Headteacher Newsletter Issue 6
FORTNIGHTLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE 6: 27.11.20
Antibullying Week
This year, for antibullying week, we joined forces with the Antibullying Alliance and supported their Odd Sock Day. This was a great way to kickstart our focus for the week and children and adults wore odd socks and celebrated what made them unique. Throughout the week classes focused upon the negative impact of bullying and the importance of speaking up.
Children in Need
On the 13th November 2020 Clavering Primary School took part in Children in Need. This year we raised an amazing £267.07 thanks to the efforts of School Council to promote our onesie/pyjama day! On behalf of School Council, I’d like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who donated. Miss Morton
Open Morning
Normally at this time of year, we would be opening our doors to prospective parents considering our school for Reception 2021. As this is not possible, we have created a virtual tour of our school, which I wanted to share with you. A big thank to our year 6 pupils for leading the film, pupils and staff around the school, and especially Jonny Snelling who created the film, supported by Ms Crosby. We hope you enjoy it!
http://www.clavering.essex.sch.uk/school/
Christmas Celebrations
Our Christmas celebrations this year will be a lot of fun for everyone, albeit slightly different. The Friends of Clavering are working with us to enhance our planning. Each class is producing a Christmas celebration that will be shared with you, the children will be watching a Christmas Panto, they will have a Christmas lunch and there will be the best decorated classroom bubble competition. Friends of Clavering are organising Santa’s boots, as they did last year, and after a lot of thought and planning we are still going to have our COVID safe Christmas Shopping morning in bubbles.
Christmas Cards
We are keen for children to be able to distribute Christmas cards if they wish, however, due to our COVID safety measures this can only be within bubbles, where they can be quarantined rigorously.
Parent Consultations
Parent Consultations will be taking place on Teams commencing Monday 30th November. You will have received an invitation to book your appointments via Parentmail and instructions on how to join the meeting on Teams. Please contact the school office if you have any queries.
SafeToNet
SafeToNet are offering 60-day free access to their safeguarding app to help support children with staying safe online. See information below.
Key Stage Two Parents (Years 3 – 6)
Parent Zone and Children in Need have developed ‘Ollee’, a digital friend to help children aged 8 to 11 with their emotional wellbeing. This is free and can be used as web based or as an app.
Introducing Ollee – a virtual friend (ParentZone/BBC Children In Need)
Ollee is a digital friend for children aged 8-11, created by Parent Zone and funded by BBC Children in Need’s A Million & Me initiative, which aims to make a difference to children’s emotional wellbeing.
It’s designed to help children reflect on how they feel and to process their experiences with the support and help of their parents and carers – and it does this by offering them advice about a range of subjects: school, family, friends, their body, the internet and the world.
For each of these subjects, children can choose an emotion that matches how they feel about it: happy, angry, sad, confused, frustrated, stressed or worried.
Next, they can choose from a list of topics – for instance, a child who was worried about school might be able to select ‘I haven’t done my homework’ as the cause of their worry. Finally, they’ll see a page of advice about the topic, presented in child-friendly bite-sized chunks they can read then or save for later.
You can more information and download the Ollee app here: https://parentzone.org.uk/Ollee
COVID updates
Many schools around us in West Essex, and in Essex overall, have had positive cases in school. The infection rate is high. It is vital therefore, that we continue to keep our measures as rigorous as possible to keep everyone safe in and around Clavering, the school open and the staff healthy to teach.
Schools that have had positive cases seemed to have had different symptoms to the three main ones that are nationally recognised and trigger the testing process. Until this list formally changes, please can we continue to keep children off school if they are unwell with any virus, including colds and headaches. If one of the symptoms is linked to the three listed – temperature, loss of taste/smell and repetitive cough, then you MUST get a test and inform the school immediately.
Alongside this, it is vitally important that we keep our protective measures as rigorous as they can be.
Please can we therefore continue to remind you:
- For any visitors to our site to wear a mask, including parents and teenagers dropping off and picking up. This is not mandatory but has been stressed as good practice by the Local Authority.
