Dear parents/ carers,

If the government meets its 5 tests this Thursday and decides to go ahead with the partial reopening of schools for parents agreeing to send their children back, then we hope to reopen our school to pupils in reception, year 1 and year 6 from Monday 8th June.

When we do reopen, school will run from Monday to Thursday but close on a Friday (except for children of key workers). This is to enable staff to continue to plan for, and support, children working at home. In addition, this will provide time to ensure areas of school and equipment can be thoroughly cleaned for the following week.

For those agreeing to return to school from 8th June, some procedures for parents and children will have to change to enable us to follow stringent government guidelines. Some of these procedures will include: –

• Children from reception, year 1 and year 6 can arrive between 8:50 and 9:00 and enter using their

usual entrance. Home times and collection points remain the same.

• Only one parent/carer should come to the school to drop off/collect their child. Ideally, please do

not bring siblings unless there is no alternative.

• Parents/carers must observe social distancing. Please do not gather in groups or block our entrances.

• Parents/carers are not permitted in the building without a pre-arranged appointment.

• Clothing – the most important thing with clothing is that it is changed daily. For this reason, a combination of uniform and sensible casual clothing can be worn to school. Please ensure your child has a jumper or cardigan as windows and doors (where safe to do so) will be open to encourage good ventilation.

• There will be a designated separate room so that if a child displays symptoms while in school they can be isolated before going home.

• Groups will not mix to limit the possibility of cross contamination and children will remain in their allocated room all day except for accessing outside areas on a rota basis.

• Children will be encouraged to practise good hand hygiene.

• There will be no after school clubs and breakfast club will only be available for children of critical workers.

Please note that anyone who has received, or lives with someone with a shielding letter, will not be able to attend school. Additionally, any child who is found to be mixing with others outside school (i.e. not following government guidance) will have their offer withdrawn.

Due to the very small number of children whose parents have agreed for them to return, we hope to be able to use their normal teaching staff, classrooms, start and finish times. However, as numbers increase this will not be the case and children will have to be split into new groups and provided with designated adult(s)and rooms/areas as well as more staggered start and finish times for different groups of children.

As we need to carry out planning based on the numbers of children you have told us will return, the groups of children we will have by the end of Friday 22nd May will remain unchanged for at least two weeks from the reopening of school. This means that if your child is not on the list to return, they will not be able to come back to school until we send out another survey/invite.

School will continue to remain open for children of key workers while we plan for wider opening.

Obviously, pupil and staff safety is our number one priority and throughout this process we are trying our very best to keep everyone as safe as possible. We will plan and prepare for wider opening very carefully and keep you informed with any developments that arise.

Stay safe and look after each other.

Mr Cornforth

Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

As you will be aware, schools have been asked to prepare to open to children from selected year groups from Monday 1st June 2020. We all very much want children and staff back in school and things to go back to normal, but only when it is safe to do so.

Dear Parents/Carers,

Even though the Prime Minister indicated there could be a return to school for certain children after half term, the current guidance for schools remains unchanged.

Schools remain closed and ‘every child who can be safely cared for at home should be’.

WORK PACKS AVAILABLE FOR ALL CHILDREN
Work packs for the next two weeks are available to collect today from school for ALL children (Nursery to year 6). Please enter the school main yard and they are available to collect from tables outside the dining hall up until 1pm. From 1pm – 3pm they will be available from the school main office due to the rain forecast this afternoon Thank you.

CAMHS Resources
This site was created for young people, carers and professionals to pool together lots of helpful resources from across the internet that are available to help support your mental health and well-being. We hope that you find it helpful. Click here to access the site.

Advice in County Durham is a new initiative making it easier for you to access the right advice and support. You will find a wide range of advice guides as well some useful links to help you find the information you need. Click here to access their site.

Many families are finding this period of time difficult.  Most have all family members at home and this is impacting on the family food budget.  If you need the support of a local food bank, please contact our school’s Parent Support Advisor, Julie Bray.  Julie can arrange a food bank voucher for you.  The service is confidential.  Julie can be contacted on 07825 341 243 or j.bray100@durhamlearning.net

Talking to Children about COVID-19

Resources for Schools, Parents, Children and Young People

We understand how difficult it can be trying to talk to children and young people about global crises. As psychologists we are often asked about how much to tell children, how and when to talk to them, and how we can feel prepared for challenging conversations. We have therefore started to compile a list of resources and helpful websites for you to use over the coming weeks.

Outlined below are a range of resources to support schools, parents, children and young people. Note this is not an exhaustive list.

