11th March 2023

Teacher Strikes and School Closures

Dear Parents and Carers,

I am writing once again to let you know that most of the school will be closed during the teacher strikes of this week. I apologise for the inconvenience this causes, and for the disruption to education.

This week there are two days of planned strikes: Wednesday and Thursday. It might be that there is some progress made in the negotiations between the NEU and the government, but if there isn't, most classes in our school will be disrupted.

Headteachers are not allowed to name those teachers who are on strike, but you will have realised by now that is is the vast majority of our staff, which is why we have had to close to children on the previous strike days. If we are able to open for your child, you will receive a separate email informing you of this.

Please be aware that any striking teacher does not get paid, and feels guilty for not being at school with your children. None of the staff at our school have taken the decision to strike lightly. so I would ask you to be patient with them throughout this dispute.

The two days of partial closure will be on: Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March.

Most classes will be closed. If your child can attend, I will let you know in a separate email.

Thank you for your patience.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

Thursday 9th March 2023

Invitation to Mrs Seymour's Goodbye Breakfast

Dear Parents and Carers,

I've been at St John's School for 18 years, the last 7 of which have been as Head. One of the things I have loved the most about my role, has been the privilege of getting to know so many of you. As a parent myself, I know the trust you place in teachers and leaders, and it has been an honour to serve you. I haven't always got things right: I am not perfect, and I make mistakes like anyone else. However, I have always been open and honest with everyone: my colleagues, the children, and you- the parents. I think that is why we have such strong relationships at our school. I have felt part of something bigger than myself, and when I have talked about being in "the St John's family", I have always meant that sincerely. I have loved my job, and I have loved being part of this community.

I would like to invite you all into school for a "Goodbye Breakfast". I know that Ramadan is fast approaching, so I am thinking of Monday 20th March. I will open the hall from 8.30am until 9.30am, and you can pop in for a bite to eat, a cup of tea and a chat. It will be completely informal- you can arrive and leave whenever you can, and you can stay for as long or as little time as you want. It would be lovely to be able to spend some time with you and be able to say goodbye. If you come in before school, your children can come into the hall with you.

I hope to see many of you there.

Please click on this Form, which will give me an idea of how many of you are planning to come, and what food you would like. It's anonymous- I'm just looking for numbers- so don't worry about agreeing to something when you're not sure you can definitely come. There are only three questions: it will take you 30 seconds!! Goodbye Breakfast form

Thank you.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

6th March 

National Express Assembly

Dear Parents/ Carers,

This Wednesday, Reception, Year 1, 2 and 3 will have a visit from National Express. They are sending one of their drivers in to read a book called, "The Wonderful Bus Drivers of the West Midlands". A female driver will be coming in to talk about her job, and to break down stereotypes that children might have around bus drivers being men. This is in recognition that it is Women's Day on Thursday.

National Express have told us that there might be a film crew coming with them to film some of the assembly for local news, and take pictures for the local media.

Some of you have previously told us that you do not want your child to be filmed or photographed, but we don't want them to miss out on this experience unnecessarily. If you have previously said no to being filmed, a member of the office staff will ring you tomorrow to check whether you are happy for them to participate in this event.

I really hope this will be an enjoyable experience for all our children in Reception, Year 1, 2 and 3. If you have any questions about this event, please feel free to speak to Mrs Kirby, or email her at enquiry@st-johns-pri.bham.sch.uk - Put FAO Mrs Kirby in the subject.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

2nd March 2023

New Headteacher Appointed

Dear Parents/ Carers,

I am really pleased to announce that after a rigorous application process, Mrs Hedges has been appointed as the new Headteacher of St John's CE Primary School.

Parents already know Mrs Hedges very well, and I'm sure that you will share my joy over her appointment. I know that she will look after the children and community, and I am leaving the school in excellent hands.

I will still be here until March 31st, ensuring a smooth handover can take place.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

28th February 2023

NEU Strike Action

Dear Parents and Carers,

Strike action always has the potential to damage relationships, both within the staff team, and between the staff and the community we serve. We at St John’s School, are working hard to ensure that this does not happen. I apologise for the inconvenience that the school closure will have on you and your children, and I hope that the positive relationships that we have with you will not be damaged by this action. In deciding to close, we have looked at the potential number of teachers that will be in school tomorrow, and the impact that this will have on our ability to have children safely in school. There is no doubt in my mind, given the number of staff that are in the NEU, that closing is our only safe option.

