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Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
Wednesday 24 June 2020
Dear Parent/Carer
RE: Health and Wellbeing Newsletter: 24 June 2020
It has been a pleasure to see more students in school as we welcomed back the Year 10 and Year 12 students at the start of the week. However it has been equally exciting to see students and staff ‘connect’ with each other through ‘live’ remote tutor group meetings. It gives opportunities for Key Stage 3 students to ensure they remain connected with their peers and share their thoughts, with their tutor, about coming back to school.
As we talk about lockdown easing, we wanted to take the time to remind ourselves about the importance of focusing on positive ways to manage wellbeing.
Connect - What better time to get in touch with family and friends and find out how they are managing and coping with this new reality and the feelings towards the next phase of easing. Be active - Get some exercise - walking, running, yoga, anything - whatever makes you happy - it is a great way to structure the day that seems so different now. Take notice - Pay attention to whatever is taking place in the moment and watch how your mind relates to difficulty. Keep learning - You can learn something new about viruses, vaccines or simply about yourself and how you respond in a crisis. Give - Offering help and support to others, even simply a listening ear, can be therapeutic during these troubling times.
Make peace with uncertainty - Mindfulness
This situation is one of extreme uncertainty. We don’t know what will happen,
especially as we move into the next phase of easing lockdown; how long it will last or
what things will be like when it’s over. One thing we do know, however, is that worrying
Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
about it won’t change the outcome. Learning how to tolerate the uncertainty is a huge
part of building healthy coping skills for ourselves, which we can then model for our
children.
Mindfulness helps bring us back to the present. Try some of these ideas:
Squeeze Muscles: Starting at your toes, pick one muscle and squeeze it tight. Count to five. Release, and notice how your body changes. Repeat exercise moving up your body.
Belly Breathing: Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in from your stomach (expand like a balloon) and slowly breathe out (deflate).
Mindful Meal: Pay attention to the smell, taste and look of your food. No multitasking.
Meditation: Sit in a relaxed, comfortable position. Pick something to focus on, like your breath. When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath.
Blowing Bubbles: Notice their shapes, textures and colours.
Colouring: Colour something. Focus on the colours and designs.
Listening to Music: Focus on the whole song, or listen specifically to the voice or an instrument.
Trying some of these ideas as a family is a great step to being more mindful.
Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
There is ample research to show that deliberately focusing on the good things in our lives - practicing gratitude - can improve our wellbeing. It's easy to give in to our natural 'negativity bias’ as our brains strive to protect us from harm, but we can counter that by deliberately focusing on what's good, even during challenging times.
At the end of each day, write down three good things about the day, no matter how small (a rainbow in the sky, another day without symptoms, a funny joke you heard…it's amazing what you'll notice when you pay attention!).Share at least one positive story with other people each day.Say 'thank you' for all the little things others do for you and mean it.
There are some great apps that you can use for this, this useful site explains and rates them for you https://www.happierhuman.com/gratitude-app/
Laughter is the best medicine
Laughing feels good, boosts our immune system and helps us keep things in perspective. Laughing with others strengthens relationships and, because laughter is contagious, we laugh more with others. Share jokes at home and online. https://www.rd.com/funny-stuff/short-jokes/
Watch funny clips and films.
Try laughter yoga; there are plenty of examples on YouTube. There is some research evidence that even fake or forced laughter can improve mood and wellbeing.
We hope that the strategies above, will help to you to self-regulate the many emotions that we deal with every day. If you have any of your own jokes (that we can share) please send them in as we would love to hear them. Next week will pass them on to everyone, as laughter really is the best medicine.
Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
Miss Caroline Skerten Mr Stuart Bassett Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher Pastoral/Designated Safeguarding Lead Interventions/SENCO
Keeping in Touch with Students and Families
During this difficult time we wanted to reach out to let you know that, even though our school is currently closed to all but a few children, we’re still here to support your child and your family in whatever way we can.
We continue to respond to all calls and emails from parents and we continue to keep in close
touch with those families who need support. If you need to contact us for any reason, please do
not hesitate. Below are all the emails of Heads of Year, Pastoral Support Workers and additional
staff.
Tutors are emailing students every Monday and we would ask you to encourage your child to reply every week. It is important that we keep connected over things other than school work and the tutor will ensure that this happens.
If your child has forgotten their school email details, please email Mr Wilsdon [email protected] and he can reset it.
