Rowan and Silver Birch Classes were the lucky borrowers of two fascinating loan boxes from Moyse's Hall Museum this week. As part of our current topic, we explored Victorian Washday and Victorian Toys.

We'd like to thank Mrs Parker for arranging this loan for us, and for delivering the boxes.

Moyse's Hall Museum is in Bury St Edmunds. Fans of Marvel and Black Panther might be interested in visiting the Power of Stories exhibition.

Pupils produced wonderful writing including diary entries, newspaper reports and written interviews.

We love getting feedback like this about our pupils - well done to those that were there, you make us proud.

Here are this week’s recommended reads from me. It’s a non-fiction theme this week.

I'd also recommend these reads as a follow-up for children's Mental Health Week.

You may also be interested in reading this article from the National Literacy Trust about why reading matters for mental health.

Miss Mansfield, Literacy Co-ordinator

Saturday 26th, midday-2pm - Soup Lunch

Saturday 26th, 2.30-4.00pm - Messy Church

Every Wednesday (when the school is back to Level 1) - families are invited to join the school in Collective Worship in Church

Save the Date! - Tuesday 1st March, 10.30-midday: Coffee & Pancakes in the Tithe Barn. In aid of church funds.

We remain committed to ensuring our school is as safe as possible with regard to COVID-19. We are currently at Level 2 within the Suffolk Framework. We continue to implement control measures to reduce transmission within school. Please see our current Risk Assessment for more detail.

We will review this on an ongoing basis and keep you informed of any changes. Whilst we are operating above Level 1, we request that you continue to treat your child as though they are likely to have mixed closely with a positive case. Suffolk Public Health strongly recommends close contacts undertake daily LFD tests for 7 days and should isolate if they feel unwell with any COVID-19 symptoms, or if they return a positive LFD test. Under 5’s are exempt from daily testing.

We therefore encourage all parents/carers to undertake daily testing and to log their test results, whether negative or positive, on both the government portal and on TestRegister.

Your child can continue to attend school during this period unless they start to show symptoms or test positive on an LFD test. You do not need to arrange a follow-up PCR test if you have already taken an LFD test and the result was positive.

Cases can return to their setting once the 10 day isolation period is complete or if they have had a negative LFD result on two consecutive days after Day 5 and they have had no fever for 48 hours.

Government guidance

Symptoms

The symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:

• recent onset of new continuous cough or

• high temperature or

• a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness. If you are concerned about your health or the health of anyone else in your house, please seek advice from your GP or NHS 111 by phoning 111.

Further Information

Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

The frequently asked questions on the SCC website are available at Latest guidance COVID-19 | Suffolk County Council.

As always, we encourage you to ensure your child continues to attend school if they are well and do not have a positive COVID-19 test result.

Entries are now open for the 2022 Pearson National Teaching Awards as featured on BBC’s The One Show.

The ‘Unsung Hero’ Award, honours our everyday heroes and ensures these amazing staff working in schools and colleges are given the thanks they deserve. This award is open to anyone working in a school – teacher, support staff including caretakers, playground helpers, school office staff, head teachers and teachers.

It is the only award open to nominations from parents/carers and pupils so if you know an amazing member of school staff or school/college team send them a free thank you e-card from the website and tick the box saying you would like to card to turn into a nomination. We’ll then follow up with the recipient’s school to progress the thank you into a fully fledged Pearson National Teaching Awards entry!

The Clubs timetable is online.

After School:

Monday - Multisports with Mr Hurkett

Tuesday - Gymnastics with Mr Hurkett

Wednesday - Tag Rugby with GVTSSP, Stephen

Thursday - Indoor Ball games/racquet sports with GVTSSP, Helena

Please ensure you pack a healthy snack for your child to have during After School Club and - as ever - let the office staff know if you don't need your place so they can free it up for someone else.

From The Offshoot Foundation: We have been given some funding to run free film making workshops for students in Year 5 and above and would appreciate if you could share our information with your pupils and parents. The nearest free workshop for your pupils is at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds at the end of half term

We have been running film workshops since 2008 across Suffolk and many young people have stayed with us throughout their school years; and we have over 40 young people who now work in Film and TV industry. Even if young people aren’t interested in careers in the industry it is a wonderful way for young people to learn new skills, including lots of soft skills that we know are so important to their education.

I hope you are able to share our information, if you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Paul Press

Chief Executive

The Offshoot Foundation

www.theoffshootfoundation.com

Camp 21-25 February 2022

Mon 21 Feb: AM Skateboarding / PM BMX or Target Games

Tue 22 Feb: AM Gymnastics / Pm - Dance OR Parkour

Wed 23 Feb: AM- Ipswich Town Football OR Parkour / PM- Ipswich Town Football OR Capoeira

Thurs 24 Feb -Nerf and Laser Tag / PM Nerf and Laser Tag

Fri 25 Feb- Am Multi games and Inflatables / PM -Multi games and Inflatables

South Lee School are offering a free Holiday Activity Day on Thursday 24th February, during half term, for pupils in Reception to Year 7.

Activities will include sports, art, drama, computing, music and more! A hot lunch will be provided for all attending pupils.

We would be incredibly grateful if you could please forward the attached leaflet to parents in the above year groups, potentially in a weekly parent bulletin or newsletter.

Could you foster?

Would you like to find out how you can provide a family home to children in your area? Nexus Fostering is a well-established and highly regarded fostering agency, based in Norwich, who are urgently seeking full-time foster carers willing to foster older children and siblings. The agency is rated Ofsted 'Outstanding' in all areas and place a high premium on the quality of support and care that they provide to every one of the foster carers and, in turn, the children and young people placed with them.

To find out more about becoming a foster carer in Norfolk and Suffolk please call 0800 389 0143 or email foster@nexusfostering.co.uk.

Your child may be eligible for free school meals throughout primary school. This could save you approximately £437 per year.

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To check or apply online, visit: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-meals-uniforms-and-trips/apply-for-free-school-meals/

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Check if you're eligible

Your child will get free school meals if you receive any of the following:

• Income Support

• Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

• Child Tax Credit but no element of Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenues & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190

• If you are supported under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after your employment finishes or after you start to work fewer hours per week

• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (£616.67 per month), as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods).
  

To check if your child is eligible, apply online for an immediate response or call 01473 260989.

We encourage you to apply, because the school receives additional funding (Pupil Premium) for all children on income-related Free School Meals.

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