Family Information and FOPHS News Friday 19th January 2024

Maria is a fountain of knowledge on anything IT related and is always up to date. Her blogs are always current, sometimes because of queries from parents, carers and staff.

The blog this week is about smart devices such as: amazon Alexas, google nests and ring doorbells.

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest. 

If you’re eligible, you’ll get these payments automatically. You do not need to apply, but you may need to tell Jobcentre Plus if you have a baby or if a child under 5 comes to live with you.

The payments do not affect your other benefits.

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

You’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2023 and 31 March 2024.

If you’re eligible, check if any payments are due in your area of England or Wales.

Cold Weather Payments are different to Winter Fuel Payments.

You can check what payments are due by entering the first half of your postcode here.

Autism Alert Card:

 “We have designed an autism alert card for families to help autistic individuals communicate their needs and preferences to others in a clear and concise way.  This card can be a discreet way for you to let people know that your child is autistic and may benefit from extra time or assistance in certain situations.  You can add crucial information about the individual’s needs, such as details on communication preferences, sensory sensitivities, or any specific triggers they may have.  These cards can be printed off by going to our website.”

They may also be available through Autism support groups; the National Autistic Society (NAS) and more.

The purpose is to alert staff and others that the person wearing it has a hidden disability. You will find more information on the link below. There is a charge if you purchase through them, but they are available free of charge from businesses that support the scheme. Sainsbury was part of the initial trial, so may be your best option but other stores to try include Asda, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer. Airports, train stations are also worth checking.

I have found this an invaluable support for my son.

Zog & the Flying Doctors

Wed 21 Feb, 1:30pm – relaxed performance

Fri 23 Feb, 1:30pm – BSL

Gamble (16+)

Fri 1 Mar, 8:00pm – BSL

Sat 2 Mar, 8:00pm – BSL

Tortoise and the Hare

Fri 12 Apr, 11:00am – relaxed performance

The Promise (14+)

Fri 19 Apr, 7:45pm – BSL

Sat 20 Apr, 7:45pm – BSL

Frankenstein (14+)

Wed 1 May, 7:30pm – captioned

Thu 2 May, 1:00pm – BSL

Thu 2 May, 6:00pm – BSL

Moby Dick

Wed 22 May, 2:00pm – captioned

Wed 22 May, 7:30pm – captioned

Thu 23 May, 6:00pm – BSL

There are some spaces for those with wheelchairs, they offer free companion tickets which must be booked via the box office in advance for those who cannot attend without support.

Box Office contact details:

0191 230 5151 or by emailing boxoffice@northernstage.co.uk.

To access this centre, you must be members; at a cost of £20 for the year per family. There is lots going on there, not always suitable for those who don’t like busy environments during school holidays. Their outside area contains a wheelchair accessible swing and roundabout!  Check the link below to keep up to date.

I’ve shared these before. See poster for details. There’s a new one in Lanchester, see link below.

AGM Calling:

We have moved the AGM from January to:

Thursday 15^th February 9.30-11.00.

It is important to parents/carers and school that we maintain good links with families. Please come along, or let me know by phone, email or in person what would encourage you to engage more. Through my role as Family Liaison, I am acutely aware of the impact of the increased cost of living, specifically the impact on our families. I want to assure you that support comes in many forms, your time is invaluable to the success of the FoPHS. Whilst fund-raising is important for us to be able to meet our objectives: to enhance the school experience for students we actively seek to engage with our school community. The most recent example was the call for support with creating a Santa’s grotto where I was blown away by the number of parents, carers and family members who came along. Contact me if you’d like more information and remember “every little helps”.

Update:

We identified the development of the outdoor learning space as our “big ticket” item for this year. We received a donation to purchase wood chip and topsoil for the main area. We also received a grant of £1000 to help with additional costs of the new fully accessible outdoor pod. The committee has approved additional funds to enable the electric work to be done so that it can be fully used. The parents/carers who came to help transform it into a Santa’s grotto will know what a difference that will make, so that it is suitable for all weather conditions. I’ll keep you posted.

FoPHS 100 Club:

Please consider joining the 100 club if you haven’t already done so. We currently have 58 numbers taken. The first 6 of 12 draws will be done at the AGM. You can join using the form below or via the QR code on the poster below. It is also on the FoPHS section of the school website

Facebook page:

This is a closed group for family and friends of Percy Hedley School, where you can share news and updates about school life. It is not for external professionals who may be working with families. To join, you need to answer the question stating your link with school.

Please note: this group is for sharing news and updates about school life and is not intended to discuss any issues around individual students, and as such all comments are moderated. If you have a particular issue or concern, please contact school directly on 0191 216 1811.