Home Learning & COVID-19 Information

Supporting parent carers to support their child and their learning during national lockdown and Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

School closure
On the 4th January 2021, the Government announced a national lockdown and stated that all children should be at home, if this is possible, until at least 15th February 2021. Avalon School does have some children attending; children whose parent carers are critical workers (key workers) and providing placements for children who are vulnerable. Risk assessments support those decisions. All school places we offer depend on week-by-week staff capacity. The fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

Some of our parent carers have their children at home. We want to do all we can to support our pupils and families. Every situation is different. Every pupil and their needs are different. We are offering the following bespoke support for all families:

• All families will have a regular phone call if their child is not in school- this is a least weekly.
• Teachers will offer a range of support. We do not want any families to feel isolated, as we know every home circumstance will be different and all needs will be different. Home Learning is emailed directly to parent carers. This will include details of our Remote Learning. Additional Home Learning resources can be found here.

Teachers can offer a range of things:

• A listening ear and advice on strategies and ideas of things to do to structure and fill the day or on routines and/or behaviour.
• Emailing (or we can in some circumstances print and deliver supportive resources) e.g. social stories, visual schedules that may help our pupils to understand the changes in their routine or their communities. This will be dependent on individual pupils understanding and needs.
• Advice on communication systems and check you have what you need. Most parent carers do have the same low–tech communication systems we have in school e.g. communication books, PECS resources, Somerset Total Communication signs etc.
• Email ideas for learning activities
• Provide work activities, again all dependent on pupils needs.
• Provide resources where we are able to.
• Suggest projects and themes children could engage in.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do

• Stay at home
• Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
• If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times
• Wash your hands as soon as you get home
• Do not meet others, even friends or family.
• You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.

For further information, please click here.

How are critical workers defined?
Children with a parent or carer who is listed on the government’s critical worker list should be considered for a school place, so long as their job cannot be done from home. Many parents working in these sectors will be able to ensure their child is kept at home. Every child who can be safely cared for at home should be, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.

Please see the list of critical workers here.

If you are a critical worker, please complete the Critical Worker Form below and return to the school.

How are vulnerable children defined?
Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those children and young people up to the age of 25 with education, health and care (EHC) plans. Many children and young people with EHC plans can safely remain at home. Children and young people who would be at significant risk if their education, health and care provision and placement did not continue, namely those who could not safely be supported at home will be prioritised. Looking after these children will enable schools to support the country during challenging times.

We will complete a risk assessment of each pupil, those identified as vulnerable will be offered provision.

How are Free School Meals (FSM) being provided?
Our catering team will continue to provide FSM to those accessing our school provision. All those not accessing school provision who are entitled to FSM (or accessing provision part time) will receive an electronic voucher for a local supermarket. This will be sent to families by email.

How is the school following safeguarding procedures in keeping children safe?
The school is currently operating in response to coronavirus (COVID-19) is fundamentally different to business as usual, however, a number of important safeguarding principles remain the same:

• with regard to safeguarding, the best interests of children must always continue to come first
• if anyone in a school has a safeguarding concern about any child they should continue to act and act immediately
• a DSL or deputy should be available
• it is essential that unsuitable people are not allowed to enter the children’s workforce and/or gain access to children
• children should continue to be protected when they are online

If you do want more advice in the meantime, as ever, please contact us.

Keep safe and stay at home.

Please find a copy of our updated policies in response to the pandemic below:

Recovery Curriculum 2020 

Providing Remote Educaiton - Information for Parents
COVID 19 - Operational Procedure (Update September 2020) 
School closure arrangements for Safeguarding and Child Protection COVID-19 
Behaviour Policy COVID-19  

COVID-19 Letters, Notices & Forms

Critical Workers Booking Form 
Consent Form for COVID-19 Mass Testing in Schools January 2021
COVID-19 Update Mass Testing Letter January 2021
COVID-19 Mass Testing Data Privacy Notice 
Coronavirus Incubation Timeline 

Management of COVID-19 Documents

Click the following documents to view or download them: 
Management of COVID-19 in school-age children Arabic 
Management of COVID-19 in school-age children Lithuanian 
Management of COVID-19 in school-age children Polish 
Management of COVID-19 in school-age children Portuguese 
Management of COVID-19 in school-age children Romanian 
Management of COVID-19 in school-age children Thai