Family Information and FOPHS News Friday 5th September 2025

I will be in contact over the next few weeks to request it. For those families on low incomes, as part of the cost-of-living payments to local authorities, vouchers are provided to help with costs during school holidays. This changed in the summer term and the next one will be in December. I will provide further information once I receive it.

There have been changes in the last year.

There are 2 types:

1. Vulnerable Student Bursary
2. Discretionary Student Bursary.

Essentially the difference is that the vulnerable one relates to the young person’s situation and their income whereas the discretionary one is the parent/carers income. Please feel free to contact me for more information.

Each week the online safety experts in school do a weekly blog.

Preparation for Adulthood:

In the last year we did a lot of work to add resources for parents/carers to the school website. We also started a forum and will continue with it this year. Next week Hannah and I are meeting to plan and will share dates with you once confirmed.

The National Development Team for Inclusion is a not-for-profit independent organisation which has worked alongside people and organisations to develop a strategy for independence. It is not disability specific, and we have included many of their resources.

Fact: Our students grow up and move on from Percy Hedley School. We want to ensure that you have the tools and information to make or help them make choices for the future and go on to live their best lives.

EHCP’s encompass the age range of 0-25 but will cease once a student has achieved their education/training objectives. Contrary to many people’s opinions, many cease well before age 25.

We hope our resources provide you with a starting point.

SOS SEN:

Don’t miss our NEW WEBINAR: the UPDATED SEND 35 Form Guide!

(Costs £15)

Thursday 18th September

6:30 – 8pm

Thanks to staff member Carol who forwarded this to me. It may be of interest to those who have children with dystonia. Dystonia is the name for uncontrolled and sometimes painful muscle movements (spasms).

Toon Takeover!
Dystonia UK will be taking over Newcastle with a whole weekend of awareness month activities!

From Friday 5th to Sunday 7th September, Newcastle will be alive with Dystonia UK energy and community spirit. We’ll be hosting everything from 2 hospital roadshows to a group meet up at the Toby Carvery, creating spaces to connect, share and support one another.

And there’s more — we’ll be holding a special workshop and presentation at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, and finishing the weekend with one of the most inspiring moments of all: standing side by side to cheer on our incredible runners at the Great North Run.

SUPPORT FOR CEREBRAL PALSY FAMILIES

Scope are running a specific online session on Education, Health and Care plans for families with Cerebral Palsy…

Attention Parents of children with cerebral palsy!

You’ve asked, and we have provided! Join our session on Education, Health, and Care plans (EHCPs).

Connect through our live Zoom session with SEND specialists IPSEA. They will share general advice EHCPs.

Thursday, 18 September

11:30am until 1pm

Limited spaces available

Please note, this is an online event. You will be sent the a zoom link the day before, please remember to check your junk folder. IPSEA cannot help with individual EHCP issues at this meeting due to time limits.

Contact – Once in a generation chance to improve support for families

The Law Commission is due to publish its report and recommendations for the reform of disabled children’s social care law this month. This is a once in a generation opportunity to make the process of asking for social care support simpler and fairer for families with disabled children in England.

Families with disabled children know first-hand that the system needs an overhaul. So we look forward to the publication of the report and we will be encouraging the government to take forward the recommendations to improve the process of getting help from social care for families with disabled children.

Amanda Elliot, Contact’s Health and Social Care lead, said: “Social care is consistently the third most common inquiry to our helpline. Families struggle to understand what support they’re eligible for. For example, we hear from parents whose child the local authority refused a needs assessment or who faced delays getting support. Too often support only arrives when families hit crisis point. Parents also tell us they felt humiliated and blamed when they sought help from social care services. That’s why we eagerly anticipate the publication of the Law Commission’s report and invite parents to get in touch with us to help us ensure desperately needed change does happen.”

We are keen to ensure parents are heard during meetings with officials and MPs and in the media following the publication of the Law Commission’s report.

If you have an experience of social care that you would like to share, please get in touch with elaine.bennett@contact.org.uk

We are particularly interested to hear from families where:

• You and your child have been turned down for social care support despite clear need or what you have been awarded is not adequate. You may have experience of the complaints process.
• You and your child have been awarded social care support, but it is not the same as another family whose child  has the same condition that you know who live in another county or area.
• You and your child have been turned down for social care support because they say that the needs are health related and there is a dispute between the Local Authority and ICB about who should fund the package of care.
• You applied for social care support on the basis of need, but it was assessed as a safeguarding concern despite no evidence of neglect or abuse. This has put you off asking for social care support.

Beacon Hill

Beacon Films CIC supports disabled young people and adults to engage in filmmaking.

We also welcome non-disabled young people (16 – 19) to our BFI Film Academy short course, which takes place on weekends.

I’m excited to share that we are now open for applications to our Beacon Films BFI Film Academy short filmmaking course!

Here’s a quick overview of what the course has to offer:

> Workshops: 9 hands-on filmmaking sessions held on weekends from October to December 2025.

> Filmmaking Experience: Participants will create and produce their own short film.

> Free Places: There are 12 free spots available for young people residing in North East England.

> Location: All workshops will take place in Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne.

> Bursaries: Access and travel bursaries are available to support participants who need them.

> Eligibility: Applicants must be aged 16-19, or 20-25 with an EHCP.

If any of the young people you work with are interested and would like to apply for a place, please can you encourage them to attend one of our taster sessions on Saturday, October 11th, in Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Northern Lights Newcastle

NEWCASTLE – 20% OFF our BEST Christmas slots! Back for a LIMITED time only

It might still be September, but our most magical December dates are already flying! For a limited time only, grab 20% off Peak, Standard & Off-Peak slots – including Saturday nights!

Use code LIGHTS20 at checkout to save

Don’t miss your chance to visit at the most popular times – once they’re gone, they’re gone! This is a limited time offer, and will expire on 30th September so don’t miss out

T&Cs apply Not valid on Super Off-Peak slots | Code must be applied before selecting tickets | Cannot be retrospectively applied or used in conjunction with any other offers | Limited time offer

Kielder Winter Wonderland

Don’t forget that we have a day of relaxed performances for families living with additional needs.

This year’s date is Saturday 16 November.

Our relaxed day includes:-

All sessions ran at 50% capacity

Reduced noise

Raised lighting

Colleagues trained in Autism awareness

This week is the Great North Run weekend. Starting on Saturday with the mini and junior versions, culminating in the world’s largest (and best; biased) half marathon. If your child takes part and you would like their journey shared, please feel free to forward photos after the event. You may also share them on our closed Facebook page. It is so important to share their successes. Do make sure that you have consented to having their photo shared please.

My husband and daughter are, once again taking on the GNR to raise funds for FoPHS. Please consider sponsoring them. They have been asked to raise £700, and we are quite a way off that target. The link is below the photo of Team Robinson!

Finally, if you are in South Shields on the day do drop by the Percy Hedley Foundation tent in the charity village where I am volunteering with my son who is a former PHS student. He can spot a PHF vest a mile off as trust me there are plenty of purple running vests out there.

We will be located in tent number 87 in row F.

Christmas Cards.

For the last few years, we have participated in this initiative. Students design their own Christmas/holiday card. A copy of their design is sent home with an order form for families to order if they wish.

FoPHS earns a small amount of commission, and we get a little more for early returns. So, expect the designs to arrive home in the next month.

100 Club:

Soon I will send home forms to join our 100 club. This costs £12 for the year; 12 draws take place in 2 batches of 6. Half the takings are retained by FoPHS with the remainder given as cash prizes. Last year we raised £384 for FoPHS and each winner received £32. This is an easy way to support us.

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.