Latest Coronavirus update for Uffculme
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing
Every child who can be safely cared for at home should be, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.
Please see the document above for more information on the decision that was made on Friday.
"Those with an EHC plan should be risk-assessed by their school ... to decide whether they need to continue to be offered a school/college place in order to meet their needs, or whether they can safely have their needs met at home. This could include, if necessary, carers therapists or clinicians visiting the home to provide any essential services. Many children and young people with EHC plans can safely remain at home."
We have agreed ongoing support from our Speech and Language Therapist, Juliette, and our Occupational Therapists, Holly and Lyndsey (Integrated Therapy Support). If you have a question for them, please email emergencies@uffculme.bham.sch.uk .
Many thanks for your ongoing support during this confusing and challenging time. Staff and Governors at Uffculme continue to be committed to supporting your child/young person.
As you are no doubt aware the Department for Education continue to publish guidance for schools. We have been requesting clarification on what this means for Special Schools and what this means for our students. Last night the following document was shared:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision
It is clear from this that the key principle that we must consider is:
If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.
That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.
In light of this I have made the difficult decision to partially close Uffculme School.
This decision is based of a combination of factors:
We are aware that students and staff at Uffculme have displayed symptoms of COVID-19
We need to socially distance in order to limit the spread of COVID-19
We must reduce the risk to our pupils
We must reduce the risk to our staff
From Tuesday 24th March, Uffculme School will partially close. We will provide child-care to:
Children of Key Workers.
Thank you for sharing your information with our admin team, earlier this week which has enabled us to gain insight into which students this applies to.
Children whose mental health will be impacted by a long-term absence from school.
Specific cases where support is needed to maintain the families health and safety.
This will be in place until 3rd April 2020. Support for children of Key Workers may be continued over the Easter holidays. However, we would expect parents and families to have already made arrangements for their children during this time.
School will be closed to all pupils on Monday 23rd March to enable staff to prepare for the above pupils. There will be some relocation of pupils across the sites. The Russell Road site will be closed. We will contact parents directly on Monday if we will be offering support to your child/young person. Information regarding transport will be made available to these families on Monday.
We are liaising with our catering suppliers MiQuill, to support students who receive Free School Meals and will be in touch by phone on Monday with individual families.
Home learning packs will be sent home for some pupils, additionally on-line learning resources will be published on the school website; Uffculme.bham.sch.uk.
We realise that you are likely to spend the next few days concerned about what is being offered to your child and we ask you to bear with us.
We have set up a school email emergencies@uffculme.bham.sch.uk to enable you to communicate with senior leaders at the school over the next few weeks. Please reach out if you or your child are in crisis during this time.
Please continue to monitor the school website and Facebook page for updates. Any material on re-opening will be sent out by post to ensure all families receive the information in a timely fashion.
It is with much regret that we are in this position. We are in a complex situation which is changing rapidly. No precedent has been set for this which makes the decisions exceptionally hard. We ask you to safeguard yourselves and your families.
Charlotte Stubbs
Guidance for schools, childcare providers, colleges and local authorities in England on maintaining educational provision
As a country, we all need to do what we can to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
That is why the government has given clear guidance on self-isolation, household isolation and social distancing.
And the most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear.
It is important to underline that schools, all childcare settings (including early years settings, childminders and providers of childcare for school-age children), colleges and other educational establishments, remain safe places for children. But the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.
Schools, and all childcare providers, are therefore being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children - children who are vulnerable, and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.
Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs, including child in need plans, on child protection plans, 'looked after' children, young carers, disabled children and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
We know that schools will also want to support other children facing social difficulties, and we will support head teachers to do so.
Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.
Please, therefore, follow these key principles:
If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.
If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision:
We will be sending a letter home to all parents later today confirming the schools position.
After hoping for some further clarification this evening we are still at sea. Office staff are working hard to get in touch with all parents to establish what their plans are. If you have not spoken to a memebr of the admin team, please call in tomorrow.
We plan to open and offer support for pupils leading up to the Easter holidays and to support the children of key workers during the Easter break. However we must do this in a way that is safe for both students and staff.
We would request that you plan for your child/young people to be out of school on Monday 23rd so a much reduced/skeleton staff can plan to support your child after that. It is likely that your child will be working with staff that do not know them as well as their usual support. This day will give everyone a better chance of success.
We will confirm this tomorrow and contact parents directly with plans.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51952314
Tonights briefing from Downing Street leaves a lot of questions for parents, carers and staff at Uffculme School.
Senior Leaders have met this evening to unpick what this means. We are determined to support our pupils but there are many aspects that will need to be addressed including transport, catering and staffing.
We will be providing further updates in the next 24 hours.
If you have a child/young person at the school who shows signs of the virus or if you choose to socially distance your child, please contact the school directly as a matter of urgency.
We would ask that in this case, messages are not sent via a third party. Please phone 0121 464 9634 and choose the attendance option. If you have to leave a message, someone will phone you back.
Following the daily briefing from Downing Street, Uffculme School will be postponing all non-essential meetings and gatherings. This includes; Open Days for Year 5, Educational Health Care Reviews, Parents Evenings.
All school trips and community access will be cancelled until further notice.
If you have a child/young person at the school who shows signs of the virus, please contact the school directly as a matter of urgency.
Updated guidance for education settings on coronavirus (COVID-19)
Today, the Department for Education and Public Health England have issued updated guidance for education settings on COVID-19. This guidance will assist staff in addressing COVID-19 in educational settings. This includes childcare, schools, further and higher educational institutions.
staff, young people and children should stay at home if they are unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature to avoid spreading infection to others. Otherwise they should attend education or work as normal
if staff, young people or children become unwell on site with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature they should be sent home
clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces more often than usual using your standard cleaning products
supervise young children to ensure they wash their hands for 20 seconds more often than usual with soap and water or hand sanitiser and catch coughs and sneezes in tissues
The updated guidance can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19#contents
Current advice remains in place: no education or children's social care setting should close in response to a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case unless advised to do so by Public Health England.
Please be advised that we continue to follow Government guidance on supporting our community during at this time. We are aware of the vulnerability of our children/young people and are support parents and carers to access the right advice. If you have a child/young person at the school who shows signs of the virus, please contact the school directly as a matter of urgency.
For more advice please refer to NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ and Government pages https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response
Further information will be shared on this page at the school facebook link if circumstances or advice changes.
Coronavirus_advice_for_educational_settings_poster
Letter to parents from Dr Tim O'Neill 20.03.20