Covid 19
Updated 27th April 2020:
Video Link to Parents Group
You are warmly invited attend to our ‘Mental Health and Learning Disabilities’ talk on Wednesday 20th May 10-11.30am via video link by CAMHS.
Wherever possible, we are attempting to continue with our parent groups. During the current situation it is recognised that we may be experiencing heightened levels of anxiety and isolation, and Croydon CAMHS Learning Disability Team would like to carry out the above planned talk using video link technology.
We understand that using video links can be challenging and you may not be confident with the use of technology, it is a skill that many of us have had to adapt to over the last month so you will be given plenty of support from the team to achieve this.
If you are interested in joining this session, please email Linda at lindacunningham@priorycroydon.org.uk to book your place and to receive information/advice on attending. You can also download the guide to accessing video link appointments by clicking the link. We very much look forward to you joining our friendly parent group.
Updated 24th April 2020
Free School Meals
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance
If your financial situation has changed due to the recent Covid-19 outbreak then you may now be entitled to free school meals.
If your entitlement has changed and you are now entitled to free school meals please complete the application form linked here: Application for FSM. Please visit https://www.croydon.gov.uk/education/schools-new/free-school-meals and search free school meals for more information.
Updated 6th April 2020:
Free School Meals
The Government has introduced a scheme to ensure that all students who are entitled to Free School Meals receiver a supermarket voucher for £15 per week. This is effective from 30th March. The School orders these vouchers are ordered for you by the School from a company called Edenred.
Your vouchers are now being processed and will be delivered to you by email, Please watch out for an email from Edenred - and follow the instructions to download your vouchers. You can also give these vouchers to someone else to shop on your behalf.
We understand that there are long delays and some technical problems in getting through to Edenred. Please contact the School if you are experiencing difficulties. (email lindacunningham@priorycroydon.org.uk). Your child's teacher will telephone you regularly, so please discuss any problems during these phone calls.
Updated 20th March 2020:
Keyworker Parents/Carers
Please read the information below, or download the letter here:
Corona Virus:keyworkerlettertoparents.pdf
As you will be aware the landscape is changing daily in terms of the Covid-19 pandemic. The overwhelming advice is that children are safest at home and the risk increases for children, families and staff members by running any kind of provision.
However, the government have requested that where possible and safe to do so, schools remain open for a small cohort of learners. We will endeavour to do this whilst we can maintain safe staffing levels. This situation is likely to change daily. Staff availability will be impacted not only by sickness but also by availability of public transport.
We have used the following guidance laid out by the government to identify which students are most at need of an educational provision.
“Special schools, colleges and local authorities are advised to make case by case basis assessments of the health and safeguarding considerations of pupils and students on an education, health and care (EHC) plan. For some, they will be safer in an education provision. For others, they will be safer at home. We trust leaders and parents to make these decisions and will support them as required.”
We will aim to provide a service for children in the following groups in this order of priority;
- Children/young people who are on a child protection plan or who are deemed at risk
- Looked after children
- Children of single parents or where both parents are frontline NHS staff
- Children of single parents or where both parents are on the list of keyworkers issued by the government
- Children/Young people with significant challenging behaviour
You will be contacted individually if your student is deemed a priority with confirmation of the specific provision that your child/young person is being offered. If you do not receive a separate letter, you should assume that the school is closed for your young person.
Provision will be offered under the following conditions:
- We will not be able to guarantee that children with challenging behaviour will be kept separate from other students (although of course we will always prioritise safety of students)
- Sessions will not be led by teachers and there will not be delivery of any lessons
- Students will not be in their normal pathway groups
- Students will not necessarily have the staffing ratios set out in their EHCPs
- We are unable to guarantee that familiar staff will be working with your child/young person.
- If you normally provide a packed lunch for your child then please continue to do so. There will be hot food available for all free school meals or paid school lunch students as long as the caterers are able to provide this.
- The school will continue to follow sickness protocol for all students and staff to avoid potential spread of the coivid-19 virus, however as you will be aware there is an incubation period of 7 days so we were unable to guarantee that there will not be exposure while your child is in school. Staff will continue to use public transport, we do not have any access to PPE or testing.
We will be in touch with individual families to discuss the provision that we will be able to offer.
We want to wish you all the very best in this uncertain time. We hope that you are able to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe. Please refer to separate letter or website for details of important contact information and support services.