Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you for continuing to support your children’s education, especially with all the worries of the Covid pandemic. This week we have seen new rules come into place to help us all deal with the Omicron variant.

The main ways to reducing the risk of Covid, including Omicron, are to wash hands frequently and to wear face coverings in crowded areas. Remember to socially distance if possible and to keep indoor areas well ventilated. This is especially important during the holiday period when families get together.

If you or your child feels unwell with any of the Covid symptoms, please get a PCR test. If the test is positive you will need to self-isolate for 10 days. If you or your child is a close contact of a positive case and you are fully vaccinated, you will need to take daily lateral flow tests for 7 days. Please remember to report all test results.

Vaccinations remain our best defence to protect ourselves and our families against Covid. If you have not yet had your vaccinations or your booster vaccination, please do book an appointment. This local NHS webpage gives options for booking your vaccination appointment in Leicester: leicestercityccg.nhs.uk/my-health/coronavirus-advice/coronavirus-vaccine/

If your child is 12 years old or over and has not yet had their first vaccination, please use the link above to book a vaccination appointment for them. If you know your child had their first vaccination 12 weeks ago you are now able to book their second vaccination. Check the link above for the local centres that offer vaccinations for 12-15year olds. This term many children in secondary schools have had Covid and missed a significant part of the term. Vaccination will reduce the spread and support children’s attendance at school.

During the Christmas holiday, the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme for children eligible for free school meals will be going ahead with limitations at some venues. Food should still be made available. Please check with your venue.

We hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable break over the Christmas period.

Please support your primary or secondary age child to do a lateral flow test before their return to school in the new year. This will help to reduce the risk of anyone coming back to school with Covid without realising it. Secondary pupils will also be offered onsite testing at their school at the beginning of term. Please do give permission for this testing.

Thank you for all the support you have given to the work to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in Leicester.

Yours sincerely

Ivan Browne                              

Director of Public Health and Sports Services                             

Martin Samuels

Strategic Director Social Care and Education

A Leicestershire branch of garden centre retailer Dobbies is helping to make this Christmas special for children with autism and other sensory needs by introducing 'Quiet Grotto' sessions.

The Stapleton store near Hinckley is one of 50 branches across the UK which are hosting the Quiet Grottos, specially adapted in partnership with Autism Together.

New for 2021, the Quiet Grottos allow youngsters and their families to experience the delight of meeting Santa and his elves in an environment where the sound and visual elements have been specially adapted to help minimise anxiety.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/leicestershire-garden-centre-holding-new-6317948

Dear Parent / Carer,

Household Support Fund 

If you are struggling and need support for food, energy and water bills you can now apply for the national grant on the Household support fund website or for those who are digitally excluded please visit your local Citizens Advice: -

Citizens Advice LeicesterShire (Leicester)

1st Floor Leicester City Council Customer Service Centre 91 Granby Street, LEICESTER, LE1 6FB

Citizens Advice LeicesterShire (Blaby)

Council Offices Desford Road Narborough, Narborough, Leicestershire, LE19 2EP

If you have any questions, please contact Dhrupti Champaneri - dchampaneri@oaklands.leicester.sch.uk

Kind regards

School Office

Sue Willis from The Carers Centre came to speak to our parents at our coffee morning on Thursday about all the amazing ways that they can support families. For more information please see below or contact vbland@oaklands.leicester.sch.uk and I will be able to put you in contact with Sue

There are a couple of Christmas activities coming up that might be great for our families

Santa's Inclusive Workshop: https://www.santasinclusiveworkshop.com/

The Smeds and The Smoos accessable performances at Curve Theatre: https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/the-smeds-and-the-smoos

3 November 2021

Dear Parent/Carer,

Some of you will be aware that the rates of Covid are once again rising in Leicester.

The next few days will see many of you celebrating Diwali or Bonfire Night with your family and friends. Covid restricted City events are going ahead on Belgrave Road and Abbey Park which is great news.

We hope you enjoy the celebrations but to reduce the risk of transmission we would encourage every member of your family to take an LFD test before attending an event and to wear face coverings in crowded places (both inside and out). Please do remember not to go out or have people round the house if anyone within the house has any symptoms, however minor.

We would like all primary, secondary and college age children to take an LFD test on Sunday evening before returning to school or college on Monday 8 November. This will help identify any cases that may have occurred during the festivities. Please support your child to do this test. You can get LFD kits for your primary age children at Belgrave or Highfields neighbourhood centres or Victoria Park. You can also collect kits from your local pharmacy but will need to register online to do this. Full details, including ordering kits online, can be found at: leicester.gov.uk/rapidtests. Older children can get kits from their school or college.

Keeping rates of Covid transmission as low as possible will help make sure that children can continue to attend school. You and your children can help with this by staying off school if they are unwell and getting a test if they have Covid symptoms. Secondary age students can help by doing their routine twice weekly testing and those who are age 12 and over can have their Covid vaccination. For 12 to 15year olds the vaccination teams visit the school so it’s easier for your child to get vaccinated when you give consent. You can also take your 12 to 15year old to a vaccination centre. Older young people can also go to one of the vaccination centres. Full details can be found at: leicestercityccg.nhs.uk/my-health/coronavirus-advice/coronavirusvaccine/.

The NHS is also offering all school-age children flu vaccinations. This will start to be delivered by the School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) in our schools from next week. You will be asked to complete the SAIS consent forms. The flu vaccination can be given as a nasal spray or as an injection. Thank you for all the support you have given to the work to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in Leicester.

Yours sincerely,

Ivan Browne                                 Martin Samuels

Director of Public Health              Strategic Director Social Care 

and Sports Services                     and Education  

Disabled children who live in Leicester city can take part in free activities that are available over the school holiday.

• https://families.leicester.gov.uk/family-information/activities/disabled-children-activity-programme/
• Register for programme place

Activity programme information

The sessions will take place at New Parks children, young people and family centre for disabled children and their families on:

Wednesday 20 October

• Morning session time:  10am to 12 noon
• Afternoon session time: 1pm to 3pm 

Activities available:

• Exotic animals
• Forest school activities
• Accessible bikes
• Dance and movement
• Storytelling
• Art and craft
•  

Provided by: White Post Farm, Joss McAuley, Wheels for all, Moving Together, Library Services and Leicester City Council support staff

Dear Parents / Carers,

As you may be aware, in 2018 Oaklands was the first school in Leicester to achieve National Autistic Society Advanced Accreditation. The accreditation has helped to guide us towards effectively supporting our autistic learners. We are now seen as a centre of excellence for autism provision and inclusion for the Local Authority.

I would like to ask for your support as we are now striving towards achieving National Autistic Society Advanced Accreditation. This would be an amazing achievement for the school, with only 14 schools/services nationally having the award. The school will be having a review on the week beginning the 1^st November and there is a short parent/carer questionnaire that forms part of this process I would be grateful if you could complete.

The simple and confidential survey link is https://forms.office.com/r/1HAxgwXFT1

The closing date is Friday 29th October.

If you would prefer a hardcopy or prefer to do the survey over the telephone, please ring the school office on 0116 241 5921.

It is important that we receive as many responses as possible, so if you are struggling, please contact the school.

Many thanks for your support,

Kind regards

Sarah Osborne

Headteacher

We are very excited to announce that we have been awarded the Flagship Status by IQM.  For more information and to read our report please follow the link below.

Well done to all our staff and pupils on this amazing achievement.

https://oaklands-school-leicester.secure-primarysite.net/inclusion-quality-mark/