Working Together to Move Forward With HOPE

                         

Please find below the arrangements for drop off and collection for the start and end of school day.

The Whitby Heath Team

Year Group/Classes	Drop off/collection gate/door	Drop off time		Collection time
Reception – Oak class	EYFS gate on Clydesdale	8.45am – 9.00am	Gates will be closed at 9am – any child arriving after this time should be dropped off via the main school entrance	3.00pm
Reception - Elm class	Wyedale main entrance gate	8.45am – 9.00am		3.00pm
Key Stage 1 Year 1 – Beech and Ash classes	Car Park gate on Clydesdale	8.40am – 8.50am	Y1 and Y2 children arriving after 8.50am should be dropped off via the main school entrance as their teachers will be in class and they will not have access to Key Stage 1 via the main playground	2.55pm	Parents/carers waiting to collect Year 1 children should wait in the main car park area.
Year 2 – Fir and Cherry classes	Main playground	8.40am  - 8.50am		2.55pm	Enter and exit via Clydesdale or Wyedale gate after dropping off/collecting from main playground.
Key Stage 2 Year 3 – Rowan and Poplar classes Year 4 – Holly and Cedar classes Year 5 – Sycamore and Willow classes Year 6 – Birch and Maple classes	Main playground	8.50am – 9.00am	Gates will be closed at 9am – any child arriving after this time should be dropped off via the main school entrance	3.05pm	Enter and exit via Clydesdale or Wyedale gate after dropping off/collecting from main playground.

 

Reminders

Considerate Parking and Road Safety

Please be mindful of our local residents and other families dropping off and collecting from school and, wherever possible, walk to and from school. If it is necessary to drive, park away from the gate areas and not across local residents properties. Please also bear in mind our informal one-way system at drop off and collection times.

Uniform and Resources

All children will be expected to attend wearing school uniform each day (apart from on their timetabled PE days – your child’s class teacher will confirm their class’ PE days at the start of the new school year). The Uniform Shop on Overpool Road has an online shop at www.theuniformshopwebsite.co.uk or call 0151 345 4656.

Please ensure any school bag your child brings to school is of a suitable size to be stored safely in school; we ask that bags are not overly large.

Lunches and Snacks

We will be providing hot and cold lunch school meals from our school kitchen on a three week rota menu for those children who wish to have a school meal. All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will continue to be eligible for Universal Infant Free School Meals.

We ask that if your child is in Key Stage 2 (Year 3, 4, 5 or 6) and requires a school meal and is not eligible for Free School Meals, that payment is made via Parentpay. School Meals will be charged at £2.35 a day from September.

Attendance

We will continue to follow up any absences in the usual manner and we ask that you contact our school office by email or telephone if your child is absent for any reason or wish to discuss your child’s attendance with school staff. Guidance concerning holidays taken in school term time is clear - absence will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances. We are not able to grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. An exceptional circumstance is usually a one-off, unique situation that is of significant emotional, educational or spiritual value which outweighs the loss of teaching time. Please avoid booking holidays, appointments or visits during term-time. Please bear this guidance in mind when making bookings for any holidays. Please also be advised that where medical appointments must be taken during the school day, parents and carers will be asked to provide appointment letters for school records. 

Please find below information regarding services and support for families from our Local Authority.

The Whitby Heath Team

Some of the help available includes:

All the help available for families can be found on the ‘Useful resources and information for the school holidays’ webpage on the Council website:

Visit: Useful resources and information for the school holidays

Some of the help available includes:

 

The Welcome Network

The Welcome Network are commissioned by the Council to join up local community food offers. They have produced an interactive map showing where and how local food can be obtained in each area. For full details:

Visit: Interactive map on the Welcome Network website

 

The Council Tax Reduction Scheme

The Council Tax Reduction Scheme provides financial support for people who are on a low income and need help to pay their council tax. There is a discretionary fund alongside the main scheme.  

Visit: Council Tax Reduction

 

The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme

 

The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme is available to help people who receive Universal Credit or Housing Benefit where the amount awarded in benefits does not pay their full rent.  This scheme can help with the shortfall in some circumstances or can help people on benefits with rent in advance to secure a property.  

Visit: DHP

 

Homeless2Housed

Homeless2Housed is a short-term project in 2020/21 to provide support for people who are at risk of losing their home or to secure a property. They can sometimes help with rent arrears and rent in advance.

 

 Contact them initially by email on H2H@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

 

Test and Trace

Test and trace payments of £500 can be made when somebody who is working loses pay because they are told to isolate when they have Covid symptoms or they have been in contact with somebody with symptoms and are told to isolate by test and trace. From 8/3/21 parents who are unable to work from home can also apply if their child is required to isolate and they have caring responsibilities.

