Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• New classes from September

  Tue 07 Jul 2020
  

• September 2020

  Tue 07 Jul 2020

  September start times

   

  Year 6: 8.30am - 3.25pm

   

  Year 5: 8.35am - 3.20pm

   

  Year 4: 8.40am - 3.15pm

   

  Year 3: 8.45am - 3.10pm

   

  Year 2: 8.50am - 3.05pm

   

  Year 1: 8.55am - 3.00pm

• Advice to help support pupils

  Mon 18 May 2020

  What can I do to help my child when the Corona Virus (Covid 19) is causing anxieties?

   

  Currently the nation is experiencing a situation we have not seen before. It is causing us all to change our normal routines and is causing many children with autism anxieties. These anxieties may be because of:

  • Change of routines- schools may be closed, family members may not be visiting, having to stay in and not do our usual activities

  • News stories, social media posts are heightening anxieties with stories of illnesses, deaths, closures, cancellations and lots of uncertainty

  • Supermarket shortages may mean we cannot access the normal supplies our children may prefer

  • Personal Hygiene changes may be causing sensory sensitivities which a child may not like, or their anxieties may be causing them to over wash 10 Top Tips to Help Your Child 1. Talk to them about what they understand- this would be a good time to check the internet on the facts with them as the information is changing daily.

   

  Talk to them about what it is, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ is being updated daily.

  Be aware of websites that may not be factually correct.

  There are videos to explain to young children what it is on BBC Newsround. https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51887051

  2. Turn off the News on the TV in front of your child, and Limit access to social mediaThere is lots of speculation on these media forms which can cause high anxiety. Limit internet access for your child and avoid uncertain conversations in front of them. Follow number 1 guidelines on the information your child is accessing.

  3. Teach Hygiene- Schools have been teaching all children good hygiene to protect everyone from Covid 19. As parents we can do this at home too. Below is a social story which can help children with autism to understand the virus and how children can help themselves

  4. Provide Predictability/structure and routines- Children with autism need lots of predictability, structure and routines. Visual timetables (pictures, checklist, symbols), diaries or calendars can help with this. Discuss with your child each morning what is going to happen that day, who they are going to be with, what activities they can do and when.

  5. Keep them busy with fun activities- use this time to do some fun activities at home that you may not normally have the time to do. Teaching some life skills- cooking, get them to help with housework, reading, etc. Check with your child’s school of websites that can be used for fun learning activities, home work or other learning options.

  6. Teach calming strategies- many children with autism struggle to self-regulate and relax. Explore different options to help to reduce anxieties- yoga, breathing exercises, relaxing music, sensory games, meditation, video clips. Every child is different, and you know your child best. There are a selection of You Tube clips on many activities, but remember to check them out yourself first before showing your child.

  7. Reassure them

  8. Keep it simple and factual- avoid using too much language, and terms your child may not understand.

  9. Food Limitations- with supermarket shortages you may not be able to buy a good stock of your child’s food options. It would be good to have a daily/weekly menu which you discuss with your child daily/weekly by giving the options that you know you have or can get easily. 10. Call/Video call/ or write to relatives- If your child is missing a favourite person or worried about a relative, explore ways to keep in touch to reassure your child they are ok. Social Story example Timetable Example Useful Websites • National Autistic Society – guidance and helpline for parents’, young people and staff: https://www.autism.org.uk/services/nasschools/vanguard/news/2020/march/coronavirus-(covid-19)-advice.aspx

  • Mencap - Easy Read guide to Coronavirus: https://www.mencap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020- 03/Information%20about%20Coronavirus%20ER%20SS2.pdf

  • Place2Be – Guide to helping parents answer questions from their children and to support family wellbeing: https://www.place2be.org.uk/about-us/news-andblogs/2020/march/coronavirus-information-for-children/

  • Young Minds - Talking to your child about Coronavirus and 10 tips from their Parents Helpline to support family wellbeing: https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/

  • Carers UK - Guidance for carers: https://www.carersuk.org/help-andadvice/health/looking-after-your-health/coronavirus-covid-19

  • Covibook – an interactive resource designed to support and reassure children aged 7 and under, designed to help children explain and draw the emotions that they might be experiencing during the pandemic: https://www.mindheart.co/descargables

  • Amaze - information pack for parents https://amazesussex.org.uk/faqs-aboutthe-coronavirus-for-parent-carers-of-children-with-send-brighton-hove/

• School's response to Government announcement

  Tue 12 May 2020
  See letters home within the News and Events for the school's response to the Government announcement to open schools in June 2020.