Following on from yesterday's letter, I am sending out a more official communication as suggested by the National Union of Headteachers. It seeks to explain a little more about the strike action as the media coverage has not been entirely balanced:

Letter from NAHT:

Strike action by members of the National Education Union

I am writing to you about forthcoming strike action by the National Education Union (NEU), one of the main teaching trade unions. You may have seen coverage of this in the news, and I wanted to inform you about the impact this is likely to have at our school.

There are three national and one regional day strikes planned. The remaining strike days that are likely to affect schools in this area are:

• Wednesday 1 March 2023
• Wednesday 15 March 2023
• Thursday 16 March 2023

The NEU has posted a document for parents, carers and grandparents that explains their reasons for taking strike action. It can be found at https://neu.org.uk/media/24511/view if you wish to read it.

How will strike action affect St John’s CE School?

When a strike takes place, those taking strike action stop work and withdraw their labour. This means that those teachers involved in the action will not teach their class(es) or undertake any other duties on a strike day.

It is therefore incumbent upon me to consider the impact that industrial action will have on the operation of the school. One of the key issues is to assess whether there are sufficient staff available for the school to remain open, or partially open, during a strike.

To determine whether this school can remain fully or partially open, a detailed risk assessment has been conducted. This considers the impact that the action will have on the health and safety of pupils, staff and visitors, and whether the school can run a full or amended curriculum, to determine whether it is possible to operate the school safely during the strike.

As head teacher, I and the governing board, have decided the school will be:

• Closed to all pupils on Wednesday 1^st March

Clearly this is a difficult situation, which will cause some disruption. I would ask you, however, to be understanding. A national strike by teachers is very unusual. Taking strike action is not something that any teacher would undertake lightly. Those on strike will have thought long and hard about their decision and will also lose pay for the days that they are on strike.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

26th February 2023

Back to School!

Dear Parents and Carers,

School is open tomorrow at 8.40am as normal. We're really looking forward to welcoming the children back.

I was just beginning to feel that Sunday afternoon "back to school" feeling, when I received an email from one of our parents, telling me about an amazing thing that her daughter has done this holiday. It cheered me up so much that I thought I would share with all of you. Aisha, a super star in Year 2, decided to try and raise even more money for the Turkey/ Syria earthquake appeal. She did a 3km sponsored walk, and managed to raise another £389!!!! Amazing! She wants to add this to the money that St John's raised on our non-uniform day; which takes our total money raised to a massive £1,711. WOW. I'm always so proud of the children at St John's School, and their concern for other people, and this is another example of this in action.

Here is a link to a video that Aisha's mum shared with me: https://youtu.be/7oTma9RRYTY 

Well done to Aisha and her family, and thanks for sharing this with me.

I hope that's helped to beat any back-to-school-blues! We're so lucky to be part of such a great school community.

See you tomorrow!

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

17th February 2023

Half-Term Newsletter.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Half Term:

It is half term next week, and children return to school on Monday 27th February.

Parents' Evening:

It was lovely to see so many of you at Parents' Evening this week! I hope you felt that seeing the teachers in the hall gave you the privacy to talk without being overheard. I know that for some of you it meant coming out twice- which is not ideal- but to have all the classes in the hall at once would be very overcrowded. We will continue to assess the effectiveness of this arrangement moving forwards, and always welcome feedback.

Fund-raising:

Thank you for your amazing generosity today. We have raised £1,322 so far for the Turkey/ Syria Earthquake Appeal. After half term we will be thinking about other ways that we can support the appeal.

World Book Day:

We will be celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 2nd March. Mrs Kirby has already sent a letter out with further details and ideas for crazy hair or colourful hijabs. Your child might have come home with a World Book Day voucher this afternoon.

Strike Day:

On Wednesday 1st March, teachers will be holding their second day of strikes. It is very likely that our school will be closed to children again, due to the volume of staff who are taking industrial action. If we are able to accommodate your child at school, we will email you on the 27th February and let you know. I apologise for the inconvenience that this will cause.

A Personal Thank You:

I would like to thank all of you that have been so kind to me since I announced that I will be leaving at Easter. My last day here will be Friday 31st March. Many of you have spoken to me about the challenges of parenting children with Additional Needs, and have wished me and my family well. I don't have the words to express how much your kind words have meant to me at such a difficult time. Thank you.

