Head Teacher Blog: Friday 19th March 2021

Date: 19th Mar 2021 @ 2:02pm

We have managed to have a ‘normal’ week in school! It is such a pleasure to see the children working hard in class and hearing of the great work that is going on in school.

I haven’t shared what we have been up to in Collective Worship since before Christmas as you have been able to experience them for yourselves at home with the recorded versions during lockdown. This week we have been looking at The Parable of the Sower – a parable being a story that Jesus told with a special meaning. The story tells of a farmer who scattered seeds, they grow in different places and which ones grow best. Even though it appears to be about seeds, it is actually about us and how we ‘grow’ into good people listening to God’s word and growing good things in our hearts such as kindness, faithfulness, gentleness etc. and sharing these with others. We said that to be really good at these things, we need to practice them with each other and in doing so, we would be shining our lights before others. The children have been working on this and even though it is lovely to hear of the great academic work that is going on in school, it is also fantastic to hear about the great social aspects of the children’s relationships with each other.

School Uniform

Now that we are all back in school, please may I take this opportunity to remind everyone of our school uniform, as per our  School Uniform Policy, which can be accessed on our website via this link.

The key points that I would like to highlight are where our School Uniform Policy states:

• Light blue polo shirt
• Blue school sweatshirt or cardigan
• Grey skirt or trousers
• Sensible black shoes (not trainers) which are flat and offer support, Velcro fastenings are ideal
• Grey or white socks, navy or grey tights
• The school does not permit children to have haircuts that could serve as a distraction to other children or hair accessories that could also do so, such as large bows or headbands. All children should have their hair tied up, where it is of a length to be able to do so.
• On health and safety grounds, we do not allow children to wear jewellery in our school. The exceptions to this rule are earring studs in pierced ears and small objects of religious significance, such as a crucifix on a chain. We ask the children either to remove these during PE and games or to cover them with a plaster.

I appreciate that, with non-essential shops currently being closed, some things may be difficult to get hold of, but with them potentially re-opening during the Easter holiday, can I ask all parents and guardians to be mindful of the information above and be prepared for our return to school for the summer term. Many thanks.

Healthy Snack and Drink

Although the children do not need to have a snack in school for morning break, they are more than welcome to. Please may I ask you to ensure that your child comes with a healthy snack? We have quite a few children bringing chocolate bars for their snack or packets of sweets. Also, it is important that the children bring a water bottle with a drink everyday as our COVID restrictions mean that our water cooler is currently out of action. Please make sure that the bottle is refreshed with water daily, not juice or fizzy drinks. Again, many thanks.

Census 2021

We have been asked by Cheshire West and Chester to share the following information with our families about this year’s national census:

The census is a survey that happens every 10 years and gives us a picture of all the people and households in Wales and England.

The government, local councils, charities and many other organisations use census information to decide how to spend billions of pounds on services every year. This includes spending on transport, education and healthcare.  By taking part in the census, you’ll help make sure your community gets the services it needs.

To make sure money is spent where it’s most needed, it’s important that the census counts everyone.

You must complete the census by law. Look out for your pack in the post. It will show you how to complete your census questionnaire. There will be plenty of help for people who need it. Your answers are protected by law and will be kept confidential.

Find out more: www.census.gov.uk

National 2021 Census Contact Centre: 0800 141 2021

England NGT (text relay service) (18001) 0800 141 2021

Language helpline: 0800 587 2021

Cheshire West and Chester Council are operating a local Census Support Centre to provide advice and support for completing the census to local residents. The contact number is 0300 123 7728 and the opening hours are Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm.

#WakeUpWednesday

You might not know it – even if you have one – but most new smartphones include an array of emergency functions that could prove invaluable to you in a crisis. From sending notifications to specified contacts to connecting you rapidly with the emergency services, it’s no exaggeration to say that your phone could potentially save your life – or help you save someone else’s – in a matter of seconds.

This week, National Online Safety’s free #WakeUpWednesday guides outline how to use the SOS functionality on three of the most popular types of phone: iPhones, Samsung and Google. Find out how to make an emergency call with just five clicks of a button, how to notify first responders of essential medical information and how to automatically inform friends and family of your location.

Informing School of a Positive Result

Now that we are all back in school, please may I remind you that if any of your children have to take a COVID test and the result comes back positive, we need to know this at school as a matter of urgency, whether it is evenings or weekends, to enable us time to organise things in school and contact the relevant people. During school hours, please call the office on 01606 592608 – do not leave an answer phone message – please continue to ring until you speak to someone. If it is the evenings or weekends, please e mail your child’s name and class to positiveresult@overstjohns.cheshire.sch.uk This is for positive results in children only. If your child needs to isolate as a direct contact of someone in your household, childcare or support bubble who has tested positive, please e mail the normal admin@overstjohns.cheshire.sch.uk address.

Confirmed Dates for the Spring Term 2021

Thursday 1^st April: School closes for Easter with bubble closure times as follows:

Blakemere at 1:45pm

Linmere at 1:45pm

Oakmere at 1:50pm

Delamere at 1.55pm

Sandymere at 2pm

Hatchmere at 2.05pm

 

Have a lovely weekend,

Mrs E Snowdon

 

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