Woodfield Newsletter
Friday 4th February 2022
Dear Parents/ Carers,
Covid Vaccinations- Next Wednesday!!
There will be Covid Vaccinations for pupils available on site at Woodfield on Wednesday 9th and Monday 28th February. Copies of the form were sent home last month, or you can download and print one here.
If you would like another paper copy to be sent home, please contact the office to arrange.
We continue to urge all staff and students to participate in twice weekly LFD testing following national guidelines (recommended for 11 years and over). You can order test kits form the Government website, or contact your child's form tutor to arrange for you child to bring home kits from our stock at Woodfield. If your child does record a positive result from a Lateral Flow test, please let the school know.
Children's Mental Health Week
Children's Mental Health week is running from 7-13 Feb this year. There will be a non-uniform day on Friday 11th when pupils can donate £1 to Young Minds (https://www.youngminds.org.uk/). Our student council chose to support this charity. The theme of the day is 'Dress to Express'. Pupils will be talking about this year's theme during PSHE lessons: 'Growing Together', celebrating our differences and reflecting on personal growth. If you would like to join our Occupational Therapy coffee morning on 8th March, Sarah will be talking about the Zones of Regulation and some practical ideas for regulating emotions at home. Please contact Patsy (parent liaison) at phu@compasslp.co.uk for more information.
The week also is the culmination of Key Stage 3 Horticulture "Time to Grow" program. See our news story for the full details.
Mobile Phones
Due to the increase misuse of mobile phones by students both in and outside of school, we are implementing a Trust wide Mobile Phone Policy from Monday 21st February 2022. Parents and carers can view the policy on our website here. We ask that you familiarise yourself with the policy before 21st February. Senior leaders will discuss the policy with pupils during assembly time next week.
School Money
Reminder to all parents/carers that we are a cashless school and take card payments via the School Money website or phone. Everyone should have received log in information via text by now, if you haven't then please contact Laila or Shilpa via the school office. We advise all parents to keep up with payments. You are able to pay in advance per week or per term, which ever method suits you best. If you have any questions regarding this then please feel free to contact Laila or Shilpa.
Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
Last term as part of their 'Skills' and 'Physical' section the Duke of Edinburgh students got to take part in the Snowbility scheme at Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre. This is the first time students from Woodfield have had the opportunity to learn how to ski on real snow! Snowbility is the brainchild of Ski Development Coach, Richard Fetherston, who discovered the incredible benefits that could be achieved for people with additional needs and mental health challenges through ski and snowboard coaching.
Based at The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead, they have created a safe environment with an infinite sense of adventure and fun, where each student feels special and every course is tailored to deliver a unique personal experience. Students have also been able to access the Snowbiity fitness sessions hosted online by the Snowbility team. The students have fully enjoyed all their sessions and have made great progress.
MWD Class
MWD Class, in KS3 have been studying Gulliver's Travels, the classic novel by Jonathan Swift. This is part of our Topic of Travel in the Spring term. Looking at the exciting plot and characters is fun, but it's always more fun to explore the text by acting, building and creating! We started the novel with a 'Make the ship, break the ship' session where we found materials around the classroom to create and destroy Gulliver's ship.
We have thought a lot about describing words and how to make our describing sentences longer. We have thought about the Zones of Regulation and how these characters might be feeling.
We have done vlogs of our disastrous ship journey! And we have also created the tiny Lilliput characters with our own faces, and tied our classmate up, just like Gulliver! We've only just started the novel, but we are looking forward to see where Gulliver goes next!
Spring Term Parents Survey
Thanks to those who have completed the survey (it's quite brief). If you have not had the chance to do so, use this link to complete: https://forms.office.com/r/TN7BLvT5Q2
On Line Parents Session - The Zones of Regulation - 8th February
Tuesday 8th February at 10:45am. The Zones is a systematic, cognitive-behavioral approach used to teach us how to regulate our feelings, energy and sensory needs in order to meet the demands of the situation around us and be successful socially. Member of our therapy Members of our therapy team will conduct the seminar on the Zones of Regulation, and be follow up with a Q&A session. As usual, Patsy will organise the invitations etc
Brent Resident Support Fund
The Brent Resident Support fund (RSF) is a discretionary support fund available to Brent residents who are having difficulty due unforeseen financial circumstances this winter. It also includes short term need for support due to an emergency. The fund provides support in the form of an interest free loan, grant or both. See the Brent website for full details and find out how to apply.
Covid at Woodfield
We have had more than one confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school again this week.
The school will continue to ensure confirmed cases of COVID-19 do not attend until the end of their self-isolation period but contact tracing within the school setting no longer continues. Instead, and in order to prevent avoidable spread in school, we encourage all pupils and staff to continue with the twice weekly LFD testing, and report all positive test results to us as is current practice.
You can order Lateral Flow tests from the government website, or contact the school and we can send some home with your child.
Local Election Day - Thursday 5th May 2022
We've been notified that the school will be used as a Polling Station on that day, so no pupils will be in attendance on that day. Details of alternative provision will follow in due course.
Sufra Food Bank
Woodfield is also a referrer to Sufra Foodbank. A charity that provides support to vulnerable families in need of additional help. They provide essential food and toiletries to families experiencing an acute crisis. The size of their food parcels depends on the size of the family that needs support but typically last between 5 to 7 days. They also offer other support such as:
- Community kitchen - hot meals being delivered to those without cooking facilities as well as the elderly and isolated.
- Advice services & refugee support
- NHS Emergency Food Aid Service - food packs for patients
- Community garden
Last year Sufra delivered 600 meals across NW London to families and individuals in need. Their volunteers were incredible ambassadors, dressed in Christmas jumpers and hats and very often stopping to chat with guests, ensuring that those experiencing isolation were not alone on Christmas Day. This year Sufra will again be offering a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, crackers and presents for children will be delivered to referred guests experiencing financial difficulties or social isolation.
For those who are more vulnerable and unable to cook using the contents of a food parcel, Sufra also has a ready meal service available. This service is particularly for guests who have mobility issues/lack cooking facilities and are unable to purchase their own food.
If you know of anyone who may benefit from the assistance Sufra provides, please contact Patsy to discuss. This is a confidential service, no records regarding any conversations are held by the school, and any referral will be treated with absolute privacy within the school.
Emergency Contact
In addition to parent/carer details, we must have at least two other persons as emergency contacts for all our pupils. These people could be grand parents, a sibling aged over 18, aunts, uncles etc.
It is vital that we are able to get hold of a contact person in the case of a pupil emergency or illness. In the past we have had issues in contacting parents or guardians, which not only creates concern for the school but also makes pupils anxious.
Clothing - Label your child's clothing and equipment
Please ensure that your child's clothing and equipment (lunch box, drink bottle etc)is clearly labelled with their full name. This makes it so much easier to return items of clothing and equipment that have a name clearly marked on them. We have already collected some unlabelled clothing left in the playground, and with the return of cooler weather, coats, scarves and hats will be needed.
Sew on and iron on labels can be purchased form the internet, or marking the label already on the clothing with an indelible marker makes it much easier to return items to their owners. A clearly written first name on equipment is of enormous assistance in getting clothing and equipment returned to their owners expeditiously.
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