Best wishes for half term!

Mrs Seymour

New EmailArchiveForwardSending ....

17th February 2023

We have raised £1,322 so far for the Turkey/ Syria Earthquake Appeal! 

Thank you!

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

17.2.23

Dear Parents

World Book Day

We will be celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 2^nd March. This is a day to celebrate reading and the books that we love. This year we are asking children to think about how identity is shown in the books they read. We will be looking a range of authors and books from other cultures: some based on our own culture, some based on the culture of others. I’m really hoping that the children will learn about some new authors who they might not have heard of before. Children will be asked to come into school in their school uniform, but they may wear their hair in which ever style they want- they can wear coloured hair spray; they can wear funky clips and hairbands; they can wear a wig; they can wear hair gel (see attachment for inspiration). If you child covers their hair, they can wear a head scarf of their choice in whatever colour they like. We are doing this to celebrate our identity and how we are all different.

Here are some of the books we will be looking at:

The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad

My Hair by Hannah Lee

Look Up by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola

Odd Dog Out by Rob Biddulph

Book Bunting Colouring Competition

As part of world book day, I am launching a book bunting colouring competition. Your child will bring a bunting template home today. They can draw and colour the bunting to show the characters or front cover of their favourite book. Please click the attachment for more ideas. The winners will receive vouchers to spend at our upcoming book fair. Entries need to be returned to school by Thursday 2^nd March.

Book fair

The book fair will be in school from Tuesday 21^st March until Monday 27^th March from 3:15 until 3:45 each day. Children will have the opportunity to spend their £1 off book token at the book fair.

Keep up the reading over half term!

Best wishes

Mrs Kirby

English leader and Assistant Headteacher

Dear Parents, (sent to 14 pupils, please see individual e-mails)

Year 2 have been working really hard doing some maths, writing and reading assessments the last few weeks. We have identified your child as someone who would benefit from some small group Maths tuition. These tuition sessions will take place on a Thursday from 3:00-3:30pm with Miss Poole . Your child will need to be collected from the school office at 3:30. Please see Mrs Bata or Miss Poole if you have any questions.

Tuition sessions:

Date: Starting Thursday 2nd March

Time: 3:00-3:30pm

Collect your child from the office at 3:30pm

Best wishes,

Mrs Kirby

Assistant Head teacher of lower school

Dear Parents (sent to only 8 children, please check your e-mails),

Year 2 have been working really hard doing some maths, writing and reading assessments the last few weeks. We have identified your child as someone who would benefit from some small group Maths tuition. These tuition sessions will take place on a Tuesday from 3:00-3:30pm with Mrs Bata . Your child will need to be collected from the school office at 3:30. Please see Mrs Bata or Miss Poole if you have any questions.

Tuition sessions:

Date: Starting Tuesday 28th February

Time: 3:00-3:30pm

Collect your child from the office at 3:30pm

Best wishes,

Mrs Kirby

Assistant Head teacher of lower school

15th February 2023

Parents' Evening

Dear Parents/ Carers,

This is just a quick note about Parents' Evening tonight or tomorrow night.

Each appointment is just 5 minutes long, which we appreciate is only a short time. Teachers will have planned what they want to tell you, and will ensure that it only takes 5 minutes. They will try to give you time to ask questions, but obviously if you have lots to ask, you might run out of time! If there is something big that you want to discuss, you can always make an appointment at an alternative time.

Mrs Hedges and myself will be in the hall, and we will be ringing a bell every 5 minutes to ensure that everyone gets their appointment on time. If you are late, you might have to wait until there is a spare spot in the teachers' list. Please don't be offended if we come to remind your teacher to move onto the next appointment! We know how frustrating it is when people run over, so we are trying hard to make sure that each session is just 5 minutes. When you hear the bell, please move on.

Finally, we would prefer children not to come with you, as they tend to run around the hall with their friends. If your child has to come because you have no childcare, there will be a table in the hall with colouring in sheets and books on, which they can use whilst you are talking to the teachers.

You are very welcome to go to your child's classroom and look at their books and their work that is displayed. Members of the leadership team will be around the school to help you if you get lost.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour.

