Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information
On this page you will find tabs which will link you with information from the School and Government, home learning resources, wellbeing support and contact details for other services if you need further support and advice.
Headteacher Update 1st July 2020
Dear Parents and Carers,
I would like to thank all parents and carers for your continued support.
We realise at this time, parents want some sort of certainty about school plans for September, therefore I will be writing to you over the coming weeks to explain our next steps so you can plan for the future.
In the meantime, I just wanted to update you again on what remains in place at present for Rosehill pupils and families. We do hope you find this useful, however we are urging all parents and carers to contact school if you have any questions or if you need any additional support at this time.
What is already in place at Rosehill?
As you will be aware, the school has continued to remain open to support the needs of children of key workers critical to the COVID-19 response and those described as the most vulnerable following detailed risk assessments. This means that around 20% are attending Rosehill. The school has also been providing extensive support to parents and carers of the rest of the children who remain at home.
What does the current Government guidance mean for Rosehill?
At the beginning of June, the government announced plans for schools to reopen for certain year groups. As Rosehill is a Special School, the guidance states that the school can make their own arrangements based on the type of specialism, the needs of their pupils and any restrictions caused by the building and site. Therefore, we completed an extensive risk assessment (see below), and then continued to make case by case assessments of pupils considering the health and safeguarding needs of the pupils taking into account their education, health and care (EHC) plan.
What are we doing next at Rosehill?
In conclusion, to meet the Government guidance in working towards a phased return of more children and young people as can be safely catered for in the school setting, and to support individual risk assessments, we have been able to offer a place to an additional small number of pupils to attend school before the summer holidays.
What will happen next?
This means that for most Rosehill children, a return to school is not envisaged until after the summer holidays (Sept 2020).
Then, in September, there may still have to be a reintegration plan, which I will share with all parents and carers nearer the date. We are of course committed to providing as much support for the pupils, families and staff as best we can. As always, our priority is the health, safety and well-being of the school community.
For those remaining at home, if your child’s circumstances change or you have any questions, require advice, information or support, please do not hesitate to contact the school. Staff will endeavour to answer your queries and provide further information.
What provision looks like?
Provision will continue as follows:
- The school will provide childcare for the children of key workers critical to the COVID-19 response and families at risk who have been risk assessed as needing a place.
- Through our wellbeing checks, we will continue to offer advice, support and activities for home learning. Pupil support, home learning and pastoral care will remain a high priority, so please let us know if you feel there is anything else school can do to support you at this time
- The school day will be 9.45 – 2.15
- The school will continue to follow government guidelines about social distancing, as far as possible
- Children should stay at home if they are unwell or have a new, continuous cough or a high temperature to avoid spreading infection to others
- Children and young people who are considered extremely clinically vulnerable due to their health needs and shielding should continue to shield and are not expected to attend
For pupils attending, the main differences will be as follows:
- Pupils may be on a part-time placement
- Class groups will not exist in the usual way, as we have had to split classes into 'bubbles' to support social distancing and deep cleaning
- Pupils will be working with different adults
- On entering school, pupils will need to wash their hands, or use the hand gel (with adult support, if necessary), and also frequently throughout the day
- Staff will be wearing PPE at times, such as aprons and gloves
Health and safety statement
While we have done all we can to ensure the environment is as safe as it can be and to minimize the risks in line with Government and LA guidance on health and safety measures in schools, at no point can we guarantee that there will be no risk especially as many of our pupils do not understand social distancing and will need additional close support.
What will happen before the summer holidays?
We will of course update you over the coming weeks, as we know more and will keep you in touch with any further plans as we navigate this next stage of the response to the virus. The situation will remain under constant review, and more children will only be admitted when our risk assessments indicate that it is as safe as it can be.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school. Stay well and keep safe.
Thank you
Cheryl
Rosehill Whole School Risk Assessment (Covid-19)
Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do after 4 July
The government have also created an FAQ to give you information about the changes regarding what you can and can't do after the 4th July.
This FAQ can be found below:
Further Information for Parents and Carers
There a number of important updates in this week's Headteacher update below, including our Father's Day Assembly and information on the Food Banks and Parcels, so please do read through the information and contact the school on 0115 9155815, if you have any questions.
The staff at Rosehill are missing our pupils and families very much and wanted to show you all that we are thinking of you and hope you are all safe and well.
