Latest News | Waterside School

Strep A Update

Wed 07 Dec 2022

Dear Parent/Carer,

As you know, we wrote to you earlier this week about the rise in cases of Strep A within both London and the UK. At that time, we had no cases of Strep A within the Federation.

Unfortunately, we have received confirmation that we have a case of Strep A and the pupil is being treated with anti-biotics.

We have already sent you a copy of the latest information from HSA. We had already complied with all their recommendations prior to being notified and had already informed all the necessary authorities.

Can I remind you that it is vital you are vigilant and look for ANY signs that are related to Strep A. I attach a handy diagram to this message.

IF your child is unwell, please seek medical advice at the earliest possibility, especially as at present there is an uplift in Chicken Pox which mirrors some of the Strep A symptoms and also inform school if you have received a diagnosis.

We will be reminding everyone about infection protocols throughout the school - including hand hygiene and ventilation as set out by the HSA.

We will also keep you up to date on any further infections and any further guidance we have received.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school.

As ever

Meic

Update on HRH The Queen's lying in state

Tue 13 Sep 2022

IF you wish to visit to pay your respects to HRH The Queen, please find details below:

HRH Queen Elizabeth's coffin will move today from Buckingham Palace at 2.22pm to Westminster Hall. Westminster Hall will be open to the public from 5pm and will be open 24 hours until 6.30am on Monday morning.

The update on queuing times etc is that it is expected to be between 8 and 15 hours with an expectation that most will be queuing overnight. There will be little opportunity to sit down as the queue is expected to continuously move forward.

Please find below the route for queuing to pay your respects in person. This has also been sent to parents via Parent Mail. There is a wrist band system, but you will not be guaranteed entry just a right to join the queue.

Items you can and cannot take and how to prepare including how to get a wrist band : Government Website

Transport for London : The updates below still stand but please be aware that congestion is expected to be great.

Tube services are running as normal however, there will be changes to busier stations (Green Park ; Victoria ; Piccadilly ; St James' Park ; Westminster ; Charing Cross ; Embankment ; Waterloo ; Hyde Park and Marble Arch - as to accommodate the amount of visitors expected. Exits and entrances may change and may be subject to trains not stopping/ access not granted if there is overcrowding. Please ensure you know where you can exit either before or after so you can make your journey.
The Elizabeth Line (which has a reduced service usually) will be running a special service throughout the week and weekend with 12 trains per hour on Sunday.
There are already road closures within Central London and these are escalating. Buses may stop before their destination at short notice or be on divert - so please check your route.
Santander cycles will be available but some docking stations (near key buildings) will be out of use.
Some cycle routes will be closed due to road closures.
London River Services will operate as normal but will be busier than usual.

Please use the TfL or City Mapper apps to ensure you have the most up to date information.

Transport Arrangements for the Funeral of HRH The Queen

Mon 12 Sep 2022

Transport for London : We received notice of the expect difficulties - not just on the day of the funeral, but leading up to it - for trains, buses and cars. Below is the latest information and is subject to change:

Tube services are running as normal however, there will be changes to busier stations (Green Park ; Victoria ; Piccadilly ; St James' Park ; Westminster ; Charing Cross ; Embankment ; Waterloo ; Hyde Park and Marble Arch - as to accommodate the amount of visitors expected. Exits and entrances may change and may be subject to trains not stopping/ access not granted if there is overcrowding. Please ensure you know where you can exit either before or after so you can make your journey.
The Elizabeth Line (which has a reduced service usually) will be running a special service throughout the week and weekend with 12 trains per hour on Sunday.
There are already road closures within Central London and these are escalating. Buses may stop before their destination at short notice or be on divert - so please check your route.
Santander cycles will be available but some docking stations (near key buildings) will be out of use.
Some cycle routes will be closed due to road closures.
London River Services will operate as normal but will be busier than usual.

Please use the TfL or City Mapper apps to ensure you have the most up to date information.

Some of our team are taking pupils to visit the flowers on Friday as part of their GCSE work. If you need support to get there, please contact us directly.

