Summer 1 & 2 - 2022
Dear Parents and Carers,
Despite some further challenges during this academic year, such as Covid and the recent heatwave, it has been brilliant to see the school getting back to our main business – teaching and learning!
Classes have been working hard and having fun. Lessons have been in progress, learning has been happening. We have been working towards our mission statement – supporting our young people to become successful adults.
As the year has moved on it has been great to see classes getting out and about into the community and building up their skills again. Whether it has been the regular community visits to supermarkets and town or larger trips to places such as Caldecotte outdoor centre, the Zoo or the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Zoo pass proved particularly popular so we will be investing in this again from September.
We have participated in sporting activities and competitions and seen some success with our footballers and dancers. We entered the Paradance competition for the first time and both teams won awards. Our Football team have been playing in Beds FA competitions and went to Nottingham Forest’s ground in July with support from LTFC.
The Eco Council has worked really hard and succeeded in achieving the Eco School’s Green Flag Award. The garden has bloomed!
The café has remained open so students have continued to access their work experience opportunities; some students have enjoyed a regular visit to the cafe as a customer.
We have enjoyed music and movement with Maria; Aga has kept our spirits up and been working with students on a project with the Royal Opera House. The Open Orchestra group have been making and performing music.
Students and families have been generous in their support of special days and fundraising events. We thank you for helping to make these events successful.
It has been a pleasure to celebrate the efforts and achievement of the students this week in our Prize Giving ceremonies.
As the holidays approach I hope that all of our staff, students and families have an enjoyable summer break.
Return to school
Staff return to school on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd September for two training days.
Students return to school in September on Monday 5th September 2022
Rescheduled sports day
We cancelled sports day due to the high temperatures. We have rescheduled the event to Wednesday 14th September. Students should attend school wearing their PE kits that day.
Rescheduled Meet the teachers event
In the autumn term we will run some informal coffee mornings where you can meet your child’s new class teacher.
The meetings will be between 10.00 - 11.30am. Please note the dates.
Monday 12th September: Key Stage 3
Tuesday 13th September: Pathways Lower
Monday 19th September: Pathways Upper
Monday 26th September: PMLD
Tuesday 27th September: Key Stage 4
Tuesday 4th October: FE
Autumn term events
Please see attached the flyer with an overview of the planned events happening in the first half of the autumn term. A paper copy will be sent home. More detailed information will be sent home closer to the time.
Free School Meal Vouchers
Supermarket vouchers have been sent out to eligible families. Please check your email junk folder for these as the emails can sometimes end up there. If you have a query, please email woodlands.sec.admin@lbc.luton.sch.uk. If your circumstances have changed, you can apply for Free School Meals at any time using the link https://m.luton.gov.uk/Page/Show/Education_and_learning/Pages/Free-school-meals.aspx or you can call the school if you need support with your application.
In addition to your child receiving free school meals and holiday supermarket vouchers, the school also receives extra funding for eligible pupils of £985 per year. We encourage all families who are eligible to apply to do so, even if your child does not eat a school meal.
And finally…
We hope you all have a great summer holiday. Stay safe and have fun!
For students and families where your young people are leaving school and moving on to a new placement - we wish you all the very best for your future. You will be missed!
For those who will return in September - enjoy the break and we look forward to seeing you after the holidays.
Take care,
Sandra
15.7.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
RED HEAT WARNING - Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th July
We have received the following message from the Passenger Transport Unit:
After due consideration it has been decided NOT to provide Passenger Transport to school on Monday and Tuesday (18th and 19th July 2022). With outside temperatures expected to reach 39°C both passengers and staff would be exposed to undue risk. Schools will remain open for those who wish to take children there by other means.
Should the extreme weather either break on Monday or extend into Wednesday then this decision will be further reviewed.
What does this mean?
School is open to students on Monday and Tuesday if parents wish to send them in.
Our overall priority is to keep both staff and students safe and well in the extreme heat. We will not be running normal lessons. Trips will be cancelled that day and everyone will be focusing on staying cool and staying well.
If you wish your child to attend school on Monday and Tuesday:
Transport:
If you normally transport your child to school, and you wish them to attend, please follow your normal routine.
If your child normally comes to school in a vehicle provided by PTU, and you wish to bring them to school, please bring them to school after 9.15am and pick them up between 2.30 - 3.00pm.
Please follow the guidance of school staff who will be outside attempting to direct traffic and maintain safety.
We request all parents dropping off to adhere to the one way system; this means turning onto the slip road from Northwell Drive, just after the bus stop that is opposite school.
