Weekly Bulletin –18th September 2020
I hope you are all keeping well.
A home-school links sheet from your child’s class teacher has been shared. This details the ways in which you can support your child with their studies as well as informing you of the curriculum content to be covered during this half term in each subject area. I encourage you to read it and to use it as a basis for discussing with your child what they are learning about in school. Through working together in partnership, we will be able to achieve the very best for the children in the year ahead. Together with the staff, I look forward to working with you all.
I again thank parents for working with us to keep school as Covid-secure as possible. This is especially important given the continuing rise in cases and the restrictions imposed across the region yesterday. I would particularly encourage parents to leave the school site as soon as they have collected their children. This helps to prevents congestion and supports good social distancing. Please continue to refer to the guidance from Durham County Council found below relating to Covid-19. An additional helpful flow chart is included at the bottom of the bulletin.
Best wishes and stay safe
Covid-19 key messages from Durham County Council
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Good regular hand washing is one of the most important prevention and protective measures anyone can take. The more you do it and the better you do it, the more protected you are. The coronavirus is covered in fatty particles and these are attracted to soap particles and will attach themselves to the soap particles any chance they get. In turn, soap particles are more attracted to water molecules and attach to them. This means that as the soap and water are washed away down the sink, they take the virus with it. Remember to wash your hands after you blow your nose, sneeze or cough, before you eat or handle food and after using the toilet. Often used on the go, hand sanitizers containing alcohol can kill bacteria, viruses and germs by breaking down and dissolving their membrane and proteins. Hand sanitiser must have an alcohol content of 61% or more to be useful and is not a replacement for good handwashing.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Hands can pick up lots of dirt, bacteria and a whole host of other things in a short space of time. If your hands come into contact with a coronavirus infected surface, the virus will be transferred onto your hands. This will not infect you; the virus still needs to make its way into your body. The easiest way in is through your eyes, nose, and mouth. Keeping your hands off your eyes, nose, and mouth is another simple way to protect yourself. If you need to touch your face, wash your hands first.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin.
If someone is infected with Coronavirus, then the moisture in their breath and saliva will contain the virus. These droplets don’t travel very far which is why two metres social distancing rules are in place. However, when you cough or sneeze droplets from your mouth and nose can travel much further. To stop this from happening use a tissue to catch the droplets. The tissue will now be covered in germs so throw the tissue in a bin. If you don’t have a tissue use the crook of your arm. Remember to wash your hands after you blow your nose, sneeze or cough.
If you have a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a change in your sense of smell or taste, get a test.
Did you know that not everyone knows all the symptoms of Coronavirus? It’s important to know the symptoms, that way you can protect yourself and your family. Do you know them? They are; a new continuous cough, where you cough a lot for more than an hour, or have three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours; a high temperature, where your temperature is above 37.8ᵒC; or a change in your sense of smell or taste. Did you also know that if you, or someone you live with, has any of these symptoms the advice is stay at home to stop the risk of giving coronavirus to others, and arrange to get a coronavirus test. There are two ways to arrange a test – you can book a coronavirus test online or call 119 if you have no internet access.
If you have symptoms you must arrange a test and self-isolate.
As soon as you experience coronavirus symptoms, you should stay home and self-isolate for at least ten days. Anyone else in your household should also stay home and self-isolate for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. By doing this you will be automatically protecting your family and friends and the wider community. The virus needs to be passed between people for it to survive. Self-isolation stops any contact with others and limits the virus’ opportunity to pass between people. This is a very important step if we want to reduce the chances of spreading the virus and having a local outbreak like the one in Leicester leading to a local lockdown. You should arrange to get a coronavirus test. There are two ways to arrange a test – you can book a coronavirus test online or call 119 if you have no internet access.
If you test positive you must self-isolate.
If your test is positive you must complete the remainder of your ten day self-isolation. Anyone in your household should also complete their self-isolation for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. By doing this you will continue to protect your family and friends and the wider community from coronavirus. If you need help during this time and you don’t have friends, family or neighbours to help, we can put you in touch with organisations through the County Durham Community Hub who’ll be able to help you through this time. The most up-to-date information can be seen by following this link www.durham.gov.uk/covid19help Alternatively you can contact them by phone on 03000 260 260 between 9.00am until 5.00pm Monday to Friday or via email at firstname.lastname@example.org (If your test is negative, you and other household members no longer need to isolate).
If you are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace Service you must self-isolate.
If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus you will receive a call or text from the NHS Test and Trace Service. (Under 18’s will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue). You will be asked to begin self-isolation for up to 14 days, depending on when you last came into contact with the person who has tested positive. It’s really important to do this even if you don’t feel unwell, because it can take up to 14 days for the symptoms to develop. Remember we don’t want the virus to spread so although this may be disruptive for you, it is less disruptive than an outbreak of coronavirus and far less disruptive than a local lockdown. By doing this you will continue to protect your family and friends and the wider community from coronavirus.
