Keelman's Way School

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Just to let you know that although you may not see us, we are still here to help if we can. Government advice is very different for special schools. We are not taking pupils in year group cohorts but are continuing to offer provision for key worker’s children and some pupils that are vulnerable at home. 

Although the message from the government has changed for activities in the community, for our school it has remained the same. The risks remain, for all of us, and this increases with the number of contacts we have and the more places we travel to. 

Our work now is to reduce the risks and establish pupils’ understanding, as far as we can, of how to social distance when they do eventually return to school. This is very difficult for our school as we previously worked so hard to encourage close working relationships for pupils and staff. 

We look every week at the needs of pupils, families and staff. We are planning to widen the groups we can support in school and at home. All teachers have met to look closely at planning too. We know what may help a particular child or family does not work for everyone. Teachers will be working with you on more individualised support for your child. 

When we closed we expected this to be for a much shorter time. We have no real certainty about the future in the short or longer term. Most of us are parents and carers within our own families so we do understand the challenge of looking after one another and balancing work alongside that. Home schooling is certainly not for everyone! 

If you need to call us please do. If we can help we will, or we may be able to put you in touch with someone that can. We still have contact with the other services that support your children in school. 

The school office staffed Monday to Thursday 0191 4897480 and school mobile 07807 273436 can be used if you prefer. Please call us and someone will reply. Or you can email us anytime [email protected] 

Please keep in touch. 

Yours Sincerely P Selby 

Mrs P Selby Head Teacher 

Dear Parents and Carers

I hope that you are managing to stay safe and well. As we are all very much aware, the school closure has gone on much longer than any one of us would have hoped. We really appreciate all of the wonderful pictures that you send to us of the things you are doing at home. We also know that behind this, you are all working extremely hard to look after your children, the rest of your family and keep day to day life going. Not every day is sunshine and smiles. Normality is a very long way off for any of us.

The challenge for us, and for yourselves, is to keep all of our very special and vulnerable children safe. The much talked about social distancing is exceptionally difficult for our children, particularly as we placed so much emphasis on teaching them to work and play alongside one another. We know from our conversations with you that many of you quite rightly feel your children are safer at home with you at the present time. The risk factor in South Tyneside remains high.

We are continuing to provide suggestions on Facebook that can help you keep your child busy, whilst learning at home. Parents have told us that this is useful, and I have to thank staff for their personalised contributions to this. Our teachers have told me how much they enjoy calling to speak to you, and in some cases, the children themselves. They miss your children’s company a great deal. We are always happy for you to get in touch directly with any of your concerns for your child. Our email is [email protected] this is checked daily and the school phone number 07807 273436. I would also like to mention our NHS colleagues. Many of our school nursing staff and therapists have been redeployed to front line work during this very critical time. Although we don’t have them with us you can contact their services on the numbers we published on Facebook.

You will see there is a great deal of debate in the press about opening mainstream schools. As a special school we are continuing to provide child care for a small group of Key Worker and some exceptionally vulnerable children. The time they have in with us is not school as any of your children would remember it. The children are from a mixed age range and are not with their usual friends or staff members. This will continue for the present time and for the majority of our pupils we remain closed.

Yours sincerely

P Selby

Mrs P Selby Head Teacher

Every child entitled to a voucher should now have received emails with codes to redeem your vouchers, they will then email the voucher back to you. However, as the whole country is trying to order the vouchers for their children the website is struggling to cope with demand. Unfortunately, once processed there is very little school can do and you need to redeem your codes when they are issued and then wait for your voucher to arrive. We are aware that at times the website can say the wait time maybe up to an hour but if you persevere you will get through. Quieter times are in the evening or during the weekend.

Please use this link to take you to the frequently asked questions from parents and carers, if you still need assistance after this there is contact details included in the link or email [email protected]

https://www.edenred.co.uk/Documents/DfE/DfE_FreeSchoolMeals_ParentCarerFAQs.pdf

Kind regards

• The School Office

There is to be no change at present

You will have seen that the government have made an announcement about a possible return to school for some primary school pupils.

Nothing has changed for our school as yet. No mention was made over special schools. We will provide further information in the coming days and weeks as we find out what any government guidance means for us. The safety of your child will always be at its heart.
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https://www.facebook.com/129977650821625/posts/829746167511433/

Check out this special message from our fantastic staff at Keelman’s Way…

https://drive.google.com/a/keelmanswayschool.co.uk/file/d/1iMgDM5pMuAo8TMDQPVx-u3aD3AdKw8u2/view?usp=drivesdk