Friday 22 October 2021 will be a non-uniform day. We would like to encourage the children to wear an item of red clothing in support of Show Racism The Red Card’s ‘Wear Red Day 2021’. We will not be asking for a donation but should anyone wish to find out more about the work of the UK’s largest anti-racism educational charity please follow the link below:

https://www.theredcard.org/

Three resources to help your family manage online safety 

Young people now more than ever are spending a lot of time online. From online lessons and homework to gaming and spending time with their friends, there are a range of ways that young people occupy their time whether on a phone, tablet, games console or computer.

Childnet’s Parent and Carers Toolkit is filled with quick, easy and practical things you can do to help protect your children on the internet. It includes help with how to talk to your child about how they spend their time online and how to communicate key online safety messages. The Toolkit is straightforward, easy to use and includes links to more detailed and specific information and support if you need it.

 Mental health and wellbeing website for the North East and North Cumbria launched

The Signpost North East and North Cumbria website has been developed by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System, and funded by the North East Mental health Clinical Network.

The aim of the Signpost North East and North Cumbria (NENC) website is to be one easy-to-navigate ‘hub’, where people can find all the information they need to look after their wellbeing. Access to good information is vital to removing the barriers that can get in the way of good mental health.

https://www.signpostnenc.co.uk/

Please see below for the latest advice from Durham County Council:

How to stop coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading  

There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with coronavirus (COVID-19):

• get vaccinated – everyone aged 16 and over can book COVID-19 vaccination appointments now
• wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
• meet people outside and avoid crowded areas
• open doors and windows to let in fresh air if meeting people inside
• wear a face covering when it’s hard to stay away from other people – particularly indoors or in crowded places
• participate in twice weekly LFD testing following national guidelines (recommended for 11 years and over). We encourage you to log your results here: https://www.gov.uk/log-test-site-covid19-results

What to do if your child develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) or tests positive for COVID-19

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of:

• new continuous cough and/or
• high temperature and/or
• a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

If your child does develop symptoms, they should get a PCR test and remain at home at least until the result is known. Get a free PCR test to check if you have coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). If positive, the child should isolate until at least 10 days after their symptoms appeared.

If you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://111.nhs.uk/ or by phoning 111.

If your child has a positive test result but does not have symptoms they should stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days from the date the positive test was taken. This isolation period will be extended if they go on to develop symptoms by counting 10 full days from the day following their symptom onset

Instructions for people who live in the same household as someone with COVID-19

From 16 August, you will not be required to self-isolate if you are a contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and any of the following apply:

• you are fully vaccinated (with an MHRA approved COVID-19 vaccine in the UK, and at least 14 days have passed since you received the vaccine.
• you are below the age of 18 years 6 months
• you have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial
• you are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons

NHS Test and Trace will contact you to let you know that you have been identified as a contact and check whether you are legally required to self-isolate. Even if you do not have symptoms, you will be advised to have a PCR test as soon as possible.

Even if you are vaccinated, you can still be infected with COVID-19 and pass it on to others. If you are identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 but you are not required to self-isolate, you can help protect others by

• limiting close contact with other people outside your household, especially in enclosed spaces
• wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces and where you are unable to maintain social distancing
• limiting contact with anyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable
• taking part in regular LFD testing

You should follow this advice while the person in your household with COVID-19 is self-isolating. Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable should be supported to minimise their contact with other people in the household during this period, regardless of whether others have symptoms or not.

You may be eligible for a Test and Trace Support Payment, for more information please see: www.gov.uk/test-and-trace-support-payment

Help, support, and further information.

To help you comply with the requirement to self-isolate, the County Durham Together Community Hub can provide access to essential supplies, financial support and emotional support as well as other services. Please visit durham.gov.uk/covid19help or call the Community Hub on 03000 260260 for further details.

There is also support available in the coronavirus section via durhamlocate.org.uk

Useful Websites

www.gov.uk/coronavirus

www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

www.durham.gov.uk/coronavirus

www.durham.gov.uk/covid19help

www.durhamlocate.org.uk

Will your child turn 5 between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023? If so, please see the poster below for further information about applying for a school place. Please pass this message on to anyone who may find it useful.

2022 Poster

Dear Parents

I hope you have all had a lovely summer break.

We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday 2 September 2021 when school reopens for the new school year. Having reviewed our risk assessment in light of the most recent government and local authority guidance, I am pleased to be able to let you know that we are aiming to return to some semblance of normality this academic year. Please note the following points:

DROP OFF AND PICK UP

We will no longer have staggered start and finish times. All children are to arrive at school between 8:45am and 8:55am, entering via the side gate. We request that parents of children in Classes 3 and 4 leave the children at the pedestrian gate in order to reduce congestion on site. Class teachers will be waiting to greet the children and they will filter directly into classrooms to wash their hands. At the end of the day, the side gate will be opened at 3:15pm and parents will be able to walk round to the playground at the rear of building and collect their children directly from their classrooms. If more than one child is being collected, please collect the younger child/children first.

MIXING AND ‘BUBBLES’

It will no longer be necessary to keep the children in consistent groups (‘bubbles’). This means that children from different classes can play together at playtimes and there will be no need for staggered lunchtimes. We will also be able to return to having whole school assemblies once again.

TRACING CLOSE CONTACTS AND ISOLATION

Close contacts will now be identified via NHS Test and Trace and education settings will no longer be expected to undertake contact tracing.

As with positive cases in any other setting, NHS Test and Trace will work with the positive case and/or their parent to identify close contacts. Contacts from a school setting will only be traced by NHS Test and Trace where the positive case and/or their parent specifically identifies the individual as being a close contact. This is likely to be a small number of individuals who would be most at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of the close contact. Schools may be contacted in exceptional cases to help with identifying close contacts, as currently happens in managing other infectious diseases.

Individuals are not required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, and any of the following apply:

• they are fully vaccinated
• they are below the age of 18 years and 6 months
• they have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial
• they are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons

Instead, they will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, informed they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test. We would encourage all individuals to take a PCR test if advised to do so.

Staff who do not need to isolate, and children and young people aged under 18 years 6 months who usually attend school, and have been identified as a close contact, should continue to attend school as normal.

FACE COVERINGS

The government has removed the requirement to wear face coverings in law but expects and recommends that they are worn in enclosed and crowded spaces where you may come into contact with people you don’t normally meet.

CONTROL MEASURES

We will ensure that the following control measures continue to be in place:

• Ensuring good hygiene for everyone.
• Maintaining appropriate cleaning regimes.
• Keeping occupied spaces well ventilated.
• Following public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19.

STEPPING MEASURES UP AND DOWN

Our contingency plans (sometimes called outbreak management plans) cover the possibility that in some local areas it may become necessary to reintroduce ‘bubbles’ for a temporary period, to reduce mixing between groups.

BREAKFAST CLUB

Breakfast club will start again on Thursday 2 September 2021 at 8:00am. It is open to all children from YR-Y6 at a cost of £2 per day (discounts are available for families) – there is no need to book in advance.

PE LESSONS

No PE lessons will be taking place this week. More information will be provided by class teachers in their forthcoming class newsletters.

Take care and stay safe.

Mr Kirtley (Headteacher)

Please see below for further information about this event:

Poster – Benching

Please see the information below about Learning Together summer activities in Spennymoor and Tudhoe:

Learning Together summer activities

Emotional Health and Resilience Team
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust