Headteacher Update 15/1/2021

Birkrig, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 9BN. Telephone: 01695 724730.

www.bishopmartin.lancs.sch.uk Headteacher:

Mr IJ McDonald

Dear Parents/Carers, FSM Vouchers/Register if you think you are entitled!

If you think you may be entitled to claim Free School Meals then please follow this link to apply online: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/schools/free-school-meals/?page=3

If you are experiencing any difficulties please see below.

The foodbank at Christ the Servant Church is open Monday to Friday 10 to 11am and Sunday 9.30 to 10.30 am Evermoor Hub is Open daily Monday to Friday 9am to 9pm and Saturday & Sunday 9am to 1pm The Birchwood Centre has a daily Community Shop and offers other services: https://www.birchwoodcentre.co.uk/news/birchwood-in-the-community-swiftly-responds-tothe-coronavirus-crisis Or follow this link for further support https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/skelmersdale/

Online Learning: Thank You!!

The teachers and I have just been so impressed at the sheer numbers of pupils at home accessing the Online Learning being delivered each day this week! We have had well over half of the pupils currently at home accessing the learning this week and are looking to grow that number next week! So thank you all for working so hard to access Microsoft Teams and the work the teachers are setting!

E-mail/Chat Procedures We have been getting used to a new way of teaching and learning this week on Microsoft Teams and I would just remind families of the following principles we all need to follow: The ‘Chat’ feature in your child’s class Team is for you/your child to send through questions to the teacher about the work they are doing that day  

The teacher e-mail is for parents to send through any other class work related questions The Chat and the e-mail are monitored Monday-Friday and between 8:30am-3:30pm and pupils should not be sending any Chat messages outside of these times. Parents who

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wish to e-mail outside of these times need to be aware they won’t be picked up until the next school day Any other school related queries should go to the school office via email: office@bishopmartin.lancs.sch.uk

Accessing School Provision for Critical Worker/Vulnerable Families This week the Government clarified the guidance around when you should be accessing school provision if you are Critical Workers.

The new Government guidance states that children of critical workers can go to school but, ‘…parents and carers should keep their children at home if they can. Schools should speak to parents and carers to identify who needs to go to school.’

The Local Authority followed up this guidance on the County website stating families, ‘…should only send children to schools where it is not possible to keep them at home.’

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This means that I would like to remind parents of the following: If it is at all possible for children to be at home and work remotely, then they should do this.

Parents who are not working, should not send their children to school Parents who are critical/key workers who are working from home should keep their children at home if they can.

School places will be available for children of critical workers whilst they are at work, but they should not be in school otherwise.

Parents should also do everything they can do to ensure that children who are attending school do not mix socially out of school in a way which can continue to spread the virus.

Many thanks for your ongoing support

Mr McDonald