Please see the letter below from Amanda Healy, Director of Public Health for County Durham and Jim Murray, Head of Education and Skills:

Parents Letter – End of Year Activities June 2021_

Dear Parents/Carers

Unfortunately, we will be unable to host our usual end of summer term activities in school this year. With rising numbers of cases, both nationally and locally, and a considerable proportion of the population still not fully vaccinated, we have opted for a cautious approach to the end of the school year. However, even given the current restrictions, we will ensure that the final few weeks are as enjoyable and memorable as possible for all our children.

We are currently awaiting further information from the DfE regarding their plans for how schools will be expected to operate from September 2021. We hope to be in possession of any such information before the end of this term in order to be able to communicate the expectations to everyone before school closes for the summer break.

There will be no change to the organisation of teaching staff from September 2021, which will remain as follows:

• Class 1 (Reception) – Miss Morgan
• Class 2 (Y1/2) – Miss Forth
• Class 3 (Y3/4) – Mrs Bradwell
• Class 4 (Y5/6) – Mrs Mowbray
• Miss Dodds – Y5 English & maths/intervention
• Miss Jewett – PPA cover

Kind regards

Mr W. Kirtley
Headteacher

We were extremely excited that our KS2 children were able to take part in the Share Sound music project. They really enjoyed being involved in the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment workshops and the professional recording sessions of their contributions to the ‘Forged By Fire’ performance.  As always, the children were a credit to our school. The livestream performance is at 7:00pm on Wednesday 7 July – please come along and watch. If you haven’t attended a livestream concert before, it’s like attending a ‘proper’ concert but from your own sofa. The audience don’t appear on screen (it’s not like a meeting).

This is the link to book free ‘tickets’:

https://www.orchestraslive.org.uk/projects/share-sound-grand-finale

You only need to book one ticket per household and after you’ve booked you’ll be sent the link to access the concert.

Please see below for the full invitation which includes further details about the performance:

You are warmly invited to a very special evening of online celebration and performance featuring our own young musicians and from around the UK, artistic teams from six music education hubs, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

On the evening of Wednesday 7 July, young musicians from six locations will join forces with three famous orchestras and six music education hubs to premiere new pieces of music and film they have co-created as part of our flagship digital project, Share Sound. These very special performances will showcase the astounding talent and creativity unleashed during the course of the project.

7.00pm: Grand Finale (YouTube, approximately 60 mins), presented by Share Sound Artistic Director, James Redwood.

Featuring:

• Cumbria Music Hub and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
• Durham Music Service and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
• Lincolnshire Music Service and Chineke! Orchestra
• Norfolk Music Hub and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
• Inspire (Nottinghamshire Music Hub) and Chineke! Orchestra
• Suffolk Music Education Hub and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Book you free ticket here:

https://www.orchestraslive.org.uk/projects/share-sound-grand-finale

Department for Education (DfE) statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education

Dear Parents/Carers

Previously, all schools have been expected to provide PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) Education in their curriculum. This expectation has been strengthened from September 2020, when Relationships and Health Education aspects of the primary curriculum became compulsory in all schools. You can read about these changes in this DfE guide for parents here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-sex-and-health-education-guides-for-schools.

The DfE also strongly encourages primary schools to deliver sex education to help prepare children for their transition to secondary school. Most schools, including ours, are already delivering very effective Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and the new guidance is simply about ensuring that all children get the information they need and want. The lessons will help children to learn about their bodies including the changes that take place at puberty, and will help keep them safe, so they can form healthy relationships (friendships) with others, now and in the future.

At our school we are using the leading children’s health and wellbeing charity, Coram Life Education (CLE) to support us in meeting these legal requirements. We do this by using their online SCARF (which represents their values for children of Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience and Friendship) teaching resources. It’s vital that schools continue to cover the full breadth of PSHE education subjects that are outside the scope of the DfE’s statutory requirements so that wider life issues can be explored; these include economic education, environmental and community issues, rights and responsibilities.

SCARF provides a comprehensive scheme of work for PSHE education and covers all of the DfE’s statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education. It also covers the learning opportunities within the PSHE Association’s Programme of Study, therefore providing for elements such as the rights of the child, caring for the environment, economic education, and children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural (SMSC) education, including British Values, which are statutory requirements.

More information about Coram Life Education and SCARF can be found on their website:
www.coramlifeeducation.org.uk

Research shows that delivering this vital education has a positive effect on mental health and is a protective factor when it comes to safeguarding children. It has also been demonstrated that children with better health (including mental health) and wellbeing are likely to achieve better academically. By learning about positive relationships, respect for themselves and others, and behaving appropriately and safely online, they are better able to enjoy their friendships and therefore focus more at school.

Please see below for our new PSHE Education Policy which includes the changes to the statutory requirements outlined above. We recognise that parents play a vital part in their child’s education and we encourage you to discuss these themes with your child at home as well. If further advice or support is required, or if you have any questions about the programme or would like to view the resources, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher or Miss Forth (our PSHE subject lead).

Kind regards

Mr W. Kirtley
Headteacher

PSHE Education Policy June 2021

We hope you all have a wonderful half-term holiday! School reopens on Monday 7 June 2021.

Reporting symptoms after school closes for the half-term break

If your child develops symptoms of coronavirus at any point over the half-term break you must book a test.

If your child develops symptoms up to and including Saturday 29 May which result in a positive test you must inform the school at byersgreen@durhamlearning.net.

Please include the name of your child, their class and the date that their symptoms started, as well as your own contact details.

If your child develops coronavirus symptoms from Sunday 30 May onwards, they must be tested and, if positive, follow the advice of Test and Trace. You do not need to inform the school of any symptoms which occur on or after this date.

Please see the message below from Durham County Council:

Our Fun and Food programme will be available over the May half term, providing fun activities for children and young people, including a healthy meal or snack. Find out what is on in your area by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/FunAndFood

Our school is delighted to be taking part in Royal Mail’s Heroes Stamp Design Competition,
honouring the heroes of the coronavirus pandemic.

Please read the information below.

Heroes_Letter_For_Parents

If you don’t want your child’s design to be entered into the competition please let us know.

Please see the message below from Durham County Council:

If anyone in your household has symptoms you need to book a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test as soon as possible. For more information and to book a PCR test visit www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test  or call NHS test and trace free on 119

As coronavirus symptoms in children can vary it is advised that children who are unwell should not attend school until they are well again.

If you have difficulty accessing a PCR test your school may be able to help, as most schools retain a small stock of these tests.

Alternatively Durham County Council offers support to people seeking further advice about coronavirus through the County Durham Together Community Hub, details of which can be found at www.durham.gov.uk/covid19help or by phoning 03000 260 260.

One of the side effects of lockdown has been the increased use of technology.  Most children have really benefited from this when in lockdown but unfortunately sometimes it can go wrong. The misuse of technology that some primary aged children have experienced includes, bullying, fraud and child abuse.  We now need parents and carers to take an active role in keeping their children safe in the online world, just as they would in real life!

The best way of protecting your children is to talk with them about how they use technology, find out about the apps, websites and games they use and make sure they can share any worries they have with you.  Both the net-aware and internetmatters.org websites are full of helpful advice.

As a school we take online safety very seriously and children are taught about keeping safe throughout their time in school, so they develop the skills and resilience needed to keep themselves safe on line.  We should remember that they are still children, they will make mistakes and they will need your support not only to stay safe but to grow and flourish both online and offline.

Below we have listed five useful websites to help support your child staying safe.  Please take some time to talk to your children and find out more on the websites below.  Parents and carers are also welcome to discuss issues and get support from the school – we will help.