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The weekly bulletin presenting information for all schools from County Council

Thursday, 11 February 2021

The local authority (LA) is working with partners across the sector to coordinate responses to the government's regular and frequent announcements about arrangements for schools and settings.

Message from Allan Cadzow- Director for Children and Young People, Suffolk County Council To all School Leaders – Thursday, 11 February 2021 FOR INFORMATION | ALL SCHOOLS

With half-term next week and no expectation that schools or settings will be open to pupils we sincerely hope that you will manage to get some rest and time away from work. We would like to thank you and all your staff once again for the efforts all have made in maintaining provision for pupils on site and at home.

We all await announcements from the government about expectations for schools and settings from 8 March 2021. We understand that no announcements will be made before Monday 22 February 2021.

Vaccinations

We continue to lobby for all staff in education settings to be vaccinated as soon as possible. We do not have any dates for this yet. When this is announced it is likely that there will be a short timeframe for gathering information from schools and settings about the number of staff that will be eligible for vaccinations. Part of this information may include NHS numbers. A new service is now live to help find your NHS number. This service is for anyone living in who has forgotten or does not know their NHS number. You can also use this service on behalf of someone else where the name, date of birth and registered home postcode is known. You can opt for the number to be sent to you by text, email or letter. Please share this link with all staff as you feel is appropriate.

Reviewing risk assessments

Please see the article below about reviewing risk assessments. This can be found on this PDF too.

Testing sites for all workers unable to work from home

It is recommended that all those not able to work from home should be tested twice weekly. Many staff working in schools and settings will be accessing testing on the school or setting site or via the home testing kits provided to primary schools. Sites are now available at:

• ( College) • (Brackenbury Sports Centre) • Haverhill (Arts Centre) • () • Ipswich (Whitton Sports Centre) • (Kirkley and Pakefield Football Club) • Newmarket (Our Lady Immaculate and Saint Etheldreda Catholic Church) • (Museum of East Anglian Life) – from Friday 12th February

Further sites are coming online in the coming days so colleagues should continue to check the following weblinks for the most up-to-date information.

Details about asymptomatic testing can be found here - COVID-19 testing in Suffolk if you don't have symptoms | Suffolk County Council

Details about the sites that are open, including details about opening times and parking can be found here - COVID-19 community testing centre locations | Suffolk County Council

Reporting COVID test results to the DfE

We are aware that some schools are encountering some technical issues with the uploading of COVID test results. They should report this via the DfE helpline in the first instance. 0800 046 8687

Updated Key contact information sheet

The key contact information for school and setting leaders now includes updated contact information for Early Help and Social Care teams. Please replace previous versions with this : Key contact information sheet

Please note that the contact details shared for these events in Tuesday’s Headlines were incorrect. These events with contact details will be promoted nearer the date of the events:

Mental Health Awareness training for domiciliary and residential care staff

Suicide First Aid Training (youth lite) for teachers and education professionals

Review of Coronavirus Premises Risk Assessments and related news - to all school setting Leaders and Leadership Teams

FOR INFORMATION | ALL SCHOOLS

A note to you all to remind you of a few important COVID-19 related issues:

Risk assessment reviews:

Please review your Covid-19 premises related assessments frequently. A review does NOT mean a re-write, it means that you read it through, consult with your staff, and ensure that all the controls are still working. It is recommended that you carry out these reviews at the following times:

• When a positive case has been confirmed within school • Where Government, PHE, NHS or DfE guidance is changed or amended • When the LA directs a specific review • At least weekly if none of the above has occurred within that week.

Any concerns about your COVID-19 premises risk assessment, please email your Safety, Health and Wellbeing Advisor.

Department for Education C19 guidance and notifications:

In relation to risk assessments, please ensure that you keep a very close eye on DfE advice and updates. If you haven’t already, you might want to subscribe to their daily health and safety news for schools – you can use this subscription form to do so. This will help with your RA assessment reviews. You should also keep checking the Gov.UK website – two main areas of importance are ‘Guidance for schools: Coronavirus’ and the more generalised ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19)’ pages.