Visit: Test and Trace

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Summer 2021 Programme

Cheshire West and Chester Council is pleased to announce its holiday activity programme for the summer of 2021. Working with Edsential, Brio Leisure, The Welcome Network, Cheshire West Voluntary Action and other partner agencies we will utilise the Department for Education (DfE) Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) grant funding to deliver a full programme of food and activities for the summer holiday period.

The Holiday Activities and Food Programme enables children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) to access healthy food and take part in fun activities over the school holiday periods. The programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE).

The provision in Cheshire West for the summer will be split into four areas:

Edsential

Through Edsential over 40 organisations have been funded to deliver holiday provision across over 80 holiday activity clubs throughout the borough this summer. It is expected that these schools, community, voluntary and faith sector organisations will support over 3,000 children, young people and their families across Cheshire West and Chester, delivering:

• Healthy meals and snacks, along with family cooking sessions
• A variety of directly delivered physical activities, such as yoga, skateboarding, dance, inflatable play, and judo, making the most of our outdoor spaces
• Diverse enrichment activities, including arts and crafts, hairdressing, forest school, teddy bear picnics and much more.

A full list of the clubs taking place over the summer holidays will be available on the Edsential website from 12 July 2021: https://edsential.com/holidayactivityfund2021/

Youth Service

Enhanced provision provided by the Council’s Youth Service for children and young people aged 11 to 19yrs (up to 25 if SEND). Youth zones are open across the borough in targeted areas of need and all families of children and young people who are eligible for free school meals, will receive a breakfast and lunch hamper and activity pack full of activities and resources for things to do at home. Programme plans include:

• Ministry of Food – a four-week evening programme that explores food from around the world
• HAF Fun Days – a four week day time programme that promotes four themes, the sessions will include a healthy lunch, days out and a variety of exciting and engaging sessions, including sports, inflatables, looking after yourself pamper sessions, healthy cooking, graffiti sessions and, arts and crafts.
• HAF Life Skills Project – a four-week targeted project for referred young people, who could be in foster care, a social care leaver and/or considered to need support around leaving education and making heathy life choices.

For more information, please email: EHPChesterandRural@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Provision provided by SEND commissioned providers from the Council

Seven organisations have been funded to deliver SEND specific HAF provision including multi sports activity day, trampoline sessions, forest school activities, cycling provision, mindfulness, yoga, arts and crafts, science, and healthy eating.

For more information, please email: AimingHighForDisabledChildren@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Brio Leisure

Brio Leisure has received a grant fund to run a programme of activities from sites across the borough. The range of activities include activity fun sessions, crash swim courses, NPLQ lifeguard courses, sports camps, and free monthly memberships, all of which will include a nutritional lunch box. If you would like more information, please email: info@brioleisure.org

 

If you have an update regarding COVID19 symptoms or a test (positive or negative) out of school hours, please email help@whitbyheath.cheshire.sch.uk to ensure school is notified at the earliest opportunity.

As restrictions begin to ease across England from next week as part of the Government’s roadmap, there are new opportunities opening up to communities in terms of closer contact with others which is, I am sure, of great relief for us all.  

Whilst this is an important step in the right direction for everyone, it is important that we continue as a school to focus on keeping our school and bubbles open and minimising any risks of outbreaks in school.  

Schools nationally are required to follow guidance from the Department of Education (DfE) rather than the broader national guidance provided for the wider community.  The DfE guidance has not been adjusted or updated for primary schools, therefore, our risk assessment for COVID19 in school remains the same. 

Our local Public Health team have sent the following advice to schools this week:

‘The guidance continues to advise staff and visitors to wear face coverings when in communal areas of all school settings.  We are also supportive of continuing to advise parents to wear face coverings when dropping off and picking up their children outside school due to ongoing concerns about the inability to socially distance in some areas.’

 It is still, therefore, imperative that we maintain the protective measures we have in place as outlined below.   For now, we need to keep doing what we have all been doing and together we will continue to move forward with hope.  Thank you for your continued support with this.

Moving forward together with HOPE

Ways you can continue to help us all stay safe during the COVID19 pandemic

We continue to work closely with the local public health team to ensure we’re following the latest Government guidance in school. Although infection rates are now lower in the area, we can all play our part in continuing to help reduce transmission of the virus by following these simple measures:

 

·         Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water or hand sanitiser 

·         Wear a face covering when entering public indoor buildings or travelling on public transport 

·         Make space by keeping a two-metre distance from anyone outside your household, where possible 

·         Self-isolate with your household and get a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms by calling 119 or visiting nhs.uk/coronavirus.

·         Self-isolate for 10 days if you are a contact of a confirmed case

We know that the virus is easily transmitted from person to person so it’s important that everyone continues to play their part and follows these measures to help keep our community, friends, family and neighbours safe.  Pupils and families are also reminded to follow the COVID-19 safety measures we have in place at our school.

