Weekly Update from the Headteacher, 16th April 2021

16th April 2021John Steward

Hello everyone 

 

Happy Summer Term! 

It’s natural that this is a lot of people’s favourite term, with everything being a bit brighter and warmer, and an increasing number of things to look forward to 

For me especially, it’s a treat to see things that had had to stop starting to happen again as things improve from a Covid and weather point of view. I’m really looking forward to PE!  

I hope everyone had a lovely break 

 

Covid update! Got to keep doing this for now! 

Thanks very much for continuing with doing the testing at home; staff have been testing over the break too. We had one staff member who tested positive over the Easter break who has been self-isolating but there were no close contacts in school and there has been no impact on classes 

Many of our colleagues in school are now getting their second dose of the vaccine, and some are still having the first 

We’re all massively looking forward to things gradually and sensibly relaxing, and we’re grateful to everyone for contributing to this 

 

School Summer Fayre 

As we ease out of lockdown, the PTA and school have decided to have a Summer Fayre on Saturday 10 July, giving everyone something to look forward to, if Covid restrictions continue to lift of course 

 

Like last time, we will have some stalls and have started posting on various sites to get some interest going.  We would obviously like to offer spaces to staff and parents as well.  So, if you or a family member sell items etc., and would like an indoor table or outside spot, please get in touch by completing the attached form.  We have a Body Shop stall, an Usborne Books stall, Clay Keepsakes and Decorations, Sweets and Candy Floss, Wax Melts and Room Spritz and a Woodcraft Stall already interested.  We hope to have our students running some stalls or games too 

 

https://forms.gle/ndyAarGbqcRpSqZ76 

 

Let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions for things you’d like to see or other contributions anyone would like to add. I’m looking forward to it already, and I’ll certainly be there! 

 

EHC Maps 

These are being sent home today, and contain a lot of important work, so I hope that they are clear and helpful 

 

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and that we all have a great Summer Term together 

 

All the best 

 

John S 

Percy Hedley Summer Fayre – 10th July 2021 – 10am to 2pm

6th April 2021Mrs J Thomas

Hi

Hope everyone is having a lovely Easter – though the snow whilst the sun shines is a very strange thing.

As we ease out of lockdown, the PTA and school have decided to have a summer fayre, giving our parents, students, their families and our neighbours something to look forward to (Covid restrictions continuing to lift of course).

Like last time, we will have some stalls and have started posting on various sites to get some interest going.  We would obviously like to offer spaces to staff and parents as well.  So if you or a family member sell items etc., and would like an indoor table or outside spot, please get in touch by completing the attached form.  We have a Body Shop stall, an Usborne books stall, clay keepsakes and decorations, sweets and candy floss, wax melts and room spritz and a woodcraft stall already interested.

https://forms.gle/ndyAarGbqcRpSqZ76

Let us know any ideas you might have or other contributions anyone would like to add.  We hope to have our students running some stalls or games, but this is for a later date.

Many thanks

Percy Hedley PTA

Weekly update, 26th March 2021

26th March 2021Mrs C Maley

Hello everyone 

 It’s the end of term, and it’s been a term when we’ve had snow, Covid and a change of Headteacher. We’ve also celebrated Lesley Eden completing 40 years’ work here at PHS, which is incredible – we’re all so very grateful and in awe of her and what she has done. I’d like to dedicate this Easter message to her. It’s a long one but there’s some good stuff in it today! 

It’s also been fantastic to meet a few of the leading lights in the PTA, and I am amazed at the extent of their support: thank you so much if you are at all involved with that group. If you want to be, do contact our fabulous Family Liaison colleague, Eileen.

Also – Exams! Well done to all pupils in KS4 and Post-16 who have been sitting exams this week. Congratulations on all your hard work and perseverance with in such a strange time! Well Done postcards are on the way home! 

OK, I have to do Covid now… 

COVID-19 update 

We’ve had no positive cases in school this week 🤞, but everyone is still being sensible and doing all they can to stay healthy. 