11th February 2023

Turkey/ Syria Earthquake Appeal

Dear Parents and Carers,

The terrible earthquake that has hit parts of Turkey and Syria has left 24,000 people dead. 17 million people live in the affected areas and many of them are in need of shelter, food and medical aid.

One of the things I love and admire most about the children of St John's School is how much they care about others. Several children came to see me last week, to ask if we can raise money to help the people affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. They want to do something quickly so that we can help as soon as possible.

We are going to have a non-uniform day on Friday 17th February. We would like everyone to bring £1 which will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) who are coordinating a massive response to the earthquake. You can find out more about them and how to donate to other global disasters here: DEC

We will also be asking the school council to talk to their classes about other ways that they can raise money to help with the relief effort over the next half term, so if your child has any ideas, make sure they tell their class councillor, or speak to me.

Finally, I know that some of our school families are suffering a great deal of hardship themselves, so if you can't afford to donate, please don't worry. Your child is still welcome to wear non-uniform and nobody will know that they did not donate. If you can afford to bring some money in, we will gladly accept donations for more or less than £1: we just want to raise as much as we can to help those in need.

Basically, give what you can, and all of the money collected will go to the DEC.

I am sure that many of you, like me, are praying for those in Turkey and Syria. If you have family or friends affected by this disaster and would like us to pray for them in school, please let me know.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

Dear Parents/ Carers,

I am writing to confirm arrangements for the first teacher strike day next Wednesday 1^st February.

To work out whether our school could remain fully or partially open, a risk assessment has been carried out. We considered whether we would be able to keep some classes open, or open for some children. Unfortunately, the vast majority of our staff are NEU members, and we will lose 99% of our teachers next Wednesday. After a thorough risk assessment, Governors and SLT have concluded we will be unable to open the school for pupils on February 1^st due to a lack of staff and the risks associated with this.

I completely understand that this will cause some of you some real difficulties and I can only apologise for this. Sadly, the point of a strike is to cause problems for people. A national strike by teachers is very unusual and taking strike action is not something that any teacher would undertake lightly. Those on strike will have thought long and hard about their decision and will also lose pay for the days that they are on strike. This kind of action can cause conflict between staff within schools, and I am working hard to ensure that this doesn’t happen in our school. The strength of St John’s is the warm relationships between us all, and it’s at times like these, that these relationships might become strained. I really hope that this won’t happen, and that if you are in real difficulty on Wednesday, please come and talk to us or email us at enquiry@st-johns-pri.bham.sch.uk

If your child receives free school meals (not universal free school meals, but benefits-based free school meals) we will email you at the beginning of next week to explain how we will feed them on Wednesday.

When we have more details about successive strike days in terms of staff participation, we will contact you with details

The dates are as follows:

• • • Wednesday 1 March 2023
    • Wednesday 15 March 2023
    • Thursday 16 March 2023
    •  

For these future dates, we will aim to give families one week’s notice before each day so that they know which classes will be closed and which will remain open.

If the strike is called off or if there are any other changes before the 1st of February, we will inform you as soon as possible.

We recognise that some families will find the closure of their local school a struggle given the context of the cost of living crisis and the current spell of cold weather. Birmingham city council are running ‘Warm Welcome initiatives’ which will enable families to keep warm at a local community hub. Details are available here: Warm Welcome Spaces in Birmingham | Birmingham City Council

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

25th January 2023

Birmingham Warm Spaces

Dear Parents and Carers,

I would like to signpost you to this website which gives details of Warm Welcome Spaces in Birmingham.

These are places that you can visit during the cold winter months.

There are Warm Spaces for all sorts of different people, including spaces for families, spaces for women only, wheelchair accessible spaces, etc.

Please follow this link to find out more: Warm Spaces

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

23rd January 2023

Teacher Strikes

Dear Parents/Carers,

You will probably be aware from media coverage that the National Education Union (NEU) have declared strike action, which will take place on 1st February and 1st March. The strike is happening because of a national dispute between the unions and the government over pay.

I am getting in touch to give you as much notice as possible that learning may be disrupted on these dates and we recommend that you start to make alternative childcare arrangements for these dates in the event that you need it. I am sorry that there may be potential disruption to you and to your child’s education.

We are working closely with our staff union representatives to keep up to date with the situation, and I will keep you informed as and when I know more.