Please DO NOT drive directly into the school gates.
Staff will be available to direct you what to do when you drop off.
At collection time, please be patient with staff as we endeavour to organise the end of day collections.
If you wish to keep your child at home on Monday and Tuesday
Please email your child's teacher before 9.00am on Monday to inform them if your child will be absent.
If your child has an underlying health need, the absence will be authorised.
Other absences on these days will be recorded as C - this means other circumstances. There will be no penalty for absences on these two days.
Prize Giving Ceremonies:
One ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday and one is scheduled for Wednesday.
The Tuesday event is CANCELLED as a live session - we will run it internally in school. Parents who had requested tickets should not attend the Tuesday Prize Giving.
At this moment in time we are planning to proceed with the Wednesday event. We will communicate about this on Monday.
We will keep you updated when we receive any further information as the situation progresses.
Have a good and safe weekend,
Sandra
8.7.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
Student absence
We have had a number of holiday requests in the past few weeks which will mean that a number of students will be missing a significant amount of time off school, including many of the special activities and events at the end of the year.
Parents are strongly encouraged not to arrange holidays in term time. Parents are advised that they have no legal right to take children out of school for trips or holidays, but must apply for the Headteacher’s permission by completing a Leave of Absence Form , available from the School office and on the school website.
Guidance from the Department of Education (August 2020) states that
“Head teachers should only authorise leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. If a head teacher grants a leave request, it will be for the head teacher to determine the length of time that the child can be away from school. Leave is unlikely, however, to be granted for the purposes of a family holiday as a norm.“
Families must submit a holiday request form to the Headteacher Without permission these absences will be recorded as unauthorised. From September 2022, the Educational Welfare Service will be issuing Penalty Notices to parents.
Sports Day - update
We are now running our whole school sports events over two mornings - on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th July. The forecast for next week is for very hot weather so we have reduced the time that will be spent outside. Events will be finished each morning by 10.30am so students are not outside at the hottest part of the day.
Students should come to school in suitable sportswear - including appropriate footwear. We request that you send in a spare t shirt so children can change after the sports event if required.
Extreme weather advice - Hot and sunny weather - this is forecast for the next 2 weeks.
Parents are requested to ensure sunscreen is applied to their children before they are sent into school. We also request that you send in the sunscreen so that students can reapply it, if they are able. Staff will help to apply the sunscreen to those who need assistance.
Please ensure that students are also sent in with hats and water bottles.
If we are scheduled to take students out on a trip and the weather is extremely hot, we may change the venue to somewhere that has more shade, if the original venue is exposed. In rare circumstances we may need to cancel a trip if we cannot secure a safe plan b.
PROM update- Thursday 14th July
Due to the large numbers of students attending the PROM and the hot weather predicted for that particular day we have made the decision to hold the PROM at Woodlands school.
We request that parents park outside the school and walk your child to the entrance by the FE building (the cafe car park) - not the main school entrance; a member of staff will be there to guide you. The time remains the same - 7pm start and 9pm finish.
A member of staff will greet your child and take them into the school.
The students will still get the same experience that they would have had at the Cricket Club and will still have an amazing time.
If you have any questions then please email your child’s teacher and request the pass the query on to the Assistant Headteacher - Lindsey Lucas.
School holidays
A reminder that the last day of term is Thursday 21st July 2022.
Students return to school in September on Monday 5th September 2022
Have a great weekend,
Sandra
1.7.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
RSE Day - ‘Celebrating Differences - Everyone can Sparkle’
Classes made some fantastic banners representing the individuals who make up each class. We looked at what makes us all individuals. We enjoyed a great afternoon together outside sharing the banners and celebrating everyone’s skills and talents before having a great singing and signing sessions. Students from every class in the school joined in - it was great!
We carried on this theme in today’s assembly where we considered what would the world be like if it was made up of people who are all the same? We talked about how some people can be unkind to some people when they are different from them and how if we say or do things that are unkind, it is very difficult to take this back. We need to be kind to all of those we encounter.
Visitors to school
We were delighted to welcome the Mayor of Luton to the school last week - Mayor Sameera Saleem. Today we were visited by Abi Preston, the new service director for Education (replacing Paul Senior). Next week we will be welcoming Amanda Lewis - the Corporate Director for C|hildren, Families and Education. These are great opportunities to raise the profile of the school and to flag up the needs of our students when they move on from school to other provisions.
