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

• Great Active Sunderland School Charter - Gold - 2019-20

  Thu 30 Apr 2020 Mr J Howe

  Great news! Our outstanding commitment to school sport and ensuring every one of our children is as active as they can be has been recognised for the 2nd consecutive year. We are really proud of all the opportunities we create to give children the the chance to engage in a range of sports and set the foundations for a healthy future. Well done Mr Ashton, staff and the children, parents and community of "team Seaburn".

   

  

• Seaburn Dene on Radio Newcastle

  Wed 22 Apr 2020 Mr J Howe

  I got an opportunity to talk about what is happening at school through the Covid19 outbreak, while paying tribute to our amazing staff and families for their resilience at this difficult time.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=sU1KCtcMSRE&feature=emb_title

• Letter to Parents/Carers - Update - Wk 4

  Sun 19 Apr 2020 Mr J Howe

   

  I hope that you and your loved ones are well. I’d like to thank you for all of your continued support, friendship and positivity. The children we are seeing on a weekly basis, the families we are speaking to and our staff appear in remarkably high spirits, positive, yet missing the heartbeat of school life.

  Over the next week, our senior management team will be working on plans for school; one is for the continuation of the current arrangements (to ensure much needed, high quality childcare for any family who requires it) and the other is the development of a gradual recovery plan for when lockdown ends.

  Last week, we all heard about the further three week extension of lockdown. However, at some point either in the Summer term, or later, Seaburn Dene will reopen to children. I am sure you appreciate, this presents more of a potential challenge than the current arrangements. We will need to consider a range of key issues such as health and safety, staffing, transition, and curriculum delivery, amongst many other issues. We will be examining possible scenarios around how this could work, and we will support you in any way possible to ensure that when we do return to more normal arrangements, it will be a smooth process.

  You must have heard about about the 99-year-old war veteran who walked 100 laps of his garden to raise £21m and counting for the NHS? Captain Tom Moore originally wanted to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together by completing laps of his garden before his 100th birthday. But, he smashed his target after more than 700,000 people made donations to his fundraising page. As he finished the challenge, he said: "I feel fine, I hope you're all feeling fine too. I never dreamt I would be involved in such an occasion as this."

  www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-52303859

  Free School Meals Eligibility

  As people’s circumstances change, many families are now in the process of applying for benefits because of the coronavirus. If you think your child may now be eligible to receive free school meals you are encouraged to contact us to check. As the process for applying for benefits / universal credit can take a number of weeks, we want to support you whilst a benefit application is being processed. https://www.togetherforchildren.org.uk/families/free-school-meals

   

  We have had a few queries about Nursery places for September. In both the summer and autumn terms, we will be holding open days for Reception and Nursery 2021 and we will inform you of these days,  when school finally re-opens.

  Stationary equipment and food parcels

  We want to distribute packs of stationary to every Free School Meal child and any those children who would benefit from them. The packs are going to include: coloured pencils and pens, sharpeners, rubbers, exercise books, scissors, glue and coloured paper. Contact the school if you would like to receive a stationary pack, contact: admin@seaburndeneprimary.co.uk.

  Likewise, you do not need to hit eligibility criteria to access food parcel support, you simply need to ask for it. We are offering to support you and anyone you know by delivering food parcels. If you know anyone who requires this service, please contact, via the email above.

  Volunteers

  The council has asked for volunteers from those who are able to, to consider supporting priority areas, by delivering food parcels or prescriptions.

  https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/article/17092/Need-support-or-want-to-help-?

