Happy Star Wars Day (May the Fourth be with you)!

Year 4 have been inspired today, with it being Star Wars Day and some children have had a go at drawing some of the characters from the films.

They used the videos on Art for Kids Hub on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/ArtforKidsHub

Why not have a go at drawing one of your own Star Wars characters?

Fantastic work Year 4!

The DfE have updated their guidance on social distancing in education and childcare settings, focusing on measures that can be put in place to help limit the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading within these settings.

As we anticipate there are likely to be more children coming into school over the coming weeks it is important that you read and act if not doing so already. This is also helpful guidance to reassure and give confidence to staff that they can feel safe in providing for children.

The guidance also includes a helpful Q&A and can be read here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-social-distancingin-education-and-childcare-setting

Please click on the link below to read the latest guidance for education and childcare settings on how to implement social distancing from Public Health England:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england

Well done to everyone who has taken part in the Worcestershire Virtual School Games so far this term. We have already completed 2 challenges, the ‘Speed bounce challenge’ and then we have had children taking part in the ‘Hit the Mark’ challenge.

This week’s challenge is a throwing challenge. Check your emails for more details from Miss Perry. You have until Friday at 5pm to get the entries in for this week! Keep an eye on your emails each week from Miss Perry for further information about the weekly challenges!

You can also represent the school by taking part in the ‘Design a School Games Flag/Poster’ OR by taking part in the ‘Worcestershire’s Got Talent Showcase.’

For further details go to  www.activehw.co.uk/worcestershire-school-games  or email Miss Perry.

We can’t wait to have all of our fabulous children back in school on Monday 8th March 2021.

All of our children are invited to a ‘Welcome back to school Breakfast Party’.

A drink and a continental breakfast will be provided.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Information received from https://www.relaxkids.com/

We have had so many requests from parents and teachers for tips and ideas to help children manage their anxiety during this unsettling time and have created a FREE CALM PACK to help give reassurance and a feeling of calm and safety to help children and their families manage changes and navigate these uncertain times.

It is designed to help rest and relax jangled nervous systems with a calming meditation set of relaxation exercise cards, affirmation cards and some activities.

We are creating some more tools to help children manage their anxiety.

Marneta
Founder, Relax Kids

Contact us:
info@relaxkids.com

Kooth is a free, web based, confidential support service funded by the Worcester and Hereford NHS Trust and is available to all young people aged 11-18 years. Kooth provides a safe and secure means of accessing mental health and wellbeing support designed specifically for young people.

Year 6 pupils transition into High Schools and as well as it being an exciting time, it may also cause anxiety and stress in others. Kooth can also support vulnerable young people who may experience isolation or low self-esteem and help build their resilience for the big changes ahead. During such unprecedented times, lots of young people are also seeking support around not seeing their friends/teachers before moving to high school, and not being able to see their wider family.

Please see link below to access our digital Year 6 assembly presentation which can be shared with pupils as part of their transition support.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R6wqTEBf92T4PxRfvehzv1zQewQwZxC8/view?usp=sharing

Kooth offers young people the opportunity to have a text-based conversation with a qualified counsellor. Counsellors are available from 12noon to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm to 10 pm at weekends, every day of the year on a drop-in basis. Young people can access regular booked online counselling sessions as needed. Outside counselling hours’ young people can message our team and get support by the next day.

When young people register with Kooth they will have support available to them now and in the future. Support can be gained not only through counselling but articles, forums and discussion boards. All content is age appropriate, clinically approved and fully moderated.

To find out more visit www.Kooth.com where young people can register for the service.

You can also view a short video about the service at: https://vimeo.com/318731977/a9f32c87de

The Year 2’s have been working hard at home, learning all about ‘The Great Fire of London’ as part of their ‘Best of British’ topic.

Here is their fantastic work:

https://www.flipbookpdf.net/web/site/fb3ca9ed315981f3c4c69ab4775db477b324854c202005.pdf.html#page/1

Please see useful information on the new Worcestershire ‘HANDi Paediatric’ app.

The app provides up to date advice about common childhood illnesses and how to to treat them.

This months Value is Hope. We think you will all agree that this value will be most appropriate at this current time.

