Woodcroft Primary School

Free School Meal Voucher Scheme

Weekly shopping vouchers worth £15 to spend at supermarkets can be sent to your smartphone!

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10.00am 17/4/20 UPDATE: After waiting for 2 weeks the first vouchers codes have just been emailed to eligible parents. Please follow the instructions in the email received (or guide below) to convert your 16 digit code into a supermarket voucher!

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Children eligible for free school meals can now also benefit from a national voucher scheme organised by the Government’s Department for Education and run by Edenred. Woodcroft has provided every eligible family who does not order a food parcel with a weekly shopping voucher while schools are closed due to coronavirus. (Note: Food parcels for collection or delivery will also continue as an option). This scheme will allow Woodcroft to provide vouchers to families electronically. The vouchers can be spent on food at a range of shops including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose and M&S (more shops joining soon).

A Guide to the Free School Meal Voucher School

Please read the Parent and Carer information sheet. This can be found on the Edenred website here … https://bit.ly/2xFlrRV

What if I have phone problems or home Internet issues?

If you do not own a smartphone or have internet problems at home please let the school know so we can arrange for a gift card to be printed and collected.

Are you receiving text messages?

Regular texts messages have been sent to qualifying families with information about the voucher scheme.

If you qualify for free school meals, but  DID NOT receive a text please contact the school office immediately so that we can check our records.

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Food Parcel Options

We have been working closely with our catering team to ensure that the school continues to distribute Free School Meals to those that are eligible right from day one of school closures! 

Improved Food Parcel Service Option

Eligible families are able to order parcels of essential food items to use to cook their own tasty lunches at home. We are now able to deliver food packages to those that cannot collect from school themselves. For instance if you are unwell or self isolating due to underlying conditions. After the feedback, ISS are continually improving the selection of items in subsequent parcels.

Read more about it in last week’s Newsletter Issue 381 here https://go.aws/2ynODg8

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Do you now qualify for Free School Meals? If your circumstances have changed, and you think you may now be eligible for Free School Meals, please check your status on the government website and then call the school office as soon as possible: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals We will then ask for you to provide the relevant documentary evidence so that you can begin to receive one of our free food or voucher offers. *Please note: eligibility for Free School Meals is different from the Universal Infant Free School Meals given to every KS1 and Reception pupil. You must be in receipt of certain benefits to claim your meal voucher or food parcel.

 

The building might be closed but that doesn’t stop us learning at Woodcroft! Classes have now gone online.

Head over to your Google Classroom to connect with your teacher and classmates and to get learning!

Dear Parents and Carers

It was with great sadness that the school closed on Friday 20th March.

The government asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.

It is important to underline that for schools remain safe places for children we must strictly  limit the availability of places. The fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

We are only open as a provision for children who are considered vulnerable, and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 national response (i.e. essential Key Workers) who cannot safely care for them at home .

Many parents working in these sectors will be able to ensure their child is kept at home and we ask parents to consider carefully if you can make alternative arrangements for childcare?

From Wednesday 25th March, every key worker will be asked to provide the following evidence in support of their application.

• A work ID (eg photocard / ID lanyard)
• A work schedule or letter from your line manager clearly stating the days that you will require key worker provision at Woodcroft.

From Monday 30^th March we will also request to see similar evidence that both parent/carer’s are working as an essential worker on the days that Woodcroft is required the school to look after a child.

For everyone else we will be operating a virtual school using Google Classroom,

Finally, I want to thank all of you who have offered your support during these unprecedented challenges.  We look forward to reopening for all as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Craig Tallon

Headteacher

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Government Approved Key Workers:

Health and social care – includes doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributors of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.

Education and childcare – includes nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach.

Key public services – includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.

Local and national government – only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arms length bodies.

Food and other necessary goods – includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines).

Public safety and national security – includes police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas.

Transport – includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.

Utilities, communication and financial services – includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

If workers think they fall within the critical categories above they will be required confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.

For further information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

 

PARENT / CARER INFORMATION

Coronavirus – Woodcroft  Phased Response Strategy

ISSUE 3: 18th March 2020

Woodcroft is operating a phased response to the escalating coronavirus pandemic. The school is currently OPEN. We are following Government advice regarding any decision to close.

In school we are employing the strictest measures to protect children and staff and prevent the spread of any virus .

If pupils are absent for any reason due to the coronavirus pandemic this will be authorised.

IMPORTANT: 

• If a pupil is off from school due to illness symptoms associated with Covid19 we are insisting that they remain away from school for 14 days. 
• If a family member shows symptoms of Covid19 then all children in the same house should stay off school for 14 days  (see below for guidance)
• These strict measures are to ensure the school remains a safe place for the pupils and staff who are still attending.

Pupil Safety

Woodcroft remains at Phase 3:  (These are the strictest measures we can employ before we have to close classes)

We are employing a full range of measures to ensure children and adults are safe in school. These fall into two categories:

1. Hygiene
2. Social Distancing

Please note: if any pupil does not follow the safety guidelines we will ask parents to collect their child from school

Hygiene in School:

• Enforced regular handwashing: children will be supervised washing hands as soon as they arrive in school.. We use paper towels in classrooms to limit aerosol transmission.
• Extended school cleaning regime to ensure push surfaces and handles are included.
• We will enforce a 14 day extended absence from school following an illness
• We will improve classroom ventilation by leaving windows and doors open. Teachers will limit the sharing of equipment
• We have created a quarantine area for any pupils displaying symptoms. And have spaces available should we need to temporarily move a class to a santised area.

Social Distancing in School:

• We are limiting classroom movement i.e. changing places / restricting group activities. Pupils will be seated apart where possible and teachers will limit or avoid grouping children together.
• All assemblies and groups larger than one class have stopped
• We now have staggered lunchtime sittings with pupils eating packed lunches in a classroom supervised by teachers to allow more space in the dining hall. 
• Limited close contact between adults and pupils in school;  enforcing appropriate distances. We have also suspended intervention groups and small group activities.

• We aim to limit opportunities for virus spread on equipment and books
  • Teachers are not marking books (but providing verbal feedback instead)
  • Children are keeping as much equipment in personal trays as possible
• We have cancelled all non essential school events, trips, meetings and clubs.

(Note: Acorns and paid clubs run by external coaches (e.g. Multi-Sport) will continue to run until further notice. However, activities are being modified to support social distancing).

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Stay at home: guidance for people with confirmed or possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of

• New continuous cough and/or
• High temperature

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection

Main messages

• If you live with others and you or one of them have symptoms of coronavirus, then all household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. 
• Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community
• For anyone in the household who starts displaying symptoms, they need to stay at home for 7 days from when the symptoms appeared, regardless of what day the original 14 day isolation started.
• If you can, move any vulnerable individuals out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period
• If you cannot move vulnerable people out of your home, stay away from them as much as possible
• If you have coronavirus symptoms:
  • • Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital
    • You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home
    • Testing for coronavirus is not needed if you’re staying at home
• Plan ahead and ask others for help to ensure that you can successfully stay at home and consider what can be done for vulnerable people in the household
• Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water, or use hand sanitiser
• If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days, then use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. If you do not have internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999

More information visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Dear Parents and Carers

Woodcroft staff and governors have been working very hard to make the school a safe environment to learn. We have also made preparations for a possible school closure. As you can imagine this has been a very difficult time with advice and guidance changing daily. Woodcroft staff should be congratulated for the comprehensive measures implemented so far.

However, as matters escalate, we recognise the need to move to the next phase. As I write, and I must point out, schools have not received any additional or detailed guidance from the Local Authority or Government. This could change at any point, and we await detailed information from the Government’s COBRA meetings.

In response to questions from parents I can summarise actions that have been taken so far:

• A detailed action plan has been formulated with an escalating series of measures. Woodcroft has moved to its Phase 2 response. 
• Advanced plans are in place to create a virtual school should Woodcroft be forced to close
• Detailed guidance for parents is being drafted to support them maintain the continued education of their children.

You can read the full ‘draft’ guidance here: Woodcroft Phased Response and Parent Guide ISSUE 1

Updated guidance 16/3/20: Woodcroft Phased Response Issue 2

I would like to thank all of our parents for their sensible approach and continued support throughout this challenging time.

Yours sincerely 

Richard Burrows (Chair of Governors)

Successful Week for our Netball and Football Teams

Woodcroft Year 6 Football and Netball Teams achieved some notable successes this week! The footballers produced their best form of the year to come top of their group in the Barnet 6-a-side Competition held at Friern Barnet Power League. We dominated each of our 5 matches; Felix in goal kept 4 clean sheets and Archie top scorer with 6. Woodcroft narrowly missed out on a medal in the semi-finals after a tight 1-1 draw with Goldbeaters that was eventually decided on penalties. We did however qualify for the area finals next month.

The netballers put in an equally impressive performance at the Netball Tournament. The Woodcroft team were joint top of their group after 5 matches but were cruelly denied a place in the semifinals on a goal difference of one! The netball team did however come away with the Respect Award. Out of the 32 teams in the competition, we were recognised demonstrating the best sporting values – well done Woodcroft for carrying our AIM Values into competition and representing the school to such high standards!

AIM Values: At Woodcroft we encourage children to adopt a core set of values. We call these our AIM Values because we believe that having Aspirations and Inspiration Matter in life. That is why we strive to enrich and extend the National Curriculum through our AIM Programmes (AIM Digital/Technology, AIM PE/Sports and AIM Arts).

Then to add a fitting climax to the week, our girls team came out on top against All Saints NW2 in a tricky cup encounter. A tight first half finished 0-0, leaving all the goals to come in an action packed second period. Woodcroft took the lead through a close range shot from Alissa. Then, when Woodcroft were dominating play looking for a second, All Saints scored with a well worked counter attack. Time was running out, but Maya spotted Brooke in space on the halfway line and quickly distributed the ball. Brooke wasted no time in drilling a long range shot that beat their goalkeeper and flew in the net to seal victory.

Christmas is always a wonderful time in school …

We enjoyed fantastic festive shows from Year 1 and Year 2, Nursery and Reception!

The pupils had a great time at our annual Winter Ball – it even snowed at the end!

A team from Year 2 represented Woodcroft at the Barnet Sport KS1 Christmas Festival at Allianz Park.

Year 6 took us back in time to the 1940’s in their World War Two Christmas Experience.

We had carols around our Christmas tree, before a fabulous Christmas lunch prepared by our catering staff.

Staff performed two hilarious pantos for the pupils! Key Stage 1 and Reception enjoyed the ’12 Days of Christmas’ and then Key Stage 2 experienced  ‘I’m Cinderella Get Me Out Of Here’!

Finally, Santa visited to give every class a well deserved gift …

The 2019 Woodcroft Sports Awards was a fantastic celebration of our sporting talent at school. Our wonderful cheerleaders opened the ceremony; followed by awards for football, netball, athletics and dance. The evening was brought to climax with a another outstanding performance by our Dance Team – winners of the 2019 UDOIT Dance National Championships. Thank you to all of our coaches, club leaders and supporters for your commitment to school sport over the year!

Year 6 performed their glorious final show to parents and pupils this week titled ‘It’s A Rap! This hysterical celebration of dance, drama and song was all wrapped up with an important message about achieving your ambitions through perseverance and choosing the right path! As year 6 head off to secondary school we hope they remember their years at Woodcroft with fondness. They have certainly left us with some great memories – not least this wonderful final leavers show! Thank you to all of the Y6 staff for supporting their achievements throughout the year.

We are delighted to announce that Woodcroft has achieved the GOLD School Games Mark for the 2018/19 academic year! The School Games Mark is a Government award scheme led by the Youth Sport Trust to reward schools for their commitment to the development of sporting competition across their school and into the community. We are delighted to have been recognised with the GOLD award for the 5th year in a row!

This award this recognition for the dedication of Woodcroft staff who voluntarily organise and run an amazing number of clubs, activities, teams and tournaments!