Latest News
Keep up to date with all the news happening in school at the moment.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE - Staff of Mudeford Junior School Christmas Video
Fri 17 Dec 2021The Staff of Mudeford Junior School would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.
Please click here to watch their version of Merry Christmas Everyone.
The children this year have taken part in a variety of Christmas Activities including festive cooking, Christmas Craft, Christmas Parties, Mr Merlin Magic Show and are looking forward to our Christmas dinner on Friday (17 December). As part of their music lessons the children have enjoyed singing and accompanying Christmas songs. Click here to view a sample of their work.
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December Whole School Newsletter
Thu 16 Dec 2021Mudeford Junior School
Dear Parents/Carers,
Once again, as we approach the end of the Autumn term I would like to thank you for the incredible support shown by the parents of the school, and would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.
The staff of the school have put together a small video. This can be found on the front of the website or via the link
Mudeford Junior School Staff wish you a Merry Christmas | Mudeford Junior School (primarysite.media). The children have also been celebrating Christmas as part of their music lessons. A sample of these can be found in the Childrens Section / Video Resource Centre.
Festive activities have taken place throughout the week. All year groups have had the opportunity to take part in some festive cooking, Christmas art and craft, their year group Christmas party and to watch Mr Merlin’s magic performance. We are also looking forward to the traditional Christmas dinner tomorrow.
We would like to thank you for your generous response to our Reverse Advent, donating food and items for the local food bank, who were greatly appreciative of the significant amount they received.
BCP Local Authority have written to schools and parents over the last few days.
You will have received the letter from Julia Coleman, Service Manager School & Provider Standards & Support 0-19 Children’s Services, and this can also be seen in the latest news section of the school website. Julia Coleman, wrote to say that, “Despite the excellent work of parents, pupils and staff, cases continue to rise in schools and latterly in the community. Whilst we cannot go into specific details, as well as cases in pupils, we have also seen both Covid and other illnesses taking their toll on staffing. Staff absence in BCP and Dorset is 4 times the national average (15-20%). There are many other schools facing these sorts of decision at the moment.”
There is much that parents / carers can do to support us over Christmas and the New Year.
What you can do:
- Keep testing habits going in families over the holidays and awareness of hand washing etc after shopping trips
- Be vigilant for symptoms and do not send children in after the holidays with any Covid, fever or headachy symptoms
- Seek PCR tests for family well-being if you get symptoms or are asked to do so
- Encourage adherence to changing guidelines
- Follow guidance from track and trace who are following up on Omicron and/or guidance on Day 2 testing and test for return if you are holidaying abroad-current guidance is you cannot return until negative tests are back
- Be aware that we often have to respond to cases and changes in policy very quickly
Mudeford Junior School is continually updated by the Department for Education and BCP Local Authority regarding the latest news and advice on Covid and how it is affecting schools. Although numbers at the school have been remarkably low compared to other schools in the authority, we need to be ready to respond if the situation changes. As part of this process the risk assessment for the school and safety protocols are constantly being reviewed. If changes need to be made you will be notified via ParentMail and it will be posted on the school website.
Some parents have asked whether the children are required to take a lateral flow test before returning to school in January. Whilst not mandatory for this age group, any additional safety measures undertaken would be beneficial to the school community.
School will finish at the usual time for each class on Friday 17th December and we return on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
May I personally take this opportunity to wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.
Best wishes
Mr M Partridge
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BCP Local Authority - COVID update / communication
Wed 15 Dec 2021COVID update / communication from BCP Local Authority, Julia Coleman
Service Manager School & Provider Standards & Support 0-19 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP)
Quality & Commissioning Directorate, Children’s Services
Dear parents / carers,
BCP and Dorset schools have had a tough term. The bulk of rising cases have been in school age pupils and the staff who work with them and we have seen 2 distinct and difficult phases. In half term one we saw high case rates in pupils at about 100 per week across schools all PCR confirmed. This was challenging for pupils and families and there were outbreaks that needed managing down and even a few cases of year group closures to create a firewall to protect others.
However most schools managed with on site isolation of outbreaks and the relatively few staff cases were manageable with support staff or cover. Since October half term, we have seen as many cases per day as we have had in a week before the half term. Although case rates remain high in pupils of most year groups, the educational workforce has suffered from Covid, Covid isolations and other illnesses which has left many schools stretched. Schools have seen, on average, 15-20% staff absence-some have seen far higher rates.
We know that some of you will have been very disappointed that BCP has needed to postpone nativitiy performances, cancel residential visits and have asked some schools to switch to remote learning; we do not take these decisions lightly.
These measures have always been taken in consultation and support from the BCP team dealing with Covid and Public Health Dorset. They are also made in light of extra guidance for BCP and Dorset only in England, where we can take more enhanced measures until the end of this term at least.
Despite the excellent work of parents, pupils and staff, cases continue to rise in schools and latterly in the community. Whilst we cannot go into specific details, as well as cases in pupils, we have also seen both Covid and other illnesses taking their toll on staffing. Staff absence in BCP and Dorset is 4 times the national average. There are many other schools facing these sorts of decision at the moment.
There is much that parents / caeres can do to support us over Christmas and the New Year.
What you can do:
- Keep testing habits going in families over the holidays and awareness of hand washing etc after shopping trips
- Be vigilant for symptoms and do not send children in after the holidays with any Covid, fever or headachy symptoms
- Seek PCR tests for family well-being if you get symptoms or are asked to do so
- Encourage adherence to changing guidelines
- Follow guidance from track and trace who are following up on Omicron and/or guidance on Day 2 testing and test for return if you are holidaying abroad-current guidance is you cannot return until negative tests are back
- Be aware that we often have to respond to cases and changes in policy very quickly
What we will try to do
- Prioritise keeping children in school for learning as much and as safely possible
- Be aware of outbreaks and be transparent about when and why we need to change things
- Discuss alternatives with PH and BCP when staff numbers are down or cases are rising
We can assure you we explore all other avenues before we postpone an event or switch to remote learning. Please stay in touch about symptoms and we will access support for you at the start of term.
If you need to take time off in the holidays or in term times, there is support for families still available here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme with isolation periods.
Thank you and warm regards,
Julia Coleman.
Service Manager School & Provider Standards & Support 0-19 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP)
Quality & Commissioning Directorate, Children’s Services
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Digital Leaders - E Safety Visit from South West Grid for Learning
Fri 03 Dec 2021A message from the Digital Leaders
Dear Parents and carers,
We are the Digital Leaders and one of our roles in school is to increase the awareness of e-safety for all the children in our school. We need your views and questions!! On Thursday 9th December, we are lucky enough to be having some training from Andrew Williams- a consultant for Southwest grid For Learning.
As part of our role in promoting e-safety, we would like to invite you to e-mail in any questions you might have for Andrew about e-safety. We will be presenting the questions to him in our training session and he will be creating a video presentation for parents about the latest e-safety issues. He will provide answers to your questions in this presentation. Please could you e-mail these to year3@mudefordjs.co.uk. by Tuesday 7th December. We are really look forward to hearing from you!
The Digital Leaders MJS