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Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
All parents and carers have been emailed advice and guidance regarding Group A Streptococcus.
We would like to establish a hard federation between the North East and the North West Surrey Short Stay Schools with effect from the 1st January 2023.
The proposal is for the new federation to develop and further opportunities within the current education landscape to secure the long-term stability of both schools and enhance the quality of Alternative Provision across North Surrey.
Click to access consultation documentation.
The Everyone’s Invited movement has raised further awareness of incidents of sexual abuse and harassment involving students both in schools and universities. It has brought to the fore harrowing testimonies from students and worrying national statistics in relation to sexual abuse and harassment involving students. Published testimonies name schools right across the country and individuals from both historic and current student cohorts.
North West Surrey Short Stay School plays a crucial role in teaching pupils about sex and relationships, equality and diversity and modern citizenship. This is enacted through the school’s culture, its curriculum, and policies: Behaviour, Safeguarding, Anti-bullying, Relationships and Sex Education and Whistle Blowing.
North West Surrey Short Stay School recognises that we have a vital responsibility in tackling sexual violence and harassment and instilling good values in our students and their respect for one another. Like so much of education, our work must complement that undertaken by parents and carers so that young people receive a consistent message and people can go about their lives free from harassment and abuse.
North West Surrey Short Stay School will continue to engage with its students, listen to their concerns and signpost necessary support provision within and beyond our school. We ask that anyone who has experienced such behaviour, or who is suffering because of it, to report it to an appropriate adult in the school so they can be supported, and steps can be taken to address the issue.
4th January 2021
Dear Parents / Carers
Following the Prime Minister’s emergency announcement of a further lockdown in England, North West Surrey Short Stay School will be closed tomorrow for all students.
Your child’s tutor will be in contact with you during the day and all students should check their Google Classroom for work that will be set through the day.
Schools are to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend. It is stressed that schools, colleges and other educational establishments remain safe places for children but the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread, infect vulnerable individuals in wider society and overwhelm the NHS.
We are, therefore, being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children - children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home; this will happen from 6th January 2021.
The Government has stated that many parents whose work is critical may still be able to ensure their child is kept at home and that every child who can be safely cared for at home should be. Parents are asked to follow these key principles:
1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
3. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
If you are unable to keep your child at home and believe you fall into a critical worker group, please let us know via the phone call with your child’s tutor tomorrow.
Exams
With regards to external exams, the government have confirmed that external exams will not go ahead. As last year, the government will work with the education sector and Ofqual to ensure young people get the qualifications they need. As soon as we receive a further update we will be able to provide greater clarity on how students and young people will be awarded the examination results that they deserve.
We continue to navigate a turbulent and emotional time and I would like to thank everyone for their messages of support and encouragement. Please do contact your normal school contacts if you or your child need our support.
Home learning starts again
Following the Government’s recent announcement of a further three weeks of lockdown, home learning starts again. I know it’s always difficult to re-start a routine after any holiday but as a community, we must work together to support our students re-establishing their learning routine. Naturally, the school continues to be open to key worker and vulnerable children. If this provision is relevant to you, please contact the school via the school office. I will continue to keep you abreast of any changes in the Government’s advice and guidance.
Free School Meals
During this period, we are aware that the financial circumstances of many families may have changed and we would like to make you aware of Free School Meals provision. For the next two week period, eligible families have been provided with supermarket vouchers instead of a meal. This term I hope, after the initial problems around availability of the Government’s voucher scheme, that we move to the national voucher scheme.
Supporting home learning
I can imagine that home learning hasn’t always been easy for you and your children. There is no fixed formula in making it successful. Your key role at home is to support and encourage your children. The school continues to produce resources and send them home via the Royal Mail to ensure students are provided with a range of learning activities and styles.
For further resources, please check online the BBC Bitesize website, it is providing additional resources for home learning from yesterday. This can be found at https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize or you can try a new free online resource that has been produced by a national group of teachers (Oak National Academy) and this can be found at https://www.thenational.academy/
However, if you are struggling to access the online resources please contact the school office and the school will consider how else it can support your child’s learning.
Student Wellbeing
Staff are already in regular contact with you and your families and this form of communication will continue whilst home learning is in place. However, if your child needs to talk to someone at school about a serious matter, please encourage contact with Mrs Brown on 07706 957605.
I’m sure you’ll agree that at times like this it is more important than ever to follow reputable, standardised advice rather than relying on unverified posts from social media.
You will no doubt be aware of the following guidance to educational settings about COVID19.
To date this remains the most recent guidance. It links to useful posters and leaflets and also to the following guidance on ‘decontamination in non-healthcare settings’:
Of particular relevance is the guidance on laundry to be followed after someone has become unwell in a setting, but which could equally be used each day. There is no more specific guidance on this for everyday activities in educational settings, shops and other settings and again, this focusses on what to do after a suspected case:
Laundry
Elements of Facebook posts are particularly alarming, such as claims that after following this procedure “You should now be virus free”.
The people responsible for the national updates include experts such as virologists, public health epidemiologists and health protection professionals and these should be followed at all times. We would encourage everyone to be guarding against the dangers of sharing unverified information from social media.
The Department for Education and the Local Authority are encouraging schools to follow the Public Health England guidance regarding Coronavirus and to remain open. PHE advise that in most cases, even if there is a confirmed case within the school community, closure of the school is unnecessary. We can assure you that in this situation we would take further advice from PHE to ensure the right proportionate local decision.
It is important that we all do our best to ensure that our children’s education is disrupted as little as possible and as always, everyone should continue to promote good hand and respiratory hygiene:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze, then bin the tissue and wash your hands (or use a sanitiser gel).
• Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
Thank you for your cooperation and support.
As we approach the season where snow may be upon us, let me make you aware of our school closure procedure. If the school day is to be affected by adverse weather conditions, parents will receive a text message to confirm if school is open or closed. A second text message will be sent to confirm re-opening times. Information will also be posted on the school website and a notice provided to Eagle Radio. We will aim to give you as much notice as possible.
Do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.