Please click on the link below to access our November 2020 Newsletter.

This newsletter once again contains a significant amount of information. To try and minimise the amount of paper going in and out of school we will not be printing Newsletters for the foreseeable.

As the newsletter is packed full of information below is a list of things we have covered.

Introduction
Attendance
School Dinners
DCC FSM vouchers – Update
Harvest and Sponsorship
Remote Learning Policy
Salvation Army Toy Appeal
School Fund
Clubs
Dropping off and Collecting Children
Secondary School Admissions
#WearPurpleForJIA
Uniform
M & M Productions
Outdoor Gym
Key Dates – from now until January but not exhaustive.

https://www.consett-jun.durham.sch.uk/parents/school-newsletters/

As children across County Durham began their half-term holiday, a new voucher scheme has been launched to support families who rely on free school meals.

Durham County Council announced it would step in to provide this vital support last week
following the House of Commons vote against extending the national school meals
scheme to cover school holiday periods.

The scheme ran throughout the October half term week; the council will ensure it is extended to
cover the Christmas holidays if the Government’s position does not change.

See relevant articles/websites below:

http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/24478/Council-to-step-in-to-provide-half-term-school-meals-support-scheme

Free school meals scheme launch

Dear families

Please can families continue to inform school about potential cases of Covid during half term. Although school is closed, I will continue to monitor and reply to emails consettjunior@durhamlearning.net

Continue to inform school if;

Any member of the household has symptoms;

When a positive OR negative result is returned, regardless of who in the home is isolating. This information is very important and we must be made aware;

If someone in your ‘bubble’ tests positive and your household needs to self isolate.

We want you to enjoy half term with your families but please remember to adhere to the rules for Tier 2.  Stay safe over Halloween and any earlier Bonfire celebrations. We look forward to welcoming you all back On Monday 2nd November.

Mrs Raine and team.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Hi all,

It has certainly been an interesting half-term, but we have all finally made it to the holiday. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the support you have shown the school and staff since we have returned in September.

I am sure we will face more adversity over the coming winter months, but, working together, we will continue to face these challenges head on and together.

The school will be fully closed over the half term break, but we will continue to monitor emails regarding COVID issues. If anything changes in relation to the school operation, we will inform families via the school app, website and texts.

Thanks again to all involved, staff, parents, and children, enjoy your break.

Mr Dixon

The children having been sharing with us how much they like the new online reading website MyOn; and how easy it is for them to navigate around it. To support their love of reading we have paid for an additional reading bundle, therefore adding more titles to the original package. We now have over 5000 titles available for the children to access. If they go to the ‘browse’ section, they should easily be able to find something that will pique their interest.

Thank you for your support in reading at home, the more they read the quicker their speed and in turn their retention of what they are reading will improve. It really is so important for the children to read regularly.

CJS Team

Dear Parents and Carers,

As previously informed, for Harvest celebrations this year, we have been raising money for the ‘Food 4U’ organisation in Consett. This organisation provides food parcels for people in need, with short term financial difficulties. We felt that it was important that we contribute to the local community and remember that there are people who are less fortunate than ourselves.

To help us raise money, the whole school have been completing the ‘mile a day’ challenge throughout October. If you have sponsored your child and not yet donated, please do so using the link below before Saturday 31st October

https://www.gofundme.com/f/harvest-039food4u039?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

Thank you so much for your support and donations already received.

If you have any questions, please contact school.

Kind Regards
Miss Waters

Deputy Headteacher

Since returning to school at the start of this term we were mindful that many of our families have had to endure some serious financial conditions over the previous months. Therefore, for the start of the new academic year we relaxed our uniform policy and said uniform was a ‘preferred expectation’, but not compulsory until after half term.

Please ensure your child is in the correct uniform after half term, this includes not wearing earrings or nail varnish. Children must also wear black school shoes, trainers are only allowed if they are ALL black.

https://www.consett-jun.durham.sch.uk/parents/our-school-uniform/

Thank you
CJS Team

In response to the Department of Education’s request we have developed a Remote Learning Policy. Each and every school will fulfill this request differently, indeed a range of approaches are in use across our local primary schools. This policy, in its development, has taken into account the views of parents, children and staff.

A text message was sent to the primary contacts yesterday to ask them to ensure that their child bring home the passwords for four online platforms. Please check this with your child daily as some teachers are preparing these on different days. If your child does not bring this home by Thursday please contact the office and this will be emailed to you. If your child is absent this week then details will also be emailed to you on Friday.

Children have all been trained on the use of these online platforms (apart from 365 email), so will be confident in its use. The platforms will run to a timetable and all staff can see if children are accessing and completing work from home. If they are not, staff will contact them in the first instance using their 365 email.

In the link below you will find our Remote Learning Policy, links to the four platforms and also guides for parents/carers, please read these.

https://www.consett-jun.durham.sch.uk/our-curriculum/remote-learning/

Remote learning is only to be used in school terms when; your child has been sent home as part of their school bubble to isolate; if they need to isolate due to a confirmed case in their home ‘bubble’; should there be another lock down.

Kind regards
Mr Dixon

On Friday 6th November we are supporting a family of a child who attends our school by raising money and awareness of Juvenile Arthritis. This pupil suffers with Juvenile Arthritis, and even struggles to walk on some days. Lets pull together to help an amazing charity.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, is the most common type of arthritis in children under the age of 16. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis can cause persistent joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Some children may experience symptoms for only a few months, while others have symptoms for the rest of their lives.

We hope you can join us in raising as much as we can by wearing purple on Friday 6th November. This can be purple clothes, face paint, hair bobbles and even hair paint!

To donate please log into ParentPay and pay a nominal amount. All money raised will be forwarded to the charity.

https://jia.org.uk/event/wear-purple-for-jia/