• Learning links

  Wed 29 Apr 2020

  Remember the individual year group home learning activities are being produced weekly.

   

  Found under Children, Class Pages.

   

  We also have a dedicated school you tube channel full of a range of activities from cooking, PE and some just to make our pupils smile.

   

  https://youtu.be/uEarAx7J5J8

   

• Need somebody to talk to?

  Tue 28 Apr 2020
  Look at the offer available from Pause Birmingham

  

• Keeping Children Safe Online

  Thu 09 Apr 2020

  With pupils at home, and no doubt the increase in use of technology, it has never been more important to teach pupils about online safety.

   

  https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/Support-tools/home-activity-worksheets/

   

  The thinkuknow team (website link above) are creating weekly packs to support parents.

• Copy of letter from Governemnt for SEND parent/carers

  Wed 08 Apr 2020

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families 
  Sanctuary Buildings 20 Great Smith Street Westminster London SW1P 3BT tel: 0370 000 2288  www.education.gov.uk/help/contactus 
   
  24 March 2020 
  Dear colleagues,  
   
  This is an open letter distributed through as many of our partner organisations as possible. I would be grateful if you could circulate it as widely as possible to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), their parents/carers and families, and all others who support them.  
   
  This is an unprecedented, uncertain and testing time for all of us due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It is particularly challenging for children and young people with SEND, their families, and those who work tirelessly to support and care for them.  
   
  This is why, over the past week, we have made announcements and issued guidance about how we will meet the needs of children and young people with SEND during this challenging time. As the Minister responsible for SEND, I wanted to write to let you know that we are committed to doing everything possible to support you during this difficult time.  
   
  We are working in partnership with many organisations, including the National Network for Parent Carer Forums and the Council for Disabled Children, to make sure we are focusing our efforts in the right places. In all our decisions, the needs of SEND children and young people and their families and carers, and safeguarding these vulnerable groups, are at the forefront of our minds. 
   
  The Government published guidance about supporting vulnerable children on 22 March. It includes a number of frequently asked questions and is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-onvulnerable-children-and-young-people. We have also published new guidance that provides household isolation advice for children and young people who live in residential settings, and the staff that support them. This guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-onisolation-for-residential-educational-settings.    
   
  The guidance on supporting vulnerable children states that local authorities, nurseries, schools, special schools, colleges and other training providers should undertake a risk assessment to establish the individual needs of each child or young person with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. This assessment should incorporate the views of the child or young person and their parents. This will inform the decision about whether they should continue in school or college, or whether their needs can be met at home safely. 
   
  If needs are best met at schools or colleges, we will support their school or college to meet their needs, wherever possible. For those on SEN support, schools, colleges and local authorities have discretion to use the same risk judgement to decide whether home or school is the safest setting for these children. It is, however, important that as many children as possible remain at home during this time in order to help reduce transmission rates. 
   
  On 19 March, the Government introduced new legislation into Parliament, in the form of the Coronavirus Bill (‘the Bill’), in response to the outbreak (https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2019-21/coronavirus.html).  
   
  Our overwhelming aim for SEND, through the Bill and the proposed changes to regulations that are to follow, is to balance the needs of this vulnerable group to receive the support they need with managing the demands on local authorities and health bodies to respond to this outbreak. As a result, we have included in the Bill temporary emergency powers to enable us, where necessary, to modify the legal requirements on local authorities in fulfilling their duties in relation to EHC plans.  
   
  In practice, this will mean that where a local authority is, because of the outbreak, unable, for example, to put in place stated provision, they will need to use their reasonable endeavours to do this, but won’t be penalised for failing to meet the existing duty as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014. These emergency powers will only be exercised for the shortest period and where necessary, and will be regularly reviewed. We will also be seeking to amend regulations on the timescales for EHC plan processes where this is appropriate because of COVID19. I want to reiterate that these decisions are not taken lightly but I believe strike the right balance in these difficult times. 
   