Sports Day
We are planning to run our Sports Day on Thursday 7th July. Students should come to school wearing appropriate sports kit and footwear.
Extreme weather advice - Hot and sunny weather.
Parents are requested to ensure sunscreen is applied to their children before they are sent into school. We also request that you send in the sunscreen so that students can reapply it, if they are able. Staff will help to apply the sunscreen to those who need assistance.
If the forecast is hot, please ensure that students are also sent in with hats.
If students are scheduled to go on trips, please send in water bottles.
If we are scheduled to take students out on a trip and the weather is extremely hot, we may change the venue to somewhere that has more shade, if the original venue is exposed. In rare circumstances we may need to cancel a trip if we cannot secure a safe plan b.
Have a great weekend,
Sandra
24.6.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
End of Year reports
Your child should have a copy of their End of Year report in their bags today.
There will be 2 copies of the reports in the envelope - one for you to keep and one for you to add your comments on and to return to school.
Transition - within school
The envelope with the End of Year report also contains information about who your child’s teacher will be in September. The students will have some opportunities in the coming weeks to meet with their new class teacher and to visit their new rooms.
RSE Day - ‘Celebrating Differences - Everyone can Sparkle’
This is a national day when schools across the country celebrate good teaching of RSE in order to promote the wellbeing of young people and to safeguard them.
In the morning each class will be making a ‘This is Me’ class banner representing all the different people in class - identifying and celebrating their qualities. These will have a mixture of photographs and line drawings. There will be a mixture of art, music and creative lessons for students in their class groups - activities will be adapted for the students’ level of understanding. For example, some classes may be celebrating different music from different cultures across the globe; some may be having a ‘diversi-tea’ party - where they will be tasting a variety of fruit, and vegetables, from a variety of cultures representing children within the school and beyond. Some classes may create a ‘diversi-tree in your school’. They might decorate an existing tree in the school grounds, create a tree picture or sculpture.
In the afternoon we will come together for a singing and signing session.
We will be singing:
This is me (The Greatest Showman)
Lean on me (Bill Withers)
We are the champion (Queen)
Can't Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake.
Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
If you have any questions - please email your child’s class teacher in the first instance.
Communication with parents - moving forward
Following some feedback from parents, from September, we will be reducing the use of Parentmail for weekly communications and updates. We will continue to send out the half term information sheet about upcoming events.
Class emails will continue as the main form of regular communication.
We will use Parentmail for notifications about vaccinations, school dinners, etc.
Have a great weekend,
Sandra
17.6.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
Woodlands Car Boot Sale - Sunday 19th June 10am - 1pm
Unfortunately we have had to cancel this event.
Mayor of Luton
We look forward to a visit from Counsellor Sameera Saleem, the current mayor of Luton. She is coming to school on Wednesday 22nd May. We will give her a tour of the school then she will meet with the school council before having some tea and cake in our cafe.
Clubs Coffee Morning Thursday 23rd June
We have representatives from 5 different out of hours clubs coming to Woodlands on Thursday 23rd June between 10am - 11am.
This should give families time to get arrangements set up before the Summer holidays start.
The clubs will provide information about the services that they provide and how your child can join their club(s).
If you wish to attend this coffee morning, please email our Assistant Family Worker at shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Footwear for PE
Please ensure that your child has suitable footwear to participate in their PE lessons. We appreciate that in hot weather trainers can be too warm to wear all day, however students need to wear trainers in PE lessons in order to stay safe. If you are unsure what day your child does PE, please contact your class teacher.
Have a great weekend,
Sandra
10.6.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
It was lovely to see the students return to school this week.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
We have had great fun celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee today.
We would like to express our gratitude to Tescos who have donated the ingredients for all our baking today and to the staff team at B and M who clubbed together to purchase some items to donate to us. We really appreciate this kindness and generosity.
The students have also created some fabulous art work representing the Queen - these will be displayed in our front entrance hall.
Pictures from today’s celebrations will be posted to our Facebook page over the next few days.
Woodlands Car Boot Sale - Sunday 19th June 10am - 1pm
Woodlands are holding a car boot sale on Sunday 19th June.
Pitches are available for £5 each. There will be a pedestrian charge of £1 on the day.
Posters for this event have been posted on our Facebook page - please feel free to share with family and friends.
If you would like to have a pitch then please email our Assistant Family Worker at shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Please note that payments for the pitch will need to be made in advance.
Mayor of Luton
We look forward to a visit from Counsellor Sameera Saleem, the current mayor of Luton. She is coming to school on Wednesday 22nd May. We will give her a tour of the school then she will meet with the school council before having some tea and cake in our cafe.
