Weekly Newsletters

Headteacher Update

Dear Parents/Carers

It’s been another week full of learning for both our students and staff. Thank you again for all of the lovely messages regarding the online lessons, the students have been excellent, and we have been very impressed by how they are adapting to remote education. Our staff too are learning new ways of working and after a steep learning curve are settling in to develop their online teaching skills.

This week we started our weekly phone calls, if you have received a phone call, we hope that you found it useful. It is an opportunity to provide feedback or request support from the school.

Now that we have completed two weeks of school, we would like to collect feedback on remote learning and the live lessons via a survey that can be found here. Please complete by Wednesday 20^th January.

Free School Meals Update

There have been a few updates over the week, the government has confirmed that Free School Meals can revert back to the national voucher scheme that ran for the majority of the previous school closures. We are planning to start this next week in place of the food boxes and are waiting to hear when we can place our order but expect the vouchers will be emailed directly to parents sometime next week.

Department for Education Update – BTEC

The DFE have confirmed that no BTEC external assessments will take place in February or March this year. This means the timetabled year 11 Health and Social Care and IT exams have now been cancelled. The DFE want to reassure BTEC students that arrangements will be put in place to ensure that they are not disadvantaged.

We can also confirm that the NCFE Spring exam scheduled for our year 11 Graphics students in February has also been cancelled.

We still await further information regarding the awarding of GCSE’ and A levels, as soon as we know anything definitive, we will update you.

Reporting COVID-19 positive cases

In order for the school to keep accurate records of COVID-19 cases amongst students, could we please ask that you continue to email communication@barnwell.herts.sch.uk if your child(ren) test positive.

Happy PEople Podcast

The Happy 'PE'ople - Episode 2 - 'Safe Hands' is now out. Thank you so much to those of you who listened to Episode 1. We ended up having over 200 listeners, even reaching someone in Canada and Spain!  Here is the link for Episode 2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/1TS2PN51eRlPBTAe5fOP0P?si=JzOgLEKBQ-COMJzfPNB7CQ

Parents' Evening - additional participants

It is now possible for more than one parent/carer to join a parents' evening appointment. Please see the instructions below:

Wellbeing

Last week we provided information in our newsletter around where to seek help and support at this time and have included more below. We also have a useful publication from Safe Space the Hertfordshire CC run counselling service for parents.  The booklet found here  provides practical support and advice around:

· Looking after your own Mental Health

· Where to access support for yourself if you are struggling

· How to support your Child / Young Person

· Support for your Child / Young Person if you are concerned about their Mental Health / Well-Being

· Practical Needs (finance, housing, food)

· Useful Websites / Organisations / Resources

Online Targeted Parenting Courses - Family Services- These courses are running from January- March 2021. For further details please click to view this flyer or visit:  www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/parentingsupport

Supporting Links Parenting Courses - Courses funded by Hertfordshire County Council. For further information please click to view this flyer or visit: www.supportinglinks.co.uk 

NESSie and Angels are delivering online workshops for parents/carers of children with traits of ASD/LD that may be on a waiting list for diagnosis or would find it useful to attend a workshop. Please click to view this flyer for further information and booking details. 

Hertfordshire Mental Health Factsheets for Young People- This e-pack from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Hertfordshire County Council Public Health Service have created a mental health fact sheet for young people, school professionals, parents and carers to understand more about diagnosed mental health issues and/or as a reference tool for professionals within schools to learn more about specific mental health issues. These fact sheets have been written by Psychiatrists and young people working together. Please click to view this flyer.

Positive comments from parents/carers

As mentioned in our introduction we would like to thank parents and carers for their messages of support over the last few weeks and months. Every message we receive is forwarded to staff and goes a long way to supporting our wellbeing programme.

Hi Mr Fitzpatrick

I wanted to say how impressed we have been with the quality of the remote learning that Barnwell is giving. The live lessons are very well structured, controlled and engaging.

The communication from Barnwell has been excellent and my daughter is thoroughly enjoying her online learning & gaining a lot.

As a family with both parents working full time and a younger sibling, Barnwell’s approach to remote learning has made our daughter’s education possible when otherwise it would’ve been extremely difficult for us to manage. 

Thank you

If you would like to message the school, please email communication@barnwell.herts.sch.uk or to nominate a member of staff for a personalised thank you, please click this link.

Reminder-KEY WORKER AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN SCHOOL PROVISION

The school remains open next week for Vulnerable children and Critical worker children only. Please support the government lockdown measures by keeping your child at home wherever possible and encouraging stringent social distancing. If your situation at home has changed and you require your child to attend the in-school provision, please email communication@barnwell.herts.sch.uk

ONLINE SAFETY

National Online Safety have created a series of guides to promote e-safety for all. Please click the link https://nationaleducationgroup.cmail20.com/t/t-l-nkrhhuy-ajlijtthh-y/

REMINDER - FINANCIAL SUPPORT

As a community we are aware that many parents/carers have been affected by places of work closing and earning potential being minimised.  A reminder that we have the food bank and clothing bank in school and these are available to anyone in need please just contact communication@barnwell.herts.sch.uk and this can be confidentially arranged.

The school is always just an email away if you have concerns about your family but below are a few links that may help with financial pressures or queries:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/health/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you/

All forms of advice, including employment and finances affected by Coronavirus

https://www.stepchange.org/?channel=ppc&&WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=270049&WT.seg_1=step%20change%20debt&gclid=Cj0KCQjpfHzBRCiARIsAHHzyZprzWaWlUAJCCdl_OnAbdj3oBRFtb5n2NhJsIoPhjfATi3vfNGZ3AaAoTlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

A Debt Charity with information about who to contact for support and advice

https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/coronavirus/

A site for new applications to Universal Credit

https://www.loansmart.org.uk/#about-loan-sharks

Tips about how to avoid illegal loan companies

Increasing data allowances on mobile devices to support disadvantaged children

The Government have a scheme that temporarily increases data allowances for mobile phone users on certain networks. This is so that children and young people can access remote education during the lockdown period.

If you would like to know more about this, please email communication@barnwell.herts.sch.uk

If you would like clarification regarding any school matters, please do not hesitate to get in contact via communication@barnwell.herts.sch.uk

Thank you once again for your support and have a lovely weekend.

Mr Fitzpatrick               Mr Roberts

Executive Head            Head of School

Headteacher Updates