Arrangements for the funeral of HRH Queen Elizabeth II

Sun 11 Sep 2022

Funeral of HRH The Queen Arrangements
Dear parent/carer/guardian, As I have no doubt you will have seen on the news and via your social media interactions, the funeral date for HRH Queen Elizabeth II has been released. Over the weekend, the SLT (Senior Leadership Team), Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Board have been in discussion on how best we can accommodate the wishes and needs of The Royal Family, the expectation from His Royal Highness' Government and yours as the Imperium Federation Family. To this end, please see below our arrangements as well as the public time table published by The Royal Family. If you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to contact me at school.
Friday September 16th
Following discussions with the SLT, Chair and Vice Chair, we will close both Waterside and King’s Oak Schools on Friday September 16th from 12.30pm. This is to enable you and your family (if you wish) and the staff at both schools to pay tribute to HRH Queen Elizabeth II - either by attending her whilst she lies in state at Westminster Hall or marking her life in your own way. As you know for such historic events, we would have organised a visit (if you as parents agreed) but due to the discussions with the Royal Palace and Cabinet Office, we are unable to guarantee an end time (due to the expected crowds wishing to pay their respects) and so it was agreed that by closing early on Friday and seeing that as a school journey opportunity, it gave you, as families, flexibility. School transport has been informed and we will provide a packed lunch for pupils to leave school with on Friday. To assist you, we have placed directions from Plumstead, Greenwich and Eltham to Westminster Hall - where HRH Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state, if you do wish to take your family. If you wish to see the flowers that the public have left (or wish to take some of your own), you will need to stay on the Jubilee line and exit at Queen’s Park. Please find attached photos from Saturday when staff visited.
Monday September 19th
As declared by The Royal Family and His Majesty’s Government on Saturday, Monday September 19th will be both HRH Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and a Bank Holiday. Both Waterside and King’s Oak will be closed and parents will be informed. Tuesday will see a full return to school time table and expectation.
Other Notable Timings/Events
Like ourselves, our pupils are very interested in the ceremonial/constitutional and pageantry of the week ahead, and to this end - please find an overview of what has been published. Timings will be released via all social media channels.
Monday 12th	King Charles III will meet both Houses of Parliament for them to express their condolences. King Charles III, with Queen Consort, will fly to Edinburgh to begin Operation Spring Tide - his tour of the home nations. HRH The Queen’s coffin will move to St Giles’ Cathedral accompanied by King Charles III and members of the Royal Family. HRH The Queen will lie in state for 24 hours so the public can pay their respects. During the evening, King Charles III and the Royal Family will hold a vigil at the cathedral.
Tuesday 13th	Princess Anne will accompany HRH The Queen on her final flight back to London. King Charles III and Queen Consort, will fly to Northern Ireland as part of Operation Spring Tide. HRH The Queen will be taken to Buckingham Palace - welcomed by King Charles III upon his return from Northern Ireland.
Wednesday 14th	HRH The Queen will move from Buckingham Palace - carried on a gun carriage (from the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery) and will be followed by The Royal Family. HRH The Queen will be placed on a platform (called a catafalque) and her coffin will be draped in the Royal Standard and topped with the State Crown, orb and sceptre. Westminster Hall (following a service) will be opened to the public to pay tribute to HRH Queen Elizabeth II.
Thursday 15th	This is the first full day of lying in state.
Friday 16th	This is the second full day of lying in state. King Charles III and Queen Consort will travel to Wales as part of Operation Spring Tide. Waterside and King’s Oak will be closed from 12.30pm
Saturday 17th	This is the third full day of lying in state.
Sunday 18th	This is the fourth and final day of lying in state.
Monday 19th	HRH The Queen’s Funeral
Tuesday 20th	School re-opens.
How to get to Westminster Hall
Greenwich	Bus: 422 / 188 / 129 towards North Greenwich Tube : Jubilee and exit at Westminster. Exit through Exit 4 - Bridge Street North - Westminster Hall is 2 minutes walk.
Plumstead	Train : take any overground from Plumstead/Woolwich exit at London Bridge. Tube : Take the Jubilee to Westminster. Exit through Exit 4 - Bridge Street North - Westminster Hall is 2 minutes walk.
Eltham	Train : take any overground towards Charing Cross exiting at London Bridge. Tube : Take the Jubilee to Westminster. Exit through Exit 4 - Bridge Street North - Westminster Hall is 2 minutes walk. Or Train : take any overground to Charing Cross. Walk : it is a 12 minute walk from Charing Cross to Westminster Hall.

Do you have the passion to be a Governor? We need you!

Fri 09 Sep 2022

WE NEED YOU!

Have you always wanted to make a real difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable but amazing young people within education?

Do you have the passion and skills to work with a committed team of educators who never give up on our pupils even when others have?

We are looking for new members to join our Governing Board and help continue the transformational work the federation has achieved.

If you would like to discuss the role further, then please do not hesitate to contact me at the school.

Isn't it time you unleashed your inner super hero?

Hot Hot Hot!

Sun 17 Jul 2022

Dear Parent,

The coming week is going to see temperatures soar to levels we have never seen in the UK and from which media sources you use, you are either excited for the chance of having weather that we usually travel abroad for or are anxious about how the temperature will effect you personally.

As schools, we have received a lot of information over the weekend from the Government (DfE and Central Government), the Royal Borough of Greenwich as well as from teaching unions - all asking schools to provide very different responses - which contradict one another greatly.

We have checked that Royal Borough of Greenwich school transport will be unaffected, but we have been alerted that TFL and train services are subject to either cancellation or modification (i.e. slower running due to the heat and its effects on the tracks) which may mean journeys will take longer than usual.

From discussion with the Heads of School, the Governing Board and taking advice from trusted sources (as we did during the height of the COVID response) our plans are as follows :

both schools will be open up until (and including) Thursday as originally planned
school uniform across both schools is relaxed for the entire week - shorts, t shirts are expected and encouraged etc and this includes staff (if they wish)
sunscreen to be applied before school (we recommend in line with all cancer charities that it should be Factor 50) and please (if you wish) a labelled tube of sunscreen for your child to reapply during the day. We are not allowed to put on sunscreen on but will help guide them.
pupils are encouraged to wear a hat
we will be creating as much ventilation as possible
we will be offering unlimited access to water
we will be offering ice lollies etc during the day
play/break times will be modified so that we try to avoid (as much as possible) the heat, and offering options to play inside, in shade etc.
we will be checking on each other for signs of difficulties due to heat

You are of course as the parent, completely within your right to chose not to send into school during the two predicted hottest days and keep them at home. If you choose to do this, we will automatically apply work to Google Classroom for them to undertake whilst at home and we will have to (as part of our duty of care and under safeguarding) check in on your via phone or video call.

Throughout the day we need to keep an eye on each other for signs of dehydration:

if your urine is orange or dark in colour, you need to drink more water - we will need to remind children to check the colour of their urine throughout the day

Signs of Heat Exhaustion include :

a headache
dizziness and confusion
loss of appetite and feeling sick
excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin
cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
fast breathing or pulse
being very thirsty
high body temperature – a temperature of or above 40°C (104°F) is a major sign of heatstroke (if it doesn't go down when placed in the shade and after drinking water)
red, hot skin and sweating that then suddenly stops
fast heartbeat
fast shallow breathing
confusion/lack of co-ordination
fits
loss of consciousness

Those of us who are also experiencing menopausal symptoms will need to ensure that you monitor your responses carefully - as some of the signs above can be confused with menopause.

All physical activity (PE etc) has to be reduced - no racing etc. so that we reduce the potential for heat exhaustion.

Our risk assessment has been based on the Government's direction as well as by us giving you as parents, autonomy to keep your child at home during the next two days. We will monitor the situation constantly and if proved necessary, we will close the schools if we are unable to maintain the safety of ourselves and the children.

School closure

Wed 13 Jul 2022

School closure due to Covid19 will be 13/7/22 All students can use google classroom to access learning. School will re open on Thursday 14/7/22

Staff training day on Friday 17th June 2022

Fri 17 Jun 2022

Help with Benefits and Energy Rebate Payments

Thu 16 Jun 2022

Dear parent,

You will have seen via your media channels that the Government in England is offering support to families who are finding the cost of living and energy increases difficult.

Face-to-face advice is available for Royal Greenwich residents at our outreach advice hubs.

Participating organisations are Welfare Rights Service (for benefits advice), Citizens Advice (for debt and generalist advice), Plumstead Law Centre (for immigration advice) and Greenwich Housing Rights (for housing advice).

Advisers are also available to assist residents needing help to apply for the £150 or £65 Energy Rebate payment.

If you need help to apply, please visit any of the advice hubs listed in the table below and bring with a copy of a bank statement so that it can be uploaded. This is drop-in support, so you can just turn up if they need help.

Please do make use of this - so you are able to get what you are entitled to.

Location	Date and time	Advice available
The Forum, Trafalgar Road SE10 9EQ	Mondays 10am to 12 noon	Debt, housing and welfare benefits
Migrant Hub - Woolwich Common Community Centre, Leslie Smith Square SE18 4DW	Tuesdays 10.30am to 1.30pm	Immigration, advocacy and housing
St Mary’s Community Centre, Eltham High Street SE9 1BJ	Wednesdays 10am to 12 noon	Debt, housing and welfare benefits
Thamesmead Moorings Sociable Club, Arnott Close SE28 8BG *This hub is run by Peabody and funded by the GLA	Wednesdays 9.30am to 12.30pm	Housing and immigration advice
Glyndon Community Centre, Raglan Road SE18 7LB	Thursdays 10am to 12 noon	Debt, housing and welfare benefits
Woolwich Clockhouse Community Centre, Woolwich Dockyard SE18 5QL	Fridays 9.30am to 12 noon	Welfare benefits, housing and debt

Tackling Child Abuse

Wed 04 May 2022

We as a Federation are strongly committed to this ... find out how you can be too by tapping/clicking here.