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Dear Parents/Carers
It was lovely to have all the children back after the Easter Holidays. We are very lucky to work in a school where the children appear to be delighted to be back, a school where the staff are equally happy to see all the children. It really does feel like one big family.
SNAP PLAY SCHEME
Unfortunately, we are unable to run the summer play scheme this year. The play scheme has always relied heavily on a large number of volunteers. This year is the first year in a while that staff have been able to potentially go on holiday. As a result, it has been extremely difficult to gain the required number of volunteers we would need to run the play scheme. I apologise for the fact that this has had to be the case as I know how important the respite offered by the play scheme was for some parents.
SCHOOL DINNERS
The school hall is out of use until at least the end of this academic year. However, there is a concern that this may be the case for some of the Autumn Term as well. We are aware that it is not ideal that students are not getting a hot meal. A lot of our students are very particular about what they will and will not eat and offering a packed lunch, even if balanced, does not necessarily give students as broad or as balanced a diet as if they were having a hot meal.
We have trialled this week students eating a packed lunch in the classroom. The eating in the classroom has gone remarkably well, however a number of students are not eating lots of the packed lunch. We have therefore, in discussion with Barbara (school cook) looked at potential solutions to this. Our intention is to start serving hot dinners again from Monday 9th May. We will have to purchase special containers that will allow us to keep the food at the required temperature whilst it is being transported. If your child was previously on school dinners then we will presume that you will want them to go back onto hot dinners from Monday 9th May. If this is not the case could you inform school of your intentions.
I hope you all had a lovely Easter holidays and I look forward to the opportunity of potentially starting to see a lot of you face to face over the coming term.
Yours sincerely
Paul McLean
Paul McLean
Head Teacher
Kirkleatham Hall School
The café will be open on Wednesday April 13th 10am-12pm for a fun filled morning with Easter activities. There will be food and drinks available to purchase. We hope to see you there.
Due to the very high level of trespassing on the tracks by young people in our local area, Network Rail in partnership with the Learn Live News Channel are working to help raise awareness to students across the UK educating them about the dangers of the train tracks through interactive digital delivery.
We urgently need you to please share the relevant safety videos with your teachers to show in class or send the link to parents who can watch it at home.
The session is less than 15 minutes and explains why it is important to stay safe near the tracks.
Over 14 million students, parents and teachers from across the UK have watched these videos which has led to a significant decrease in the number of trespasses in their area through watching the latest rail safety videos.
Remember 15 mins can help save lives and provide important safety information to young people and their parents.
We have made things easier for you to watch the free safety videos by just entering the email railsafety@learnliveuk.com into the I am registered field when you first watch the videos.
Please click on the link below to view the relevant safety video:
Primary school version: Age 7- 11 (with subtitles)
https://learnliveuk.com/network-rail-primary-school-safety-talk/
https://learnliveuk.com/i-am-train-safe/
Secondary school version: Age 11-16 (revised version with subtitles)
https://learnliveuk.com/network-rail-secondary-school-safety-talk/
https://learnliveuk.com/i-am-train-safe/
Here are a couple of video testimonials from schools we have worked with over the past few months:-
You can find additional rail safety videos and resources for your school at https://switchedonrailsafety.co.uk/. Switched On is a new rail safety programme for 3-16 year olds that encourages young people to stay Switched On around the railway. On the website you will find a wide range of age targeted films, interactive games and classroom activities, Switched On teaches pupils to be aware of risky behaviour and develop hazard-spotting skills.
NHS
COVID VACCINE
Information for schools
The COVID-19 vaccination programme in schools in partnership with the School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS) is ending as we begin to administer the last of the vaccines ahead of the Easter holidays.
12 to 15-year-olds can also get their first or second dose outside of school by using the National Booking Service or one of the walk-in vaccination sites open to this age group.
Those who are more at risk from the virus or who live with someone who has a severely weakened immune system can get their second dose earlier, eight weeks after their first, and a further ‘booster’ dose from three months (91 days) after their second.
On 11 March, the National Booking Service opened to allow those at greatest risk from COVID, including those who are severely immunosuppressed and with underlying health conditions, to book their booster online.