  Let’s Not Return

  At the moment, like many of you, I can’t see my sister, who is a nurse and working all hours or my god daughter, who has just celebrated her first birthday on Friday. I can’t see my mother who is in her 80s – I can stand, 2 metres apart outside the front door, but not cross the threshold and share a cup of tea. In this topsy turvey world rearranged world, I, like many of us, are beginning to shift my values and see the unseen, walking among us. This readjustment is leading me to learn to value those of us as they should always have been valued, for the way they have kept our community going, their kindness, dedication and determination. These days will come to an end. But we mustn’t go back to the world that we were living in before or unlearn the hard-won lessons of collaboration, grit, compassion and human vulnerability. As we look forward, we mustn’t stop seeing and valuing the delivery driver, the hospital cleaner, the care home worker, the checkout person, the stranger on the other side of the road, the person in need, the old,  the frail and the forgotten, those hidden in life’s shadows. Let’s not return to that. Remember the moments we clapped and what we clapped for and understand the true value can’t be measured by money alone.

  Survival

  Loneliness is a cold and frightening place. Particularly if you find yourself trapped in one of the deep ravines that dot the South West spur of Utah.  It would be difficult for anyone to hear you during the day – but in the dark, a cry for help would be met with only silence. No one knows that more than 44-year-old Aron Ralston. In 2003, he had gone hiking, alone, near Robbers Roost – an old outlaw hideout used in the dying days of the wild west by Butch Cassidy. But while Ralston was climbing down a narrow slot in Bluejohn Canyon, a boulder became dislodged, crushing Ralston’s right forearm and pinning it against the wall. For five and a half days, he struggled to get free until he was forced to do the unthinkable. Using a blunt knife from his multi-tool, he began amputating his arm. This incredible tale of survival was eventually adapted into a film directed by Danny Boyle, 127 Hours, from Ralston’s own account of his experience. What does this story tell us about tough situations? Ralston’s survival shows the power of the human spirit when pitched against adversity. How Ralston survived for so long, and even at the end of those five days, made the decision, few have faced, to self amputate is a story I turned back to, last week. In the midst of being thrown into terrifying life and death choices, Ralston was able to choose life, drawing upon something within, to survive what he was placed into. That spirit is within all of us and finding that spark – in whatever form – will be the legacy we want the children of our school to move forward with.

  And finally...

  Have a think and let us know if there is someone who requires any practical support (food parcel, advice, reading book, video message) or if you or someone you know (an isolated friend or grandparent) needs a card, a drawing or a call which might help to cheer them up. This week, your child’s class teacher will share their learning newsletter – your at a glance guide to the week’s learning – via Class Dojo or on you child’s class page on the school website. I will be announcing the Easter Egg winners on Monday and delivering the prizes door to door.

  Stay Safe.

   

  Mr Howe.

• Easter..and beyond

  Fri 03 Apr 2020 Mr J Howe

  Under normal circumstances, we would have been breaking up today for the Easter holidays - but these are not normal circumstances.
  As you know, school has been partially open to provide childcare only to the children of key workers over the last couple of weeks. This will continue during the Easter holidays on the days we are needed, to continue this care.
  So, during the next two weeks, the school building and office will be CLOSED on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
  In emergency circumstances - during these times - a member of staff can be contacted on our mobile number: 07707510266.
  I'm sure you will join me in showing appreciation for all the staff at Seaburn Dene and their efforts over the last few weeks to share engaging teaching and learning ideas with you on Class Dojo, as well as being on hand in school - when called on.
  A very big thank you to YOU at home, for taking on the challenge of balancing the roles of parent, teacher and, in many cases, working from home - credit to you. You are all doing a fantastic job, under what are incredibly difficult and challenging circumstances.
  The Friends' of SDPS traditional egg decoration competition can now be accessed at home and you can send a photograph of your entries to easteregg@seaburndeneprimary.co.uk.
  Remember to include your name and your class, along with the photograph of your decorated egg in
  the email. Please email any entries before 3pm on Friday, 17th April.
  Our teachers are going to take a break over the next fortnight (apart from the volunteers providing childcare in school) and we would like the children to do the same, in order to enjoy the Easter holidays as best we can.
  There will be a science challenge for ALL children running across Easter and - of course - keep encouraging the children in their reading.
  We will resume our Class Dojo posts and messaging from Monday, 20th April.
  Take care, stay safe and have a lovely Easter.
  Mr Howe.