See here for the latest news and updates

• The Mix

  Fri 23 Oct 2020 Andrew

  The Mix is the UK’s leading support service for young people. We are here to help you take on any challenge you’re facing - from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs. Talk to us via our online community, on social, through our free, confidential helpline or our counselling service.

   

  https://www.themix.org.uk/

• Transition News

  Wed 21 Oct 2020 Dave Hooley
  Please find attached the Autumn Transition Newsletter from our Independent Transition Advisor, Dave Hooley.

  

• Children who require regular suctioning (Aerosol Generating Procedure)

  Tue 20 Oct 2020 Julie Fardell
  We now have one room in school that has received a COVID-safe certificate enabling 3 children from MSI to attend the school on a part-time basis. We have met with Acivico who will be installing the COVID-safe pods for AGPs. They have told us that these should be installed by Christmas. Once installed, all children who require regular suctioning should be able to return to school.

• Reminder - half term and training day

  Tue 20 Oct 2020 Julie Fardell
  Reminder: The half-term break is from 26.10.20 for one week, followed by a staff professional development day on Monday 2 November. So after this Friday, children do not return to school until Tuesday 3 November 2020.

• Harvest Boxes

  Mon 19 Oct 2020 Andrew
  A huge thank you to all our families and staff for the very generous harvest donations. They will be taken to a local foodbank tomorrow, who are very gracious to be receiving them.

  

• Drop and Collect Coronavirus Tests in Birmingham

  Fri 09 Oct 2020 Clr Paulette Hamilton

  Our ref: PH/REM/SM 091020

  9 October 2020

  Dear Parent / Carer

  Drop and collect Covid testing service In order to help keep communities safe we’re offering free, completely optional Coronavirus tests. Birmingham City Council staff and volunteers, supported by the RAF, will be visiting areas across the city. They drop off a test, tell you the details and come back within an hour. You may already have noticed these teams, or you may see them out and about in coming days and weeks. Please don’t be concerned. They are here to help communities by making it easier for people to get tested. The teams will be wearing high-vis jackets, clearly labelled as being from the city council. If you have any doubts about who they are, ask for identification. The RAF personnel have been really helpful in supporting this service. The city council simply doesn’t have the capacity to provide all the people needed to run this service, so the RAF is providing extra people on the ground to help us. They are not here in their military capacity.

  You can see more information about the service here: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/701/drop_and_collect_covid19_testing_service_introduced_in_birmingham

  I know this is a really difficult time for everyone, but we are all working hard to keep communities safe. Together, we can get through this. Yours sincerely

• World Teachers Day

  Mon 05 Oct 2020 Andrew

  On World Teachers Day - to all teachers and teaching assistants - THANK YOU for the fantastic job you do. We can all remember a great teacher.

  To thank a teacher that's made a difference, visit: http://thankateacher.co.uk to send a LIMITED EDITION Thank You card for FREE.

• Harvest Donations

  Thu 01 Oct 2020 Andrew

  Dear Parents/Carers
  
  Our Virtual Harvest Assemblies will take place over the next few weeks in school. Our donations this year will be going to a local food bank. Each class will put together boxes for the donations to be handed over to the food bank. Our theme for this year is ‘’Don’t Waste Food.’

  
  Although we know times are particularly hard for some and there is no expectation to do so, we would be very grateful if you could help us by sending in something non-perishable (tins, packets, bottles, jars, dried food, toiletries etc) to put in the boxes. Please can any donations come into school by Friday 9th October so classes can make up the boxes.

• Virtual Open Day at SCCB - Bournville

  Wed 30 Sep 2020 Andrew

  For families considering options for colleges when learners leave Victoria, please see details below from South & City College Bournville about their virtual open day next week.

   

  This Open Day will be a virtual one this year in which the students can register online   https://www.sccb.ac.uk/about-us/open-days   The colleges will be open for anyone who would like to enrol late for this year.

  Open Days | South & City College Birmingham Virtual Open Day: 6 October 2020 (4:30pm–7pm) Due to lockdown regulations in Birmingham, our October Open Day will now run as a Virtual Open Day on 6 October – and registration is open now! www.sccb.ac.uk

• Test and Trace - A Letter from Public Health England

  Fri 25 Sep 2020 NHS

  Dear parents and guardians,

  This is an important letter to share some information on how we can work together to make sure we can continue to give children and young people the best education in the safest way possible. One important part of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of pupils, parents and our communities is testing for coronavirus. We all have a duty to make sure that the right people have access to get tested at the right time. Every time a test is used inappropriately, a person with Covid-19 symptoms may miss out on getting tested. Therefore, I ask that you all follow these principles: ▪ You should only book a test if your child has any of these three coronavirus symptoms: 1. a high temperature: any new high temperature where your child feels hot to touch on their chest or back (you do not need to measure the temperature) 2. a new continuous cough: coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours 3. a loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste: a noticeable loss of smell or taste or things smell and taste different to normal ▪ Your child does not need a test if they have a runny nose, are sneezing or feeling unwell but do not have a temperature, cough or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste because these are not normally symptoms of coronavirus. ▪ If you are unsure about whether to get a test, please check the official list of symptoms on the NHS website, which is reviewed regularly: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/ ▪ Only the person with symptoms should get a test. You do not need to get a test for anyone else in the household unless they also have any of the three symptoms listed above. All members of the household need to self-isolate whilst waiting for the test result. ▪ If the person with symptoms’ test comes back positive, other members of their household should continue self-isolating for 14 days and only get a test if they develop coronavirus symptoms. ▪ If a pupil in a class or bubble tests positive for coronavirus, anyone who is advised to self-isolate does not require a test unless they subsequently develop symptoms. No one else in the same class or bubble as the symptomatic person needs to take any action unless advised by the school. Schools have detailed guidance and access to a Department for Education and Public Health England helpline for advice and support. Contacts of a person who has tested positive must follow the guidance carefully and in full, which means they must stay at home for 14 days. This is because it can take several days following contact with an infected person before an individual develops symptoms or the virus can be detected. Students should only book a test if they get symptoms. The NHS has produced some guidance to help parents understand when their child can and cannot attend school which you may find useful: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthybody/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/ It is vital for children’s learning and future opportunities that they are able to return to school and college. It is therefore vitally important that all we work together and do our bit to make this possible.

  Yours sincerely, Professor Viv Bennett CBE Chief Nurse and Director Maternity and Early Years | Public Health England Head of World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Public Health Nursing and Midwifery Follow me on Twitter: @VivJBennett

   

  Dr Susan Hopkins Interim Chief Medical Officer | NHS Test & Trace Deputy Director | Public Health England Consultant in Infectious Diseases & Microbiology Royal Free, London