If you do have any questions, please feel free to chat with me at the end of the school day, or to Mrs Hedges in the mornings.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

20th January 2023

Places of Welcome

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Places of Welcome are being set up around the City to give people a place where they can go, have a cup of tea and a chat. Everyone is warmly welcomed. There are a few of these places that have been set up locally, and I include the details of the nearest ones below.

Narthex opens its doors to anyone that would like a warm place to sit for a while on Fridays between 1.30pm and 4pm.

ISRA-UK Charity is open on Tuesdays between 10.30am-12.30pm

The Springfield Centre (St. Christopher's) is open on Thursdays between 1:30pm - 16:00pm

You can find the locations of more at this link: Places of Welcome

I attach a flyer that has been sent from the University of Birmingham who have set up a Place of Welcome in the City Centre.

I hope you all have a restful weekend.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

19.1.23

Mrs Seymour: Resignation

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Most of you won't know this, but my mum used to teach here in the late 80s and early 90s. Her name is Mrs Dowsett. She was here when this new school was built and the old Victorian building was demolished. I remember coming to help her as a teenager on any day that I wasn't in school myself. I vividly remember meeting Mrs O'Keefe when I was about 19 years old, and she had just started working as a TA in my mum's class in Year 1. I loved the atmosphere at St John's even then- so many years ago. It's always been a special place and it's the school that made me aspire to be a teacher. I have been honoured to work as the Headteacher: something I could never have believed back when I was volunteering as a teenager!

I have loved meeting you- the parents, and enjoyed seeing your children flourish. I work with a team of truly dedicated staff that treat your children as if they were their own. This has been my dream job. At our school, all children are valued equally and we put provision in place to ensure that all children can flourish. We have love at the heart of our school. But not all schools are the same, and not all children are as lucky.

I have spent my years in Headship, fighting to ensure every child gets what they need to succeed. My team and I have fought for funding for special needs, and set up nurture provision within our school to help those that find school stressful or scary. I have two children of my own who are Autistic, and are both suffering with high levels of anxiety. They are not happy in school and do not feel secure or loved. Sadly, no professional is fighting to get them what they need, and I am therefore having to resign from my position, so that I can go and fight for my own children's education.

I shall be leaving at Easter, so I will be here for many more weeks, right up until the end of March. Next week, the Governing Board will advertise for a new Headteacher so that they can start straight after the Easter holidays. As soon as I know more, I will let you know.

This has been a heart breaking decision to make because I literally love what I do. I have the best job in the world: serving the children and wider community of St John's School. However, I intend to spend the next weeks ensuring that the school is ready for the transition to a new Headteacher, and ensuring that the excellent work of the staff can continue.

Thank you for all your support.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

2.1.23

Happy New Year: Dates and News

Dear Parents and Carers,

I apologise for not writing to you at the end of the Autumn Term. I had been feeling really unwell during the last week, and then tested positive for Covid so I missed the last day. Today is the first day that I have felt like a normal person again, so I thought I would update you with the end of term news and next year's dates.

1. The Christmas Raffle

Thanks to those of you who participated in the Christmas raffle which was organised by one of our parents- Jasu. We really appreciate her hard work and I'd like to thank her for supporting our school. The draw took place on the last day, during the Celebration assembly, and I have heard that there were some very happy children in school that day! Congratulations to all the winners.

2. The Christmas discos

During the last week of term, we ran three discos which were a great success. The children had a fabulous time and I was very proud of their behaviour and attitude throughout each event. I think the highlight for me was the "Teacher versus Student Dance Off" in the Year 5 and 6 event, where Mr Sufyain, Mr Ludlow and Mrs Hudson-Evans competed against three children to see who had the best moves.

We raised just over £400 through the discos and raffle, which has gone towards the school's hardship fund (which we use to provide emergency food/ clothing for families in desperate situations) and to help us replace missing and damaged books.

Thanks to all of you that helped us raise this money, including the parents who volunteered to help me with the discos and gave up several hours of their time to ensure the children had fun. I also want to thank Mrs Bhardwa and her husband, who bought all the children at the discos a drink and a snack.

3. The Nativity

This Christmas, we tried something new: Reception did their nativity with children in Year 4. It was a huge success and something we will definitely do again. The singing was incredible, and it was lovely to see the youngsters being supported by the older children. Nursery children also took part in their own nativity which was also a beautiful occasion. Well done to all of the children and staff!

