Dear Parent/Carers

School will break up this Friday for half term holidays.

Please note Monday 2^nd November is a Staff training day and pupils return to school on Tuesday 3^rd November.

Thank you

In News and Events and Letters, further information on –

The SEND team are hosting the first series of parental engagement events which will be 3 virtual Q &A sessions. This is an opportunity for parents and carers to ask questions and share experiences of SEND services for children and young people in South Tyneside. They will also hear about the exciting new approach to involving parents and carers in decisions about SEND services in the borough.

Thank you

Thank you

A big thank you for your kind donations to our MacMillan fundraiser. We are pleased to announce we have raised £289.61 for an extremely worthwhile cause!

The following letter will go out today to Year 3, 4 and 6

FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN NOT IN CLOSE CONTACT

Dear Parent,

We have been advised that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.

We have carried out a full risk assessment and identified all those who have been in close contact with the affected case and have recommended that they stay at home and self-isolate until Monday 19^th October 2020.

Your child has not been identified as a close contact and therefore does not need to make any change to their usual routine, including school attendance.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of a new continuous cough and/or a high temperature and/or a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia). If your child, or anyone in your household, develops these symptoms, you whole household must remain at home and not go to work, school or public areas. You should arrange testing for the person who has developed symptoms. When the result is known further advice will be available.

Testing can be arranged by calling 119 or via the NHS website: nhs.uk/coronavirus

 How to stop COVID-19 spreading

There are things we can all do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19:

• wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• wash your hands as soon as you get home
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

Further information

Further information is available at nhs.uk/coronavirus

Yours sincerely

Mr S Bowler

Some of you may have heard of Tyneside Rocks where you decorate a rock and leave it for someone else to find. Well now, we are launching our very own Monkton Rocks competition. We would like you to decorate a rock which will also be on display in our school garden. There will be a prize for the best decorated rock from each year group.

If your child would like more information, please speak with Mrs Henderson at lunchtime. The closing date for the competition is Tuesday 3rd November.

Good luck kids and get decorating!

Monday 12th October

FOR PARENTS OF CLOSE CONTACTS OF COVID-19

Dear Parent,

Advice for Child to Self-Isolate 

We have been advised that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within Year 5.

We have identified that your child has been in close contact with the affected case. In line with the national guidance we recommend that your child now stays at home and self-isolate until Monday 19th October 2020. Your child must not go to school or any public areas: your child must remain at home. Further details of what your child needs to do are in NHS Guidance:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-for-coronavirus/nhs-test-and-trace-if-youve-been-in-contact-with-a-person-who-has-coronavirus/

We are asking you to do this to reduce the further spread of COVID 19 to others in the community. If you need support with isolation, please contact your local Council.

Other members of your household can continue normal activities provided your child does not develop symptoms within the self-isolation period.

If your child is well at the end of the period of self-isolation, then they can return to usual activities.

What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19

For most people, especially children, COVID-19 will be a mild illness.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of:
• new continuous cough and/or
• high temperature and/or
• a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

If your child develops any of these symptoms of COVID-19, they should remain at home and arrangements should be made for them to be tested. At that time all other household members must also stay at home, not go to work, school or public areas, even for exercise.

Testing can be arranged by calling 119 or via the NHS website: nhs.uk/coronavirus

When the result of the child’s test is known further advice will be available.

How to stop COVID-19 spreading

There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19:
• wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• wash your hands as soon as you get home
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

Further information

Further information is available at nhs.uk/coronavirus

Yours sincerely
Mr S Bowler

RE: Spelling Shed                                                 8th October

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Spelling, the art of correctly assembling words from their letters, is one of the essential components of successful writing. Being confident at spelling leads to confidence in all aspects of literacy. The ability to recognise the links between word of the same origin and understanding word relationships has been proven to aid comprehension skills. Learning to spell helps to cement the connection between the letters and their sounds, and learning high-frequency “sight words” to mastery level improves both reading and writing.

As you are (hopefully) aware, children receive spellings on a weekly basis. They are tested on their knowledge of these spellings at the end of the week with a spelling test. The purpose of these tests is to assess how well the children have managed to practise, learn and implement their set spellings. The spellings your child receives are challenging, however rest assured they are always tailored to your child’s age and/or stage of development.

As a school we have recently bought into a software programme called Spelling Shed. This software allows children to access their weekly spellings from home using a smart phone, tablet, laptop or PC. In the coming days, your children will receive log-in details for Spelling Shed and teachers will begin to set ‘assignments’ for their class. Assignments will be based around your child’s weekly spellings. They can access a range of fun and engaging activities/games that help them to learn, practise and improve their spelling.

We hope you will support your child in engaging with Spelling Shed at home, even ten minutes a day will have an impact on your child’s spelling. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to contact me at school directly.

Kind Regards,

Miss V Sheriff

English Lead

Dear Parent/Carer

We have today uploaded the following documents to News and Events and Letters, to assist you if your child is away from school –

Study at home Booklet

Remote Learning Policy

Monkton Remote Learning Plan

Kind Regards

Monkton Academy

Dear Parent/Carer

Please see News and Events and then Letters for our Lunch Menus.

Kind Regards

Monkton Academy