‘Hope is being able to see that their s light despite all of the darkness’ – Desmond Tutu

‘The Lord delights in those who…put their hope in his unfailing love’ – Psalm 147:11 

The children attending Key Worker care created their own paper planes and flew them around the field this afternoon.

Well done everyone. You have created some fabulous paper aeroplanes. We hope you had lots of fun flying them!

Please look at our gallery for more photos!

This service is to order free rapid lateral flow test kits to be sent to your home in England. Please click on the link below to start your order.

https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

You can order kits to test your household, childcare bubble or support bubble if at least one member:

• is a school pupil
• works in a school (this includes temporary workers or volunteers)

Before you use this service

This service is for people who cannot go to rapid lateral flow test sites, for example if you cannot drive or get someone to take you there.

Limited stock is available, so before using this service, find out other ways to get a twice-weekly rapid lateral flow test.

Who this service is for

You can only use this service if:

• you’re 18 or older
• you live in England
• you do not have coronavirus symptoms
• you have not been told to self-isolate
• you or someone in your household, childcare or support bubble attends a primary or secondary school (including sixth form students) or works at one
• you cannot get tests from a test site or your work

Daniel in Year 6 was set a baking challenge by a friend to bake a toilet roll cake due to all the craziness over toilet roll during our rainbow time.

We all think Daniel did a brilliant job and wish him all the luck in the world with his entry into Junior Bake off!

Keep us updated with your entry progress Daniel!

Since returning to school, Year 6 have been “Stepping back in time” and looking at how things like television, entertainment and holidays changed throughout the 20th century. One of our favourite things to look at was the fashion!

Today we all came to school dressed from a different decade and as you can see, we had quite the selection!

Today, we’re saying thank you to nursing staff everywhere for the remarkable contribution they make to the lives of millions of people.

All 21 libraries across Worcestershire have now reopened. Your library card is a FREE passport to a diverse and inclusive range of reading resources, available to borrow from library buildings or through our digital library online.

In addition, if parents and pupils are looking for a quiet space away from home to study, research, get online or simply get some work done, you can pre-book a computer or reserve a desk space by calling 01905 822722.

For more information on how to join the library and discover the many benefits of library membership, visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/libraries

A parent has kindly signposted us to the specific criteria within the government’s Covid 19 guidance, that specifically relates to individuals who have a diagnosis of autism:

Can I exercise more than once a day if I need to due to a significant health condition?             

You can leave your home for medical need. If you (or a person in your care) have a specific health condition that requires you to leave the home to maintain your health – including if that involves travel beyond your local area – then you can do so. This could, for example, include where individuals with learning disabilities or autism require specific exercise in an open space two or three times each day – ideally in line with a care plan agreed with a medical professional.

Even in such cases, in order to reduce the spread of infection and protect those exercising, travel outside of the home should be limited, as close to your local area as possible, and you should remain at least 2 metres apart from anyone who is not a member of your household or a carer at all times.

This information has been sent to parents of children who have a diagnosis of autism and/or have been referred to the Umbrella Pathway or Complex Communication Team. As ever, it is important to balance your child’s medical needs with the essential purpose of social distancing.

Please see below the link to the official advice and would advise that you contact your health professionals should you have any further questions.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

Tomorrow, the Duchess of Cambridge will lead an online assembly for the Oak National Academy during which she will speak about the importance of mental wellbeing among children.

The theme of the Duchess’ assembly is ‘spread a little kindness’ and is based on a lesson plan which is available on the Mentally Healthy Schools platform.

This platform was developed in collaboration with children’s mental health charity Place2Be and encourages children to explore ways in which they can show kindness and recognise the benefits of kindness to others.

The Mentally Healthy Schools platform can be accessed here:
https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/

The assembly will be live on the Oak National Academy website at 11am on Thursday 18 June and can be accessed here:
https://classroom.thenational.academy/assemblies/

A recording of the assembly will be available to view on the Oak National Academy website following the event.

Please watch the video below to see a short message from Dr Kathryn Cobain – Director of Public Health at Worcester County Council.