Dates for next term:

Wednesday 4th January: Children start back to school at 8.40am

Friday 17th February: Children break uo for half term at 3.15pm

I'm really looking forward to seeing you all next Wednesday!

Happy New Year!

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

25.12.22

Merry Christmas

Dear Parents and Carers,

To all of our families celebrating today: a Merry Christmas from all of us at St John's School.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

15.12.22

Winter Water Safety

Dear Parents and Carers,

The City Council have sent the following information out to schools:

Following the tragic incident at Babbs Mill Lake, Solihull, please take a moment to read this important information issued by West Midland Fire Service: Winter Water Safety.

Learning about the risks of ice are so important, especially during winter to try and prevent such tragic incidents. The Royal Life Saving Society UK has also produced some helpful guidance on keeping children and families safe around water when the weather turns chilly and new dangers appear. Ideal for younger children, their FREE downloadable Winter Safety Activity Booklet and Colouring In Sheet encourages children to talk about winter water safety : Royal Life Saving Society UK

Further safety advice from BCC:

Please keep yourselves and your loved ones safe around open water, especially during the forecasted freezing weather over the festive period. Temperatures are expected to remain low over the coming days and we would urge people to be very careful when walking or cycling near waterways.

Do not go onto the ice even if it looks safe as it can weaken very easily. If you see anyone in trouble, please call 999 immediately.

We have warning and advice signs by our lakes and waterways and parks staff regularly check they are in good condition, but please report any concerns.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

9.12.22

Last Week of Term Information

Dear Parents and Carers,

I know that some people think that schools don't do any work during the last week of term, and as it is so cold, the temptation to stay in bed instead of coming to school may be strong. However, we are still learning next week!

Not only are we still having lessons next week, but we are also having a lot of fun. There are Christmas parties for all the classes, there are Christmas discos after school, Father Christmas is visiting, we are having Christmas jumper day, and it is the school Christmas dinner! I have put the dates of all the events below, so that you know what's going on.

We hope to see as many of the children as possible next week for lots of learning and fun.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

KEY INFORMATION:

* There is no PE this week

* There are no clubs this week

Monday 12th December:

* Christmas jumper day (This is optional- children wear their uniform with a Christmas jumper instead of their school jumper. If they would rather just wear their school jumper, that is fine)

Tuesday 13th December:

* Year 1 and 2 Party Day (Children can come wearing party clothes- no high heels or strappy sandals please)

* Year 1 and 2 disco until 4pm (Bring £2 on the day and give to the teachers)

* Nativity Performance for Y4 and Reception parents.

Wednesday 14th December:

* Year 3 and 4 Party Day (Children can come wearing party clothes- no high heels or strappy sandals please)

* Year 3 and 4 Christmas disco until 4pm (Bring £2 on the day and give to the teachers)

Thursday 15th December:

* Nursery, Reception, Year 5 and Year 6 Party Day

* Special guest appearance from a visitor wearing red from the North Pole.

* Christmas dinner in the hall for all children, staff and governors

* Year 5 and 6 Christmas disco until 4pm (Bring £2 on the day and give to the teachers)

Friday 16th December:

* Free pizza and chips dinner for all children (including children that normally have packed lunches). All children are welcome to have a cooked dinner of pizza and chips, but this is optional. If they would prefer to bring a packed lunch then they are welcome to do so.

School finishes at 1pm

8.12.22

Scarlet Fever Information

I have been asked by the UK Health Security Agency to send this letter out to parents.

At this point, I have not been informed of any child in our school having a confirmed case of Scarlet Fever. However, given the alarming reporting in the media, it seems sensible to ensure that we ask children to wash their hands, use sanitizer and use a tissue to catch coughs/ sneezes. Please talk to your children about this over the weekend.

LETTER FROM UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY:

Dear Parent(s) / Carer(s),

Re: Increase in scarlet fever

We are writing to inform you of a recent national increase in notifications of scarlet fever to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), above seasonal expected levels.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the signs, symptoms and the actions to be taken if you think that you or your child might have scarlet fever.