Year 7 Mr Cowley [email protected]
Year 8 Mr Wright [email protected]
Year 9 Mrs Short [email protected]
Year 10 Mrs Graff [email protected]
Mr Warren [email protected] Year 11 Mrs Ritchie [email protected]
VI Form
Ms Denny [email protected]
Mrs Rose [email protected]
Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
Additional Staff
Safeguarding
Concerns
Mrs Simpson [email protected] Year 8/9 Pastoral Manager Mrs Wilson [email protected] Year 10/11 Pastoral Manager
Mr Bassett [email protected] Assistant Headteacher Interventions/SENCO Miss Skerten [email protected] Assistant Headteacher Pastoral/Designated Safeguarding Lead Mrs Sanderson [email protected] Home School Link Worker Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead Mrs Hyde [email protected]
NHS School Health Nurse
During this period, if you have any safeguarding concerns surrounding your child/children or any other children, please contact Miss Skerten or Mrs Sanderson on the emails above. Alternatively, you can contact the MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) on 03450507666, or for non-urgent concerns you can also call 101. If you have a serious child protection concern, please call the police on 999, without delay.
Useful resources: -
How to talk to your child about what’s happening
No matter how calmly you manage the current environment, children are likely to be anxious, so it’s important to talk to them about what’s happening.
Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
Children will have anxieties about their own health and that of their family and friends. But they’re also likely to feel socially isolated, and worried about the result of school closures on their education and what life will be like after the pandemic is over.
Reassure them that when more guidance comes from the school about how grades will be
awarded, you’ll share this with them as soon as you have it – you could also check that they
understand the information you’ve received so far, in case there are any points of confusion
or worry that the school could help to clarify.
Encourage them to maintain social ties – relationships are especially important for older children, so give them room to keep in touch with their friends
Equip them with accurate information – for example:
o Mythbusters from the World Health Organization
o Data visualisation pack from Information is Beautiful (regularly updated)
Share tools to help them manage anxiety
o YoungMinds: practical steps to take if you're anxious about coronavirus
o Mind: how to take care of your wellbeing when staying home
If your child struggles with higher levels of anxiety
Some children are naturally more anxious, such as those with existing phobias or obsessive- compulsive disorders. The current situation can make those anxieties worse.
Get them to do activities such as counting, ordering and sorting tasks which can help them calm down
Encourage them to use relaxation techniques such as controlled breathing
Look out for obsessive or compulsive behaviours and try to get ahead of them early by challenging unhelpful thoughts and assumptions
If you’re worried about your child’s anxiety, YoungMinds is a charity dedicated to children’s
mental health. They’ve opened a parents’ helpline for confidential, expert advice. You can
reach them at 0808 802 5544
Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
Helplines and websites for children and young people
If your child would like to speak with someone confidentially, there are helplines and websites specifically for them.
Organisation Contact information
Shout
Free, confidential support via text, available 24/7
Text SHOUT to 85258 in the UK to text with a
trained crisis volunteer who’ll provide active
listening and collaborative problem-solving
ChildLine
Confidential telephone counselling service for any child with a problem
Call 0800 1111 any time for free
Have an online chat with a counsellor (9.00am to midnight daily)
Check out the message boards
Mindfulness
Organisation Contact information
Recommended by Jem Shackleford Schools’ Liaison Mindfulness Teacher/Trainer
https://www.calm.com
https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
https://insighttimer.com/
https://www.stopbreathethink.com/
https://www.meditationstudioapp.com/
Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
Where to turn to for help
It’s okay to not be okay. We all need someone to talk to sometimes. If you feel overwhelmed, at risk of abuse or experiencing financial need, there are people you can call on for support:
Mental health
Organisation Contact information
Mental Health Foundation
Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities
Website: www.mentalhealth.org.uk
Mind
A mental health charity
Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)
Website: www.mind.org.uk
PAPYRUS
Youth suicide prevention society
Phone: 0800 068 4141 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 10.00pm, and 2.00pm to 10.00pm on weekends and bank holidays)
Website: www.papyrus-uk.org
Samaritans
Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair
Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour
helpline) Website:
www.samaritans.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Care
Support for grief and bereavement
Phone: 0808 808 1677 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.00pm)
Website: www.cruse.org.uk
Burford School, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 8082185. Registered office: Burford School, Cheltenham Road, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
Domestic violence
Organisation Contact information
NSPCC
Child protection charity
Phone: 0808 800 5000 for adults concerned about a child (24-hour helpline)
0800 1111 for children (ChildLine’s 24-hour helpline)
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk
Refuge
Advice on dealing with domestic violence
Phone: 0808 2000 247 (24-hour helpline)
Website: www.refuge.org.uk
Community support
Organisation Contact information
https://covidmutualaid.org/local-groups/
Click on the link above to find information specific to your area.