Please see the following sections for information on the following subjects:
Resources for Parents & Pupils
Useful Contacts (who to contact if you need more help)
Health and Safety Information
Coronavirus Track & Trace Scheme
Responding to the Coronavirus advice from the Government is an obligation on all schools in England. The development of the NHS ‘Track and Trace’ scheme is a key part of the government plan to manage Coronavirus.
As we respond to Government guidance and the wider opening of schools, the safety and well-being of pupils, staff and their families is a priority. Plans to manage a safe return are in place, however our responsibility extends beyond the school gates.
We hold a lot of data and, as part of our statutory duty, it may be necessary for us to share that data on request by Public Health with NHS Track & Trace workers, so that we play our part in making the programme as effective as possible.
It is likely that we may be asked to provide contact details if a case of Coronavirus or a suspected case arises in our school. There is an obligation to support Government planning and we will provide details if requested to do so. We will be sharing data on the basis that this is a Public Duty and that, in the case of any health data, it is necessary for the public interest.
We have put a copy of our Coronavirus Track & Trace Privacy Notice on the school website (Click Here)
Could all parents/carers please read this notice, and if they have any questions please contact the school on 0115 9155815.
If you need to book a test for your child please use the following website (Click Here)
Public Transport Face Covering Excemption
Face coverings have now become compulsory when using public transport to help keep yourself and others safe during the Coronavirus pandemic.
However the government understands that wearing a face covering can be difficult for some people so the following groups are exempt and don't have to wear a face covering if it would be difficult to do so.
You will be exempt from wearing a face covering if you:
- are a child aged 11 or under.
- have a disability.
- have a learning disability.
- have any communication needs that require you to lip read.
- have a health problem or condition that could be affected by wearing a face covering for example, problems with your breathing.
You can print out and show the following card if you are asked why your child isn't wearing a face covering whilst using public transport.
Local Support for Families
Food Banks
For anyone who is currently experiencing difficulties accessing food there are local Food Banks and Community Based Social Eating Projects available. If you need help during COVID-19 you can call the Council on 0115 915 5555 or visit http://nottinghamcity.gov.uk/coronavirus
Food Parcels
We were very honoured to be working with a charity called Sewa Day, This has allowed us to send some food parcels to some of our pupils and these were greatly appreciated! If you feel you and your family would benefit from a food parcel, please contact the school office 0115 9155815. To find out more about Sewa Day please click this link
Free School Meals
We have now successfully implemented the free school meal online voucher system introduced by the government through the ‘Voucher Shop’ website. If your child is entitled to a FSM the school will be responsible for ordering your vouchers. Please see the attached FAQs below which should assist you in redeeming the voucher, once you have received your e-code via email. If you have any difficulties, please contact the school office 0115 9155815.
Please remember the vouchers are for free school meals pupils only. If you have any queries about FSM or food requirements please contact the school office.
For some of you the change in your circumstances may mean that you are now eligible for free school meals. If you are then I would urge you to apply as soon as possible. There is a period of time to get an application processed and even if you do not need to claim free meals for a prolonged period of time, your child will continue to benefit from additional Pupil Premium funding, which can be put towards specific resources or activities that will support their education and development for at least 6 years after you have made the claim.
Free School Meals E-Voucher FAQs
Safeguarding and Health & Safety Information
Safeguarding Support for Families
The school continues to meet regularly with both Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Local Authority to discuss our offer to safely implement the Government guidance at a local level. The School is also in constant communication with: Social Care, the Whole Life Disability Team, Short Breaks, Health, and the SEN Team and this will continue to be the case. Should your position change or you have any questions, require advice, information or support, please do not hesitate to contact the school. Staff will endeavour to answer your queries and provide further information.
If you have any concerns about a child’s safety or well-being, please contact Rosehill School 0115 9155815 and/or Nottingham City Local Authority 0115 9155555. You can also make a self-referral with Children and Families Direct 0115 8764800.
We also have an updated Safeguarding Policy that applies during the current situation which can be found at the link below
Health & Wellbeing Information
Pupil Wellbeing Awards
Last month the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, John Peace, who is a representative of Her Majesty the Queen awarded each pupil at Rosehill with an extra special certificate thanking them for all their hard work, resilience and enthusiasm during this tricky and unusual time.