All adults to wear a face covering when visiting or entering the school premises including outdoor playground areas. 
·         Parents/carers to arrive and leave promptly when dropping off/collecting their child – please do not congregate and maintain social distancing this includes both before and after drop off and collection times and pavements next to and across the road from our school.

·         Only one parent/carer should come to school premises for drop-off and pick-up. 

·         Year 5 and 6 children with parent/carer permission to walk home alone are to avoid congregating outside school and mixing with children from our own or other schools and should go directly home. 

Please remember the importance of HANDS – FACE - SPACE

It is important that if you’re child or family member becomes unwell with any of the COVID-19 symptoms listed below that they get tested and you ensure your child does not attend school:

 a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal. 

Cheshire West and Chester Council Public Health Team have issued local advice to residents to book a COVID-19 PCR test if they experience any of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, muscle or body aches, fatigue, sore throat, headache, nasal congestion or runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting.  This advice is locally issued advice and there are currently no changes in national guidance on symptoms, therefore pupils can continue to attend school while waiting for their PCR test results unless they are not well enough.  Pupils do not need to self-isolate if they have any of the additional symptoms (unless these are alongside one of the three main COVID symptoms). 

PHE has advised that there are currently limited public health benefits to testing primary-aged pupils with lateral flow devices. In addition, primary-aged pupils, particularly younger children, may find the LFD testing process unpleasant and are unable to self-swab.  Parents and carers are advised that primary-aged pupils should only be tested if they are symptomatic.

If your child tests positive they should self-isolate and stay off school for 10 days. If the test comes back negative they can return to school if they no longer have symptoms and have been fever free for 48hrs.  All other people who have had close contact with them will need to self-isolate for 10 days.

Please notify us that your child is self-isolating with other household members, arrange for them to get tested and continue to self-isolate as a household until the result comes back.

If you have an update regarding COVID19 symptoms or a test (positive or negative) out of school hours, please email help@whitbyheath.cheshire.sch.uk to ensure school is notified at the earliest opportunity.

 

Local Community Support Initiatives - led by parents and carers from our school

Two local initiatives, set up by parents of children at our school, provide support for all families during these difficult times:
The Whitby Community Cupboard can be found on Facebook. https://m.facebook.com/whitbycommunitycupboard and was started by Louise Raby and Lucinda Golightly (both parents at our school) to help prevent food waste in the community. 

After finding there was a lot of surplus food after collecting and distributing from various organisations, they decided to offer it out into the community via their community cupboard.  Linking with local shops such as the Co-op and Tescos, they receive donated food that is close to sell by dates but is still useable to be shared with the community.

Donations from families are also welcome as anything donated that families aren’t able to use will be valuable for other families   
A small donation is requested where possible when members of the community come to shop via the community cupbaord; as little as £1 here and there helps them to continue to offer this service, all proceeds go directly to Whitby Community Cupboard. 

Gemma Fildes (also a parent of children at our school) has set up a FREE Whitby Heath uniform swap shop to enable families of Whitby Heath pupils to swap and pass on used uniforms that still have life in them.  Further information about this great initiative can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/256120535992355/
 

Cheshire West and Chester have provided signposting for families  for help and support during these difficult times for everyone:

Useful resources and information for famillies:

Healthy Start Vouchers

Are you eligible for these vouchers?  If you’re pregnant or have a child under 4, you could get Healthy Start vouchers to help buy some basic foods. This important means-tested scheme provides vouchers to spend with local retailers. Pregnant women and children over 1 and under 4 can get one £3.10 voucher per week. Children under 1 can get two £3.10 vouchers (£6.20) per week.  Terms and conditions apply.  To find out more visit: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

We know that times are extremely hard at the moment, the pandemic is putting strains on many families and residents within Cheshire West and Chester, and beyond. There is a wide range of support available to you as parents across the borough which can help you if you feel that you may need it. 

For further information or for support visit:

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/news-and-views/incidents/coronavirus-covid-19/how-to-get-help/how-to-get-help.aspx

The pages cover: Dedicated helpline for people who need support, Support and advice on council tax, Support for vulnerable people, Domestic abuse advice and support, Support for businesses and employers,  Coping with coronavirus, NHS bereavement advice and support, Test and Trace support payment.