Clubs Coffee Morning Thursday 23rd June
We have 5 different out of hours clubs coming to Woodlands on Thursday 23rd June from
10am - 11am. This will be perfect to set up before the Summer holidays start.
The clubs will provide information about the services that they provide and how your child can join their club(s).
If you wish to attend this coffee morning, please email our Assistant Family Worker at shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Year 9 - DTP & Meningitis Vaccination - Tuesday 14th June
Vaccination UK are in school on Tuesday 14th June to administer the DTP & Meningitis vaccination to our Year 9 students only.
Parents that have sent the consent form back for their child to be administered the vaccine would have received a phone call this week to be given a time slot for their appointment.
If you returned the consent form but have not received a timeslot then please contact our Assistant Family Worker, Shazmeen Malik on 01582 572880 Option 2.
Please note that parents will need to attend in order for their child to be vaccinated.
On the day, parking will be available at the cafe car park where a member of staff will also be present.
Have a great weekend,
Sandra
27.5.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
This half term the school has thankfully been relatively unaffected with Covid, with only a handful of cases affecting staff or students. We do request though that if your child is unwell with respiratory illness symptoms that you do not send them into school whilst they are unwell and have a temperature. When they are well they may return to school.
We wish you all a very happy half term break and remind you that school is closed between Monday 30th May - Friday 3rd June for the May Half term break.
School is also closed on Monday 6th June for a staff training day. Students return to school on Tuesday 7th June.
Attached to this email is a copy of the Summer term 2 Event Sheet. Details about individual events will be circulated after the holidays.
FSM vouchers
For pupils that qualify for Free School Meals, the half term supermarket voucher will be sent out by Friday 27th May. If your circumstances have changed, and you believe you may now qualify, please apply through LBC - Free School Meals.
Raffle donations
We are hoping to hold a raffle at our Car Boot Sale on Sunday 19th June. In order to do this we require the help of donations. This can be in the form of food items, gift sets or any gift cards etc.
If you feel this is something that you could help us with then please could you kindly send in the donations by Friday 10th June
Woodlands Car Boot Sale - Sunday 19th June 10am - 1pm
Woodlands are holding a car boot sale on Sunday 19th June.
Pitches are available for £5 each. There will be a pedestrian charge of £1 on the day.
Posters for this event have been posted on our facebook page - please feel free to share with family and friends.
If you would like to have a pitch then please email our Assistant Family Worker at shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Please note that payments for the pitch will need to be made in advance.
Vaccinations
Year 8 - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination
Students will have been given a consent form for the HPV vaccination. Parents have the option to consent or refuse the vaccine. Either way we will require the form to be returned back to us.
Please send all consent forms back to school by Friday 10th June.
Please note this vaccine is for both boys and girls in Year 8.
Year 9 - Meningitis ACWY and Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio Vaccination
Thank you to all the parents/carers that have returned the consent forms back to us.
Time slots will be given to parents after the half term.
Parents that have not returned their consent forms will be contacted by a nurse from the Vaccination UK on Tuesday 7th June.
Have a great half term,
Sandra
Update 20.5.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
It has been a long time coming, but we are looking forward to our visit from Pierre Henry-Fontaine, from Sports for Champions, on Monday 23rd May. His visit had to be postponed from the Spring term, due to Covid.
Thank you to all those who have contributed; we have managed to raise enough money to cover the cost of the visit.
Half term and Training Day
A reminder that school is closed between Monday 30th May - Friday 3rd June for the May Half term break. School is also closed on Monday 6th June for a staff training day. Students return to school on Tuesday 7th June.
Year 9 Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio & Meningitis ACWY vaccinations
Vaccination UK will be coming to Woodlands to administer the DTP and Meningitis vaccination for Year 9 students only.
We currently have some students that have not been given this vaccine. Letters and consent forms have been sent home for these students.
Please note that whether you give consent or not, the form will need to be filled in and returned back by Monday 23rd May.
If you do not give consent for your child to be vaccinated, then please kindly complete the refusal box on the form.
Woodlands Car Boot Sale - Sunday 19th June 10am - 1pm
Woodlands are holding a car boot sale on Sunday 19th June.
Pitches are available for £5 each (limited pitches are available). There will be a pedestrian charge of £1 on the day.
Posters for this event have been posted on our facebook page - please feel free to share with family and friends.