Websites:

BBC: How to protect your mental health
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51873799

ChildMind: Talking to Children
https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/

CBBC: Video and Questions
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51861089

Young Minds: Feeling Anxious about Coronavirus
https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/what-to-do-if-you-re-anxious-about-coronavirus

Anxiety and world news from Hey Sigmund https://www.heysigmund.com/about/>

Talking about world trauma with kids https://www.heysigmund.com/how-to-talk-to-kids-and-teens-about-world-trauma/>

This is a great website for parents/carers containing the latest psychological news and research https://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-children-after-world-trauma/

Supporting Students Experiencing Childhood Trauma: Tips for Parents and Educators from the National Association of School Psychologists

https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/mental-health-resources/trauma/supporting-students-experiencing-childhood-trauma-tips-for-parents-and-educators

American Psychological Association: Information on Pandemics (a wide range of resources)
https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/pandemics?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=apa-pandemics&utm_content=pandemics-resources

ELSA: Coronavirus Story for Children
https://www.elsa-support.co.uk/coronavirus-story-for-children/

Smiling Mind is a great mindfulness app/website for the whole family (Age 7+).   Many children use Smiling Mind in class as a way to help calm and focus their brains and bodies https://www.smilingmind.com.au/

Cosmic Kids combines Yoga and mindfulness for kids ages 3+. This is a great resource and many children have experience of using it in UK classrooms https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

 Books

Something Bad Happened: A Kid’s Guide to Coping with events in the News. How to process different world events by Dawn Huebner (Ages 6-12).

https://www.amazon.com/Something-Bad-Happened-Coping-Events/dp/1787750744/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Something%2BBad%2BHappened%3A%2BA%2BKid%E2%80%99s%2BGuide%2Bto%2BCoping%2Bwith%2Bevents%2Bin%2Bthe%2BNews&qid=1582316703&sr=8-1

What To Do When You’re Scared & Worried: A Guide for Kids. A help guide to processing fears and worries by James J Crist  (Ages 9-13)

https://www.amazon.com/What-When-Youre-Scared-Worried/dp/1575421534/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=What%2BTo%2BDo%2BWhen%2BYou%E2%80%99re%2BScared%2B%26%2BWorried%3A%2BA%2BGuide%2Bfor%2BKids&qid=1582316733&sr=8-1

Have You Filled A Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud -Encourages positive behaviour and expressing kindness and appreciation

How are you Peeling: Foods with Moods Saxton Freymann & Joost Elffers Explores how emotions look through pictures of Foods. Despite the title it is a good way to talk about emotions with young kids.

The Way I Feel by Janan Cain Explores Feelings. A good way to talk about emotions with young children.

https://www.amazon.com/Way-I-Feel-Janan-Cain/dp/1884734715/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The%2BWay%2BI%2BFeel&qid=1582316904&sr=8-1

Some resources on bereavement include:

Primary:

• The Day the Sea Went Out and Never Came Back by Margot Sunderland. A story for children who have lost someone they love (ages 4-12).
• Always and Forever by Durrant & Gliori (ages 3-5)
• The Baadger’s Parting Gift by Susan Varley
• Grandad’s Island by Benji Davies. A beautiful book that shows how those who are dear to us remain near to us – however far away they may seem

Secondary:

About Death for Teenagers: How to cope with losing someone you love by Earl Grollman

Dying, Death and Grief: Working with adult bereavement by Brenda Mallon

Useful websites and organisations:

• Winston’s Wish is a useful website which has practical activity suggestions which could be used in schools. You may also wish to make use of general activities about feelings and relationships if working with a bereaved child.
• If the child has particular additional support needs you may wish to seek advice from national organisations such as the Scottish Down’s Syndrome Association, or NAS in the case of a child with an autism spectrum disorder.
• You may also wish to access the Childhood Bereavement Network. Sometimes children need more support to cope with death/loss/change. Once this has been assessed to be the case ‘Seasons for Growth’ and ‘Give us a Break’ are examples of group programmes which schools may run, they require trained staff. Family or individual counselling maybe appropriate.

Further support for School, Parents & Carers

A sample letter an overseas Educational Psychologist shared with me. Good to draw from which gives parents strategies to build resilience and have reassuring conversations with their children. You can use or modify this document to fit your school’s needs: Sample letter to parents can be accessed at https://iscainfo.com/resources/ISCA%20Coronavirus%20Suggestions%20to%20Parents%20(1).pdf

Coronavirus Social Story

Coronavirus Workbook for Children

BPS Talking to children about Coronavirus

SCHOOL MEALS VOUCHER SYSTEM

Dear Parents/ Carers,

The government has issued guidance about the free school meals voucher system that will replace the packed lunch bags currently being provided at school.