Please ensure your child wears their PE Kit on the designated day:
R – Thursday
Y1 – Monday
Y2 – Wednesday
Y3 – Monday
Y4 – Friday
Y5 – Thursday
Y6 – Tuesday
Friends of Shincliffe School (FOSS)
Our FOSS team have, for a number of years, given excellent support to the school through various fundraising activities. These have included our annual Christmas and Summer Fairs, Christmas shopping evenings, termly school discos, science shows, craft activities, coffee afternoons and much more. The money raised has supported each and every child in school through funding for school trips, Christmas celebrations and equipment to name but a few. In these changed times, as we take measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, we are unable to have anyone other than pupils and staff on the school site. This clearly impacts on the way in which FOSS is able to operate. The committee members are keen to receive ideas from parents for virtual fundraising and to invite anyone who wishes to join the team. If you have any idea or would like to join the team, then please contact the School Office.
Caring for Our Community
I have been made aware of the concerns of some residents about the behaviour of some children in the park after school. There is a fear that some behaviour may cause hurt to others. I ask parents to carefully supervise their children.
Due to the staggering of lunchtimes in order to maintain class bubbles, it may not be possible for your child to have a school lunch if they have to go for an appointment over this time. On returning to school a child would be unable to join a different lunch sitting with a different bubble. Please avoid appointments during the school day where possible.
Online Safety Information
There are many positives associated with the Internet and children are increasingly using the Internet for both education and play.
As a school, we believe that online safety education is a crucial element of the curriculum and an essential part of young people’s development. To raise awareness of the issues that children and young people face online today, the school carries out many age appropriate activities, including participating in the ‘Safer Internet Day’ organised by the UK Safer Internet Centre as well as half termly e-safety lessons.
The UK Safer Internet Centre website contains information which is very useful for parents to support the work done in school and ensure that our children keep safe whilst using the ever-expanding growth of mobile technology.
The online safety section of our school website will provide you with links to really useful advice on how children can safely use the Internet together with some great tips on how to keep safe
- Please inform the school office if there are any changes to personal contact details – for example addresses, phone numbers or emergency contacts.
Current Year 6 Pupils procedure to apply for a Secondary School in 2021
The application process for the Secondary Admissions 2021 Intake is due to begin on Monday 14th September 2020. Parents can make their application for Secondary School online by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions and the School Admissions online application facility will be available to parents from Monday the 14th of September 2020. The Closing Date for Secondary School Applications is the 31st October 2020.
If parents do not wish to apply online they can complete a paper application form, and these are available to print from our website (same website address as above) from Monday the 14th September 2020. Alternatively these application forms can be requested by e-mail to email@example.com or by telephone from the School Admissions and Transport Team on 03000 265896.
Copies of the Parent’s guide “Primary and Secondary School Admissions in County Durham 2021/2022” will also be available from our website or on request from Monday the 14th September 2020. www.durham.gov.uk
Music Lessons with Durham Music Service – September 2020
Durham Music Service are delighted to offer year 4 children the opportunity to start learning a musical instrument this term. Instruments available are Violin with Mr Hartley and Brass (Trumpet, Cornet, Baritone, Trombone or French Horn) with Mr Senior.
Due to Covid-19, the process for signing up for lessons is done electronically. If you would like your child to start music lessons, please visit the Durham Music Service website and register your interest. This the link: https://www.durhammusic.org.uk/sign-up
The number of available spaces may be limited, so please register your interest as soon as possible. Durham Music Service have made stringent risk assessments allowing face to face lessons to proceed at present in an environment which is as safe as possible. Instruments are not shared and would be used in school on the day of your child’s lesson, and then brought home the same day.
Mr C Hartley (Upper Strings Teacher – Durham Music Service)
Mr C Senior (Brass teacher – Durham Music Service)
- A reminder that we are only able to administer prescribed medications at school once parents have completed the required consent form. All medication must be delivered to and collected from the office by an adult.
- Packed Lunch Children – please ensure your child’s packed lunch is NUT FREE as we have children in the school who have an allergy to nuts.
NHS Flu Immunisation Instructions
If your child is in Reception to Year 7 and you would like them to have the nasal flu spray then please visit the below to consent for your child (one for each child) to receive their flu vaccine in the autumn term 2020. This consent must be completed asap (and at least 2 days before we are due in your school) to ensure we can vaccinate your child when we are in school. Please note the consent form has been improved and simplified.
School Name: Shincliffe
This vaccination programme is in place to help protect your child against flu. Flu can be a very serious illness and sometimes causes major health complications particularly in children and the elderly. Vaccinating your child will also help protect more vulnerable friends and family by preventing the spread of flu. Please ensure you read and understand all the information by visiting https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/ before you complete the consent form.
While preventing the spread of Covid-19 and caring for those infected is a public health priority, it remains very important to maintain good coverage of immunisations, particularly in the childhood programme. In addition to protecting the individual, this will avoid outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases that could harm individuals and increase further the numbers of patients requiring health services.
Note: The nasal flu vaccine contains trace amounts of products derived from pigs (porcine gelatine). More information is available from www.nhs.uk/child-flu-FAQ
The vaccination is free and recommended for children and is given via a quick and simple spray up the nose.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the NHS Immunisation Team on: 03000 032554.
We are continuing to explore the value of creativity this half term with worship led in each class by teachers and children.
If you would like to receive a copy of the Weekly Bulletin by e-mail please e-mail the school. Shincliffece@durhamlearning.net
The Weekly Bulletins from previous weeks can be found in the parents’ section of the website.