We look forward to welcoming our children back in school on Monday 8th March 2021.

Noah and Flo taught Mrs Duck and her 12 babies some basic road safety from their house back to their pond on the corner of Inn Lane. Please click on the link below to view the video:

Ducks road safety

We thought this was very cute and really made us smile!

Well done Noah and Flo. Road safety is very important and you have taken really good care of the ducks.

Wyre Forest School Health Nursing team have put together a 15 minute presentation for Year 6 pupils to help with the transition to High School. There is also information at the end of the video with the transition programme that Barnardo’s are offering over the Summer Holidays.

Please watch the You Tube video below for further information:

Noah has topped up our forest school garden with another lovely little toad that was venturing through his garden towards the road!

This toad was a much younger one this time as and Noah and his family are still wandering quite where they’re coming from.

Well done to Noah and his family for all the rescuing you are doing!

Suki and Jay Mattu would like to donate lunch boxes for any child who needs a meal throughout half term on behalf of their business DNA AUTOHAUS.

Please see their poster attached with the details.

Thank you to both Suki and Jay Mattu for offering such a wonderful thing for families.

We are providing as much guidance, information and links to website’s to support our families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping children and young people entertained can be fun and educational!

Please click the link below to be taken directly to the Worcestershire Children First page.

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20772/keeping_kids_entertainedfbclid=IwAR1yYvlnWQ1e_jSvl4m45B421Hlk2Ab8ULjLuzPEPmlGj_i7Jx2OGtgJjB0

The website provides a range of free activities and guidance including:

• • Easter Activities
  • Partnership websites for children and young people
  • Online learning covering a variety of subjects
  • Art
  • Coding
  • English
  • Reading
  • Exercise
  • Games
  • Geography
  • Health and well-being
  • Languages
  • Maths
  • Nature
  • Science
  • Theatre
  • SEND
  • Understanding Coronavirus and talking to children about covid-19
  • Coping with school closures and isolation
  • Hygiene and safety

Are you or anyone you know struggling to pay your fuel bills this winter? Act on Energy can help. Fuel Vouchers are available for families and households in Worcestershire on pre-payment meters and those paying by direct debit or on receipt of bill or paying direct to the supplier, such as LPG, oil.

So, if you have seen a drop in income from COVID-19 or receive one of the benefits below APPLY NOW for our Winter Warmer vouchers.

Apply if on Benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit

OR if you have a gross annual household income of £30,000 or less:

• Recently been made redundant
• Furloughed, waiting to receive first payment and don’t know when this will be
• Self-employed and income is unpredictable and/or they are waiting to apply for payment from the government
• Any referral from a Foodbank

Fuel Vouchers are available for gas, electric, oil, LPG and solid fuels. For more information and email: support@actonenergy.org.uk or call Freephone: 0800 988 2881

The Department for Education are providing FREE courses are available through the new online platform, the Skills Toolkit.

This platform signposts to free, high-quality digital and numeracy courses to help people build up their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects and confidence whilst at home.

The Skills Toolkit can be accessed here

https://theskillstoolkit.campaign.gov.uk/

Courses on offer cover a range of levels, from everyday maths and the use of email and social media at work to more advanced training. All courses are available online and are flexible so that people can work through them at their own pace.

Daniel in Year 6 wanted to share with us that he was very pleased to get his music Blue Peter badge through the post. It is specially designed by Ed Sheeran.

He filled out the application after his role in Oliver with Stourbridge Amateur Operatic Society last year. He was due to perform as one of the brothers in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat this year, but we’re not sure if that can still go ahead due to Covid 19.

How amazing Daniel. This is something very special to treasure forever!

The Department for Education have published a list of online resources that parents, and schools can consider to support children to continue learning at home.

The list will be updated over time, and includes a wide range of resources for all ages that schools can consider using as part of their planned curriculum.

Schools have already been drawing on existing resources and tools they are familiar with to support children to continue learning at home and should continue to do so.

Further information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources

Public Health England has updated their guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection

Public Health England has published guidance for households with grandparents, parents and children living together where someone is at risk or has symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

The guidance can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

This months Value is Love.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs”.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

With the majority of parents and their children at home the Family Learning Team at Worcestershire County Council have designed some really short but fun activities for parents and children to do together online. They have also designed a course for High School pupils and their parents – Jewellery making!

