Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
We politely request that you carefully read this latest, official government advice regarding the closure of schools and the use of schools for emergency child care provision for critical workers.
Thank you for all the forms completed and returned yesterday.
If you have already requested use of the school for child care in the coming weeks, you do not need to contact the school again. Please note that we will contact you for further information and clarification either by phone or via parent mail (if it is working again).
If having read this official Government advice you now feel that you are a critical worker and that you have no other childcare possibilities or that your child is vulnerable and you have no other childcare possibilities, please contact the school office as soon as possible to discuss your needs and the possibility of a place at our childcare provision.
Kind regards
We are currently experiencing issues with ParentMail so please bear with us.
Dear Parents/Carers,
All pupils attending school today will receive a homework pack this afternoon.
IF YOUR CHILD IS ABSENT FROM SCHOOL TODAY, THE FOLLOWING WILL APPLY:
If your child is an EYFS/ KS1 pupil then their homework pack will be available to collect from the school playground between 11.50am-12.50pm
If your child is a KS2 pupil then their homework pack will be available to collect from the school playground between 12.50pm-1.50pm
If you have a child in both Key Stages then please collect both packs in the KS2 time slot.
If you are unable to attend at either time then the packs will be available to pick up at 3.30pm after all pupils currently in school have left the school site.
If your child has any medication it is vital that you come along and collect that as well. If your child is in school today then it will be sent home with them.
We would politely ask that only 1 family member comes along to pick up the pack and that no children are brought with them. We also ask that you do not congregate in groups in the playground.
Please pass this message to anyone you know may not see this message as we are currently unable to send ParentMails.
If you are unable to collect packs today then the school office will be open next week.
Thank you in advance
The current DfE, scientific and medical guidance is that schools should remain open.
As a school we continue to seek and follow official advice to guide our actions.
We are continuing to encourage regular hand cleansing throughout the day but especially at specific points e.g. lunch and playtime.
We have postponed assemblies for the time being to minimise non-essential close contact of large groups of pupils. This includes class assemblies.
We have put the water fountains out of use so would ask that you provide your child with their own water bottle daily.
We are cancelling all large clubs (running club, choir).
We have cancelled the PTA craft and film nights due to take place on Thursday 2nd April
For pupils absent from school
If well enough, pupils should continue to read and complete any set homework including spellings, Times Table Rockstars and Doodle Maths for Key Stage 2 pupils. Pupils can also access additional reading books and punctuation and spelling games via ActiveLearn. Information for all online learning can be found on labels on the front cover of pupils’ reading records. In addition to this pupils are very welcome to keep a diary, create a scrapbook, carry out independent research linked to their topics which they can share on their return to school, do some sketching or arts and crafts.
Look out for further information about new home learning in the coming days including a new exciting Maths program for Early Years and Year 1 pupils called Numbots.
If your child has problems logging in to any platform, please contact Mrs Crickmar via our school facebook page (South Benfleet School Parents – you will need to request access to the page first if you don’t already belong to it).
What parents can do
Reinforce and remind children of the importance of good personal hygiene e.g. when coughing and sneezing and to regularly wash or sanitise their hands.
Minimise the time spent in the playground at the start and end of school. Please aim to keep a good distance from others.
Follow the guidance for self isolation if you suspect your child or any of your household are displaying symptoms. Please notify the school as soon as possible if you are self isolating.
Reassure children.
Be cautious about unofficial advice spread via social media.
New guidance for households with symptoms
Yesterday, the Government introduced new guidance on whole household isolation in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak:
• if you live alone and you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms started
• if you live with others and you or another member of the household have symptoms of coronavirus, then all household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill. It is likely that people living within a household will infect each other or be infected already. Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community
• for anyone in the household who starts displaying symptoms, they need to stay at home for 7 days from when the symptoms appeared, regardless of what day they are on in the original 14-day isolation period.
The symptoms are:
• A high temperature (37.8 degrees and above)
• A new, continuous cough
The full stay at home guidance for households with these symptoms can be found here:
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
Please see the links below for updated advice regarding:
Stay at home guidance (click here); and
Guidance for educational settings (click here)
Please also continue to reinforce good hygiene procedures with your child
The School Council have decided that to support Sport Relief they will be holding a non-uniform day on 13th March. For a donation of your choice, children can come into school wearing ‘sporty clothing’ (this could include a sports kit, tracksuit or even your own PE kit!). There will be various sporting activities taking place during breaks and lunchtimes over the week. There will also be a special menu details of which are on the newsletter.