Help in Emergencies for Local People (HELP)

The HELP scheme is a discretionary scheme offering local welfare assistance including: • support for exceptional needs • limited payments for emergency funding in a crisis • to help people moving out of care 

All awards are subject to a means test, which means we will look at your income and expenditure. This includes income that is available to you, including income we usually ignore when looking at your claim for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction. Funding will be made on a one-off basis and will be restricted to one award in any 12 month period. Normally awards will be restricted to provide help with food vouchers or recycled goods. For information on who can apply, and how you can apply, visit:

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/housing-benefit-council-tax/help.aspx

Employment and benefits support

If you are affected by coronavirus or its effect on the economy, there is a wide range of support available. The Understanding Universal Credit website provides information about the changes the government has brought in to support people who are already claiming benefits, need to claim benefits, or are at risk of losing their job as a result of coronavirus. To find information you need about Universal Credit and other benefits visit: https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/employment-and-benefits-support/

Benefits and Job Centre Plus Universal Credit (UC)

If you have any queries please use your UC journal to make contact, if you have a change in circumstances please report this on your home page. If you are unable to access your digital account, please contact 0800 328 5644. There may be a longer waiting time than usual on the telephony service as they are experiencing high call levels. Legacy benefits.

 If you claim Job seekers Allowance (JSA), Income Support (IS) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) please contact your relevant benefit on 0800 169 0310 if you have any queries. Please listen carefully as the options may have changed since you last rang. You can contact your local jobcentre by ringing 0800 169 0190 and you will be put through to/or a message passed to your local jobcentre. Jobcentres are limiting the number of people allowed in the offices during Covid-19 so please only attend a jobcentre if you have a booked face to face appointment or have no other way of contacting Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Local jobcentres can support with both ensuring you receive the correct benefit to support you whilst you are looking for work and if your circumstances mean you are currently unable to look for work. They can provide advice and sign posting to local support organisations. They work closely with both partners and providers to offer a range of training that is relevant to the local economy and is most likely to enable customers to gain skills to return to work.

Support with finding work

Jobhelp -The Department for Work and Pensions new website aimed at getting Britain back to work. The aim of the website is to highlight the range of support and advice on offer to help jobseekers find jobs, and employers get the people they need, all in one place. Jobhelp is a good place to start if you are looking for work. Their website provides a range of support:

https://jobhelp.campaign.gov.uk/

Money matters

The Live Well Cheshire West site provides a range of support for a range of different money related matters, including: • Budgeting, banking and managing money • Money and benefits • Paying for care • Grants and funds • Debt • Help in a crisis

Visit: https://livewell.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/Categories/3748

Citizens Advice Cheshire West

Free, impartial advice and information on a range of issues. Advice is independent and completely confidential. Information to help you make the right choices if you are in debt. Such as how to avoid losing your home and how to get your finances back into shape.

Help can include: • working out how much money you owe and the debts you should pay back first • budgeting your bills • getting a bank account • starting a pension • dealing with creditors • gambling advice and/or problems with tax

For further information visit:  https://www.citizensadvicecw.org.uk/debt-and-money 

or telephone: 03445 766111

(phone lines are open Monday-Friday 10am to 4pm.

Domestic Abuse

Some children and adults could be facing increased risks as we all asked to stay at home due to COVID-19.  It is important you know you're not alone.

The Council is continuing to work with other agencies to offer you support and encourage you to make contact when out on an essential trip (like shopping) to ask for help.

Open the Door signposts to local and national help, encouraging people to start a conversation about domestic abuse and bring it out from behind closed doors. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger call 999. 

For advice and support visit:

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/news-and-views/incidents/coronavirus-covid-19/how-to-get-help/domestic-abuse.aspx

Silent Solution 55

IF YOU NEED CALL 999 FROM A MOBILE

If making a sound would put you or someone else in danger and the operator cannot decide whether an emergency service is needed, your call will be transferred to the Silent Solution system. The Silent Solution is a police system to help people who are unable to speak, but who genuinely need police assistance. You will hear an automated police message, which lasts for 20 seconds and begins with ‘you are through to the police’. It will ask you to press 55 to be put through to police call management. 

Please see the attached Silent Solution 55 information sheet for further details.

Free School Meals

Free School Meals does not include Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) where all government funded schools offer free school meals to pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.   If your child was receiving UIFSM but you believe you may be eligible for Free School Meals please apply here https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/education-and-learning/school-meals.aspx

ParentPay

Thank you to everyone who has activated their ParentPay account. We now use this system to send out whole school letters via email and for payments for both dinners and activities.

 

If you do not have a bank account, payments can be made at any Pay Point outlet. If you require a Pay Point card, please contact the school office to request one.

‘Moving Forward Together With Hope’

 

Useful Internet Safety websites:

NSPCC - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GEN_-_Safety_-_[BMM]&utm_term=internet_safety&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI06eznY

jt5wIVC7DtCh18VQfWEAAYASAAEgKhyfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thinkyouknow - https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/ (advice from the National Crime Agency to stay safe online).

Internet Matters - https://www.internetmatters.org/

Parent Info - https://parentinfo.org/

ICON - Speak to someone if you need support such as your family, friends, Midwife, GP or Health Visitor about infant crying. Click on the ICON link to take you to the webpage.

 

Paper copies of any letters are available from the office upon request.

 

 

 

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