Linden Primary School eNewsletter

Dear Parents and Carers,

WOW! What a crazy start to 2021 and not the one any of us had hoped for. However, once again, our whole school community, children, parents/carers and staff, have risen to the challenges of another partial school closure. Thank you!

We are aware that this is a very challenging time for all of our families and trying to support your child(ren) with home learning whilst also working yourselves is no mean task. Thank you for your perseverance and patience over the last two weeks whilst we attempted to iron out any technical issues with the online platforms. Engagement with the home learning has been fantastic and I have especially loved joining in with the live review meetings and seeing how enthusiastic the children are.

You will find a wealth of information and signposts to support within this newsletter, but remember we are here to support you in any way possible.

Take care, stay safe and have a lovely weekend.

Lucy Collins

A reminder that if you have your child booked in for key worker/vulnerable children provision, please do let us know if your child is unable to attend for any reason. Additionally, a reminder that you need to ensure your child is still arriving promptly (before 9am) and pick up time is 3.15pm for all year groups.

We are still providing hot lunches for those that want them we are using the menu that was sent out in December's newsletter and can be found on the website and the SZapp.

Finally, a reminder that the positive COVID cases are increasing at an alarming rate across Gloucestershire. If you can keep your child at home, it is safer for them. We now know that the new variant of the virus has exceptionally high transmission rates. The government is clear that schools have been closed to help in the fight to reduce the transmission of the virus and to protect the NHS from being further overwhelmed.

The Government guidance released at the end of last week clearly states; Parents and carers who are critical workers should keep their children at home if they can.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

The Government guidance sets out who qualifies as 'Critical Workers/Key Workers' and these families are allowed to send their children into school, on the days they are at work. Nearly all schools (and certainly those within our geographical area) have found the number of children attending school has increased considerably since the first lockdown in March.

With infection rates (and COVID related deaths) at an all-time high, I would ask that all parents continue to carefully consider if their child needs to be in school at this time. We realise that schooling from home is very difficult and balancing that with work commitments is even more challenging. Our Remote Learning offer has increased and developed since the first lockdown in March and this should help support learning at home.

The Keyworker Provision bookings will reopen on 19th January at 9am (Details are on the SZapp). Please only send your child to school on the days where it is absolutely essential to enable us to keep our school bubbles small and the risk of infection low, both here and in the community.

We would like to thank all that have engaged with the remote learning provision so far and supported us as we have developed our approach. It has been a steep learning curve for many of us but engagement has gone from strength to strength. Since we started with Microsoft Teams last week, we have had over 360 active users, more than 50 live sessions and over 3000 submitted assignments! It is really important that children continue to engage with the online learning and join us as much as possible for the live sessions. If you need further support with Remote Learning, please visit our website page www.lindenprimary.co.uk/remote-learning

School

Home

Reception

Dev Patel

Settling well into our new environment and engaging with his friends.

Olivia Kingscote

For all her hard work and challenges she has been doing this week.

Year 1

Harrison Ryan-Fawlk

Fantastic effort in all learning this week and persevering in lesson challenges.

Oliver Gasson

Really focused during our meetings this and has listened carefully to the adults’ instructions

Year 2

Kyzah Black

Being a superstar, engaging and putting a lot of effort in every day.

Noah Douglas

Trying really hard to hand in all pieces of work and attending our meetings and listening really well.

Year 3

Darcey Matthews

Being a fantastic, positive role model in class.

Renee Gasson

For completing all assignments and having her hand up constantly to answer in a live meeting.

Year 4

Sienna Herbert

Consistently going over and above with ‘ready, respectful and safe’.

Rhys Evans

100% in his assignments.

Year 5

Nile Patterson

Fantastic attitude to learning this week.

Kasim Babar

Persevered well if he can’t find things and engaged well with the live chats.

Year 6

Brandon Harris

Exemplary attitude towards learning.

Harry Williamson & Elizabeth Jones

Excellent engagement across the curriculum.

Please see attached an application form for the COVID-19 Children’s Fund from Gloucestershire County Council. The Children’s Fund is to support vulnerable children, young people and their families during the challenging and unprecedented times of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Eligibility

To access support from this fund you must be or have one or more of the following criteria from each heading at the top of the form – Section A, B and C. To ensure you are able to get the support you need please send a photograph to show proof of your eligibility with the completed application form to the following e-mail: [email protected]

If you are unclear of what to evidence to send, or require help completing the form please let the school know. The school is also able to provide a supporting statement for your form, please contact school via the admin e-mail if you would like a supporting statement. If you have a social worker, they are able to provide a supporting statement for you.

Children's Fund Application Form

Increasing data allowances on mobile devices to support children learning at home:

The Government has announced that schools can now request help to increase mobile data allowances for children and young people who meet the following three criteria:

• Do not have fixed broadband at home
• Cannot afford additional data for their devices
• Are experiencing disruption to their face-to-face education

These will be provided by the Department for Education at the request of the child’s school.

