Hatton Special School - Coronavirus

Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Latest updates

Updated 11/05/2020

11 May 2020

Dear Parents/Carers,
I’m sure after the Prime Ministers statement yesterday, there are lots of questions you have. We
have lots of questions that need clarification too.
At the moment, for us in school, there is no change to the guidance. We will provide care for
those parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response and only those that cannot safely be cared for at home. This message is still that it is safer to stay at home.
We have not received any information to support us with this new plan to start the phased
reopening of some year groups. We expect we will receive further information from the DFE shortly, hopefully with some clarification.
We will need clear guidance to plan how it is possible to social distance in schools and keep our
children, staff and all families safe; how we might start to phase groups of children returning and
what this looks likes. Please be assured there is no way we will reopen until we are 100%
prepared.
As always, we will keep you informed but for now, please try not to worry. Our plan for now is to
continue to provide activities for learning at home, keep contact with you, our families, and continue to support each other in these very difficult and uncertain times.

Yours faithfully

Adrienne Wright
Head Teacher

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Monday 30^th March 2020

Dear Parents / Carers

Hatton School is now closed to most pupils in response to the Corona Virus emergency

On the noticeboard on the home page of our website you will find

information about telling children about the Corona Virus (see below).
information about activities and free online resources for children that we hope will be of help.
information to support adult mental well-being at this challenging time
information alert about a Free School Meals scam – the latest information I have is that plans are in place for ISS to deliver food parcels to families entitled to FSM starting after Easter.

We will be keeping in touch with all families whose children are at home and will call you at least once a week, you can also request contact from someone at school by emailing karenbedford@hattonspecialschool.co.uk (or clicking here) and someone will get back to you as soon as we can.

We all hope that everyone manages to stay safe and well until we can re – open again

Adrienne Wright

Headteacher

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Other Useful Information:

Social Services Contacts

Redbridge Office hours 020 8708 3885 Out of hours 020 8708 5897

Havering Office hours 01708 433222 Out of hours 01708 433999

Thurrock Office hours 01375 652802 Out of hours 01375 372468

Essex Office hours 0345 6037627 Out of hours 0345 6061212

Barking and Dagenham Office hours 020 8277 3811 Out of hours 020 8594 8356

Waltham Forest Office hours 020 8496 2310 Out of hours 020 8496 3000

Tower Hamlets Office hours 020 73645601 Out of hours 020 7364 4079

Hackney Office hours 020 8356 5500 Out of hours 020 8356 2710

Redbridge Coronavirus Wellbeing Service

To help and support people at greatest risk from coronavirus in the borough. You can find out more about the service on the Redbridge Council website: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/coronavirus-information-hub/coronavirus-well-being-service/ or by ringing 020 8708 5555.

Support from Redbridge services
If you need help in relation to other Council services, please visit the Redbridge Council website or ask them to ring the following helplines:
• Housing 020 8708 4002
• Council tax 020 8708 5670
• Benefits 020 8708 5690
• Adult Social Service 020 8708 7333
• Children’s Services 020 8708 3885
• Coronavirus Wellbeing Service 020 8708 5555
• Other Enquiries 020 8708 5000

Child Protection Assessment Team (CPAT)

This team undertake initial assessments for families who are experiencing difficulties and need support and families who have a child with a disability or special educational need who require services.

Tel: 020 8708 3885 (9.00am to 5.00pm)
Tel: 020 8708 5897 (after 5.00pm)
Fax: 020 8708 3886

Latest Government Guidance regrading Corona Virus
The latest government guidance is available on the government website and on the Redbridge Council website. The latest information includes:

A new WhatsApp service, accessible by adding 07860 064422 in your phone contacts and then messaging the word ‘hi’ in a WhatsApp message to get started.

Guidance on how to help stop the spread of the virus by staying at home

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-how-to-help-safely--2/coronavirus-how-to-help-safely

Guidance on staying at home and away from others

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others

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Having said this, there are some children who will need to stay at home;

All children with an underlying physical medical condition and we have already contacted you to say that your child should stay at home until after Easter (please note that this will now extend until normal school resumes).
All children who are self-isolating if they, or a family member, are presenting with symptoms of the Corona Virus (these children can return to school once the isolation period has come to an end and they are completely well and have made prior contact with the school).

Please note the additional information about what we will be able to offer your child:

The school will be open at the usual times and parents who indicate they want their child to attend are asked to take up the provision each day unless the child is unwell – so that we can deploy and use staff effectively.
Redbridge Transport still intend to provide the bus service as they do now.
Children will be offered a range of fun, engaging play opportunities and activities but will not be following the curriculum or working on their educational targets.
Children will be with other children, but this may not be their usual class group or in their usual classroom.
Staffing will comprise of both familiar and unfamiliar staff (but all will be suitably vetted and checked).
There will be no provision of speech therapy or occupational therapy for the foreseeable future.
Children will still be able to have a school meal at lunch time.
It is hoped that we will be able to accommodate all requests for a place at school as long as we are able to adequately staff to a level that ensures safety for all.

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We would like to again reassure you that at Hatton School we’re taking all of the necessary steps to protect our community and are continuing to follow official guidance from the government and the London Borough of Redbridge. You can see our current risk assessment (which is reviewed and updated daily as required) via the link belolw.

What’s the current situation?

The school will remain open where safe staff pupil ratio levels allow – this is the current official guidance we’ve been given.
From Tuesday 17^th March school will close 15 minutes earlier at 2.20pm every day ( until further notice) to ensure staff have adequate time for additional cleaning and sterilizing of equipment in classrooms. Please make sure you are ready to meet your child 15 minutes earlier than usual.
Pupils should attend school unless they feel unwell – if your child has any of the following symptoms they should remain at home for a minimum of 14 days:
a new, continuous cough and/or
a temperature
If your child is unwell, report this as you would normally by contacting the school office.
We’ll keep you up to date with any changes to the current situation.

What we’re doing to protect and support pupils and staff

Monitoring children carefully and if we think a child is unwell we will isolate them at school until they are collected by parents / carers.
Increasing cleaning across the school including toys and classroom equipment.
Enforcing enhanced hand-washing and providing hand sanitizers and sanitizing wipes around the school.

What we need you to do

If you’ve recently changed your contact details, please inform the school office as soon as possible via 020 8551 4131 or admin@hattonspecialschool.co.uk
If it is appropriate, talk to your children about the coronavirus. It’s a scary time and we should make sure children feel supported. BBC Newsround has regular updates for younger children.
Come and collect your child straight away if we ask you to (we’ll contact you if they become ill with either a temperature or a persistent cough)

What happens if the school has to close?

We’ll only close if we’re either officially advised to do so, or we don’t have enough staff to operate safely. If it relates to the number of staff that are absent, we may only need to close some classes - if we have to do this it will be on a rotation basis.

In either case we will:

Contact all parents via text / phone and post updated information on the school website.
Contact transport and advise them which children will have to stay at home and how long that will be for.

Please keep in mind that we’re only sending out this information to help the school community prepare. There are currently no plans to close the school.

If you have any questions

Please consult the:

School office or our website if you have any questions about our response to this issue.
NHS, if you want to know more about the symptoms of coronavirus. If you think you or your child may have the symptoms, use NHS 111 online if at all possible before calling 111
Department for Education’s coronavirus helpline: 0800 046 8687, if you have any questions about the government’s response to coronavirus in relation to schools
Government’s travel advice, if you want to know whether any upcoming trip or holiday you’re taking abroad should go ahead

Please click the links below: