We have left the below information around wellbeing and home learning available just in case we need to close a bubble in the future as well as for the families that have children in them that need to self-isolate.
home learning policy and guidance.docx
Please see below for all of the information still relevant that we have sent out during the COVID19 situation. There is also lots of information that we hope you find useful around family support and wellbeing at this time.
We take our obligations around health and safety and safeguarding of all of our staff, pupils and their families very seriously and we can assure you that everything we do bears this is mind. Here is the original Risk Assessment, as well as the updates around the reopening in January 2021and again updated around September 2021 Risk Assessment that we have produced confirming the changes we have made to the school to ensure the safety of everyone.
Thurrock covid-19_child_wellbeing_support_line information
Monster Phonics webinars available
Purple Mash Guide for all pupils
Privacy-Notice-for-Coronavirus-Test-and-Trace-1
Children’s Guide to Corona Virus and Thurrock Well-Being Support Pack
Family Support for everyone:
COVID-19 is having an impact on everyone’s daily lives. By following the guidelines on social distancing and staying at home you’re helping to protect yourself, family, NHS, and community, but a consequence might be that you feel isolated, worried, and anxious, or you could be concerned about your health, or the health of others.
In these uncertain times it’s important to take care of your mind as well as your body, and to make sure you get any support that you need.
Below are some links for the whole family to great practical advice for staying at home and taking care of your mental health and wellbeing.
Coronavirus and your wellbeing
Everybody Worries by Jon Burgerman
Exercise
This releases chemicals, in your body, like endorphins and serotonin that help to improve your mood. If you exercise regularly, it can reduce your stress and symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Meditation
Meditation can help – please see the links below for some useful suggestions:
Mindfulness
Mindfulness colouring is a relaxing and calming activity which can also encourage children to explore their creativity while improving fine motor skills.
Self-esteem
Self-esteem helps children cope with mistakes and build their resilience. It helps them try again, even if they fail at first. As a result, self-esteem will help them do better at school, at home, and with friends. Children with low self-esteem feel unsure of themselves, so improving self-esteem, improves confidence.
Hygiene
Important now more than ever but educating children on good hygiene is the best way to avoid the spread of infection and disorders; teaching the principles of correct hygiene at an early age can help keep individuals healthy in later life, and be taught to future generations.
Nutrition and Diet
Eating a nutritious diet helps you keep a healthy body. It also helps reduce your risk of developing some chronic diseases. New research finds that your food choices may also affect your mood and mental health. This is sometimes called the “food-mood connection.”
Self-care
Self-care is about the things that we can do to look after our own mental health.
Reflection
Personal reflection allows us to grow as human beings. It allows us to review what we have already done and think about targets and goals we would like for ourselves.
Children could keep a diary to write down their thoughts, feelings and emotions. They may even want to add newspaper articles about the current situation, as they are experiencing a unique moment in history.
This can be used to make sense of new emotions and uncertainty. This is an unusual time in our history and hopefully will not be repeated in our generation, so use this diary not only for our wellbeing but also as a memento of this time.
Helping the local community
This helps to create stronger communities that are concerned with the well-being of each and every individual and creates a happier society for all.
Writing letters to family members that we cannot see or even the people who are currently isolated in our local care homes. It will allow the children to practise their letter writing skills as well as put a smile on someone else’s face.
Litter picking – This would need to be supervised activity and may not be able to occur if you are self-isolating, gloves would also need to be worn for this activity. The children often talk to us about wanting to litter pick around school and where they live. This is a great time to for us to focus on cleaning the environment around us.
Gardening
Gardening is educational and develops new skills including: Responsibility – from caring for plants. Understanding – as they learn about cause and effect (for example, plants die without water, weeds compete with plants) Self-confidence – from achieving their goals and enjoying the food they have grown.
Please also look at the Outdoor Learning page of our website for some outdoor, well-being activities.
Information from Thurrock to help support you and your family: Support Line and Support Pack
Looking after our Feelings and Body leaflet and link to DfE Supporting Children and Young People latest guidance
List of free resources for home educating published by the DfE