Communication:

Your communication to staff, pupils and parents / carers has been crucial during the pandemic – without it, key people would not have been not be aware of the potential risks on your premises, and in turn, the control measures you put in place to keep everyone safe. We would ask that you continue to relay your COVID-19 related risk assessment, processes and procedures to all those who are affected, and give staff a good opportunity to be consulted on your documents and practices. Your effective communication and consultation will have been helpful in allaying peoples’ fears and anxieties; this remains just as important now as ever before.

Governor support for Leaders and staff:

Governors have recently received a message via Governor Headlines, respectfully asking them to review the support that they are giving their schools in relation to Safety, Health and Wellbeing. We fully acknowledge, and are grateful for, the support already given. We also are fully aware of the huge amount of work that Leaders and their staff are carrying out in these current times and know that all schools could do with that extra bit of help where possible. So please do have a chat with your Governing Body and tap into their support, whether it’s a request for a remote / virtual review of policies, a check of your premises management inspections (files could be delivered to homes), or, when lockdown is eased, an accompanied walk round of school premises to ensure that all is as it should be. The article sent to Governors can be found on Suffolk Learning, at the Schools’ advice regarding the novel Coronavirus: COVID-19 page.

Ever thought about your own Covid-19 Support Hub?

So that your Headteacher and / or the Senior Leadership Team are not overrun with the constant barrage of Covid-19 responsibilities, what about considering a school C19 hub? Staff who wish to be a part of it can meet (in a very socially distanced way!) and discuss the school C19 risk assessment, any C19 related problems, and make some informed decisions together. There is lots to do - jobs such as ensuring there’s enough face coverings, appropriate PPE if relevant, ensuring the RA is reviewed, checking premises are C19-secure…the roles go on, and it’d be great to see them shared. You could even involve your Chair of Governors, or the Health and Safety named Governor…

Planning for reopening:

Whilst we don’t want to pre-empt any Government decisions, it’s important to think about a planned school reopening – whether that’s a staggered re-population of the school or everyone at once. We are all acutely aware of the fact we may only get two weeks’ notice from the Government to plan and prepare for opening our doors to more / all staff and pupils, so it’s wise to consider how this could be done and use the tools you’ve had in the past to help you. Do NOT reinvent the wheel!

All your previous risk assessments that you completed are a very good starting point. For example, if we are expected to fully open again immediately, it’s worth referring to your September 2020-opening-assessment for all the effective control measures that you put into place; also look at current Government / NHS / PHE guidance, and re-assess and plan from there. If we are expected to operate on a part time basis, with year groups on a rota basis then it’s worth looking again at the first assessments you did, back in Easter 2020, where we had less of a cohort on the premises. Remember what worked, and what didn’t, and apply accordingly.

Ensure, as always, that you consult and communicate – and please do ask for our help if you need it!

***************************************** Nina Bickerton – Suffolk Schools’ SHaW Advisor – [email protected]

SENDAT Outreach: Differentiation training: information for SENCos / Leaders of SEND and Inclusion

FOR INFORMATION | ALL SCHOOLS

Differentiation - a practical approach in mainstream Primary and Secondary schools

SENDAT outreach is a team of highly experienced teachers with mainstream and special school experience.

Due to popular demand, we are running this course again in the summer term. It will be a repeat of the Spring term course.

Two separate courses are being offered, comprised of two, hour long sessions with an intervening task. One course is aimed at primary school practitioners and another aimed at secondary practitioners. Dates as follows:

Primary schools: Tues April 20th and Weds 5th May 4-5pm Secondary schools: Wed April 14th and Weds April 28th 4-5 pm

Session 1 covers four techniques to adapt your classroom approach, including SEND children into mainstream lessons. You will then have time to trial these techniques in your classroom with your pupils. Session 2 will be a combination of workshops and a Q and A session to develop your practice further.