All of these short courses are free to all parents (no eligibility of criteria) and can be booked online by clicking on the blue hyperlinks below:

Book and Cook Family Activity Week Online

Motivational Monday – Making a rainbow from any ingredients you have at home from tomatoes to cherries to peas! Ring an isolated relative and read them a book and make a rainbow in your house or garden. Tech Tuesday – Harry Potter chocolate melting (using up your left over Easter Eggs) and some Harry Potter activities. Work it out Wednesday – Making Pizza (bread roll, slice of bread, pizza base and using up beans, tins of tomatoes, sweetcorn, etc) and then writing your own Pizza cook book. Theory Thursday making biscuits and Where’s Wally books and Feedback Friday – making up a recipe book to show school what you have learnt.

5 days of Family Fun online

Motivation Monday – Flower Pressing and card making using flowers from your garden or local walk and books as the press and turning them into cards or pictures to show or post to people. Tech Tuesday – Sock puppets from old socks at home and anything you can find at home to decorate. Working it out Wednesday – garden pots using recycled drink bottles and yoghurt pots and painting with water in your garden. Theory Thursday – using cereal, pasta or dried fruit etc to thread into necklaces or jewellery. Feedback Friday – Stick food using cocktail sticks or kebab sticks or similar make your own kebabs from fruit and veg in your home or any sweets you can find.

High School Family Crafts Online

This is a 5 session online course for parents and teenagers to learn new crafts together. This course will be given to you to complete in your own time over the course of a week with 5 activities including: 1) Friendship Bracelets with wool or string 2) Flower braided bracelets using wool or string 3) Painted salt dough earrings 4) painted salt dough necklace and 5) Safety Pin Jewellery.

Hello Boys and Girls

I believe some of you are worried that I might not make it to your home this Christmas Eve due to the Coronavirus.

Please don’t worry, myself and my Reindeers are all fit and well and we can still visit every country.

Some of my elves have not been able to help in my workshop this year, but we are all working as hard as we can.

You may not get everything that you asked for this year, as some toys may not be ready, but remember that it is not because you have not been good.

You have all been very good and behaved AMAZINGLY during these tough times. We are very proud of you.

If any of your family or friends have not had everything they asked for, please be kind to them.

So, stay safe, keep up the good work and I will see you all on Christmas Eve. You will be asleep so you won’t see me!

Love Santa

We are looking to promote some key fire safety messages during the current pandemic situation. We are aware families will be spending more time at home than ever before. This obviously brings different challenges on many levels.

From a fire safety point of view, please look at the following advice from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service relating to garden bonfire safety on our Newsletter page:

https://hartlebury.worcs.sch.uk//wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Garden-Bonfire-Safety.pdf

Jump Rope UK are taking this opportunity to raise money for our lovely NHS. Any purchases made, Jump Rope are donating 50-100% of the profits from rope sales go to the NHS.

They also have free online trick tutorials on our YouTube for your children to try out and a lockdown challenge.

https://www.jumpruk.com/the-lock-down-jump-rope-challenge/

For further information and to order from Jump Rope UK, please contact the school office.

Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Children First have produced a short film aimed at primary aged school children to help pupils understand the key public health messages around Covid-19 and hopefully offer some reassurance.

Many thanks to Blackwell First School in Bromsgrove and The Chantry School in Martley for their support in making these films.

Family learning has designed some short Signalong workshops for ‘adults – parents and carers’ or for ‘professionals – childcare and teaching staff’ online. Each workshop is over one week and contains one 30 minute zoom session per day Monday – Friday. All workshops are free for all (no eligibility criteria) and have limited spaces. To book onto any workshop please click below:

Adults – Parents, Carers and Grandparents

Signalong 1 Starter Workshop ONLINE

Course Description: Signalong is a key word sign-supported communication system based on British sign language and is used in spoken word order. It uses speech, sign, body language, facial expression and voice tone to reference the link between sign and word. This 5 day (one 30 min session a day) course is a “starter” course for parents, grandparents and adults wishing to learn a few signs to support communication for children and adults.