If you would like to have a pitch then please email our Assistant Family Worker at shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Please note that payments for the pitch will need to be made in advance.
Raffle donations
We are hoping to hold a raffle at our Car Boot Sale on Sunday 19th June. In order to do this we require the help of donations. This can be in the form of food items, gift sets or any gift cards etc.
If you feel this is something that you could help us with then please could you kindly send in the donations by Friday 10th June
Have a great weekend,
Sandra
Update 13.5.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
Open Evening - Monday 16th May - Pathways, PMLD and BASE
It was lovely to welcome so many parents into school on Monday. We look forward to welcoming more of you on Monday 16th which is parents evening for those in Pathways, PMLD and the BASE.
Please ensure that you have contacted your class teacher to arrange an appointment.
Parking will be available in the front playground once all the student transport buses have left school.
The meetings will be in the main school hall.
We look forward to seeing parents in school.
Pyjama Day - Thursday 19th May
Our next whole school event is on Thursday 19th May when we will be celebrating World Sleep Day by hosting a Pyjama Day - just for fun.
No monetary donations required.
We will be thinking about the benefits of having a good sleep pattern, going to bed at a sensible time, etc. We look forward to seeing everyone in onesies and PJs! We understand that not all students will cope with wearing different clothes to school - this is fine too.
Sports for Champions Visit - Monday 23rd May
A reminder that we will be welcoming Pierre Henry-Fontaine to the school on Monday 23rd May in conjunction with Sports for Champions. His visit had to be postponed from the Spring term due to Covid.
Pierre will spend the morning working alongside the different cohorts in the school and help them achieve their personal sponsorship challenge.
Later in the day he will host an assembly and Q and A session.
We are really excited for this event and have had two previous successful visits from Sports for Champions athletes attend Woodlands in the past.
As it is a joint fundraising event for Pierre and for the school. We are grateful to have raised over £200 pounds so far from some parental donations. All of the monies raised so far will go towards supporting Pierre.
We request those who have not yet donated and who are able to, to make a donation towards the cost of the visit. Please send the money in an envelope with your child's name and 'sports visit' written on it.
You can see a message from Pierre in the link below.
Have a great weekend,
Sandra
Update 6.5.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
In response to parental feedback, this and future weekly updates will aim to be shorter. We will aim to send out targetted information in separate messages as relevant.
School Council Fundraiser
Thank you for your support with last week’s fundraiser. In total we managed to raise £191 which will be used to buy some new basketball hoops.
Pyjama Day
Our next whole school event is on Thursday 12th May when we will be celebrating World Sleep Day by hosting a Pyjama Day - just for fun. No monetary donations required. We will be thinking about the benefits of having a good sleep pattern, going to bed at a sensible time, etc. We look forward to seeing everyone in onesies and PJs! We understand that not all students will cope with wearing different clothes to school - this is fine too.
Open Evenings
Open Evening dates are: Monday 9th May - KS3, KS4 FE and the LOFT. Monday 16th May - Pathways, PMLD and the BASE.
Please ensure that you have contacted your class teacher to arrange an appointment.
Parking will be available in the front playground once all the student transport buses have left school.
The meetings will be in the main school hall.
We look forward to seeing parents in school.
Have a great weekend,
Sandra
Update 29.4.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
Update on Post 16
As some of you may be aware, there has been some confusion and uncertainty recently about the Post 16 consultation process and placement opportunities for Woodlands’ students, after Year 11.
On Wednesday morning Paul Senior, the Interim Service Director for Education, met with me and two of our school governors. During the meeting we raised our concerns and sought assurance about the future of our Post 16 provision and clarity about the processes moving forward.
Paul has requested that I share the following statement from the local authority with you.
· Woodlands special school currently has and will continue to have a further education offer and it has never been the intention of the LA to imply otherwise. However, as with all Year 11 pupils, parents and the young person do have to be given the opportunity to state a preference for a setting. Some may have a preference to remain in Woodlands Post 16 and others may have a preference to transition to college.
· Parents should have support from the Transition Team from Year 9 as this will help them to make an informed decision for Post 16 placement.
· The LA will consult with relevant providers to ensure that young people are appropriately placed.
· As with all placements, parents and young people have a right to state a preference but it is the LA that makes the final decision at a placement panel. Parents have a right to appeal against that decision.
The governors asked what would happen if there were to be some proposed changes in future. Paul Senior reassured us that in such a case, formal due process would be undertaken; consultation with stakeholders would be part of the process.