Reporting positive cases to school over Easter 

In line with guidance from public health, we need to continue to do contact tracing for positive cases during the Easter break.  Please contact school immediately if your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 or tests positive by emailing  closure.phs@percyhedley.org.uk.   Thanks 

LFD testing over Easter break for students taking part 

For students who are taking the LFD testing, in line with the DfE advice, we’re asking students to continue to complete the twice weekly testing during the holidays.  Here is a reminder of how to report test results 

Please report each test result 

Once your child has completed their test, the result must be logged with both the NHS Test and Trace and school via the following links: 

What does it mean if my child has a positive result? 

If your child has a positive antigen LFD test result they, their household and any support bubbles they are part of should self-isolate immediately in line with NHS Test and Trace guidance for 10 days. You need to report your result to both NHS Test & Trace and Percy Hedley School. 

You should order a confirmatory PCR test if you are testing at home (confirmatory PCR tests are not needed if the test was conducted at the Asymptomatic Test Site at school).  You can book a test here:  https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test  

If you’ve any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact closure.phs@percyhedley.org.uk.    

Parent Communications 

I hope that you’ve been finding these weekly updates useful since we introduced them after the parent communications survey.  I enjoy writing them! If you have any other suggestions about how we can improve parent communications, please email them to communications@percyhedley.org.uk 

World Book Day 

Today we celebrated a belated World Book Day.  We’ve been dressing up, celebrating, and generally doing nice things! 

We’ve done it as part of our Art Week, and it’s been a huge success. Pupils have enjoyed working on their books and creating some fantastic displays of their hard work 

Here are a few pictures of our staff joining in the World Book Day fun: 

The Percy Hedley Virtual Race Night 

The Percy Hedley Foundation has really missed being able to hold all their usual fundraising events over the past year and, as we can’t all meet in person (just yet) we would like to invite you, your friends and family to join our first ever virtual event – The Percy Hedley Virtual Race Night – which will be held on Friday 9th April from 7.30pm to 9.00pm 

Hosted by BBC Radio’s very own Alfie Joey, we hope to present you with 90 minutes of excitement and fun.  Entry costs only £10 which includes your horse selections – one horse in each of the 7 races.

We really hope you can join us and support our work. 

You can register to attend by clicking this link: 

https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/PercyHedleyFoundationVirtualRaceNight 

Easter Egg Donation 

Sandra Phelps was an SSA with us for many years and left over the summer to work at the NHS Northumbria Health Care PPE Manufacturing Hub, where they are currently producing PPE for Covid. Sandra had a fund-raising event with her new colleagues and with the money raised bought easter eggs for each of our pupils which they are all taking home today. Sandra’s colleagues and their families made gift tags for the eggs and their management team picked the best ones, with winners all getting an egg themselves. We all thank Sandra and her colleagues for their wonderful donation 

Carole Harder, Percy Hedley Foundation Chief Executive, is leaving in April 

Here is a link to a statement from the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Jonathan Jowett with more information 

https://www.percyhedley.org.uk/farewell-to-carole-harder-chief-executive/ 

I hope you all enjoy the Easter break and have a lovely time together; we look forward to seeing students back in school on 12 April. All the best.

 

John S 

Weekly update, 19th March 2021

19th March 2021Mrs C Maley

Hello everyone

Covid-19 update

We’ve had no positive cases in school this week, and no-one is still self-isolating.

The pupils who have had the Lateral Flow Tests in school have been brilliant – coping with it much better than I do when I have them!

Please refer back to our previous blogs if you have any questions about the LFD testing, or just make contact with us if you need any support with it at all.

Staff and students continue to be great with their handling off all Covid-related protocols and behaviours, and I am very grateful to you, and both those groups of people for how things are going on that front. Fingers crossed

Mother’s Day

A Happy Mother’s Day to all of you to whom it applies, albeit belated from last Sunday.

Red Nose Day

Thanks to everyone who supported our fundraising efforts for Red Nose Day today, whatever you did.  We’ve had a lovely day with one thing and another. Here is the best photo from the day – our Deputy, Barry, being a good sport in the stocks!

