Supporting Families and Children the Ambrose Way

supporting families & children

the ambrose way

(COVID-19)

hand washing

technique

with soap and water

Wet hands with water

Apply enough soap to

Rub hands palm to palm

cover all hand surfaces

Rub back of each hand

Rub palm to palm with

with palm other hand

fingers interlaced

with fingers interlaced

Rub with back of fingers

Rub each thumb clasped

Rub tips of fingers in

Rub each wrist with

to opposing palms with

in opposite hand using a

opposite palm in a

opposite hand

fingers interlocked

rotational movement

circular motion

Use elbow to turn off tap

Dry thoroughly with a

Hand washing should

single-use towel

take 15-30 seconds

RInse hands with water

building a

positive routine at home

Now, routines and relationships have suddenly been changed. For the first time ever, our SAB community takes on a new shape, different but unbroken, still bound by relationships. At SAB everybody matters, a part of our unique community and this is not changing.

What’s the best way to handle the situation we’re in?

Last week the whole community of SAB was in school.

Every day children met up with their friends and followed the steady pattern of school days, held together by good relationships.

What does our new community look like?

Building a positive routine at home

Big changes cause big stress. Good relationships help us to reduce and manage stress. Our children’s first reaction might be “Hooray, we’re on holiday!” and the first weeks might feel like that for them.

Let’s work together to build a balanced routine of work and play.

But now you’re being asked to put a plan into place to combine happy home life with useful learning. It’s a big ask that will put relationships under strain.

What are we offering you?

That’s why we’re reaching out to you now. We can’t offer school as the place to come to for a while, we’re coming to you with support and advice, aiming to meet your needs in the best way we can.

We are offering your child learning activities, delivered to you in different ways. You can use them in a way that suits you best as a parent or carer, not a teacher. You’re not expected to mark your child’s work, but we can help you to comment and they can self-asses and you can contact staff for feedback. Most work is

We can help you keep relationships safe and engage your child in learning at home in a positive way, to be ready for the next change, when everyone comes safely back into school again.

available on the online platforms we have written to you about and we are using Class Charts for work and communication.

what are we

asking you to do?

step

All we can ask is that you keep relationships strong and do your best to support your child’s learning. To do this a simple plan will help. The best way to make a plan is to talk it through together. When it’s up and running, find out what works and just do more of it. We know that following the school timetable might be difficult and the amount of work might become overwhelming. Don’t worry. You and your child can do different types of leanring that suit you better. We have put together six steps to go through each week, or each day if you prefer, that will help to build a routine, keep your child interested and engaged and celebrate successes.

step

step

one

two

three

Let your child know that this isn’t

Let them know this is a special

Start like this; “Let’s make a plan. Whatever we do has

forever, things will go back to

time when you can do interesting

to be useful and interesting, so I wonder .. what’s been

normal.

and fun things together.

your best thing in school?” - “What’s something from school that you’d like to be doing at home?” - “Let’s find something you’re interested in to be working on at home this week?

Make a note of what you decide to do.

step

step

“

quote “

step

four

five

six

Let us know what you’ll be

Midweek find out what’s going well.

At the end of the week ask “What’s

working on. We’ll do our best to

gone well this week?” Celebrate what

offer you advice and support.

you’ve achieved together.

Talking to your child about

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Key Words

A disease that has been spread around a whole country or large parts of the world, usually in a short period of time

[ ey-simp-tuh-mat-ik ] Not showing any symptoms, even though you might have a disease

Symptomatic

[ pan-dem-ik ]

Asymptomatic

Pandemic

Some of the words and phrases your child might ask about are:

[ simp-tuh-mat-ik ] To have or show symptoms

[ ep-i-dem-ik ] A disease that has been spread within a particular community (such as a region or town) at a particular time

Coronavirus

Epidemic

[ kuh-roh-nuh-vahy-ruh s ] A family of infectious diseases that affects the respiratory (breathing) system of animals and humans. COVID-19 is the name given to the most recent version of Coronavirus. You may find this link helpful: www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/general-science/what-iscoronavirus/

Social distancing

[ soh-shuh l ] [ dis-tuhns-ing ] This is the name given to staying away from people by a distance of about two metres to prevent the spread of disease, Coronavirus especially, at the moment. However, it is not about stopping communication or shows of affection or love. It is just about keeping a physical distance and not touching. This is because the virus is spread mainly by droplets from the mouths and noses of people who have symptoms and these can travel up to two metres.

Find out what your child already knows Find out what’s going well and they might tell you what their worries are - they might tell you this without you asking.

This is a good starting point for the conversation (obviously it is unlikely to be dealt with in one conversation). Find out what your child already knows about Covid19 and what’s reassuring them about the plans to manage it. They’re sure to have some worries too but it’s best for their wellbeing to start from the positive point of view.

Symptoms

[ simp-tuhm ] The changes in your body that take place when you have an illness such as Coronavirus that show you are ill. You can read about the symptoms of Coronavirus here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronaviruscovid-19/symptoms-and-what-to-do/

Be led in your daily planning by your child Be led by their hopes, needs and curiosity - listening is the biggest skill in this situation. Let them talk, listen to their questions and help them answer them.

Be honest about the situation Isolation

[ ahy-suh-ley-shuh n ] To limit contact with other people to prevent infection of others (isolation also means to be made to feel alone). To ‘self-isolate’

Judging how far to go by their reaction, checking to see if they feel safe. There’s no point telling them ‘everything will be fine’ when they can see that the virus has had a big effect

means to choose to be isolated from others because it is safer to do

across the world. However, they can be helped to feel safe

this.

if you talk about the symptoms, the treatment, the steps we can all take to prevent the spread.

It’s OK to tell them that you don’t have all the answers

Be calm and reassure them

Help your child to feel in control

They will tend to be guided by your reactions, It’s OK to tell them that you don’t have all the

facial expressions and body language.

By doing the things that they can control. They

answers. This way young people are motivated

Acknowledge their worries (and yours) and

can’t control the virus, shortages of loo roll or

to learn and you can learn with them, side-by-

help them to feel in control by doing in the

how the government responds, but they can

side. Even across the world there are very few

things they like and are good at.

control what they do with their time. Help them

actual experts who have all the answers about

to manage it and fill it with activities they enjoy.

the virus.

Keep an eye on the information you are sharing

Focus on their strengths

Pray together

with your child about COVID-19, give them just

Focus on their strengths, successes and their

Have some quiet time each day, read,

enough, don’t overwhelm them. Discuss what is

own inner resources, keep them hopeful -

exercise, cook, walk together if you choose to

happening locally, nationally and globally (This

praising them and celebrating what is going

- establish and keep to simple routines

is valuable learning for you all even if it isn’t part

well will help so much

Keep an eye on the information you are sharing

of the curriculum) and focus on what people are doing to tackle the virus and to keep people safe and well.

Connect more with family and friends online or by phone

Avoid misinformation

Check in with your child regularly

Avoid misinformation on social media

Their hopes, needs and curiosity - listening is

especially and from friends and family - check

the biggest skill in this situation. Let them talk,

Connect more with family and friends online or

the facts using, for example, BBC Reality Check

listen to their questions and help

by phone - we are contacting all pupils once

them answer them.

each week and we love doing this.

Social Distancing:

Why should we do this? keep at least 2 metres between yourself and other

What to do if your

child’s behaviour

changes at this time

Your child’s usual kind, thoughtful, cooperative behaviour is a sure sign of their inner calmness and a low level of stress. Raised stress levels can push this aside as a reaction to worries and unexpected changes. Change causes raised stress and worry.

So with the big

changes that are happening at the moment,

anything that lowers stress levels will be useful. Try this:

If things get tough at home, slow right down, focus on your child, wait for a gap then ask them what’s good for them right now, what’s going well, and listen carefully to their ideas about what’s going well. Don’t ask about Feeling in control of things in your

As things get calmer, ask your child what they’re

what’s gone wrong – that would raise their

life is known to lower stress.

hoping for and organise it together

stress level again.

When you get a chance ask your child what

Keep every activity short, including talking

When you notice things going well, let you’re

they’d like to do next, or later the same day

together, around 15 to 20 minutes maximum,

child know, in the simplest way.

or tomorrow. If you need support to do it your

followed by body movement of some kind

“I’ve noticed (… whatever it might be …)

child’s form tutor or Head of House might be

for five minutes. This will help your child with

going well.” Ask them to look out for things

able to help and certainly be there to listen.

attention and engagement with whatever

going well.

Where we can, we’ll try to help out.

they’re doing.

Most of us are finding it hard to get used to the new normal of ‘lockdown’, isolation and queues at supermarkets. Everyone’s behaviour is changing because it has to, so it is no surprise that some children may be especially affected.

In school (and speaking to parents at home) staff have supported children who are puzzled, frustrated, who feel trapped at home and who are upset and resentful because things to look forward to have been taken away. Changes in behaviour aren’t personal to you, they’re a natural reaction to difficult circumstances, but they can be addressed and overcome with calmness, care and love.

If you need more help and advice or

End every activity, day and week the

direct support you might want to discuss

same way, with what you’ve noticed

things with your child’s form tutor or Head

going well and what your child has

of House. Together we can do it.

noticed. Give them a heart-felt compliment. And give yourself one too, you deserve it.

working from home

challenges and tips

All of a sudden you and your child (or your whole family) have found yourselves spending more time together than you expected.

How do you cope with that?

As a school...

We have issued plenty of work, but we know that it won’t be possible to do it all as the children would at school. It is absolutely fine if work isn’t done on time or can’t be completed. There are going to be computer problems, printing problems and issues with getting materials. Sometimes it would be The first thing to do is recognise

For the children and adults a new

that everyone can only do their

routine is vital, preferably written

best and make mistakes.

down and displayed and with plenty of breaks.

better for the kids (and adults) just to take time out and do something else.

Focus on relationships, making memories, talking and being together.

Build in time for exercise and fresh air, which is even easier when the weather is good.

Try to find time for you as an adult to have a mental or physical break from it all.

Agree when you will all switch off and stick to this - have little things to look forward to that help you all through the day. You can share successes with your child’s form tutor or teachers and they can put achievement points on Class Charts if Encourage the child or children to keep a

that helps to motivate them.

diary or journal (this can be done together) celebrating the good things that have been done and learnt.

Ask us for help through your child’s Form Tutor or Head of House or a member of the senior team - we don’t have the answers either, but we can listen, be sympathetic, share a frustration or a

Be honest, share frustrations and work together to discuss and resolve them - recognise that it isn’t going to go well all the time, but you might all learn something anyway.

laugh and help you.

check out these

useful links

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St Ambrose Barlow RC High School A National School of Creativity

37 Ash Drive | Wardley | Swinton | M27 9QP | Tel 0161 921 1570 | office@ambrose.salford.sch.uk | www.stambrosebarlowswinton.org