Welfare Home Checks
Once again, thank you for answering our calls to check in with you about how you and your
children are managing at this time. Thank you to those of you who have shared photos. Please follow this link to view the photo gallery https://www.therosehillschool.com/home-learning-photo-gallery-1/
The class team for your child will be maintaining regular contact with you and I would ask that you keep checking for updates through the school website, or any other means of communication that you have established with the class teacher. I would also ask that you contact the class teacher if you are having any difficulties/questions or contact the Head of Department:
Primary School
- Rebecca Lynch R.Lynch@rosehill.nottingham.sch.uk
- Katie Stevenson K.Stevenson@rosehill.nottingham.sch.uk
Middle School
- Adele Harvey A.Harvey@rosehill.nottingham.sch.uk
Upper School
- Tamara Riddell t.riddell@rosehill.nottingham.sch.uk
Through our wellbeing checks, we can offer advice, support and activity ideas for home learning. We want to get as much help to you as possible, so please let us know if you feel there is anything else school can do to support you at this time. For example, we can sign post you to other services or help you make a referral to social care or the Paediatric Community Team.
Please remember that school staff can be contacted via the phone number above – you do not need to wait to hear from us. There is always at least one member of the senior leadership team in school on a daily basis (the school office is open Monday - Friday from 9.30am – 2.30pm).
If you contact us, we will endeavour to answer any question you have, however there may be occasions where we do need to get back to you. We will try to do this in a timely manner, but please do bear with us, as we are operating under exceptional circumstances at present.
Families Under Pressure
Please see the following website – https://familiesunderpressure.maudsleycharity.org/ It has information on managing anxiety, negative emotions, boosting positive emotions and how to communicate better with your child.
Mental Health Information
We have put together a page with lots of resources, activities, songs and videos. This can be found at the following link
Inclusive African Adventure Yoga for Children, with Makaton
An inclusive children's yoga session, using Makaton sign language. This session will take you on a Yoga journey, all the way to Africa, to look for animals. Click here to view this great resource
Helpful Guide for Families with Disabled Children
Contact have made available a guide for families with disabled children full of information and help. This can be found on their website at the following link
Autism Alert Card
The National Autistic Society have produced a card that you can carry with you that you can show to people if your child becomes anxious or stressed, it includes information about how people with autism may need a little more support. This card can be found at the following link and printed. Click Here I have now posted out a copy of this card to all families,
Learning & Home Learning
Activities and Resources
Please keep checking our home learning page on a regular basis for new activities and resources to use at home. We keep adding new and engaging activities; this week there is a competition to win a prize if your child makes a recycling poster. Please follow this link for more information https://www.therosehillschool.com/home-learning/
As mentioned in my previous communication, the range of home learning strategies is aimed to maximise our chance of reaching out to all pupils and offering help and support. We do accept, however, that for some pupils and families, this might prove difficult and we are here to help in these circumstances too. In addition to the Class Teacher, teaching support staff are continuing to create resources, therefore if you need other ideas such as cooking or sensory activities, please contact your class teacher.
If parents/carers are struggling to download information/work from the website, please call the school office 0115 9155815.
Headteachers Father's Day Assembly
Katie our teacher in class 5 has put together a great Fathers Day assembly for you all to see, this can be found at the following link
Oak National Academy
The government have also put together the Oak National Academy which has a lot of different learning resources, separated into areas
This resource can be found by clicking this link
E-Safety – Keeping your Child Safe Online
To help keep your child safe at home whilst using the internet, please look at E-safety information which can be found in the home learning page. This includes guides on how to set up parental controls on devices and how to help your child understand ways they can protect themselves online.
Cory's Animal Channel
Cory has been working from home and has started his own Animal Channel! Look at the videos at the link below and listen to Cory telling us about the animals.
Other News
Other Resources to Support you at Home
Every day, staff at Rosehill spend time looking through resource ideas to add to the school website and to circulate to families. This week, we have recommended having a look at an information pack created by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board which aims to support parent carers of children with an autism during this time. Please follow this link to view the pack.
Government Advice
We are continuing to add additional advice and guidance to our website. These links will be regularly updated, so please keep checking the website. Click on the Government Guidance link below for current advice and information.
Rosehill Rainbow
The staff and pupils put together a rainbow to thank all the NHS and Key Workers that worked so hard during the Coronavirus crisis.
School website
Please can I remind you to look at the School website for the most up-to-date and accurate information. If you are still unclear, please contact the School.
Please continue to take good care of yourselves and your families and I look forward to welcoming you back into school as soon as we are able to.
Cheryl Steele, Headteacher
Our Home Learning page for pupils can be found at the link below
Department for Education Coronavirus helpline - this helpline has been set up to answer questions about the virus related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline.
- Phone: 0800 046 8687
- Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
- Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)
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