As a school we strongly encourage families to fully engage in EHCP meetings where formal discussions about Transition to Adulthood take place.
We strongly encourage you to engage with the local authority Transitions team to seek information about post school opportunities that will meet your young person’s needs and help them fulfil their aspirations. These conversations should be taking place from Year 9 and each year thereafter. Please ensure that you request them directly to attend your child’s EHCP meeting.
SENDIAS are another source of information and advice about the processes that need to be followed.
As a school we have put on events to try to support parents to find out more about not only the process but the local provider options. Please take up the opportunity to attend these events.
Non school uniform day - School Council Fundraiser
Thank you for supporting our fundraiser today. We will let you know how much money has been raised next week and we will let you know when the new equipment has been purchased. Well done to the school council for organising this event.
Bank Holiday
A reminder that Monday is a Bank Holiday and most students will return to school on Tuesday.
Eid Al Fitr
Eid Mubarak to all of our families who will be celebrating.
If your child will not be attending school on Tuesday 3rd May due to Eid, then please call the school office to advise them. If your child uses local authority transport and will not be coming in that day, please contact PTU as well to inform them - 01582 547219.
Parents’ Coffee morning - Thursday 5th May 10am - 11am - Bring A Dish!
Parents are invited to an informal get together on Thursday 5th May at 10am. We would like to invite you to bring a dish to share with other parents. Please ensure your dish does not include any nuts. The dish you bring is your choice, it could be a dish that represents your culture or even a dish that you’re just good at making. We can’t wait to see what everyone brings to the table.
Please email our Assistant Family Worker, Shazmeen Malik to confirm your attendance and the dish that you would like to bring.
shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Open Evenings
Open Evening dates are:
Monday 9th May - KS3, KS4 FE and the LOFT.
Monday 16th May - Pathways, PMLD and the BASE.
Please ensure that you have contacted your class teacher to arrange an appointment.
Parking will be available in the front playground once all the student transport buses have left school.
The meetings will be in the main school hall.
Jubilee Raffle
It’s the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June, marking her 70th year in service.
As part of Woodland's contribution to celebrate Her Majesty's service, we wish to hold another raffle.
As parents we are requesting donations to go into the Hampers, i.e tins of sweets, biscuits, chocolates etc. If you wish to make a donation please send them in by Friday 13th May.
Your help and support is much appreciated.
Year 9 - Diphtheria,Tetanus and Polio (DTP) & Meningitis ACWY Vaccinations - Tuesday 14th June 2022
Year 9 parents were emailed a consent form for the DTP and Meningitis ACWY vaccine via parentmail. This is for the 1st and 2nd dose.
If you do have any questions about this vaccine, then please could you contact the Immunisation Team and press option 3 to speak to the Immunisation nurse. Their contact number is 0300 790 0594
This vaccine will take place on Tuesday 14th June. Time Slots will be given to parents closer to the time.
Please note that parents will need to attend in order for your child to be vaccinated.
If you have not received the consent form then could you please email our Assistant Family Worker- Shazmeen Malik. shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Foodbank
Referrals to Foodbank are available to families that require support. If you require a referral to be made then please email our Assistant Family Worker, Shazmeen Malik. shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Have a lovely weekend,
Take care,
Sandra
Update 22.4.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
It has been lovely to see the students back in school and the summer term has started well. As you may remember we had a kind donation from Lancaster Avenue Bowling Club, back in September. With the monies donated, we purchased a Whipsnade Zoo Pass. We were really pleased to see that the first trip to the zoo happened this week and we look forward to more students having the opportunity to visit the zoo in the coming months.
Term dates and attendance
A number of students did not arrive back in school on Tuesday 19th; some parents reported that they did not know school had started back.
We clearly communicate term dates to families via the school website, a termly or half termly events sheet and via Parentmail Headteacher updates. If you are still unsure, please contact the school office for this information before the end of the preceding term.
These absences will be recorded as unauthorised.
May Half term, June Training Day and Summer holidays
School will be closed to students between 30th May to 3rd June for May Half term.
School will be closed to students on Monday 6th June, for a staff training day.
School reopens for everyone on Tuesday 7th June.
The last day of the summer term is Thursday 21st July.
Appointments during school time
We are really pleased with how you are supporting your child’s education by providing evidence of appointments and by supporting your child to attend for part of a day rather than taking a whole day out of school. We continue to encourage families to do this, where possible.
Covid update
Government advice has changed regarding Covid precautions.
At Woodlands:
- We will continue to promote good hygiene, ventilation, etc.
