Family Information and FOPHS News Friday 22nd November 2024

Thursday 28^th November 14-15.00: Social coffee afternoon for parents/carers.

Friday 29^th November. Themed menu for St. Andrew’s Day.

The events calendar can be found on the school website under the heading below. The academic calendar for 2025-26 is now available too.

It is here.

This week’s online safety blog is live!

In today’s digital age, online games provide a fantastic platform for children to play, learn, and socialise. However, just as there are safety rules in the real world, there are important online safety guidelines that parents and children need to understand and implement. One of the first steps in ensuring online safety is the creation of appropriate usernames and gamertags.

Universal Credit for students.

This week I want to focus on claiming universal credit for students who are over 16.

Why is this important? It gives them financial support while still in education.

I want to cover this for those families who are claiming universal credit and for those who are not eligible for universal credit.

1. Families where parent/carer is claiming universal credit.

Low-income families who are claiming universal credit and have a child with a disability get additional funds as part of their claim. This includes the child element, disabled child element and the carer element. If a parent is claiming carers allowance, this is a taxable benefit and is deducted from the claim, but they will still get the carer element so are financially better off. Now, this will cease when your child turns 20 regardless of whether they are still in education. In December 2021 the government made a key change in that they would not be eligible for universal credit if they have already started a course. So, if you are claiming universal credit, you MUST get an assessment for work capability before they move to college. If you don’t, your universal credit will stop on their 20^th birthday, and you won’t be eligible for benefits to support you as a carer of a disabled adult. You are advised by Contact-for families of disabled children to apply for a credit only universal credit. This does not provide you with extra money in your claim; it triggers a work capability assessment which means that when the benefits you receive to support them stop, they can claim universal credit in their own name. The sooner you do this the better, but if your child is in Year 14 you need to give it urgent attention. You’ll find more information here below.

2. Families where the parent/carer is not claiming universal credit.

You will be in this situation if earned income is above the threshold for universal credit. If this is the case for your family and your child has turned 16 you should initiate a claim for universal credit/limited capacity for work related activity. (Universal Credit, LCWRA). This benefit replaced ESA (employment and support allowance). This benefit would be payable to your child/young person and provide them with additional financial support while they are still in education. I have had varying feedback from families who have applied but a small number have been successful. The link at the end is from the government website where it states that full time students are eligible if:

you are disabled, have been assessed as having Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity, (LWRA) and receive:

Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment

You will find more information on the links below

What are the other benefits for your child? Your child/young person will be eligible for a student bursary:

• If you are claiming universal credit or your household income is below £40,000 per annum (not including your child’s DLA or PIP)
• If they are in Local Authority Care or recently left care
• If the young person is claiming Universal Credit, LCWRA AND PIP in their own name.

I have covered the student bursary in more than one blog, most recently on 25^th October.

Why did I cover this subject again? I am aware that the cost for attending the residential visit may be a challenge for families and, following successful claims by some families for universal credit felt it might be helpful to more families. Whilst I appreciate the cost of residential may seem high, it is a specialist residential facility, which comes at a high cost, staffing levels need to support our students but these trips are positive for students and their families.

As always, I welcome opportunities to support families and would be happy to discuss on an individual basis. I cannot complete or support universal credit applications, but I can signpost you.

** SEND TRANSPORT CONSULTATION **

Further information following the recent consultation on Newcastle City Council’s home to school transport service for Post 16 students with SEND has been published.

The local authority have now reached the next stage of the process, and a full report on the proposals will be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting on 25 November 2024 at 6pm.

Venue: Collingwood Room, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH

Cabinet meetings are public meetings, and anyone can attend.

The proposal is to agree to Option 2:

Stop delivering this service from September 2025 for any new post 16 students with SEND. Students currently in receipt of support in year 12 and above will continue to receive this until their educational studies end.

A copy of the report can be found below.

I have also been informed by a parent that Contact-for families of disabled children is campaigning on SEND Transport.