- To avoid talking to staff, but email or call the office instead.
- To refrain from meeting with other parents at drop off and pick up and ensure that the 2m distancing rule is followed at all times, including at the bottom of the drive where staff are working and members of the school community are walking passed.
- To keep to your drop off and pick up times to avoid congestion at key times
- To keep to our one way system -coming up the path and down the drive
- To keep younger children with you and not let them run ahead down the drive
- To get a COVID test if you have any of the three symptoms (below). It is vital that we all do this:
COVID Testing
Please inform us by a phone call if your child receives a positive test result during the school week. If you get the result at a weekend, please email the email address. We will be checking this inbox on a Saturday and Sunday. It is important to remember that if anyone in your household displays symptoms and/or gets a test, the whole family should self-isolate until a test result is received and the next piece of advice is given.
COVID symptoms and ACTION – a reminder
To confirm, children are to stay off school if they are unwell with any virus, unless mild. If they or a household member develops or has symptoms of a high temperature, persistent cough or loss of taste/smell then they must have a COVID test. Whilst waiting for the test results, household members must isolate. The class bubble does not have to at this stage but siblings in school do. Please keep the school informed if any of your household has any of the three symptoms and of any test results. It is vital we all work together on this to keep everyone safe.
Proactive Information for Parents – What Happens in the Event of a Positive Case within an Education Setting
The Local Authority has received some feedback from schools that some parents aren’t sure what would happen in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19 in an education setting and so they have provided some useful links: what happens if a child or someone they live with develops symptoms and one on what happens if there’s a case in the child’s bubble.
In line with our Covid protective measures, please can we remind you that we cannot have items brought in from home unless this is exceptional, has been pre-arranged and is part of a rigorous quarantine process. This includes gifts that the children want to give each other for birthdays.
School Admissions – Primary – Apply Now!!
To apply quickly and easily for primary school places go online to https://www.essex.gov.uk/admissions-to-essex-schools-for-the-next-school-year
Primary and junior school places for September 2021
From 9 November 2020 you can apply online for your child’s school place https://www.essex.gov.uk/apply-for-a-primary-school-place
You must submit an application by the national closing date of 15 January 2021. Applications received after this date are considered late and will reduce your chance of being offered a place at your preferred schools.
Free School Meals Funding
You can register for Free Schools Meals Funding if you meet the criteria below.
If you have a child in Key Stage One and are receiving the free meal, which is part of the universal offer, you could be missing out on this additional funding for the school, which will support your child with their learning, if you meet the criteria below. You have to apply for this funding. If you think you meet the criteria below then please follow the guidance below and contact the school office.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
Lost Property
Can parents please make sure jumpers and coats are named as we cannot keep lost property during this climate.
Mobile Phones
This is a gentle reminder not to use mobile phones whilst on the school site. This is part of our safe guarding policy for all of our children.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
30th November – 10th December Parent Consultations
18th December End of term
4th January INSET day – school closed to pupils
5th January Spring term begins
ACHIEVEMENTS
STAR OF THE WEEK
Week ending November 13th
Reception Barney – for his brilliant and careful letter formation
Year One Eve – for her determination
Year Two Joseph – for putting in a lot of effort in all areas of his work
Year Three Camden – for continuous hard work across all areas of the curriculum
Year Four Matilde V R – for fantastic headline writing
Year Five Olivia M – for excellent focus in class and great contributions to discussions
Year Six James – for his excellent focus in Maths this week
Week ending November 20th
Reception Thomas – for his brilliant independent writing
Year One Harry – for continued focus and working hard
Year Two George – for fantastic effort in phonics this week
Year Three Rowan – for working independently and challenging himself in Maths lessons
Year Four Amelie – for working hard independently to produce a great newspaper report
Year Five Maisie – for her thoughtful suggestions about being kind
Year Six Grace – for her confidence and enthusiasm in French
Have a good weekend and thank you for your support.
Rosalind Allsop
Headteacher
