Victoria School
"Working Together for Success"
Victoria School
Working Together for Success
Latest News
See here for the latest news and updates
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Children returning after May half term
Fri 29 May 2020Dear Parents and Carers,
We hope that you and your families have been enjoying the beautiful Spring sunshine and being able to spend some time outdoors. From next Monday 1 June, the number of children attending school will increase with the focus continuing to be on providing places for the children of key-workers and those who are safer at school than at home. Unlike mainstream schools, we are not required to prioritise certain year groups. We are required to maintain social distancing whenever possible. Staff have access to personal protective equipment when they need to work with children within the 2 metre distance eg: for personal care. Also, to maintain social distancing, classrooms that might normally accommodate up to 12 children, can now only accommodate 4 (or in some cases 5), so it is clear that we cannot welcome all children back to school. Thank you to all parents who continue to be able to keep their children at home, although we appreciate that this is not easy, having already been doing that for 2 months!
There are some other ways that you can continue to help to keep all of our children, families and staff safe. Please:
1. If you are picking up or collecting your child from school, first check the foyer through the glass doors and only enter when there is space to maintain 2m distancing once inside.
2. Wash your children's clothes at 60 degrees and always send them in fresh clothes each day. (School Uniform is entirely optional at this time.)
3. Avoid sending in any soft toys. If you do send them in, they should also be washed daily at 60 degrees.
4. Do keep your child at home at least until the end of June if they have been identified as being extremely clinically vulnerable.
5. Do not send your child in if they have any symptoms of illness, especially a new continuous cough, fever or changes to the senses of taste or smell. If symptoms develop at school, your child will be supervised in a room by themselves until you arrive to take them home. They must then self-isolate for 14 days and until symptoms have passed or until they test negative to COVID-19. Testing is now available to anyone with symptoms, including children under 5 years of age.
6. Do not send your child into school if anyone else in the household has the symptoms for COVID-19. Isolation should again be for 14 days.
All absences from school will be treated as "authorised".
I know it is difficult to continually be bombarded with instructions, but abiding by these guidelines does help to keep everyone safe by limiting the spread of Coronavirus.
Teachers will continue to phone on a weekly basis, all families of children not in attendance, to check on their safety and whether their needs have changed. They will also continue to provide resources and suggestions for learning at home.
Should you have any questions, if you need additional support or if your circumstances change, please contact the school office by phone on 0121 476 9478 or email at enquiries@victoria.bham.sch.uk
Please note that we still do not have any NHS enteral feeders, nurses or physiotherapists at school. This may change over the next few weeks, but at present we have none.
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World's Largest Children's Choir at Home
Wed 27 May 2020
We’re really excited to invite you to get involved in a special #YVatHome project over the next few weeks!
Young Voices, the current Guinness World Record holders for the world’s largest simultaneous sing are staging the World’s Largest Children’s Choir at Home for a record breaking #PowerInMe Singing Challenge and dedicate it to all our teachers.
On 2nd June 2020 2.30pm - you are invited along with families and children from across the world to pay tribute to all teachers by joining together to sing “The Power in Me” from the safety of your own homes.
You can register your involvement at youngvoices.co.uk/powerinme to access free learning resources for the song. More importantly - we are asking you to share this email with your parents and children to get them directly involved.
Between now and 2nd June, you are also encouraged to take part in the #PowerInMe singing challenge and to film yourselves singing the song’s lyrics “I've got the Power In Me" and post it online with the hashtag to see who responds completing the song’s chorus "You’ve got the Power in You!".
It is all explained here by our conductors David Lawrence and Francisco Núñez - here.
Before 2nd June we have provided a selection of free online rehearsals that you can watch in school or at home to prepare for the big day:
Rehearsals playlist on Facebook
Rehearsals playlist on YouTube
Have you got the power in you? Get involved!
#PowerInMe
#ThankYouTeachers -
A Message To You From Victoria School
Fri 22 May 2020A message from the teachers, to the pupils and students at Victoria School...
Click HERE to watch the video.
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National Teachers' Day
Wed 20 May 2020Today is National Teachers' Day so I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the teachers, teaching assistants, therapists, nurses, administrators, site staff, ICT support staff, cleaners, cooks, drivers and guides,who make it possible for our young people to receive an outstanding education. During this time of COVID-19 lockdown, many have been working harder than every to offer direct care and education to children in attendance, remote education to those who are at home and the myriad of pastoral care tasks that keep children safe and fed and cared for, wherever they are. We are still in uncertain times, but one thing that is certain is that education continues to be one of the most important gifts we can give to our young people to prepare them to take their place in society as valued citizens. On this National Teachers' Day I thank each and every one of you. -
Statement on the Re-opening of Birmingham Schools
Tue 19 May 2020Statement on re-opening of Birmingham schools
Published: Tuesday, 19th May 2020
A letter has been sent to parents and school staff about the re-opening of Birmingham's schools.
Leader of the city council Cllr Ian Ward, Cllr Jayne Francis, cabinet member for education, skills and culture and Cllr Kate Booth, cabinet member for children's welling, have written to parents and school staff about the re-opening of city schools:
Earlier this month the government set out plans for schools in England to start reopening to more pupils from the start of June. Birmingham City Council is committed to working with schools, parents and unions to ensure that any such move is done in a safe way that gives confidence and reassurance.
We are clear though that we only support Birmingham schools opening to more pupils when it is safe to do so.