- Mask wearing will be optional.
- We are unable to order test kits so no further testing will be carried out in school.
- We will no longer take student temperatures upon arrival in school. If your child becomes unwell during the course of the day we may take their temperature and may contact you to collect them.
Updated government guidance states:
- adults with the symptoms of a respiratory infection, and who have a high temperature or feel unwell, should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature.
- children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. They can go back to school, college or childcare when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend.
Due to the mixed population within the school and the number of students and staff who are medically vulnerable, we request families to support us to continue to keep everyone safe and well.
If your child is unwell or has a raised temperature, please keep them at home until they are well or their temperature has gone down.
Dropping off and collecting children - front car park
We request that all drivers take care when entering the school site by car. The speed limit in the front car park is 5mph and all drivers need to adhere to this.
Although staff are there to support the process, some of our children demonstrate behaviour which is unpredictable and we must all take care in order to keep them safe.
In the mornings, the earliest that children will be collected from vehicles is 8.40am. Between 8.40am - 9.00am, please park in a space and keep your child in the vehicle until a staff member indicates that they may come into school.
If you arrive after 9.00am, you must park up and accompany your child into the reception area.
The afternoon collection time can be more challenging to keep safe.
Students can be collected from school between 3.00pm and 3.15pm. We request that parents do not attempt to enter the car park and to park before 2.55pm. If the slip road is busy, we request that you drive round and return later. Please do not block Northwell Drive.
Please be courteous to your fellow drivers, please allow sufficient space for others to safely park their car.
School staff will be in the car park and will direct you into a parking space.
Please do not pull up at the bottom of the steps to collect your children as this blocks the flow of traffic and is unsafe for some of our students.
Open Evenings
You will receive a letter with the details about upcoming Parents’ Evening Events in school.
On Monday 9th May we will be inviting in parents of students in KS3, KS4 FE and the LOFT.
On Monday 16th May we will be inviting in parents of students in Pathways, PMLD and the BASE
Sunscreen
The weather has been lovely this week and it is the time of year when we start thinking about needing hats and sunscreen.
Please make sure hats are named.
Please apply the sunscreen before your child comes to school. We recommend that you use a product which lasts for 8 hours.
Please note that some sunscreen products have been reported to contain nut oil. As we have students in school with serious nut allergies please do not use these products.
School Council - Fundraiser - Friday 29th April
The School Council have requested that they carry out a fundraising event on Friday 29th April. They want to raise funds to buy some basketball equipment for the playgrounds.
We request that students and staff come to school in non uniform next Friday and for those who can, make a donation towards the fundraiser.
Parents’ Coffee morning - Thursday 5th May 10am - 11am - Bring A Dish!
Parents are invited to an informal get together on Thursday 5th May at 10am. We would like to invite you to bring a dish to share with other parents. Please ensure your dish does not include any nuts. The dish you bring is your choice, it could be a dish that represents your culture or even a dish that you’re just good at making. We can’t wait to see what everyone brings to the table.
Please email our Assistant Family Worker, Shazmeen Malik, to confirm your attendance and the dish that you would like to bring.
shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
EPIC - Empowering Parents, Influencing Change
Luton Parent Carers’ Forum has finished in its previous format and is now operating as EPIC. When we are informed of events we will endeavour to share the information with you. In the meantime, you can have a look at their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/epicluton
Have a lovely weekend,
Take care,
Sandra
Update 1.4.22
Dear Parents and Carers,
With the recent snowfall, I wasn’t sure if I should be wishing our students a Happy Christmas or a Happy Easter! There was no fooling the children in 3HR though, they were quick to tell me Christmas is in December!
Hopefully the holidays will bring more of the warmer weather we have recently enjoyed so that students, staff and their families can have a well earned break.
You should have received a copy of the Summer term 1 events sheet which has the dates of holidays, training days, Bank holidays and special events listed. As a quick reminder, students and staff return to school on Tuesday 19th April 2022.
Covid update
Between January and February half term, we had over 130 cases of people affected by Covid. Since February half term and the end of this term the numbers are much reduced, with only 36 cases. Overall the situation has improved and we are optimistic that as we move into the summer term and the better weather that it will improve further.
From after the holidays:
- We will continue to promote good hygiene, ventilation, etc.
- Mask wearing will be optional.
- We are unable to order test kits so no further testing will be carried out in school.
Updated government guidance states:
- adults with the symptoms of a respiratory infection, and who have a high temperature or feel unwell, should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature.
