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Student information
School to home communication
Students should be regularly checking their school email account as well as Show My Homework daily (Monday to Friday during the school term) for the latest updates and homework.
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School Website / VLE
Resources are available on the school website www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk
Students can access ‘all users’ from home from the Highfields School website: Go to Highfields School homepage Click on ‘portals’ Click on ‘student portal’ Enter school IT username (not email address) and password Find ‘all users Starkholmes’ or ‘all users Lumsdale’ on the right hand side Select the appropriate department/folder required.
If students have forgotten their password please email reset@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk specifying your user name and tutor group to request a new password.
Show My Homework online homework submission guidance
Students should be submitting work through the SMHW platform. The link below is from SMHW and explains how to do this or you can follow the steps below: https://help.teamsatchel.com/en/articles/2912000-submitting-my-work-online
Always be doing tasks
KS3 and KS4 ‘always be doing’ lists for the spring term for students to work on – please follow the link below to access via the school website.
Y7-9 KS3: https://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jan-2021-KS3-Y7-9-AlwaysBe-Doing.pdf Y10-11 KS4: https://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jan-2021-KS4-Y1011Always-Be-Doing.pdf
Free Microsoft Office for Students
Students at Highfields School can download Microsoft Office for free on up to five devices, for the duration of their time as a student at the school. Microsoft Office can be installed on compatible desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones: https://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/students/office-for-students/
Support and resources available
Autism telephone support helpline
A national support telephone helpline has been set up for parents/carers of children with autism. Daisy Chain offer a telephone service to enable families to access advice, support and resources. The service is open to young people, adults and families of those affected by neurodevelopmental disorders.
The aim is to provide support and services for those who display traits associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sensory processing differences, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The service is for those pre, during and post diagnosis.
The team are supporting families with the following: responding to enquiries from parents/carers, young people and adults and carrying out telephone appointments sourcing, sharing and sending resource packs to support parents with loneliness and isolation creating and sending bespoke resources and visuals
To contact the care team, please call 0800 031 5445. Full details are available through the following link: https://www.daisychainproject.co.uk/national-telephone-support-service
Courses for autistic children – February
The following online webinar is being held for autistic children. Please see the link for booking and payment details.
26 February (10-11am)
Managing anxiety as an autistic child
(1 hour webinar)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/managinganxiety-as-an-autistic-child-1-hour-webinar-withsam-tickets-179440540487
Autism Information and Advice Service Life skills for autistic individuals
Chesterfield drop in event
Autism Alliance March 2022
Autism Alliance 16 March 2022
Free School Meal Criteria
Families could qualify for free school meals if meeting the following criteria: Universal Credit, provided there is an annual net earned income not exceeding £7,400 (£616.67 per month) Income Support Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 the guarantee element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190) as assessed by HMRC Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
Universal Credit has begun to be rolled out in Derbyshire and will affect all areas of Derbyshire by the end of 2022 - full details are available on Derbyshire County Council’s website https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social-health/adult-care-and-wellbeing/benefits-debt-and-legalmatters/welfare-benefits/universal-credit/universal-credit.aspx
Young people aged 16 to 18 who receive the benefits or tax credits in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals. Even if you meet any or all of the criteria, families will not be eligible if they are claiming Working Tax Credit. You can sign up for free school meals at any time of year. You or your partner can claim for your children, as long as you live at the same address. You do not have to fill in a separate form for each child, even if they go to different schools. For further information contact the free school meals team on 01629 536400 or 01629 536481.
Parents/carers can apply independently for financial support from the Household Support Fund. Full details on how to apply for a grant for from the Household Support Fund for is available through the following link: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/householdsupportfund
Applications via this route are taken over the phone and, due to very high demand, callers may have to wait a considerable amount of time to get through or to receive a call back.
Families do not have to be eligible for benefit related free school meals to access a Household Support Fund grant, DCC recognise there may be families who are not eligible but who may be struggling financially due to being on a low income.
Eligibility for the free food vouchers does not prevent a family from applying for a grant payment from the Household Support Fund before the end of March 2022, when the fund closes.
Mental Health support