It is important to recognise that schools staff have shown exceptional commitment and tireless dedication in recent months. Most Birmingham schools have remained open for vulnerable children and those of keyworkers throughout the coronavirus outbreak, including during school holidays and on bank holidays. Schools have also taken innovative approaches to support their pupils with learning at home and have made sure the most vulnerable families have been able to access food parcels, vouchers and other support.
We all know how valuable regular attendance at school is, particularly for the most vulnerable children, and we are committed to having due regard to the guidance that has been issued by the government.
However, we recognise that for some schools, opening to more pupils safely may not be possible on 1 June, while parents and guardians must also feel reassured.
The Current Situation
- The Department for Education has published support for parents and carers around the reopening of schools, providing information on key areas of concern.
- Birmingham schools are undertaking risk assessments to ensure that the relevant safety measures are in place to welcome more children back to school.
- We are supporting school leaders with this very important and complex process and are aware that some schools, particularly larger schools, may need additional time to put safety measures in place.
- Some schools are concerned about the implications on staff and pupils from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus and many schools will be assessing the risk to pupils and staff with underlying medical conditions.
We trust that headteachers will make the right decisions for their school communities. No school leader wants their school to be closed for longer than is absolutely necessary but all will put the safety of their pupils and staff first when deciding when their school can start to admit more pupils.
The Department for Education has published support for parents and carers around the reopening of schools, providing information on key areas of concern. Families should check with their child’s school for their planned reopening dates.
To reiterate, we will ensure that any reopening of schools in Birmingham is safe and protects school staff as well as children and young people.
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Family Fund - Financial Grants for Families
Tue 19 May 2020£10 million to help disabled or seriously ill children in England during Coronavirus
Family Fund has received extra funding worth £10 million from the Department for Education to provide grants for families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children in England this year.
This emergency funding has been provided in response to the crisis presented by the Coronavirus pandemic and will help more parents and carers to look after their children. Families can apply for grants to make their lives easier while implementing social distancing measures, including computers and tablets, outdoor play equipment and sensory toys.
The multi-million-pound settlement was announced by Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford, who said “Our first priority remains the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. I know that these unprecedented times may put additional pressure on families, particularly those whose children have the most complex needs, and these parents deserve some extra help to look after and educate them at home.
“From computers and tablets to household items that many of us take for granted, this new funding will directly benefit tens of thousands of families, making sure parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities get the support they need at this difficult time and beyond.”
Cheryl Ward, Chief Executive of Family Fund, said “Family Fund welcomes this commitment of an additional £10 million in emergency funding. It will make an incredible difference to thousands of families in England during this crisis, providing practical and essential grant support to help improve the quality of life and ease some of the additional daily pressures faced in these difficult times by many disabled children and their families.”
For more information, go to:
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12 week shielding letters - clarification
Mon 18 May 2020Thank you to parents and carers who have taken a very considerate and flexible approach to your responses about potential return of children to school after May half term.
Many of you have indicated your preference to keep children at home until the new school year starts in September.
Others have indicated they would like a part-time placement but would not want to take up a space that was needed more by another child. We should have all the responses back by the end of Tuesday 19 May and will then be able to determine how many places we can offer.
Some children received 12 week shielding letters from either the NHS or their GP beause they are deemed to be extremely clinical vulnerable to COVID-19. There has been some confusion about the date to which the 12 week shielding letters are in effect.
The confusion has arisen because some letters were accurately dated eg: day and month but others just said "April". Some others did not receive a shielding letter from the NHS but later received one from their GP. The beginning date of these letters was often unclear.
Dr Justin Varney, Director of Public Health Birmingham advised in a recent meeting of Special School headteachers and Birmingham City Council Education Department, that the 12 weeks is deemed to be until the end of June.
In order to carry out our duty of care to your children, we will not be accepting any children with shielding letters back into school before July, and that still depends on whether the shielding period is extended beyond the initial 12 weeks.
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After May Half-term
Thu 14 May 2020Dear Parents and Carers,
This week and early next week, teachers will be calling you to ask what your needs will be after May half term in terms of children returning to school. Special Schools have been instructed to continue prioritising children for attendance on the basis of vulnerability and need. Special Schools are not required to give priority to any particular year group. We are not able to open to large numbers of pupils as not all of our staff are available and we have to maintain social distancing as far as possible in the school. Therefore, it is probable that pupils needing to return may be offered part-time placement rather than 5 full days per week except for those children whose parents are keyworkers, and those who have the highest level of need to be at school. We will continue to provide home learning activities on the website.
The teacher you speak to will not be able to promise a place at school;they will pass all information on to the senior leadership team who will consider the applications and prioritise offer of a place after May half term.
I know that the last 7 weeks have been very hard and many are feeling anxious and vulnerable. Thank you for your flexibility in keeping children at home to keep them safe.
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Judi's Sing and Sign
Thu 14 May 2020Just a reminder to everyone, there are still new videos with Judi going on the home learning page! Don't miss out!
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Prime Minister's statement about phased re-opening of schools
Mon 11 May 2020Dear Parent/Carer,
We expect that you will have watched the Prime Minister’s address yesterday evening. Further details are due to be released later today and we will be reviewing the guidance and its implications for special schools. At the moment, we have no further information and so currently nothing has changed and the school remains open only to the children of keyworkers and those who have been identified as being particularly vulnerable. We will update you as and when more information becomes available. In the meantime, we hope that you and your family remain safe and well.
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