  I encourage you to keep up to date by regularly checking the gov.uk webpages, and raise awareness of the DfE Coronavirus helpline we have established for local authorities, providers and parents to get information on the latest Government advice. The number is 0800 046 8687, and lines are open 8am-6pm (Monday – Friday), and 10am – 4pm (Saturday and Sunday). 
   
  I realise that the impact of these extraordinary circumstances on this group of children and young people can be particularly acute. This is why I have asked the Council for Disabled Children, in partnership with Contact, to ensure that their websites and forums regularly update both families and services on information, which is available to support them. I have also asked them to collate any questions and queries from stakeholders so that we can maintain as many routes of contact as possible into Government to ensure our actions continue to be focused on prioritising where help is most needed. 
   
  The challenges we are now facing serve to further highlight the importance of ensuring the system of support for children and young people with SEND is as effective as possible in the future. Rest assured that completing our review of the SEND system remains a priority for me and for the Government. In light of the current situation, we will think carefully about the right way and timescale to do this. Right now my focus, like yours, is on managing the current situation and keeping vulnerable children safe and supported.   

   I know that by working together, we can ensure that children and young people with SEND receive the support they need during this difficult time.  
   
  
  Yours sincerely, 
   
   
  Vicky Ford MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families 

• Safeguarding Children

  Tue 31 Mar 2020

  Dear Parents/Guardians

  
  We hope this finds you and your families well but appreciate that these are difficult and exceptional times. 

   

  If you have any worries and/or concerns about the welfare and wellbeing of children whilst schools are closed, please utilise the following agencies and websites for help and advice:

   

  • Childline - www.childline.org.uk
  • NSPCC - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
  • Local Foodbanks - https://www.findfoodbanksbrum.org.uk/about-us/directory/
  • The Waiting Room - https://the-waitingroom.org/
  • Birmingham Children’s Trust - https://www.birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk/
  • Birmingham City Council Safeguarding -
    https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/homepage/143/child_protection_and_safeguarding
  • UK Safer Internet Centre - https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/
  •  

  The Children’s Advice and Support Service (CASS) provides a single point of contact for members of the public who want to seek support or raise concerns about a child. Their contact details are:

  
  Monday to Thursday: 8:45am to 5:15pm
  Friday: 8:45am to 4:15pm
  Telephone: 0121 303 1888
  Emergency out-of-hours: Telephone 0121 675 4806

  
  There is also a Designated Safeguarding Leader on site at The Rosary Catholic Primary School and can be contacted via the school office Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8:30am and 3:00pm. (2pm on a Friday)

• Wellbeing tips for families

  Fri 27 Mar 2020

  Coronavirus; supporting children & young people’s wellbeing 

   

   Talk to your children and answer their questions. Ask about what they have heard about the virus and the situation so that you can correct possible misconceptions and reassure them.

   

   Avoid being too immersed in media coverage. Be mindful of the number of things you are reading and watching, including social media – as this may add to worry and anxiety. Consider a few updates every day from trusted sources.

   

   Remember that people react differently to significant events. Some people – adults and children and young people – may feel worried, some excited, some nothing much at all. Be reassured that different reactions are normal and ok.

   

   If your child seems worried, it may be good to distract themselves with something that takes their mind off their worries. You might also want to set aside 10-15 minutes each day for them to talk about any worries, and to reassure them.

   

   Remember to keep things positive and give children and young people hope. For example, tell children and young people that now many people are working to make this better and that even though it is serious, everyone is doing their best to help people.

   

   Try to keep familiar routines. Well-known routines in everyday life provide security and stability.

   

   Do nice things together and keep active. Make a plan and suggest some regular family times where you can play games, do some exercise together, or do other things that you know most of you like. Try to find a good balance between time together, and screen time.

   

   Keep in good contact with family and friends (via Facetime, Skype WhatsApp etc.; following NHS guidance on ‘social contact’). This will help children and young people connect with others and know that others are thinking about them. It will also reassure them that others are well.

   

   As a parent you may be concerned yourself. Take care of yourself and make sure you have breaks, time to relax, and ask for help from others if you need.

   

  Some useful links page… Some useful links can be found in letters home from the News and Events menu.