Signs and symptoms of scarlet fever

Scarlet fever is a common childhood infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A Streptococcus (GAS). It is not usually serious, but should be treated with antibiotics to reduce the risk of complications (such as pneumonia) and spread to others. The early symptoms of scarlet fever include sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. After 12 to 48 hours, the characteristic red, pinhead rash develops, typically first appearing on the chest and stomach, then rapidly spreading to other parts of the body, and giving the skin a sandpaper-like texture. The scarlet rash may be harder to spot on darker skin, although the 'sandpaper' feel should be present. Patients typically have flushed cheeks and might be pale around the mouth. This may be accompanied by a bright red ‘strawberry’ tongue.

If you think you, or your child, might have scarlet fever:

• contact your GP or NHS 111 as soon as possible
• make sure that you or your child take(s) the full course of any antibiotics prescribed. Although you or your child will feel better soon after starting the course of antibiotics, you must complete the course to ensure that you do not carry the bacteria in your throat after you have recovered
• stay at home, away from nursery, school or work for at least 24 hours after starting the antibiotic treatment, to avoid spreading the infection

You can help stop the spread of infection through frequent hand washing and by not sharing eating utensils, clothes, bedding and towels. All contaminated tissues should be disposed of immediately.

Invasive Group A Strep (iGAS)

The same bacteria which cause scarlet fever can also cause a range of other types of infection such as skin infections (impetigo) and sore throat. In very rare cases, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause an illness called invasive group A strep (iGAS). Whilst still very uncommon, there has been an increase in iGAS cases this year, particularly in children under 10 years old. It is very rare for children with scarlet fever to develop iGAS infection.

As a parent, you should trust your own judgement.

Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:

• your child is getting worse
• your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
• your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
• your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39C or higher
• your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
• your child is very tired or irritable

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

• your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
• there are pauses when your child breathes
• your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
• your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake
• your child develops a red rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it
• your child has a fit (convulsion)

If your child is in the care of the Children’s Community Nursing Team, Children’s Palliative Care Team you can also contact the Children’s Rapid Response Team

Stop the spread

During periods of high incidence of scarlet fever, there may also be an increase in outbreaks in schools, nurseries and other childcare settings. Children and adults with suspected scarlet fever should stay off nursery / school / work until 24 hours after the start of appropriate antibiotic treatment. You and your child can help to control the spread of infection and reduce the risk of catching one by:

• Washing hands thoroughly with soap for 20 seconds
• Using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes then throw the tissue away
• Keeping away from others when feeling unwell

We would encourage you to ensure that your child’s vaccinations are up to date to give them the best protection this winter. If you have missed some of your child’s routine vaccinations and wish to get up to date, please contact your health visitor or GP they will be able to advise you on how to do this.

Resources

NHS – Scarlet Fever

Scarlet fever: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Health protection in education and childcare settings

Hand hygiene resources for schools

8.12.22

Uniform Recycling Centre

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are intending to open a Uniform Recycling Centre at our Lantern House provision on Court Road.

Visiting the Uniform Recycling Centre:

- It will be open between 2pm and 3pm on a Friday afternoon.

- It is based in The Lantern House (number 10 Court Road)

- Mrs O'Keefe and Mrs Bhardwa will let you into the house and show you around.

- The Uniform Recycling Centre is upstairs and unfortunately; we don't have a lift, so let the staff know if access is going to be a problem for you.

- Some items will be sold for a small fee, and some items will be free of charge. The charge is to cover the cost of washing & drying the uniform.

Donating to the Uniform Recycling Centre:

If you have any school uniform which is in good condition and which you would be prepared to donate to us, please bring it to the school office.

If you have any of the following items, we would be happy to recycle them:

We need:

- school jumpers and cardigans

- coats

- grey trousers

- grey skirts/ dresses

- shoes

- trainers

- school shirts and blouses

- school ties

- PE kits (shorts, joggers, polo shirts, etc)

The high cost of school uniform is a real struggle for some of us, especially if you have children who either lose everything, or who grow very fast! I think this will be a great way to give practical support to our school community.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

1.12.22

Birmingham Children’s Hospital Winter Pressures Plea

Dear Parents/ Carers,

We have been asked by Birmingham City Council to share the following, with all our parents.

Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s Emergency Department has been under significant, sustained pressure due to high levels of respiratory infections locally and unprecedented attendances.

Across the country, Children’s Emergency Departments are seeing approximately a 20% increase on previous record attendances, with a number of units reporting a lack of beds for paediatric admissions.