The scheme temporarily increases data allowances for mobile phone users on the following networks:

• Three
• SMARTY
• Virgin Mobile
• EE
• Tesco Mobile
• Sky Mobile
• O2

If you meet all three eligibility criteria (in the bullet points above), please email the Deputy Head Teacher via the office e-mail address [email protected] with the subject FAO Mrs Sasha Davidson – data allowance and with the following information:

the name of the account holder and your phone number
the mobile network of that device (for example Three)
Whether you are a mobile contract, or Pay-as-you-go
Your child’s name

School can then make an application on your behalf. If successful, your network provider will send you a text message to confirm. (Please note, we have had no information provided on how long this will take).

In the event that additional mobile data isn’t suitable for your family, there is a further option for a 4G wireless router to be provided. To access this please email [email protected] with the subject FAO Mrs Sasha Davidson – 4G wireless router setting out why this is the best option for your family, your name and your child’s name, and this will be requested on your behalf.

Please see below a Privacy Statement provided by the Department for Education, which they need to provide as they are asking for your personal information to be sent to them. These details are needed so that extra data can be requested from your provider on your behalf.

Privacy statement
1. For the purposes of data protection, I need to let you know that the Department for Education (DfE) is running the Mobile Network Offer through schools and their trusts or local authorities.
2. If the offer is taken up by an adult account holder, the school or social care team will share the account holder’s name and mobile phone details with the DfE, who will share these with the relevant mobile network operator.
3. The mobile network operator will use that information to increase the data available for the account holder’s mobile device, as long as they qualify for the offer.
4. The adult account holder’s personal data is only shared with their mobile network operator for the purposes of the offer. No names of children or other adults, other than adult account holder, are shared with the DfE or the mobile network operator.
5. No personal information will be shared with the DfE if you do not want to take up the offer.
6. If you want to know more about how your personal information will be used before you take up the offer, we can send that to you first.
7. If you decide to take up the offer, you’ll get a text message from the Department for Education with more information about your data protection rights.

Account holders with monthly contracts need to be over the age of 18.

TIC (Teens in Crisis) have launched a new, anonymous 1:1 drop-in service for children and young people aged 9 – 21 years living in Gloucestershire.

The new tic+ chat service (pronounced tic chat) is for young people who need someone to talk to. It is funded by Gloucestershire County Council and is commissioned jointly with the CCG for the next 12 months.

No appointment is necessary and the service can be accessed by calling: 0300 303 8080 or via online text chat at the tic+ website: https://ticplus.org.uk/ between the hours of 5pm-9pm Sunday to Thursday.

Please see the attached flyer - there are still spaces for the Yoga and Guided Mediation Course which starts next week.

Yoga Guided Meditation For Parents

Finding Peace in a Frantic World
An 8 week course for those that are struggling to keep up with the relentless demands of the modern world. Based on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), learn to meet the worst that life throws at you with renewed courage and find stillness to improve your mental wellbeing. Recommended by the UK’s National institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

20th January – 17th March, 11:30am – 12:50pm

For further information or to book a place, please contact [email protected] / 07825 424319

Relax and Recharge
Through the practice of techniques from different cultures, we will explore ways to balance the internal energy system of the mind and body. We will also look at how and why blockages occur and how to release them, to reduce stress and relax.

15th February – 8th March, 10:30am – 12:30pm

For further information or to book a place, please contact Michelle on 07920 363116

Gateway to your Future
Is your job at risk or have you recently been made redundant? Or just worried about your future work prospects? Join this online workshop and work with a qualified career and employability specialist. Find out how your interests, aspirations and skills can lead you to a new career, discover future opportunities in learning and work, and access live job vacancies from thousands of employers.

This one day workshop is running on 25th January and 24th February, 9:30am – 2:30 pm (lunch break from 12-1pm).

For further information or to book a place, please contact [email protected] / 01452 583882

More information will follow about these dates

New dates added
Friday 26^th February 2021	Wraparound Care Logo competition closes

School Terms, dates and holidays for 2020-2021
Monday 15^th February – Friday 19^th February 2021	Half term break
Monday 22^nd February 2021	New term starts
Friday 26^th February 2021	Wraparound Care Logo competition closes
Wednesday 31^st March – Friday 16^th April 2021	Easter Break
Thursday 1^st April 2021	INSET day: school closed for pupils
Monday 19^th April 2021	New term starts
Monday 3^rd May 2021	Mayday Bank Holiday
Thursday 27^th May 2021	School photographs
Monday 31^st May – Friday 4^th June 2021	May Bank Holiday & half term break
Monday 7^th June 2021	New term starts
Monday 21^st June – Friday 25^th June 2021	Year 5 Bikeability Cycle Training Scheme
Tuesday 20^th July 2021	Last day of school for pupils
Wednesday 21^st July 2021	INSET day: school closed for pupils

More information will follow about these dates