The council have prepared a response to parental/carer queries about increased numbers in schools. Please follow the link below to view the letter.
DurhamWorks
Calling all school leavers! Wondering what to do next?
DurhamWorks can work with you to explore employment, education and training. You can talk to one of our advisors on our online chat facility about your future career
visit www.durhamworks.info and look for the green icon on right hand side,
call us on 03000 262 930 or contact us via the website https://durhamworks.info/your-future/get-started
https://www.facebook.com/durhamworks/videos/1471622119704745/
Update on school re-opening – 01/06/2020
Our Local Authority has advised all schools that re-opening should not take place now before Monday 15th June. Children who have already been accessing provision may continue to do so but we will not be making any changes to this or opening more widely as this could increase risk to children and staff at the current time.
Letter for Parents – Covid19
After the governments plans for the phased return of schools. The Woodlands has issued a letter informing parents of it’s position. Please follow the link below:
Guidance for parents and carers on supporting their children’s education during the coronavirus outbreak
We have published information, guidance and support for parents and carers of children who are learning at home during the coronavirus outbreak.
Guidance on helping secondary school children continue their education during the coronavirus outbreak can be found here:
We have updated our guidance on helping primary school aged children learn at home to include information on the wider opening of educational settings.
The guidance can be found here:
Updated guidance on early years initial teacher training requirements
We have updated our guidance for early years initial teacher training (ITT) providers on entry requirements and the process if entrants to early years ITT are unable to demonstrate the required GCSE equivalent entry standard, as a consequence of the coronavirus outbreak.
The guidance can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-itt-requirements-supporting-advice
University students collecting their belongings from student accommodation
We have updated our guidance for higher education providers to include information on students wishing to leave their student accommodation or return to collect their belongings in England.
The guidance on leaving or returning to collect belongings from student accommodation can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-he-providers-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak
The information below has not changed since yesterday.
Guidance on the wider opening of education and childcare settings
Guidance on the actions for education and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June, at the earliest, can be found here:
Guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings can be found here:
Guidance for parents and carers as schools and other education settings in England open to more children and young people can be found here:
Department for Education coronavirus helpline – Monday 25 May Bank Holiday opening hours
The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care.
Phone: 0800 046 8687
The helpline will remain open over the May Bank Holiday weekend for staff, parents and young people as follows:
10am to 4pm – Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Our standard opening hours will resume on Tuesday 26 May:
8am to 6pm – Monday to Friday
10am to 4pm – Saturday and Sunday
If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UK PRN) available when calling the helpline
Handwashing advice
It is essential that everyone washes their hands more often, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand washing with soap employs mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available or the situation makes using soap less feasible (i.e. when outside) but using hand sanitiser provides none of the virus-destroying friction that rubbing your hands together and rinsing with water provides.
The latest guidance and video on hand washing can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
The e-Bug project is led by Public Health England and has a dedicated webpage for learning resources on hand washing and respiratory hygiene.
Resources are currently available for KS1, KS2 and KS3 and can be used in various settings including schools and at home:
Collection of guidance for educational settings on GOV.UK
All of the Department for Education’s coronavirus guidance for educational settings can be found in one place on GOV.UK at:
Latest advice for parents\carers – Coronavirus
Below is a link for the latest advice for parents and carers from the Government regarding the Coronavirus pandemic:
Well being tips for parents
During this unsettling period it is important that we take care of our well being. With that in mind below is a link to a document with well being tips:
Ofsted Report
As you know we recently had our Ofsted inspection and we were given a rating of Good. The Ofsted report is now available and can be found below.
KS4 Residential
Unfortunately with the current situation with Covid-19, we have had to take cancel the residential trip that was planned for Wednesday 25th April. We are hoping that we will be able to reschedule the trip for later in the year.
11/03/2020: This is your daily update on the government’s response to COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Government coronavirus action plan
Yesterday, the Prime Minister confirmed that the government’s response to COVID-19 remains in the Contain phase – the first phase in the government’s coronavirus action plan.
The coronavirus action plan was launched last week. This document sets out what we have done to tackle coronavirus (COVID-19), and what it plans to do next, depending upon the course the current coronavirus outbreak takes.
The action plan can be found here:
Advice from Public Health England continues to be for education and children’s social care settings to remain open, unless advised otherwise. We are continually reviewing how best to support all educational settings and the impact of any measures will be considered carefully before being implemented.
Updated travel advice for travellers returning from Italy
Yesterday, Public Health England updated their travel advice, recommending that anyone returning from Italy should self-isolate, even if you do not have any symptoms. If you do develop symptoms, call NHS 111.
The latest travel guidance can be found here:
Further information on what you should do if you are asked to self-isolate can be found here:
The importance of hygiene
Personal hygiene is the most important way we can tackle COVID-19, especially washing hands more; and the catch it, bin it, kill it strategy for those with coughs and sneezes.
Wash your hands more often for 20 seconds with soap and hot water
In addition to handwashing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, both children and staff should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport.
Public Health England has a dedicated webpage with a range of posters and digital materials at:
Sign up is quick, free and means you will be alerted as more resources are made available.
Department for Education coronavirus helpline
The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is now available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)
If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UKPRN) available when calling the helpline.
Where to find the latest information
Updates on COVID-19:
Guidance for educational settings:
Travel advice for those travelling and living overseas:
Educational resources
Latest Department for Education information:
Please keep your GIAS contacts up to date
If you work in a school, please take this opportunity to review your contact information in Get Information About School (GIAS).
To update your record, please go to the GIAS home page, “Sign in” using your “DfE Sign-in” credentials and select GIAS from your available services here: