Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Light The Darkness

  Wed 27 Jan 2021

  We are marking Holocaust Memorial Day today. Join us to Light The Darkness and light a candle at 8pm and safely put in your window. To remember those who were murdered and stand up against prejudice, hatred and intolerance.

  

• January Update from Seaburn Dene

  Tue 26 Jan 2021 Mr J Howe

  SCHOOL COMPETITION.
  Today, with Sunderland City Council, we are launching the Seaburn Dene Grand Designs Competition 2021.
  We have been  invited to take part in helping design the new play area - Sunderland's biggest - at the bottom of Dykelands Road.
  Attached are the blank plans.
  Children are being asked to Dream Big and design their play park for the future - draw and label what exactly would form part of their design. They can use any material or medium, additional paper - but the drawings/designs must be their own.
  They are two competitions KS1 (Yr 1 and 2) and KS2 (Yr 3 to 6)
  The winners and runners-up will be invited to present their designs to the council via Google Meet and also to help open the park.
  This is a fantastic opportunity for our creative children to really use their imagination and I would encourage them on their daily walks - to take a look at the site.
  The closing date for entries (to school) is Monday, February 22nd, to be dropped off, emailed and sent via Class Dojo - will set up portfolios in each class for that.
  I look forward to your amazing designs. Good luck.

   

  Science

  This weekend is the RSPB Big Schools’ Bird watch 2021 (between the 29th & 31st January) and we would like as may families to participate as possible.
  Mrs Wilson has put together a PDF with all the links you will need to get started, including identification sheets, making and crafting, feeding and much, much more.
  Please help our community in getting involved in supporting your child’s learning in ‘citizen science’ skills, and continue to help us drive science learning forward, within Seaburn Dene.
  Share what you are doing and discovering via Dojo, or at science@seaburndeneprimary.co.uk
  All budding scientists have to start somewhere and every little helps. Remember to Dream Big.

   

  Activity Tracker

  As you may know, our school is partnered with charity Living Streets to deliver their walk to school challenge, WOW. It allows our pupils to stay active and rewards them with badges, which they LOVE, when they walk, cycle, scoot or park and stride to school.
  As school is closed to most children - but the vulnerable or those of critical workers, Living Streets have made some changes to allow all children to record the physical activity they do at home from this week. They have called it the WOW Activity Tracker!
  Now you can log your child’s activity from home, so that they are still able to earn their badge/s.
  Go to site: traveltracker.org.uk and use the following three-word classroom access code (including hyphens) to log in (shared on Class Dojo.)
  Make sure you only log your child’s activity and your child is one step closer to earning their badge!
  We hope you will start using the WOW Activity Tracker along with the rest of the school.

   

  Virtual School Library

  https://library.thenational.academy/
  Here is a link to the Virtual School Library, brought to you by Oak National Academy in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.
  Every week a popular children's author or illustrator will provide children with free books, exclusive videos and their top three recommended reads.
  Last week: The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson. Available to read on-line.

  This week:  The Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana Farook.
  Having access to a school library is really important for children. School libraries nurture a love of reading that can enrich children’s literacy skills, academic achievements and mental wellbeing.
  The Virtual School Library will complement our school library, which isn't accessible to most of our school currently and end will ensure that children have access to the magical world of stories all year round, whether they are learning at school or at home.
  Look out for some brilliant publishers and inspiring authors and illustrators to ensure that the books and activities in our Virtual School Library will support children’s wellbeing through reading.

   

   

   

• Dream Big and design a play area

  Fri 22 Jan 2021 Mr J Howe

  SCHOOL COMPETITION.
  Today, with Sunderland City Council, we are launching the Seaburn Dene Grand Designs Competition 2021.
  We are the only school which has been invited to take part in helping design the new play area - Sunderland's biggest - at the bottom of Dykelands Road.
  Children are being asked to Dream Big and design their play park for the future - draw and label what exactly would form part of their design. They can use any material or medium, additional paper - but the drawings/designs must be their own.
  They are two competitions KS1 (Yr 1 and 2) and KS2 (Yr 3 to 6)
  The winners and runners-up will be invited to present their designs to the council via Google Meet and also to help open the park.
  This is a fantastic opportunity for our creative children to really use their imagination and I would encourage them on their daily walks - to take a look at the site.
  The closing date for entries (to school) is Monday, February 22nd, to be dropped off, emailed and sent via Class Dojo - will set up portfolios in each class for that.
  I look forward to your amazing designs. Good luck.