Don’t worry, I asked Barry for his permission before I posted this!

Book Day on 26 March

Just a reminder that our ‘PHS World Book Day’ is on Friday 26th March.  Staff and students who want to, can come in dressed up as characters from their chosen book, or they can dress up as whatever character they want

Relationship, Sex & Health Education

Our team working on this important area of our curriculum are very keen to consult with you all. They will soon be sending out a survey to gather your thoughts and views on this topic, so please look out for it when they do

All the best for a lovely weekend

John S

Lateral flow testing – Update

18th March 2021Mrs C Maley

Now that lateral flow testing is well underway for our students who have chosen and consented to take part, I would like to remind you of a few points:

**  You need to report each test result

Once your child has completed their test, the result must be logged with both the NHS Test and Trace and school via the following links:

 **  Can I or someone else in my household use a test kit sent home from school?

These test kits are only for use by your child, if you or other members of your household also wish to take part in the testing you should obtain your test kits via one of the home test collection sites, further details of where the collection sites are located can be found via: https://find-covid-19-rapid-test-sites.maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/

**  What does it mean if my child has a positive result?

If your child has a positive antigen LFD test result they, their household and any support bubbles they are part of should self-isolate immediately in line with NHS Test and Trace guidance for 10 days. You need to report your result to both NHS Test & Trace and your Percy Hedley School.

You should order a confirmatory PCR test if you are testing at home (confirmatory PCR tests are not needed if the test was conducted at the Asymptomatic Test Site at school).  You can book a test here:  https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test 

** I would like my child to take part in testing but haven’t had details from school yet.

We are unable to facilitate swabbing or send kits home without your consent.  You can do this via:  https://forms.gle/Za2eGeJdpo4NtXu66

If you’ve any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact Carla Maley via c.maley@percyhedley.org.uk

Weekly update, 12th March 2021

12th March 2021Mrs C Maley

Hello everyone 

Welcome back! 

It’s been lovely to see so many of our students back at school this week, especially for me as I’ve had the chance to meet lots of students in person that I hadn’t had the chance to meet yet. And with the weather improving as well, this week has had a nice feel to it 

COVID-19 update 

We’ve had one positive case this week in our staff team but there were no students identified as close contacts and there has been no impact on any classes or bubbles; the member of staff is fine. 

For students in Year 7 and above who are taking the LFD testing, please do refer back to our previous blogs on this topic. And please do make contact with us at the school if you have any further questions or need any support at all. To those of you who came in to school for training on this, I hope you feel that it went well – it certainly seemed to from our point of view. 

Parents and members of childcare/support bubbles of school age children are now also eligible to access LFD tests to complete regularly at home. 

Carla will send some more information out on Monday. 

Red Nose Day is on 19th March, next Friday! 

RND is here again – you’ve probably seen it trailed on the BBC. 

There will be activities in school next Friday. More details will follow, so please do watch out! 

Virtual Careers Week Update – STEM Engineering Challenge! 

During our brilliant first Virtual Careers Week local engineering firm SOS Group Ltd issued a challenge to pupils to create their own Rube Goldberg machines. Videos of these challenges were sent to the company, who judged Harvey Heatley and Joe Armstrong’s design from post-16 the winner. Congratulations! Prizes and certificates are on the way! 

Percy Hedley School PTA Annual General Meeting (AGM) 

It was really good to attend my first PTA meeting, on Teams, this week. Thanks to all those great parents (and grandparent!) who took part, and thank you so much for all the tireless work that you do. I keep finding out new strengths of the school, and this is yet another one. It was a pleasure to take part. Thanks very much to Eileen for chairing too 

Book Day on 26 March 

Just a reminder that our ‘PHS World Book Day’ is on Friday 26th March.  Staff and students who want to, can come in dressed up as characters from their chosen book, or they can dress up as whatever character they want 

All the best for a lovely weekend 

John S