See here for the latest news and updates

• Free School Meal Vouchers and Easter Planning

  Thu 02 Apr 2020 Julie Fardell

  Dear parents and carers,

  The Senior Leadership team has today been working hard to set up the new scheme for FSM vouchers for eligible families. We seem to have had success at last in securing the e-vouchers and will get the posted vouchers out as soon as possible.

  Thank you to all families for your endeavours to keep your children safe at home, especially given that many of them come into the category of being especially clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 because of their underlying health conditions. For all people in this category, the advice is to self-isolate for 4 months.

   

  You have all told us that you are able to keep your children safe at home throughout the Easter break. There continue to be lots of great activity and learning ideas on the school website, if you are looking for educational activities to keep your youngsters busy during the Easter holiday. Many museums, zoos and other organisations have also posted educational information and activities too, so do make use of them. Also remember that you have access to Twinkl and Education City.

   

  We will review the situation on school opening after Easter, based on the needs of vulnerable children who might be safer at school than at home, and the children of workers classified as essential to the Coronavirus response , who are unable to make other arrangements for care.

   

  This is a strange new Coronavirus-dominated world and it is our collective responsibility to reduce the spread of infection through staying at home, not engaging in non-essential travel, respecting social distancing, self-isolating as recommended and shielding the vulnerable from exposure to the virus. AND we must all continue to wash our hands frequently, for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water.

   

  Many people find this a very anxious time. We understand that you may be under real pressure with the children at home whilst trying to do your jobs, perhaps remotely, and potentially caring for  and shielding other vulnerable relatives or neighbours. Unfortunately, some of you will be poorly yourselves, and this makes it a stressful time. Do please take time to rest, relax, eat well, exercise moderately and engage in fun activities. Keep your social connections alive by phone and internet and seek help if you need it. You can still contact the school if you need to and we will be in touch  with you to determine need after Easter. This will certainly be a very different easter holiday, but you can still think about Easter Egg hunts at home, making Easter decorations, baking hot cross buns or having a picnic in the garden. I hope you all find ways to make it enjoyable.

• Mental health support offer launched for Birmingham and Solihull children, young people, adults and key workers

  Thu 02 Apr 2020 NHS

  Dear colleagues

   

  As you will be aware, the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic will be having a range of impacts on local people’s mental health and wellbeing.

   

  We are responding to this by setting out a support offer for our local population.

   

  There is dedicated support available for:

  ·         0-18 year olds in Birmingham

  ·         0-19 year olds in Solihull

  ·         18+ years old in Birmingham and Solihull

  ·         Key workers in Birmingham and Solihull

   

  Support for each of the groups will be available first and foremost through a dedicated telephone line. Full information about how to access the support, including opening hours etc., is available here: www.birminghamandsolihullccg.nhs.uk/your-health/mental-health-support-offer

   

  If you have any questions about this, please contact NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG at: nhsbsolccg.jointcommissioningteam@nhs.net

   

  Please share this information with your contacts and networks, as appropriate.

   

  Many thanks for your co-operation, at this challenging time.  

   

  NHS Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group

• More Home Learning

  Mon 30 Mar 2020 Andrew
  Some more examples of the wonderful work our learners are doing while school is closed. This student in 14-19 has been writing a page a day about something they've watched, read or the day before and working on money using different denominations
  of coins to make the same amount of money. Well done!

  

• Sing and Sign with Judi!

  Mon 30 Mar 2020 Victoria School

  The first sing and sign video with Judi is now available. A new one will be uploaded each day.

   

  Click HERE to view on the home learning section of our website.

   

  Or visit our YOUTUBE channel.

• Update - 26th March

  Thu 26 Mar 2020 SLT & Governors

  As you will know Victoria School is closing today. We know that the current situation is having a big impact on our families and staff. The situation is also changing all the time and there are many questions we simply do not know the answers to - including when we will open again and when and how Free School Meal vouchers will be distributed.

   

  We will keep everyone updated as much as we can through texts, website updates, messages through the app and twitter.

   

  As soon as we know of any changes to the current situation we will let you know through these means. Equally, if any of our family's situation changes in any way it is important you let someone at school know and we will work with you as best we can to support. Families will be receiving regular phone calls from teachers or the school phone messaging service will still be monitored.

   

  Every single member of the Victoria family has been amazing so far and will continue to be. We are here for you if you need us.

   

  Please take care and stay safe.

• Thank you letter to school staff

  Thu 26 Mar 2020 Education Secretary
  

• Victoria School Full Closure Notification

  Wed 25 Mar 2020 SLT

  Victoria School has remained open to a small number of vulnerable pupils and children of critical workers. The number of pupils requiring care have dwindled every day. We have now been informed that the on-site health provision will be reduced to one and redeployed in all probability. Due to the medical and enteral feeding needs of the pupils we feel it would no longer be safe to remain open. Regretfully we have made the decision to close from Friday 27 March 2020. 

   

• Educational psychologist telephone helpline for parents and carers

  Wed 25 Mar 2020 BCC
  Do you as a parent or carer at home with your children during the school shut down, feel that you need someone to talk to about how you can cope with this challenging time for families?
  Birmingham Educational Psychology Service is providing a telephone helpline for any parent or car-ers of children, who feel they would benefit from a consultation with a psychologist to support them with any concerns arising at this time, for them or their families.
  Areas of concern you may wish to discuss could include:
  - Anxiety around the current situation and its impact on your children and family.
  - Supporting you to support your children’s emotional needs.
  - Concerns about family relationships.
  - Concerns about friendships, learning, daily structure and activities.
  - How to best look after yourself so you can support your children.
  The concerns can be related to school or family life.
  You will be offered an initial telephone consultation of 30 minutes with a psychologist and a poten-tial follow up session of another 30-minute consultation at a later date. These will be Monday-Friday, within standard working hours.
  If you would like to access this service please email: Stephanie.Bowen@birmingham.gov.uk with the following information:
  - Your name
  - The telephone number you would like to be contacted on.
  - The name of your child’s school.
  - Times and dates you are not available for a consultation.
  - Whether an interpreter is required for you to access this service.
  We will aim to get back to you within 2 working days to confirm a time and date for your consulta-tion.

• Noah's Newspaper Article

  Wed 25 Mar 2020 Noah in 14-19
  Some more positive news Noah would like to share with everyone! 

  

• Advice on Shielding for clinically vulnerable people

  Tue 24 Mar 2020 Julie Fardell

  This guidance is for people, including children, who are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) because of an underlying health condition, and for their family, friends and carers. It is intended for use in situations where the extremely vulnerable person is living in their own home, with or without additional support. This includes the extremely clinically vulnerable people living in long-term care facilities, either for the elderly or persons with special needs.

  Shielding is a measure to protect people who are clinically extremely vulnerable by minimising all interaction between those who are extremely vulnerable and others. We are strongly advising people with serious underlying health conditions (listed below) which put them at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to rigorously follow shielding measures in order to keep themselves safe.

  What do we mean by extremely vulnerable?

  People falling into this extremely vulnerable group include:

  1. Solid organ transplant recipients

  2. People with specific cancers:
     • people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer
     • people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
     • people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
     • people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
     • people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

  3. People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD.

  4. People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell).

  5. People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.

  6. Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired.