Contact Helping children get Back to School with confidence
Helping children get Back to School with confidence
A new webpage has been created to prepare and support West Sussex children to go back or start school with confidence.
Full of key information and content, the Back to School resource on the West Sussex County Council website is designed to give children and their families everything they need for returning in September.
It features a video recorded by West Sussex pupils who went back to school last term, speaking about some of the changes to help reassure children who have been away from school for some time about what they can expect.
Information is provided on:
• Returning to school in a ‘bubble’
• Exam results
• Mealtime arrangements
• Support with emotional wellbeing and for children with additional needs
• Family summer activities
• Travelling to school
West Sussex County Council shares the government’s ambition for every school-age child to be back from the start of the new academic year. The coronavirus restrictions since March 20 mean that the majority of the county’s near 115,000 school-age children won’t have been in school for nearly six months when they go back – so it’s crucial they feel ready, supported and confident to return along with their parents and carers.
Nigel Jupp, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We share the desire for all school-age children to get back to school safely, especially after so many missed out on much of their valuable education during the school lockdown restrictions.
“Our Education Team continues to support school staff and governors in their meticulous preparation and risk assessments ahead of September. It’s so important that every child and young person feels ready and confident about returning, and for families to be assured that all the necessary safety measures are being put in place.
“As well as speaking to their school about the individual changes being made, I really hope families find this new webpage a useful tool to use together.”
Throughout the pandemic, West Sussex schools remained open for children of key workers and those who are vulnerable, and welcomed additional pupils back from June 1. The county’s attendance figures was significantly higher than the national average, with nearly 22% of pupils attending school towards the end of the summer term, compared to the national average of 16.9%.*
This was made possible by the dedication and cooperation of school leaders in following the national health guidance on keeping staff and pupils safe, while also supporting their parents and carers who were home-schooling.
Craig Mackinlay MP has welcomed news that Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is set to receive an additional £1.5m in order to support A&E capacity ahead of the winter months. In addition, Kent & Medway Sustainability and Transformation Partnership will gain another £750,000.
The extra money means that NHS trusts in Kent will be able to increase A&E capacity, put enhanced infection prevention and control measures in place and make improvements to emergency care and urgent treatment services.
Across England, the Government is providing £300 million to A&E departments, with work to be completed by the start of next year so hospitals can benefit from the upgrades during the peak of winter.
In June, the Prime Minister announced plans to accelerate £5 billion of infrastructure spending as part of his New Deal for Britain – an ambitious economic strategy to rebuild Britain by putting jobs, skills and infrastructure investment at the heart of the Government’s plans. This funding forms part of the New Deal, which allocated a total of £1.5 billion this year for hospital maintenance, hospital building and A&E expansion.
The funding also comes on top of the additional £3 billion that the Prime Minister recently announced to help prepare the NHS for the winter months ahead. This funding will allow the NHS to continue to use the extra hospital capacity acquired from the independent sector through the coronavirus pandemic, and also to maintain the Nightingale hospitals until the end of March next year.
Commenting, Craig Mackinlay MP, said:
“Our local NHS staff have worked tirelessly over recent months, and we are thankful for everything they have done to get Thanet through the coronavirus pandemic.
“While we hope for the best this winter, its right that we plan for the worst. This funding to upgrade A&E across Kent will ensure that we are in the best possible position for the challenges that the winter months may bring.
“As a Conservative, the NHS is one of my top priorities and I was re-elected last December on a promise to level up the health service across the country. I am delighted to see the Conservatives in Government getting on with doing exactly that.”
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson MP, said:
“We continue to deliver on our promise to build back better and faster, with £300 million allocated today for NHS trusts to upgrade their facilities and improve A&E capacity.
“These upgrades will help our fantastic NHS prepare for the winter months, helping them to deliver essential services and reduce the risk of coronavirus infections.
“Thanks to the hard work and tireless efforts of NHS staff throughout the pandemic, our A&Es have remained open for the public.
“It’s vital that those who need emergency treatment this winter access it, and for those who remain concerned about visiting hospitals, let me assure you that the NHS has measures in place to keep people safe.”
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