Family Information and FOPHS News Friday 24th January 2025
I went to see Timba Time, who were in school this week. It was amazing and watching the children interact was an absolute pleasure. I have shared their events externally a few times in my blogs and on our Facebook page. If you haven’t seen it, do google and see if you recognise the student who features! We had the FoPHS AGM and will share with you details in due course.
24.01.25
School Uniform:
We have a lot of nearly new and some new school uniform donated by parents in school.
Sweatshirts sizes: 5-6 (4), 7-8 (8), 9-10 (8), 11-12 (3), 12-13 (4), Adult xs (2), Adult l (5).
Round neck t-shirts size 7-8 (2)
Polo shirts age 7-8 (7)
Cardigans: Sizes 7-8 (4), 11-12 (1), 12-13 (1), adult xs (1).
If this is of interest, please contact the office or me and we will send them home with your child. If you have good quality uniform to donate, please send it in and we will rehome it.
Events:
Tuesday 28th January 2-3pm: Engagement Pathway coffee afternoon. Classes HL, BE, AH, CH and HF.
Thursday 29th January: Chinese New Year themed menu for students.
You will also find term dates for this year and for 2025-26. Remember that when checking term dates, the school website is the best place to check. Sometimes alternations have to be made, and the school website is the most up to date version.

Free School Meals
Those who are in receipt of holiday vouchers from North Tyneside; I have been asked to share the following information with you:
“Dear Parents / Guardians / Carers,
Could you please, as a matter of urgency, ensure you have provided your child or children’s school/s with the correct, accurate and most up to date email / contact details. This will guarantee the Free School Meal holiday voucher/s you are eligible for, reaches the correct recipient in good time to redeem them for the February half-term holiday.
Can parents / guardians / carers also contact their own individual school/s in the first instance if you have any questions and or concerns about eligibility or to confirm the number of voucher orders you expect to receive, to assure your child/children do not miss out.
The voucher activation date will be Friday 14th February 2025. “
Just to add, I use the email address that you provide when applying for these vouchers or from the initial information you provide to school. If you change email address and wish me to update, please contact me directly. Some of you know that I do track these to ensure parents are activating them on time. I don’t want those who are eligible to lose out. If you have any difficulty, please contact me. I am here to help.
Online Safety
The link to the Online safety information can be found on the school website under the heading “Parent and carers area”, then “online safety” from the dropdown menu.
It is here: https://www.percyhedley.org.uk/percy-hedley-school/e-safety/
This week’s online safety blog focuses on Whatsapp groups- specifically a guide for parents to adapt settings so that their children cannot be added into Whatsapp groups with people that they don’t know.
https://www.percyhedley.org.uk/percy-hedley-school/weekly-newsletter/online-safety-blogs/#story-1
You can find the link to previous weekly online blogs here:
https://www.percyhedley.org.uk/percy-hedley-school/weekly-newsletter/online-safety-blogs/

Information
Newcastle Consultation.
There is an ongoing consultation which will be of interest to Newcastle residents about “short breaks”.
“Community Short Breaks Offer Consultation 2025
Newcastle City Council’s current contractual arrangements for our Community Short Breaks Offer are due to end in 2025.
The Community Short Breaks offer refers to opportunities for children and young people with additional needs to spend time relaxing and having fun with their friends, in their local community. Short breaks can also give families a rest from their caring responsibilities, and they can offer families the means to spend quality time together. This proposal relates to Community Short Breaks as described above and does not include support within the home or overnight respite.
Following a review of the current Community Short Breaks offer, and a period of engagement with children, young people, and their families, as well as the provider market, we are now consulting with parents, carers, children and young people and providers on a proposal to put in place four contracts which will be supported by a wider universal and targeted offer available to families in the city. We will consider all feedback received prior to determining the final Commissioning Model.
How you can take part
Please read this information about our proposal: NCC Community Short Breaks Offer Consultation December 2024
You can send your comments by email to Louise Fitzgerald, Commissioning and Procurement Officer, at: louise.fitzgerald@newcastle.gov.uk.
The deadline for responses is 5pm on Friday 31st January. If you have any questions, or need this survey in a different format such as large print, please contact us by emailing: louise.fitzgerald@newcastle.gov.uk or call: 0191 278 7878.
Rise4Disability Sunderland:
There is an event on Thursday 13th February which is free to attend and may be of interest.
“FREE local event connecting you with the resources and support you need to enhance your accessibility and independence”.
For further information and to register for a free ticket, please click here:
North Tyneside Families.
North East Autism Society has some coffee mornings, training etc for parents of children on the Autistic Spectrum. See poster for details.


Activities
Annual Memberships
Have a look at this list from Northeast Family Fun which is comprehensive. It is not SEND specific, but if you visit individual websites, you will find their accessibility section.
As and when I come across them, I will be sharing information on half term, so please do check this section if it’s of interest.
FEB HALF TERM
We’re really pleased to be partnering with The Missing Lynx Project to be able to host the Missing Lynx Exhibition this half term.
Please see the link below to book a FREE time slot to visit the exhibition when you come to the zoo.
Please note this is a FREE exhibition that is taking place in our new immersive hub in our teaching building.
Admission fees still apply to visit the zoo
https://www.missinglynxproject.org.uk/exhibition
In the zoo we also have a family Missing Lynx Trail for you to learn more about the missing lynx project and their aims.
Remember that you have until 31st January to avail of a half price annual pass, which I covered recently. https://northumberland.ac.uk/ticketing-hub/




Alan Shearer Centre:




Their half term activities have just been released. There are some other activities too. See the posters below for details. There is a Timba Time on the 3rd Sunday of each month which will be 16th February. You can’t drop in to these activities, but need to book on 0191 678118. Membership of the Alan Shearer Centre is free and can be downloaded here:
https://alanshearercentre.org.uk/activity-centre/
https://alanshearercentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/membershipApplicationForm.pdf

FoPHS News
AGM was on Tuesday. The committee remains unchanged. We drew the first 6 of 12 100 club draws and the winners and numbers are:
31-Catherine MacDonnell
36-Vicky Duchar
61-Chris Fewster
56-Chris Fewster
30-Helen Smark
43-Paul Cummings
I will contact winners to arrange payment of your winnings. With 64 numbers taken this will be £32 per winner and £384 raised for FoPHS. If you’d like to join for the remainder of the academic year, you could have 2 numbers for £12! Every little helps.
Our next meeting will be on Monday 3rd March 2-3pm where we will make plans for the year. Come and join us; there will be cake.
Facebook Group
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.
January is a tricky month, we’re spent too much at Christmas, are back to work and school, payday seems like an eternity away, the weather is unpredictable, so I was looking for a quote as I always do to end the week on a positive note. I like this one very much.
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out”. Robert Collier
Contact details
Eileen Robinson: Family Liaison Officer
Email: e.robinson@percyhedley.org.uk
Telephone: 0191 2161811 ext. 3260.

Join Our Facebook Group
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.