. The aim is to develop and agree ways to assess chest health in children and young people with cerebral palsy. Findings from this research will then help clinicians, children and families to regularly monitor and evaluate changes in chest health, prompting timely treatment decisions and support proactive clinical care. If you would like to participate in this study, please read the leaflet and scan the QR code on the poster.

“We are thrilled to announce the details of our Carers’ Christmas Party!

It’s time for carers to come together, unwind, and get into the Christmas spirit. Enjoy the buffet, refreshments, games and prizes, and a DJ playing all your favourite festive tunes!

We’ll be holding a Christmas jumper competition, so come along wearing your favourite Christmas jumper — the most festive will win a prize.

This event is free for carers to attend, spaces are limited, so please contact us if you would like to come along.

0191 275 5060

info@newcastlecarers.org.uk

When booking, please let us know if you have any dietary requirements.

For more information, visit our website.”

Live music, Robin’s winter trail, carols, and festive crafts at Seaton Delaval Hall (selected dates in December)

Storytime with Mrs Christmas, Walkaround Father Christmas & Live Music in the Hall at Wallington (selected dates in December)

Woodland Fairy Trail at Gibside (daily from 23 Nov – 6 Jan)

A Fairytale Christmas at Ormesby Hall (during usual opening hours from 22 Nov – 22 Dec)

See the UK’s largest Christmas Tree at Cragside & enjoy the Spirits of the Forest at Cragside House (30 Nov – 5 Jan). There’s also a twilight lantern trail but this needs to be booked in advance and there is an additional charge.

(Make sure you check voucher expiry date when making plans and remember that Cragside is not included with free vouchers but is included with National Trust membership).

Check event timings and find out more about visiting below.

4th November 2024 – 13th December 2024: Open Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm

14th – 24th December 2024: Open daily, 10am-4pm

25th and 26th December 2024: Closed

27th December 2024 – 5th January 2025: Open daily, 10am-4pm

6th January 2025 – 21st February 2025: Open Friday-Sunday, 10am-4pm

22nd February 2025 – 2nd March 2025: Open daily, 10am-4pm

3rd – 30th March 2025: Open Wednesday-Sunday, 10am- 4pm

Grand Cinema Events

Adults: £12.50 Child £10.00

Transport yourself to the golden age of cinema with a nostalgic evening in our beautifully restored 1950s Grand Cinema. Settle into our authentic cinema seating, surrounded by Art Deco charm, as we share the magic of classic Christmas films. The Grand cinema, from Ryhope, in Sunderland, has been recreated and brought to life, in our 1950s Town.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Sunday 1st December, 2pm-4pm

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Sunday 8th December, 2pm-4pm

White Christmas (1954) Sunday 22nd December, 4pm-7pm

Pre-booking essential. You don’t need to pay museum admission to attend a cinema event, you just need to purchase cinema tickets – admission will be one hour before the showing time. Unlimited Passes and Friends of Beamish memberships are not valid for this event.

We continue collecting for the Enterprise Christmas fayre and raffle. You can send donations in anytime. If anyone has links with businesses who could provide a raffle prize or voucher that would be amazing. The proceeds of the raffle will be split between the Enterprise group and FoPHS. Tickets have been sent home, there are plenty more available from me or Hazel in Post 16. Just put a note in your child’s diary and we will get them to you.

Volunteer requests. As we prepare for Christmas, we would appreciate parent/carer volunteers to help with a few Christmassy events. We need to decorate a Grotto! We need to gift-wrap presents from FoPHS. On the day of the fayre, I won’t be in school so would be grateful if a few parents could step in to run the FoPHS stall. I have ideas but will see if there are volunteers before proceeding. Please get in touch with me if you can help.

Meeting. Our next meeting will be on Thursday 5^th December from 14-15.00. Do come along and help us with new ideas. It will be hybrid and the link will be shared next week.

Last year 62 numbers were taken, 94 the previous year and to date this year we have 43 taken. We will be doing the first 6 draws at the AGM in January so there is plenty of time to join and share with your family and friends. If we could reach the magic 100 numbers, that would be 12 prizes of £50 and a total of £600 for FoPHS.

It is not for external professionals who may be working with families. To join, you must 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.