- children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. They can go back to school, college or childcare when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend.
Due to the mixed population within the school and the number of students and staff who are medically vulnerable, we request families to support us to continue to keep everyone safe and well. If your child is unwell or has a raised temperature, please keep them at home until they are well or the temperature has gone down.
Dropping off and collecting children - front car park
We request that all drivers take care when entering the school site by car. The speed limit in the front car park is 5mph and all drivers need to adhere to this.
Although staff are there to support the process, some of our children demonstrate behaviour which is unpredictable and we must all take care in order to keep them safe.
In the mornings, the earliest that children will be collected from vehicles is 8.40am. Between 8.40am - 9.00am, please park in a space and keep your child in the vehicle until a staff member indicates that they may come into school.
If you arrive after 9.00am, you must park up and accompany your child into the reception area.
The afternoon collection time can be more challenging to keep safe.
Students can be collected from school between 3.00pm and 3.15pm. We request that parents do not attempt to enter the car park and to park before 2.55pm. If the slip road is busy, we request that you drive round and return later. Please do not block Northwell Drive.
Please be courteous to your fellow drivers, please allow sufficient space for others to safely park their car.
Wardown House museum - Easter trail
There are 12 bunnies hiding around Wardown House Museum.
This is a new trail and is free for anyone to get involved. Just turn up when the museum is open and have a go for yourselves.
Bamboozle - Musical Zooms for families
Bamboozle are offering free interactive Zoom sessions for small groups over three days. The sessions will include a mixture of storytelling and music.
The sessions are predominantly designed for children who are often described as having Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities and also for children who are identified as being on the autistic spectrum. The Zoom sessions are also suitable for young people with a wider range of disabilities.
Bamboozle say ‘We understand that experiences on a screen have their limitations, and we encourage our participants to bring along any instruments or props you might have at home to join in with our rhythms, (e.g. banging pots and pans, making shakers by filling empty bottles with lentils, beans or anything that rattles!).
The Zooms last for about 30 minutes and involve two Bamboozle performers providing a mixture of storytelling and live music. There will be four sessions per day and each session will be for a group of up to four families so that we can personalise the performance for our participants. The set up will be relaxed and informal; there’ll be an opportunity to chat, followed by storytelling, songs and music.
UPCOMING ZOOMS:
Saturday 16th April – 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm.
To book on please email Jennifer@bamboozletheatre.co.uk
Ramadan
If your child is fasting we request that you notify the class teacher after the holidays. Please note we will respond to your child’s wishes and needs when they are in school and if they request a drink or food, we will not withhold this from them.
Friday 22nd April - Meningitis ACWY and Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio Vaccinations - Year 10 and Year 11
The Immunisation Team will be coming to Woodlands to administer the HPV and DTP vaccination. Consents forms will be emailed to parents today. Please submit your consent online by 30th March. Please note that the following:
HPV Vaccine - Available to all year 10 students AND only the girls in year 11
(the boys in this year are not eligible for the vaccine)
DTP Vaccine Available to all year 10 and 11 students.
Once consent has been submitted, please email our assistant family worker, Shazmeen Malik to confirm. shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Friday 22nd April - Covid Vaccinations - Dose 1 or Dose 2
Please note that the Immunisation Team will be attending Woodlands on Friday 22nd April. In this session they will be offering Covid Vaccinations for anyone aged 12-15 years who still require dose 1 or dose 2.
Consent forms have been emailed to parents. Please could you complete this online and email our assistant family worker, Shazmeen Malik, to confirm you have done this.
shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
Eid
A number of students and staff are likely to be celebrating Eid on Tuesday 3rd May. In order for us to ensure that we can safely staff classes on that day, we request that families inform us if their children will be staying at home that day. Please email your class teacher as soon as possible so we can endeavour to make suitable plans and arrangements.
May Half term and June Training Day
School will be closed to students between 30th May to 3rd June for May Half term and it will also be closed to students on Monday 6th June, whilst staff will be undertaking a training day.
Citizens Advice Bureau- Financial Support with Gas & Electric
Citizens Advice Bureau are currently offering funding to families that are financially struggling. They are offering up to £49 voucher for households to pay towards their gas or electric. Please note this is only available for PREPAYMENT meter customers.
If you are financially struggling and are able to provide ID or evidence of having a prepayment meter with a low balance then please email our Assistant Family Worker, Shazmeen Malik. shazmeen.malik@woodlands.luton.sch.uk
We hope you all have a lovely Easter holiday break,
Take care,
Sandra