographs) will be acceptable as evidence of attendance.

There are already lots of validated Learning Destinations, both locally and nationally, that children are accessing to pursue their interests and hobbies. These organisations are a great way for children to participate in enrichment activities and gain CU credits through the Children’s University Passport to Learning. To find validated activities/organisations in your area please visit the ‘Find an Activity’ section of the Children’s University website:

https://www.childrensuniversity.co.uk/activity-search/

Enrich Education – More Able Online Sessions

Enrich Education will be offering a number More Able (formerly ‘Gifted and Talented’) online workshops in English & Maths in the spring term. The sessions will take place on a Saturday morning and last for between 1 & 2 hours.

The sessions will be of a dynamic and challenging nature, aimed at enhancing the skills that some young people have already displayed signs of possessing in Maths or English. Schools will be able to select a number of year 6 pupils to benefit from these sessions and full registration details will be provided via school closer to the time.

Enrich Education - Tailored School Offer and Credits

Enrich Education will be working with each school individually and assessing where children are engaging in enrichment activities within the school timetable. Some curriculum activities will count towards Children’s University hours, for this year. This could come in the form of enrichment lessons that can be temporarily classed as CU modules i.e. music, arts, crafts, drama, sports, computers etc. The school will use their best judgment to choose the areas of the curriculum that will count towards the child’s Children’s University credits for this year.

If you have any questions about the Children’s University programme for the coming year please contact Enrich Education.

info@enricheducationuk.com

www.enricheducationuk.com

If you require any further information about how this will look specifically for us at Eastcroft Park, or have any other questions/queries about Children’s University then please email me at reception@eastcroftpark.co.uk.

Mr Youngman

Children’s University & after-school clubs coordinator

Knowsley foodbank distribution points

Tue 03 Nov 2020 Mr Youngman

Times and locations of Knowsley Foodbank distribution points are as follows:

Monday - Huyton & Kirkby

12 noon to 2.pm: St George’s Church, 46 Primrose Drive, Huyton, L36 8DW 12 noon to 2pm: St Andrews Church, Highfield, Tower Hill, Kirkby L33 1ZF

Tuesday – Kirkby

12 noon to 2pm: The Kirkby Centre, Norwich Way, Liverpool L32 8XY. (located underneath the Library - look for 'Poco's Coffee Shop)

Wednesday - Stockbridge Village & Prescot

12 noon to 2pm: The Community Hub, The Croft, Stockbridge Village, L28 1NR (Will change to Thursdays in October)

12 noon to 2pm: Salvation Army Prescot, Warrington Road, L35 5UA

Thursday – Huyton

12 noon to 2pm: St Dominic’s Church, Southdean Road, Huyton, L14 8UL

Friday – Kirkby

12 noon to 2pm: The Kirkby Centre, Norwich Way, Liverpool L32 8XY. (located underneath the Library - look for 'Poco's')

Saturday - Halewood

10 am to 12pm: St Mary’s Church, Kenton Road, Halewood, L26 9TS

Knowsley Virtual School - Emotional Health and Wellbeing Series

Wed 21 Oct 2020 Mr Youngman

Emotional Health and Wellbeing Hints, tips and links to sources of support

Support/Advice on Offer	Web link
A helpful guide from the Mental Health Foundation with hints and tips on supporting pupils and carers/parents with returning to school post Covid19	https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/returning-school-after-lockdown
Support, hints and tips from Young Minds to support young people to cope with the Covid19 aftermath and prepare to return to school.	https://youngminds.org.uk/resources/school-resources/supporting-your-pupils-through-the-covid-19-pandemic/
General Well-Being and Emotional Health
Support/Advice on Offer	Web link
Recognising the signs that a child may be struggling with their mental health can be really hard. A round up of helps and tips to help you support children who may be experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal feelings or self-harm from the NSPCC	https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/

Message for Y5 parents

Tue 20 Oct 2020 Mr Youngman

20^th October 2020

Dear Parents/Carers of Year 5 children,

This afternoon we have been advised that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.

We have followed the national guidance and have identified that your child’s class bubble may have been in the proximity of the affected person.

Public Health England advise that close/direct contact is considered to be:

being coughed on, or
having a face-to-face conversation within 1 metre, or
having unprotected skin-to-skin physical contact, or
travel in a small vehicle with the case, or
any contact within 1 metre for 1 minute or longer without face-to-face contact
extended close contact (between 1 and 2 metres for more than 15 minutes) with a case

Governors and I have made the decision to follow the national guidance as we must take every step to ensure the safety of the children, staff and the school community. Therefore, the children in the Year 5 class must self-isolate. As the affected person has not been in school since Friday 16^th October, the isolation period will end on Monday 2^nd November and children can return on this date. This is the date that children were due to return after the half term break.

Mrs Mason will provide work for the children for the rest of this week (Wednesday and Thursday) but work will not be set over the half term break. If you have any difficulties with the work please email Mr Youngman reception@eastcroftpark.co.uk .

It is not recommended that you access a test unless your child begins to show symptoms, as even if the test comes back negative your child will still have to self- isolate until the 2^nd November.

The rest of your household does not have to self-isolate and other family members can attend school as usual.

If your child needs to access a test during this time please inform school of the results.

Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to minimise the risk to your children and I thank you for all your support in following the new arrangements.

I would be grateful if parents/carers would refrain from using social media to discuss this matter as rumour and speculation can cause unnecessary upset and panic.

Please read the attached information and if you have any questions, contact the school and I will be happy to speak to you.

Thank you again for your continued support in such challenging times.