BWC is asking colleagues in the community, education, and other sectors to help by sharing some key advice to children, parents, and carers to ease the pressure on hard working staff.

Please share the following key messages through your channels, networks, websites and wherever you think it could help:

• The Children’s Hospital Emergency Department is incredibly busy – those who are not seriously ill will face very long waits to be seen and may need to go elsewhere for help.
• Remember, the Children’s Hospital Emergency Department can’t help with dental or eye issues. For an eye emergency, please attend the Midland Eye Centre at Dudley Road open 9am-7pm. NHS 111 can help with finding and accessing an Emergency Dentist.
• There are things you can try before visiting, such as:
  • View our ‘virtual consultations’ to hear our doctors’ advice on the most common reasons people come to the Emergency Department – Click here
  • Visit Healthier Together, a website recommended by our doctors, which has advice and resources for parents and young people – Click here
  • Visit 111 online (for children aged 5 and over). Answer questions about your symptoms on the website and they will tell you what to do next.
• Take these simple steps to keep well this winter:
  • Wash your hands regularly just like you did during the pandemic.
  • Get your flu jab and COVID-19 booster.

Kind Regards

Mrs Clifford-Chapman

Office Manager

Dear Parents,

School will break up for the holiday on Friday 16th December at 1pm.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

Dear Parents/ Carers,

This term, we are going to feed the children before school finishes, so things are slightly different.

1. Pick up will be at 1pm.

2. We are offering ALL children a free lunch of pizza and chips. The allergens are milk and gluten.

3. If your child usually has packed lunch, they still can if they would prefer. However, if they would like pizza and chips, they can! Nobody has paid for lunch on this day, because we usually finish at 12. However, we have decided that we would like to feed children before they start their holiday, and we will pay for it.

4. If your child is allergic to milk or gluten, please send them with a packed lunch, or come and speak to the Office Staff so that we can work something out.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

Dear Parents and Carers,

This year we are doing something new!

Two year groups are working together to put on the Nativity: Year 4 and Reception.

We would like to invite you to a magical performance on Tuesday 13th December. You can make your way to the hall once you have dropped your child off in the morning, and we hope the performance will begin at 9am. It will be finished by 9.45/10am.

I hope you can join us.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Christmas Jumper Day will be on Monday 12th December.

Children will wear their uniform, but replace their school jumper with a Christmas one.

If your child would rather wear their usual jumper, that is absolutely fine.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

Dear Parents,

We hope to raise some money for school fund by running some discos for the children during the last week of term.

The disco will be run by Mrs Seymour and class teachers will also be there.

It will cost £2 and children will pay on the door.

Year 1 and 2 are invited on Tuesday 13th December

Year 3 and 4 are invited on Wednesday 14th December

Year 5 and 6 are invited on Thursday 15th December

The disco will start at 3.15pm and end at 4.00pm.

Children will have a drink and a snack as part of the entrance ticket.

The children's class party will be on the same day, so they will already be in their party clothes.

It will be lots of Christmas fun!

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour

CHRISTMAS DINNER – THURSDAY 16^TH DECEMBER 2022

With Christmas approaching soon we would like to offer the opportunity for children who normally have sandwiches or go home for dinner, to enjoy a Christmas dinner and a Christmas cracker with all their friends in the hall. They can choose from of the following choices:-

Main Course

Pizza

Roast Turkey (Halal or Non Halal), Vegetables and Potatoes

Fish Fingers

Veggie Fingers

Pudding Choice

Vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate in the shape of a Christmas tree

Shortbread

Yogurt

Fruit

To avoid your child missing out on this one off celebration of a school Christmas dinner on Thursday 16^th December. If your child(ren) normally go home for lunch or bring in packed lunches, but would like a Christmas dinner and they are in Years 3, 4, 5 or 6, please make a payment of £2.45 via parent mail by Thursday 8^th December 2022. You can do this by going into:

• Payment
• Shop
• Christmas dinner 16^th December (Please do not pay this under the dinners option)

As the Turkey meal needs to be ordered in advance, we cannot take any additional requests for Christmas Turkey dinners after Friday 8^th December 2022.

Your child has already been asked by their teacher for their meal choice. It is important that you talk to your child about this and make payment, so that there is no confusion, between the teacher’s figures and the payments made at the office.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Clifford-Chapman

Office Manager

Please see the table below from the government regarding who should be self-isolating: