It’s finally arrived – the day we can all come back to school! We are all looking forward to welcoming all of our children back to school…have a look at the video below…

Return to School Details

You have received all the details for the return to school through ParentMail earlier this week. If you missed them, or need a refresh, they can be found here.

Assessment

A number of parents have asked us about what we are doing about assessing the children when they return and whether we’ll be sharing those assessments with parents. There will be no formal, test-based assessment when the children come back. Our focus will purely be on settling the children and making sure that they integrate well back into school life. Obviously, informal assessments will be on-going from the first day and should we have any concerns at all we will contact you individually.

Easter Holiday Sports Camps

Details here and here of some sports camps being run over the Easter break.

Thrive Newsletter #8

Here’s Mrs Robbins’ latest Thrive newsletter. Can’t believe we’re up to number 8 already!

Preparing Your Child For School

There is some helpful advice in this document that may help if you or your child is anxious about the return to school next week.

Digital Library

If you missed the ParentMail the other day, here is the link to our new Digital Library. Over 200 books here, being read aloud by all sorts of different people!

A Message From Dudley LA

Parents and carers can also visit www.dudley.gov.uk/coronavirusparents for more information on both symptom and symptom-free testing and the other symptoms residents are now being encouraged to take a precautionary test if they display.

Accessing symptom-free tests

Parents and carers and anyone else living with a school age child or young person are among the priority groups being given access to free home lateral flow testing kits to test themselves. 

Information on how to access these can be found at www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff

All are strongly encouraged to have a lateral flow test at a local testing site prior to starting home testing, to know how a test is undertaken.  

Twice weekly testing will help detect hidden asymptomatic cases and help keep pupils and staff safer in school.

Anyone unable to do home testing can go to one of the Dudley lateral flow testing centres. These are at Dudley Leisure Centre, Saltwells Education Centre, with pop-up sessions at Holy Trinity Church Community Centre in Wordsley, Lifecentral Church in Halesowen, St Andrews Church in Sedgley, St James Church in Wollaston and the Salvation Army Church in Lye.

There is also testing at more than 30 pharmacies across the borough. For details on where you can get a lateral flow test and to book visit www.dudley.gov.uk/symptom-free-testing

Take Care & Stay Safe

Mr Dunn