On Tuesday 29 March, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, set out the next steps for living with COVID-19 in England from Friday 1 April. Please be aware of the following important information about your child’s attendance after the Easter holidays.

Free Covid-19 tests will no longer be available for school staff or students, once the universal testing offer ends on Friday 1 April.

Updated guidance advises:

Self-Isolating or Covid-19 Positive student 

To alert us to the fact that your child is feeling unwell please ring 01529 414044 as usual and leave a message on our absence line. Your message will be picked up during school hours.

Given that young people will only now be off school as they are feeling unwell it is unlikely we will set work or invite them to lessons on Teams as we know they will not be feeling well enough to work. We will of course support them in catching up when they are back in school.

Mrs J Smith

Head of School

The importance of sleep

Last week our assembly focus explored the importance of sleep; this comes at the same time as The Sleep Health campaign launched on 18 March. The Sleep Health campaign looked at the role of good sleep hygiene in improving both physical and mental wellbeing and the products and lifestyle changes which improve sleep quality. Mrs Pankhurst’s assembly outlined stages of sleep, some top tips for getting a better night’s sleep and how we can use meditation to help us prepare for a better sleep. This is a simple visualisation to soothe the mind and relax the body, creating the ideal conditions for healthy, restful sleep. Why not have a look at this clip from Headspace with your child and talk about how to get a better night’s sleep?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o9etQktCpI

Here’s 5 tip tips you can talk about with your child about getting a better night’s sleep.

1. Sleep at regular times - first of all, keep regular sleeping hours. This programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine.
2. Make sure you wind down - winding down is a critical stage in preparing for bed. This might include a warm bath / relaxation exercise.
3. Make your bedroom sleep-friendly - your bedroom should be a relaxing environment. Experts claim there's a strong association in people's minds between sleep and the bedroom. Remove technology at least an hour before you go to bed.
4. Get outside for some natural sunlight for at least 10 minutes in the morning to help reset our circadian rhythms.
5. Keep a sleep diary - it can be a good idea to keep a sleep diary. It may uncover lifestyle habits or daily activities that contribute to your sleeplessness.

Top tips for talking to your young person about the events in the Ukraine

Over the last week or two, many of us will have been watching events in the news with a mixture of shock and horror, especially those of us from - or with friends and family from - the affected areas. Even without a direct personal connection to the conflict, it's natural that seeing all the footage coming out of Ukraine, whether on the news or on social media, can be distressing. It's important to recognise this, even if we are committed to paying attention, showing solidarity, or seeking to help the victims.

It can be particularly hard to know how to talk to your child about what’s going on. In this link from Young Minds there is a Parents Helpline where experts share tips for talking to your young person about the events in Ukraine.

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/blog/top-tips-for-talking-to-your-young-person-about-the-events-in-ukraine/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=360_newsletter_2022

What Parents/Carers Need to Know About Phone Scams

In a three-month period during 2021, no fewer than 45 million people in the UK experienced a suspicious attempt at being contacted via their mobile. Phone scams are a common form of cyber-attack where fraudsters engage directly with their intended victim through their smartphone. As our phones carry so many sensitive (and therefore potentially valuable) details about us, it's vital that trusted adults are alert to the tactics that scammers use to get access to user accounts, personal data and private information for financial gain.

Keep scrolling for the National Online Safety advice on phone scams.

Year 7 Kesteven Schools Netball tournament winners

Year 8 Netball team

U12 Kesteven Football Festival

We were invited to a Kesteven Football Festival run by the Outreach Team on Friday 25 March. This was an opportunity for our U12 footballers who had shown an interest and dedication to training throughout the year to play some competitive football; particularly if they had not had much game experience to date. Although not all opposition teams were able to make it, our students had a great afternoon of football in the sunshine! It was not a competitive competition but more the chance to put the training into practice. Our teams played each other in a very tight clash ending in a one all draw, some great saves by the keepers being only undone with a great top corner goal at one end and some quick thinking and fast feet at the other. When playing against Priory Ruskin both teams were victorious having had the chance to change position and test out those shooting skills across the board.