To book a place please contact: [email protected]

Message for Mental Health Leads

FOR INFORMATION | ALL SCHOOLS

Thank you to all the education settings who have been in contact over the last couple of months, sharing your views about how we can best support you to support emotional wellbeing and mental health. The information shared has enabled us to create and shape the content that has now been organised on the Wellbeing in Education webpages. This week I would like to share some key developments that relate to further training, support and networking:

• We are in the process of exploring the development of a Suffolk Education Setting Mental Health Leads’ Network. If you can join a meeting on 2nd March or 24th March from 3.30 – 4.30, we can work together to shape how this network can develop in order to meet your needs as Mental Health Leads. Please email me at [email protected], if would like to attend one of these events and I will add you to the Microsoft Teams invite for your requested session.

• Live virtual training dates have been set for the delivery of Keys to Inclusion (with a focus on supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing). For further information about these sessions, and how to book your place, please follow this link -Wellbeing in Education | Suffolk County Council.

o 12th March (9.30 – 3.30) o 23rd March (9.30 – 3.30) o 14th April (9.30 – 3.30) o 30th April (9.30 – 3.30)

• A Task & Finish Group will be set up over the next couple of weeks to focus on developing / shaping materials to assist families, education settings and colleagues to support young people experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). The plan is that there will be representation from parent carer groups, young people, education settings and colleagues all contributing to the work of this group. We need several representatives from primary, high school and college. At this stage I envisage 2 or 3 virtual meetings (approx. 1 hour each) and a commitment to share your views re this topic. If you are a Mental Health Lead for your setting and this is something you are able to take part in, please do email me and I will begin to collate a membership list and get back to you with more information. Membership of this group will be on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

We are updating the resources on the Wellbeing in Education website on a regular basis. Please look out for the latest news section on these pages. Here are some of the resources we have added recently:

• 5 Steps to Mental Health and Wellbeing (annafreud.org)

An evidence-based framework enabling you to formulate your own approach to mental health and wellbeing in 5 simple steps. The Framework has been developed by mental health experts and teachers, for teachers. It is interactive, simple and it's free. It will help you to support staff, lead change, and engage with parents, carers and the community so that you can meet the needs of your pupils and students. Here is the link to a YouTube staff seminar explaining the approach.

Contact: Claire Darwin, [email protected]

Key Contacts

FOR INFORMATION | ALL SCHOOLS

In the event of a bereavement within your school community please contact the Schools Organisational Support Education Officers: [email protected] or phone 01473 263942 For COVID related queries email [email protected] or phone 01473 263942.

In the event of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case in your school or setting please follow these guidelines which include the contact to alert in the LA: School flowchart Early years setting flowchart

If you have a concern or query about your risk assessment, please contact the LA’s Safety, Health and Wellbeing Advisor at [email protected] .

You should contact your SEO or call 01473 263942 / email [email protected] if you would like to discuss your planning.

For leaders’ wellbeing support: 01473 265656 [email protected]

To request tests for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms to using the online portal

For information about the local testing site for frontline staff: briefing note from public health If school leads are aware of any potential Elective Home Education (EHE) cases and need any support, the EHE team are able to offer advice and guidance. More information can be found via this link

For the most recent information on School Travel visit the Suffolk Onboard website

Schools Helpline: 01473 263942 In the event of being unable to speak to someone or leave a voicemail message email [email protected].

SENCO helpline: 01473 296631 (open 3.30 to 4.30 Monday-Friday)

The Suffolk County Council COVID-19 website contains some frequently asked questions and is updated regularly

Key contact information sheet

If someone else in your school would like to receive Suffolk Headlines email [email protected]

View recent issues of Suffolk Headlines

View documents sent via Headlines during the COVID-19 pandemic

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