Start date 08/06/2020 End date 12/06/2020 Start Time 14pm End time 14.30pm Cost Free

https://capublic.worcestershire.gov.uk/coursebookingpublic/CourseBooking.aspx?Login=False&CourseId=5704&CustomerRequestGUID=

Start date 06/07/2020 End date 10/07/2020 Start Time 14pm End time 14.30pm Cost Free

https://capublic.worcestershire.gov.uk/coursebookingpublic/CourseBooking.aspx?Login=False&CourseId=5705&CustomerRequestGUID=

Signalong 2 Progression Workshop ONLINE

Course Description: This workshop is for you to progress with Signalong after you have completed Signalong 1 starter workshop. This includes bespoke signs for your personal needs and will cover topics such as money, colours and animals and we will base the teaching very much on your own needs as a group to be able to use signalong in everyday life.

Safeguarding your Mental Health during Coronavirus is exceptionally important. Please click on the link below to read the latest guidance from the government about safeguarding your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-public-on-mental-health-and-wellbeing/guidance-for-the-public-on-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-aspects-of-coronavirus-covid-19

The new Reception and Year 1 pod have settled really well back into school. They have started by doing some yoga every morning this week and the children are quickly becoming experts.

Well done Reception and Year 1!

Year 3 children have been ordering key events in history to produce a Roman timeline.

This is a really lovely effort made by Holly.

Well done Holly. Mrs Wares and Mrs Vernon think you did a super job!

There are a series of online support and education sessions for parents of children with worries or anxieties around the return to school.

The sessions, delivered by teams from Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and the Starting Well Partnership cover topics including beating worries and anxiety, building relationships, coping with change and looking after your emotions.

Each session will last 45 around minutes and take place in groups online via video call. The sessions are open to all parents and carers of children living in Worcestershire and are free to join. 

• Monday 14 September 11am: Back to school: Relaxation techniques
• Monday 28 September 11am: Back to school: Coping with change

To sign up for these events please visit http://www.worcshealthcarenhs.eventbrite.co.uk

Please watch the video attached of Alexander, William and Edward who attend our school. Miss Perry sent Alexander some ideas for activities to try at home and he along with his brothers have been learning some British Sign Language.

We thought the video attached contained one of the most important phrases at this present time.

The boys are actively encouraging you to Wash your Hands in sign language!

Well done boys this is totally amazing!

This months Value is Courage. We think you will all agree that this value will be most appropriate at this current time.

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” ~ Winston Churchill

Please click on the link below to see the online Winter issue of Raring2go Magazine.

Due to the current national lockdown, there aren’t many events taking place and venues are closed. The magazine is full of ideas for families to keep children entertained in the home and the garden.

Features include Family Reading, Gardening, Valentine’s Day Craft, Making a Bird Feeder and Online Clubs.

Oak National Academy

Launched 20th April 2020, Oak National Academy is an online classroom and resource hub created by teachers, for teachers. It will provide 180 video lessons each week, across a broad range of subjects from maths to art to languages, for every year group. Teachers can use these resources to complement their own lesson planning and remote teaching until schools fully re-open. Every lesson will be free to use for every teacher and every pupil.

For more information visit: https://www.thenational.academy/

BBC Bitesize

In addition, the BBC has also launched its own education package across TV and online providing daily lessons for home schooling in Maths and English for every year group, as well as regular lessons in Science, History, Geography and more.

For more information visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

During our rainbow time, the children in our key worker pod decorated rainbow gingerbread biscuits that were kindly donated from Tesco. The children decorated these biscuits beautifully and enjoyed eating them afterwards!

Thank you Tesco for your very kind donation. We had a great time decorating them! Please see more photos in our Gallery.

Amaiya in Year 1, wanted to be just like her big sister, Daya, and write her own book review.

Amaiya picked a book she liked online and her Mummy ordered it for her. When it arrived, she read it and wrote her very own book review; which is fabulous. She recommends the book to her class mate India because India likes horses!

Well done Amaiya. Maybe you can post the book to India and then India can review it as well! How great would that be… a class book, travelling by post!

