Over St. John's CE Primary SchoolHead Teacher Blog: Friday 11th March 2022
Date: 11th Mar 2022 @ 10:22am
I would like to start my blog this week with a huge thank you. You may have seen a post on Winsford Community Forum’s Facebook page earlier this week with regards to some ‘visitors’ that we had in Hatchmere’s outdoor area on Monday evening. This happens on quite a regular basis (we had more ‘visitors’ last night) and we got to the point on Tuesday where we had had enough. Since then, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support and generosity of our school community and the wider Winsford community. It is very sad to think that there are people in our community who feel that they have nothing better to do other than spoil things for our young children, but to know that they are in the absolute minority and there are many, many, many more people who want to see our young children get the best that they can is truly heart-warming and lives out our school Christian vision of ‘Let your light shine before others.’
From the bottom or our hearts, thank you.
You may have noticed a new voice on the phone when you have called school or seen somebody different when you have come to the office. I am so pleased to be able to welcome Miss Howley to school who will be providing maternity cover for Mrs Rutherford when she goes on maternity leave at the end of next week. Miss Howley joined us on Monday to ensure a smooth transition in the office and she has fitted in perfectly. I know that everyone in our school community will make her feel welcome.
Information for parents and carers on COVID-19 vaccination for at risk 5 to 11 year olds
We have been asked to share the following information from the Department for Education:
Children aged 5 to 11 years who are in a clinical risk group or who live with someone who is immunosuppressed can get the COVID-19 vaccine, in line with advice set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Eligible children include those with diabetes, immunosuppression, learning disabilities, and other conditions as outlined by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in the Green Book.
Vaccinations help to increase protection against COVID-19, which is particularly important for those with underlying health conditions.
Further information is available in the guide for parents of children aged 5 to 11 years published by UKHSA. We have published some frequently asked questions on the vaccination programme including information on eligibility, accessibility and advice for parents of children at high risk from COVID-19. Following advice from the JCVI, healthy 5 to 11 year old children will also be offered two 10 microgram doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The NHS will prepare to extend this non-urgent offer to all children during April.
Monster Phonics
For those children in Reception and Year 1, you may or may not be aware that we use the Monster Phonics scheme to help to teach our children the early reading skills. Monster Phonics are holding a short webinar for you to watch – no participation necessary! – to help you understand the teaching of phonics. It could also be really useful to help you support your children to read in Year 2 and lower Key Stage 2. Their information says:
Do you know your phonemes, from your split-diagraphs from your graphemes…?
Learning English is complicated. Furthermore, many children find phonics confusing; with 144 ways of spelling 44 sounds, this is hardly a surprise.
Parents are told helping their children at home is critical to advance their progress, yet no-one helps parents understand Phonics. We’re then thrown into a world of phonemes, Fred in your head, graphemes, split-diagraphs etc etc…..!!!
This webinar will guide you to better understand the systematic teaching of phonics – how your child learns to read and spell. It will give examples of how to use Monster Phonics to accelerate learning for your child. It will provide you with fun and engaging strategies to improve reading and spelling.
Follow this link to book yourself a place on the free Monster Phonics half hour session on Thursday 17th March 2022 at 8pm.
If you are unable to make the webinar, please do follow the link anyway and have a look at some of the videos that are on there to give you an idea of Monster Phonics.
#WakeUpWednesday
With an estimated user-base of 50 million, Yubo (previously known as Yellow) might be the biggest social media platform you’ve never heard of. Unless, of course, you caught last month’s Sunday Times investigation – in which an undercover journalist posed as a 15-year-old girl on the app, receiving requests for hook-ups, demands for nude images and threats of sexual violence.
As if that were not alarming enough, Yubo also enables strangers to watch children’s live video streams – while granting the app access to their device’s GPS tracker reveals a young person’s exact location. This week’s National Online Safety’s #WakeUpWednesday guide has a thorough breakdown of everything that trusted adults ought to know about Yubo.
School Dinners
School dinners cost £2.34 per day, £11.70 per week. Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 receive free meals as part of the government’s Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) scheme. Dinner money must be paid in advance via School Spider.
If you are in receipt of benefits and think that you may be entitled to free school meals, please click here for more information and support and how to apply. It is very important to apply for free school meals whatever year your child is in, even if you receive the UIFSM in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, as the school receives a sum of extra money to further help support your child and their education.
Absence during Term Time
Please may I remind you that schools are not allowed to authorise pupil holidays in term time. Any child going on holiday in term time will receive an unauthorised absence. Our registers are regularly checked by the Education Welfare Service and parents may be issued with a fine from the Local Authority for unauthorised absence, which is currently £60 per child, per parent and this rises to £120 if paid after 21 days but within 28 days.
Confirmed Dates for the Spring Term 2022 – new dates highlighted
Thursday 17th March: Monster Phonics Webinar at 8pm Click here to book a free place.
Wednesday 30th March: Write With Me webinar 7pm – 8pm
Friday 1st April: Easter Service at 9.15am
Friday 1st April: School closes at 2pm
Have a lovely weekend.
Take care,
Mrs E Snowdon