1st April 2020
Dear Parents/Carers,
We hope that everyone is safe and well and observing the lockdown rules and social distancing measures currently in place. We all know the importance of following the government advice and the impact that our actions can have on the spread of COVID-19 at this time.
As we enter the second week of school closure, we hope that parents/carers and children are well. We are pleased that everyone is pulling together and doing their bit to protect the NHS and other key workers by staying at home. We have seen that lots of children have put up rainbows in the area to show their appreciation for the NHS. They look lovely.
We expect that in many households, the first week of school closure may have seemed more like the start of a holiday. However, if children are not to get bored and fractious, as they often do by the second week of the summer holidays, some sort of routine and structure is important and is needed during home learning. Please log your children on to the different packages we subscribe to and they will know what to do next.
Although school is currently closed to the majority of children, we are providing emergency child care for some families where both parents are key workers. Some parents who originally asked for child care have made alternative arrangements and have been able to keep their children at home. We thank those parents who have put arrangements in place in order for their children to remain at home. As a result, we have fewer children attending our emergency provision than we first though. This in turn is helping protect school staff by allowing many to work at home.
We want to say a huge thank you to everyone staying at home during this lockdown situation. You are definitely helping to save lives. However, teachers still want to make sure that their children are well and safe. Over the next two weeks, your child’s teacher or another member of staff known to them, will make contact to ensure that home learning is going well and that you are accessing all the resources provided on the school website and the packages we subscribe to. They also want to say hello to the children. Please be patient, this contact will take place as regularly as we can and when teachers are in school.
We have been replying to parents of children who are entitled to free school meals to send them the codes needed to access the shopping vouchers sent through from Birmingham City Council. If your child was entitled to free school meals before the closure (not the universal free school meals for reception – year 2) then please email
fsm@timberleyacademy.bham.sch.uk
Keep safe, enjoy the sunshine and treasure this quality time with your children. Make new memories, work on fun things together, help them with their learning and listen to them read.
You already know that your children are fantastic little people. These are strange times, however, we now have time to spend with our children. Children grow up so quickly, but we can enjoy special moments during these unprecedented times.
Stay safe everyone. Stay indoors, protect the NHS, and save lives.
Kind Regards
Mrs C Harris and SLT Team at Timberley Academy