Most families have experienced upheaval in their daily lives during the pandemic. With children and young people now back at school or college, the new Public Health England (PHE) Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign provides NHS-endorsed tips and advice to help children and young people’s mental wellbeing, and equip parents and carers with the knowledge to support them.

The new advice available on the Every Mind Matters website has been developed in partnership with leading children and young people’s mental health charities, including Young Minds, The Mix, Place2Be and The Anna Freud Centre.

It is designed to help parents and carers spot the signs that children may be struggling with their mental health and support them, and also provides advice that can help maintain good mental wellbeing. The site also provides tools to help young people build resilience and equips them to look after their mental wellbeing.

The new Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign will be supported through social media, radio and press activity, helping to reach audiences including parents and carers of children and young people (aged 5 to 18) and young people (aged 13 to 18).

Search Every Mind Matters for expert tips and advice to support children and young people with their mental wellbeing.

I propose a national appreciation day, it is a day for families to stay home from work and school to appreciate having family time and feeling safe. (FAD). Family Appreciation Day.

I think we should have this day to remember the coronavirus and the world having to go into lockdown. During this time shops will be closed, and everyone will stay at home. You can go outside but only if it’s essential you can only go out for a dog walk, a run or a cycle (you can go on more than one walk but only if it’s a dog walk).

This day will happen on the 23^rd of march every year. It is set on this day because that is the day the UK went into lockdown.

How to spend the day

You can spend this day by playing games with your family, watch a movie or help your parents with jobs and more. I think this day should be a national day because it will be nice for everyone to come together as a family to appreciate that everything is ok.

• By Daniel M Class 6

As part of ‘home learning’ year 4 have been learning sign language and they had a go at learning Three Little Birds.

They have done amazingly well and would like to share with you the sign language video that some of the Year 4’s have taken part in.

Please click on the link below to watch their fabulous video. We are sure you will find yourself singing along to the song and maybe even practicing some of the sign language too!

Well done Year 4. We are all super proud of you!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NKK8AOc581zTHCLTPLP_skvfa0Lw7Ksg/view

Josh in Year 1 would like to share that he won against all of his family in their weekly game of scrabble.

Josh won the game with an incredible score of 165.

Josh would normally play with his Mum sharing her words, but he has become so good at spelling that he now has his own words.

To top it off, he even did his own adding up with each word.

Look at that beaming smile too. It shines as bright as you did in your scrabble game.

Well done Josh! You should be very proud of yourself.

Look what we have been doing this afternoon – We have made a Where’s Wally trail around Hartlebury for our friends to find!

Good Luck!

Love Lincoln and Darwin 

This months Value is Resilience. We think you will all agree that this value sums up the amazing efforts of all our children, parents and staff during our rainbow time.

“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future” – Jeremiah 29:11

We are missing all of our children lots and wanted to send you something to make you smile!

We hope you like our video from our house to yours.

Look at all of the lovely rainbows that are in the video. How many can you count?

Stay safe and thank you to all of our children, parents and key workers who are working so hard.

You are all amazing and we are so proud of you all!

A special thank you must go to Miss Branagh, for putting this fabulous video together. 

Here2Help is here for families self-isolating and unable to get support from friends, family or neighbours. 

On the Here2Help website families can find resources to help with staying at home during Coronavirus as well as an online form they can fill out to request the support they need.

If the family does not have internet access, they can call 01905 768053 which is open Monday to Thursday, 9am – 5pm and Friday 9am – 4.30pm.

Here2Help will signpost callers to up to date advice and arrange volunteer support where required to help those who are unable to leave their homes as a result of needing to self-isolate.

The types of support available include:

• Collecting and delivering food and supplies
• Arranging emergency food support
• Help collecting prescriptions
• Help with other commitments such as pet needs
• Support for those who are feeling isolated
• Advice around money, benefits and debt

For more information visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/here2help

Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Action for Children, Barnardo’s and Redditch Borough Council were delighted to formally launch the new Starting Well Partnership from 1^st April 2020. Please take time to look at the website (www.startingwellworcs.nhs.uk) as this service is a key part of the early intervention and prevention offer in Worcestershire.

