Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• A message to all our children, parents and staff.

  Thu 30 Apr 2020
  

• New Home Learning Ideas

  Mon 27 Apr 2020
   For this week's home learning ideas, a range of social stories and some other useful information and website links please look in the curriculum section of our website.

• Support for our Parents/Carers during Coronavirus

  Thu 23 Apr 2020

  Dear Parents/Carers,

   

  We hope that you are all continuing to stay well. Our phone calls and emails received from you have been very positive, but with some common issues of many children finding it difficult to sleep, and 'homeschooling' often proving tricky. Please be reassured that no-one is expecting parents to suddenly become teachers. The most important thing for your children remains that they stay safe, and the best way you can support them currently is to help them to feel calm, to play, and for you to avoid putting pressure on yourself or your child.

   

  Join in with the Oaklands teachers singing familiar songs and rhymes, and learn some Makaton signs! There are many ideas for activities you can do with your child at home that we have already put on our website. However, this week, teachers are recording short video clips for your child to stay 'connected' with us. This could be a very valuable tool for you to help keep your child calm whilst they are learning at the same time. You can have some fun watching the short film clips with your child. There are a few songs on there already and we will be adding more in the next few days. Your child could then perhaps start to choose which song or teacher they want to join in with. We hope they are useful to you and you enjoy them.

   

  The council has set up a dedicated crisis support email address which you can use if you’re worried about having enough food, paying your bills or feeling lonely and isolated.  If you’re worried about an elderly neighbour you can alert them too.  Email C19support@leicester.gov.uk giving your telephone number and a member of staff will call you back between 9.30am and 4pm, from Monday to Friday.

   

  There has been a temporary extension of Free School Meals eligibility during the Coronavirus pandemic. Information about Free School Meals can be found here. This includes signposting for families on how to apply with the new extension. Only children whose parents and carers meet the eligibility criteria will receive the free school meal entitlement during this time.The universal offer is not included with the ongoing arrangements. 

   

  The Leicester Children's Centres are trying to #GetLeicesterSmiling. This is all about families sharing an idea on the Leicester Children's Centres' Facebook page to make Leicester residents smile.  To get involved you could send a photo of yourselves smiling or get really creative and share a picture, poem, comedy sketch or dance routine.  You are then asked to share it on Facebook, tag the council's page @leicesterchildrenscentres and use the hashtag #GetLeicesterSmiling.  There are also prizes to be won!

   

  Please do also continue to send any photos of what your child has been doing to office@oaklands.leicester.sch.uk.  There will be another Oaklands Newsletter coming soon!

  Take care and stay safe.

  Regards

  Sarah Osborne

  (Headteacher)

  

• Home Learning Ideas

  Mon 20 Apr 2020
   We hope everyone is keeping safe and has had a good  Easter.  For this week's home learning ideas and some other useful information and website links please look in the curriculum section of our website.

• Continuation of the National Lockdown

  Fri 17 Apr 2020

  Dear Parents/Carers,

   

  As you will have heard on the national news, the Government has instructed us all that we must continue with the lockdown for a further three weeks at least. 

  This means that Oaklands will continue with the measures taken before Easter and in line with Government guidance, every child who can be safely cared for at home should be, to limit the chance of the virus spreading

   

  There are many online resources, recommended by the Government that are accessible for home learning.

  On Monday, we will also post further Home Learning resources on our website for each pathway and signpost you to them through Weduc.

   

  There have been considerable difficulties experienced by schools nationally trying to access the Free School meals vouchers. If you are eligible, you will continue to receive these. However, if the delay in receiving last week's voucher means that you are experiencing hardship in purchasing food for your family, please do let us know, either by responding to this message or emailing office@oaklands.leicester.sch.uk. 

   

  Teachers and the leadership team will continue to stay in touch with families during the next few weeks. However, there will be someone in the school office between 8am and 3.30pm daily, so please do call if you wish to speak to someone.

   

  We have been pleased to hear from families, with photos of what children have been doing and supportive messages for the staff team. Thank-you all for working together with us to keep everyone safe.

  Take care, stay at home and stay safe.

  Regards

  Sarah

• Online Safety Advice for Parents/Carers relating to Coronavirus

  Wed 15 Apr 2020

  Yesterday the Home Office published guidance for parents and carers to keep children safe online.  This covers a range of online harms, including radicalisation.    

   

  Please also find here, an information and support leaflet that has been put together by police and partner agencies, for parents and carers, to address online harms that may arise specifically from the Coronavirus outbreak

• Easter Contact Numbers

  Sat 04 Apr 2020

   

  Support for Families: We appreciate that this may be a difficult time for many families. There are some helpful numbers below incase you may need any support:

   

  Duty and Advice Service (DAS)  0116 454 1004 (For Social Care or the Early Help response team depending on what option you pick. This number is for support if you are particularly struggling; a social worker will talk to you about your concerns and will advise of any action required. The service is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, all year. The service is the first point of contact for all new referrals to children's services and will deal with anything that relates to city children)

   

  Oaklands Family Support worker (Dhrupti Champaneri)- 07842601349

   

  Oaklands Safeguarding phone number- 07742 800987 for reporting general concerns or for Operation Encompass reporting

   

  Citizen advice- 0300 330 1025

   

  Salvation Army - 0116 262 1834 (food bank) 

   

  Uava (united against violence and abuse) - 0808 80 200 28

  Free text support 07715 994 962

   

  Disabled Children Service (DCS) - 0116 454 4710

   

  Samaritans -  Free from any phone -  116 123 (listening service) 

   

  Turning point - 0330 3036000

   

  Sexual Health Clinic  - 0300 124 0102

   

  Crisis Team - 0808 800 3302

   

  Communication: Please use our website, Weduc or Twitter (@OaklandsSchool_) to keep up to date with any information or changes. We will update these regularly during the next few months.  If you have not yet downloaded the Weduc App, you can email the office for instructions about how to do this: office@oaklands.leicester.sch.uk

   

  Please do try to reassure your child during the coming weeks. These are very unusual circumstances but we need to try and reduce anxiety that this may cause for our children, particularly as social distancing instructions from the Government may last some considerable time. 

   

  We wish you all well. Stay safe. Stay at home.