Latest News | Cherry Oak School

18th December 2020

Fri 18 Dec 2020 Amy Findlay Head of School

Dear Parents/Carers

I can’t quite believe that this is the last time I will write to you as Head of School. I would like to thank you for all the kind words, gestures and messages you have sent. I have been very honoured to have worked for the Federation of Cherry Oak School and Cherry Oak School since September 2010 and have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside incredible colleagues and working with your wonderful children. I would particularly like to thank you for the support you have given me and the school and ensured we have always worked together to achieve the best for our pupils. The last nine months have certainly presented a lot of challenges that none of us ever would have expected but the Cherry Oak community has worked together and I am very proud of the resilience the pupils and staff have shown.

Over the last few weeks I have been working closely with Ross Ashcroft, the new Head Teacher, to ensure a smooth handover. Ross is very much looking forward to starting in January.

I do have to give one more message about COVID-19. As you can imagine school leaders must still be on standby for the first part of the holiday period. If your child develops any symptoms of COVID-19 then I would urge you to ensure they are tested straightaway. If you are in the unfortunate position that your child has a positive test and their symptoms developed before Monday 21st December then you must contact me to let me know and I will work with Public Health to identify the appropriate steps to take including identifying close contacts from school. If your child develops symptoms from Monday 21st December onwards then there is no need to contact me and you should just follow the advice from Public Health at the time. It is only necessary to identify close contacts up to 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms. Please contact me at:

a.findlay@cherryoak.bham.sch.uk

Can I remind all parents that the first day after the break is a staff training day so school will be closed to pupils. All pupils (who are fit and well) will return to school on Tuesday 5th January 2021.

I hope that you all have a positive festive break and I really do hope that 2021 brings you all health and happiness.

Warm Regards

Amy Findlay

Head of School

Arrangements for 4 January 2021

Thu 17 Dec 2020 Julie Fardell

You may be hearing / seeing speculation or announcements about some students not attending schools in the week beginning 4 January 2021. However, an official announcement from the Secretary of State for Education today states that:

"Students in exam year groups, vulnerable children and children of critical workers will all attend school or college in person from the start of term, as will all students in primary, special and alternative provision schools and colleges."

This means that Victoria School, Victoria College and Cherry Oak School will all be open as normal from 4 January 2021.

Various Supports over Christmas

Wed 16 Dec 2020 Birmingham Education partnership (BEP)

The number of young people and families facing different levels of vulnerability and need is higher than ever right now and with holidays there is potential for things to get worse when people miss the normal support they may rely on in term time.

For Parents/Carers

Urgent mental health help line: ring 0121 262 3555 for advice and support. This line is available 24 hours, 7 days a week and can be used whether you are known to the service or not.
Foodbanks: https://www.findfoodbanksbrum.org.uk/project_category/food-banks/
Domestic Violence: Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid www.bswaid.org
Helpline: 0808 800 0028. Open 7 days a week 9.15am – 5.15pm (closed bank holidays)
Finally, a reminder that there is a lot of other early help in the city for all young people and families. Click here for see a whole range of offers: Birmingham Children’s Partnership - Resources | Birmingham Children’s Partnership - Resources | Birmingham City Council

For Children and Young People

Kooth: www.kooth.com (Online chat, resources and direct help for 10-25yr olds)
Pause (Mental health and emotional wellbeing support): to register and request support online via https://www.forwardthinkingbirmingham.org.uk/services/13-pause or call the registration line 0207 841 4470.

Coronavirus Testing for Schools from 2021

Tue 15 Dec 2020 Department for Education

Coronavirus testing for schools and colleges from January

Today we have announced that from January teachers and pupils will have access to rapid testing to help keep schools and colleges open throughout the spring term.

From January, and starting with secondary schools, including all special schools and alternative provision, the education workforce will be eligible for weekly on the spot tests. This will help identify asymptomatic cases – which make up a third of all cases – limiting the spread of the virus. This will be backed up by daily testing for staff who have been in close contact with a positive case therefore eliminating the need for self-isolation; allowing them to continue to come into school or college.

Students and pupils will be eligible for daily testing if they have been in close contact with a positive case.

You can read the press notice and a detailed Q&A for parents, but here is a summary of the key details of the announcement:

Teachers and pupils will have access to rapid testing from January.
Staff who are in close contact with cases will be eligible for daily testing, eliminating the need for immediate self-isolation. Only if a daily test returns a positive result will the staff member need to isolate.
Testing will roll out as rapidly as possible from January, starting with staff and moving quickly on to serial testing of students.
It is the decision of the individual school or college when they would like to begin accessing this new dedicated testing capacity.

Detailed operational guidance and training materials are available to secondary schools and colleges so they are able to use the new testing capacity from the first week of the spring term.

Friday 4th December 2020

Fri 04 Dec 2020 Amy Findlay Head of School

To Parents/Carers,

COVID-19 update:

I wrote to you last week to report an unconfirmed positive case at school. This has been confirmed as a positive case so all actions we took were correct. There have been no further cases and the case is now in good health. Staff and pupils who have been isolating will return to school on Wednesday 9th December.

Unfortunately, we have had situations where some families have not been following guidance and so I must remind everyone:

If anyone displays symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild, then they and their household must complete the appropriate self-isolation period until the person with symptoms receives a negative test result.

You must not send your child to school if anyone they live with is displaying symptoms of COVID-19.

You must not send your child to school if they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are mild.

If you child develops symptoms of COVID-19 in school then you will be contacted to collect your child immediately.

If your child displays any symptom of COVID-19 and takes a test, then you must phone school to discuss the results of the test. Even if a child tests negative then public health advise that they should not return to school until they are symptom free for 48 hours. School and family will make the decision if a child is fit to return to school. This decision is not to be made by transport and families should not be contacting transport to make arrangements without schools knowledge.

Christmas:

The festive period is always a very happy time in school and it is with real sadness that we have had to cancel our usual events. We are still trying to keep some celebrations in place and allow the children to have a positive end to the term.

Friday 11th December will be Christmas jumper day. Your child is invited to wear a Christmas jumper to school that day. We will not be taking any donations in school.

Wednesday 16th December will be Christmas dinner. If your child normally has a school dinner then they will be eating the school prepared Christmas dinner that day. If your child does not normally have a school dinner but you would like them to have the Christmas dinner then please contact us to make arrangements for this.

On Thursday 17th December, Father Christmas will be visiting school in an appropriately socially distanced way!

We will be doing our usual end of term talent show on Friday 18th December but classes will take part remotely and watch each other from their classes.

We are still very happy for your child to bring Christmas cards into school for their friends. In line with our COVID risk assessment, any cards that come into school will be kept in school for 3 days before being sent home. To allow time for this, the last day we can accept Christmas cards is Tuesday 15th December.

Classes will also be doing festive activities and as part of our modern foreign languages curriculum, we will be exploring Germany in the last week. Your child’s class teacher will write to you with about any class specific events.

As you are all aware, this is my last term at Cherry Oak School and I will be leaving to take up a Head Teacher position at a new school in January. My last day at Cherry Oak School will be Friday 18th December. You will hopefully have seen the update that a new Head Teacher, Ross Ashcroft, has been appointed to start at Cherry Oak School in January. Ross is spending some time in school and we are working closely to ensure a smooth handover.

Warm Regards

Amy Findlay, Head of School