Children in this age group who have had a severely weakened immune system can get a third primary dose from eight weeks after their second dose, then receive a booster from three months (91 days) later. These third primary doses for those eligible can make an appointment through local booking systems or get vaccinated through their local GP or hospital or home visit team as well as at some vaccination walk-in sites.
Vaccinating 5-11-year olds
On 16 February, the Government accepted advice from the JCVI to make a non-urgent offer of Covid-19 vaccines to all children aged five to 11, to increase protection against potential future waves of COVID-19.
The National Booking Service has opened and bookings for children aged 5 to 11 can now be made.
This will not be an in-school offer, except where SAIS providers are used to provide vaccinations in special educational needs (SEN) schools.
The number of clinics will increase towards Easter to support vaccination during school holidays when parents have more time.
The NHS is already vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 who are most at risk of Covid-19 or who are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed.
How to get an appointment
The National Booking Service (NBS) shows available appointments and there is also a site finder to locate vaccine walk-in centres which is updated regularly. This finder shows which doses are offered at each location and to which age groups.
Dear Parents/Carers
Once again, we have a large number of staff absence across school primarily due to co-vid. This is particularly bad within Early Years where both yellow and orange class have lost a large number of staff. Unlike before, we have the capacity to pull staff from across the school to support staff absences however even with the ability to do this we are still likely to have insufficient staffing across the school to support both classes being open. As a result of this, we have made the decision to close Orange class tomorrow (06/04/22) and Yellow class on Thursday (07/04/22). We will review staffing for Friday as staff are able to return to work once they feel well enough and are not having to isolate for a fixed period of time.
I apologise for the fact that these classes will not be open but unfortunately, there is not the level of staffing in school to ensure the safety of all the students within school.
I know these enforced closures put real strain on families and as a school, we really appreciate your support and understanding at this time.
Yours sincerely
Paul McLean
Paul McLean
Headteacher
Kirkleatham Hall School
Dear Parents/Carers
Church Service
On Tuesday 5th April it is our Easter service at St. Cuthbert’s Church. The service starts at 1:30pm. The service is being performed by our EYFS and primary departments. We are open to having a limited number of parents attend the service. Therefore, if you have a child in the EYFS or Primary phase and would like to attend you are more than welcome to. Unfortunately, we will not be offering refreshments after the service due to the inability to socially distance within our FE building. We would also ask that children go home as per a normal school day after the service has finished. With having building work going on at the front entrance of school and as we do not want people to congregate in the entrance foyer due to increased covid numbers it would make most sense for the children to come home on their usual transport. Could I ask all parents who are wanting to attend that they park round at the walled gardens, this is because we have been informed by the council to not park within the village itself.
School Dinners
After Easter, our school dinner hall will be closed to all students. This is due to the next phase of the building work taking place which will require this area to be locked to students at all times. We are therefore taking the unprecedented step of students eating their school dinners within their classrooms. As a result, where students will eat a packed lunch then this is what will be provided. Students who require softer food or those who are likely to refuse to eat a packed lunch will still be offered a hot option. We will be monitoring the children to ensure that all students are still getting an adequate meal at dinner time and if we have to offer more hot dinners going forward we will attempt to do this. If your child is on Free School Meals the cost of the packed lunch is still subsidised through this. If you would prefer to make your own packed lunch rather than receive a school packed lunch then please inform school ASAP so that food does not go to waste. If your child already has a packed lunch from home then there is no need to do anything differently.
Covid
New government guidance came out today stipulating that testing is no longer available. This is for PCR tests but also we can no longer receive or supply lateral flow tests. We are now in a position where we will be unable to diagnose new cases of Co-vid. This simplifies the situation in that, similar to any other disease or infection, if a child appears to be unwell we will send them home from school. Once they appear to be well enough and their symptoms have disappeared they are free to return to school.
This will also be true of staff. It is worth noting that this may in the initial instances cause a spike in the number of cases as people will inevitably be in school who are Covid positive. However on a plus note, the virus appears to be much less harmful than it was before and the amount of time people will be required to be absent from school will decrease. I would ask all parents that when their child is unwell that they do not send them into school.
Yours sincerely
Paul McLean
Paul McLean
Head Teacher