Miss J Withey

Head teacher

Latest online safety newsletter

Mon 05 Oct 2020 Mr Youngman

The latest online safety newsletter is available on the e-safety webpage.

Flu vaccination reminder

Tue 22 Sep 2020 Mr Youngman

Dear Parent/Guardian

Your child’s annual flu vaccination is now due

This vaccination is recommended to help protect your child against flu. Flu can be an unpleasant illness and sometimes causes serious complications. Vaccinating your child will also help protect more vulnerable friends and family by preventing the spread of flu.

The vaccination is free and is a quick and simple spray up the nose. Even if your child had it last year, it is recommended to have the flu vaccine again this year.

A leaflet explaining the vaccination programme is enclosed and includes details about the small number of children for whom the nasal vaccine is not appropriate.

Please complete the consent form https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nw6GLq8WNqbjf_pq6Y8C7bLS8IEYPbt-?usp=sharing (one for each child) and return to school in the next 3 days to ensure your child receives their vaccination. This can be a paper copy or e-mailed to eastcroft.de@knowsley.gov.uk.

If you decide you do not want to vaccinate your child against flu, please return the consent form giving the reason. This will help us plan and improve the service.

Your consent form will be kept for 12 months after this time it will be disposed of using the trust’s confidential waste procedure.

If you have any queries, please contact the immunisation team 0151 676 5141.

Yours faithfully

North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

If your child becomes wheezy or has their asthma medication increased after you return this form, please contact the healthcare team on 0151 676 5141.

For further information see: www.nhs.uk/child-flu PALS and Complaints Tel: 01925 664450

Communication for Families

Fri 18 Sep 2020 Mr Youngman

Dear Parent / Carer

I hope this letter finds you well.

I am writing to you about the concerning situation in Knowsley where we are seeing a significant increase in COVID-19 cases. Our current level of positive cases is higher than the North West average – a situation we do not want to see and we all need to take action to bring the number of positive cases down.

As you will know, COVID-19 easily spreads from person to person and we know that we have widespread community transmission across the borough.

There are additional measures that we need to put in place to stop the spread of the virus – they are essential measures that will help to keep our schools open.

The council has working closely with schools to implement important safety measures to reduce any risks to children, however, we need your support too and we ask that you:-

Wear a face covering / face visor when visiting or entering the school premises (unless you are exempt).
Only one adult to enter the premises for drop off and pick up.
That you arrive and leave promptly when dropping off / collecting your child – please do not congregate and maintain social distancing as we know that the virus is easily transmitted from person to person.
Young people avoid congregating outside school and mixing with other schools and go directly home.
All adults and pupils wear face coverings in all communal areas in secondary schools will be mandatory (except for those with an exception) from Monday 21 September.
All staff wear face coverings when they come out onto the playground during drop off and pick up times.
Ensure your household adheres to self-isolation rules – if your child tests positive, they need to self isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and other household members need to self isolate for 14 days. If you’ve been in close contact with someone that has tested positive, you need to self isolate for 14 days.
If you or your child has symptoms (high temperature, new / persistent cough, loss of taste or smell), stay at home and book a test through www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or ring 119. Only book a test if you display symptoms.

Maintain social distancing – that’s keeping a 2m distance from you and other people.
Limit social interactions with other people and remember the ‘rule of six’ meaning it’s now illegal to socialise in groups of more than six.
Continue with regular hand washing.
Those traveling on dedicated school transport adhere to the mandatory wearing of face coverings that applies to public transport.

I have also attached a guide which sets out when to keep your child off school and for how long.

Inevitably, we have had a small number of positive cases amongst pupils and staff in schools. Schools acted quickly and all necessary steps have been taken in line with Public Health England advice and as a result a number of Knowsley schools have had to send class bubbles home to self isolate.

This is an ever-changing situation in which we find ourselves in. We will endeavour to keep you updated as new information and guidance becomes available.

In the meantime, we need to continue to work together and for everyone to play their part in stopping the spread of this virus.

Thank you for your support. Yours faithfully

Jill Albertina

Assistant Executive Director Education and Early Help

Update for parents 16/9/2020

Wed 16 Sep 2020 Mr Youngman

Dear Parents/Carers of Reception, Year 1, Year 3, Year 4 and Year 6

We have been advised that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.

We have carried out a full risk assessment and identified all those who may have been in the proximity of the affected case and have recommended that they stay at home and self-isolate until 14 days after their last contact.

Your child has not been identified and therefore does not need to make any change to their usual routine, including school attendance.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of a new continuous cough and/or a high temperature and/or a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia). If your child, or anyone in your household, develops these symptoms, you whole household must remain at home and not go to work, school or public areas. You should arrange testing for the person who has developed symptoms. When the result is known further advice will be available.

Testing can be arranged by calling 119 or via the NHS website: www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

There are things we can all do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19:

wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
wash your hands as soon as you get home
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
maintain an appropriate social distance with non-household members of over 2 metres.

Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to minimise the risk to your children and I thank you for all your support in following the new arrangements.

I would be grateful if parents/carers would refrain from using social media to discuss this matter as rumour and speculation can cause unnecessary upset and panic.

Thank you again for your continued support in such challenging times.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact the school and I will be happy to speak to you.

Yours sincerely,

Miss J Withey

Head teacher

Further information is available at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

Seesaw guide for remote learning

Wed 16 Sep 2020 Mr Youngman

Should the need arise to provide home learning, we will be using an online learning journal called 'Seesaw' to do this. Many of the children will be familiar with Seesaw as they use it in school for documenting learning in Computing and other subjects. You can find useful information on the Remote learning page.

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