The partnership will enhance the support available to children, young people and families across the county, providing help during antenatal, post birth, and early years stages, and right throughout school life. Due to the current Coronavirus epidemic, the service will not be fully operational at this time, but will include Family Hubs in each district, and will offer family and parenting groups supporting all aspects of physical and mental wellbeing for children, young people and their families.

They will also work closely with schools and other community groups supporting young people and parents. The new offer includes a new Starting Well website which they are pleased to say is now live. It will be developed more over the coming months, but initially includes lots if information to support families during the current challenges as a result of Covid-19. There are also links to wider information on a range of issues, from infant feeding through to supporting a young person’s mental wellbeing.

Alfie and Charlie have made this lovely video of their lovely lockdown garden makeover. We think it looks really lovely and we are sure the boys will enjoy having all that space to play.

Thank you for sharing your video with us boys. We love it!

Rev. Stephen Winter and members of the Worcestershire Severn Parishes are hosting a Family-Friendly Informal Service on Sunday 12th July at 10am and we’d love to welcome you and any younger members of your family to it. It will be a Zoom service, and there are optional craft activities attached. With lovely hymns to be shared and with participation by members of different churches we hope to make the service more interactive and cross the divide between those Zoom windows.

If you would like to join, please use the following login details on Zoom:

Meeting ID: 845 168 9869,   Password: 9445

We invite you to bring something to your service window if you would like to… a growing plant, maybe a spectacular weed, and possibly some stones or rocks… You may guess from this what the theme of the service will be?

Please join us in trying to find a more engaging way to provide a family-friendly service through Zoom.  We hope to see you there, with or without things to bring.

An Order of Service and the craft activity sheets can also be downloaded from St Andrew’s church website:

www.st-andrews.church/services/this-sunday-at-st-andrews

Miss Perry found a Wartime recipe book and asked children (if they were able) to have a go at making some of the recipes.

Katie and William (and their parents!) made potato and cheese dumplings as well as a wartime cake.

They both look delicious! Great work.

Children in the Channel Islands are being encouraged to join a virtual assembly with Ant and Dec and David Walliams.

The online assembly is being run by the NSPCC to encourage children to speak out and stay safe from abuse and neglect.

The ‘Speak Out and Stay Safe’ series will be hosted by Ant and Dec and David Walliams, where they will be discussing some of the worries children are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s great fun to be able to host the NSPCC’s virtual assembly for children and their families, especially as this one carries such an important message – that every child can turn to someone when times are tough.

Ant McPartlin

We believe it’s vitally important that all children know what to do if they have any concerns, particularly now, and we feel very honoured to be supporting the NSPCC with this.

Declan Donnelly

We are looking to promote some key fire safety messages during the current pandemic situation. We are aware families will be spending more time at home than ever before. This obviously brings different challenges on many levels.

From a fire safety point of view, please look at the following advice from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service on our Newsletter page:

https://hartlebury.worcs.sch.uk//wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Fire-Safety.pdf

https://hartlebury.worcs.sch.uk//wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Chimney-Safety.pdf

Holly and her class pod had Forest school last week. Holly’s younger brother Evan wanted to do the same as his big sister, so him and Mum went to the Wyre Forest and had their own Forest school!

It looks like you had a wonderful time exploring in the Forest. Look at how tall those trees are! We think your sister Holly would love to join you on your next Forest school adventure.

A student at French languages colleagues at Aston University has been creating a YouTube channel for his friends who do not have access to their French input. Aleksander would like to reach 1 million subscribers and has asked for his link to be signposted – it is a great resource for the younger students and stars Aleksander himself!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwySblarKsO0gNoFn1vTNuA?view_as=subscriber

Claire Richards

Project Manager | Routes into Languages West Midlands

Congratulations to Noah in Year 4 who was one of the finalists in the Virtual Worcestershire School Games Design a poster competition.

Noah’s poster was shown on today’s virtual opening ceremony of the school games.

Click this link to see if you can spot it – https://www.activehw.co.uk/worcestershire-school-games

Excellent work Noah! We are all so proud of your efforts.