   

• Lockdown Latest

  Wed 06 Jan 2021 Mr J Howe

  CRITICAL/KEY WORKER SUPPORT:

  National lockdown began today and with it an opening of school to those vulnerable children and children of key workers - where school is the only possible alternative for a child.
  Schools, like ours, will remain CLOSED until at least February half term.

  With no advance warning and a Government directive that people MUST stay at home as far as possible and only leaving home for essential reasons as set out on the Government website.

  This means that if you can work from home, you should.

  Frankly, we have inundated by requests for places in school to the stage where it is almost working against the point of closure. I would ask parents to consider their needs in the light of this.

  Please consider that:

  • On a daily basis, we still need to protect all our staff from the virus and the potential risks of children accessing school. Initially we wanted to restrict groups to no more than 15 children – this is now - on some days - at a tipping point and classes could potentially see numbers in excess of this;
  • We need to balance the deployment of staff between in-school support and the delivery of the remote learning. Currently - virtually all our staff are in school - working with children.
  • As a result, I ask you to ONLY request school support if there is absolutely no other alternative open to you – by that I mean those of you who can work from home, and are able to look after your own child, should do so and instead take up the option of the remote learning schedule we are issuing rather than have your child attend school. Children in school are only working on the remote learning activities 

  If only ONE of you is a Key Worker, we have to assume the other adult in the household can remain at home and therefore look after your child and not put yourself and others at unnecessary risk by sending them into school.

  Please double check your Key Worker eligibility in line with the DfE guidance here:-

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

  It is clear that the Government have enforced this national closure for a reason – we are all still highly vulnerable to the risks of Covid-19 particularly this more aggressive strain that has led to the lockdown in the first place. Transmission of Covid-19 in Sunderland is, this week,  two-and-half times higher than it was last week - a worrying development.

  Please support us at Seaburn Dene Primary in protecting yourselves, the children and our school community.

  If you decide to reconsider your request to have your child return to school, please advise us as soon as possible so we can make the necessary adjustments. 

   

• School Closure and Lockdown - Latest

  Tue 05 Jan 2021 Mr J Howe
  Parents/Carers,
  Today, the staff are organising the children's remote learning and the provision - in school - for those vulnerable children and children of critical workers.
  Please see the form on the school page on Class Dojo, if you think you are eligible for a school place for your child due to your critical/key worker status and have NO alternative childcare.
  We will be contacting eligible families once we have collected all the information, from approximately 1pm onwards today.
  Later today, I will set out, in a letter, the daily arrangements for remote learning, ready to start for each year group on Wednesday. As always, your class teacher is available to contact via Class Dojo, while the school's Senior Management Team are in school coordinating our response. We are there for you.
  Thank you for your understanding and patience.
  Mr Howe.

• School Closed - Tuesday, 5th January 2021

  Mon 04 Jan 2021 Mr J Howe

  Dear parents/carers,
  
  Apologies for messaging so late, but I am sure you are now all aware of the late Government plans to go into full national lockdown from tomorrow and close schools.
  
  Following a discussion with the chair of governors tonight, a decision has been made to remain close to ALL pupils tomorrow. This will give us time to review the key worker applications and allow us to allocate key worker groups and plan for remote learning to begin from Wednesday.

   

  Mrs Chalk, our chair of governors, said, "It is with regret we have  made the decision not to open school tomorrow (Tuesday 5^th January). This decision has not been taken lightly and Senior Leaders and staff will be working tomorrow on contingency plans which will enable them to continue teaching online. They will also identify, plan and organise for key workers and vulnerable children to be able to return to school on Wednesday. These children will be identified through the survey you need to complete and through staff discussions."
  
  I appreciate that this is incredibly short notice for working parents, but with such short notice we have been left with no alternative.
  
  We will be in touch tomorrow to confirm which pupils will be able to return to school from Wednesday, under the key worker or vulnerable category.
  
  If you believe you are in need of a key worker place please complete the online form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlwTNYhDJjbPg01NFJLL1ExAPF-14Bz4A0l5b4zRYX1-NhOg/viewform
  by midday tomorrow.
  
  Just to confirm school will be CLOSED to ALL pupils tomorrow.
  
  These are incredibly challenging times for all of us and we would appreciate your support and patience while we take advantage of the limited time time we have to plan and co-ordinate effectively and safely.
  
  Mr Howe