Headteachers Update 10th September 2021

Welcome back to all our pupils old and new, I hope you have all had a wonderful summer. The children looked extremely smart in their new school uniforms on arrival on Wednesday. It was difficult to send my little Reuben (now 16months) back to nursery after such a wonderful summer but the happy welcomes we received from the pupils and staff has made it better. We have had lots of happy faces and the children have already built new friendships with peers and staff already!

To our new parents, this is our weekly newsletter to share good news, information and important messages to you all and our community. All parents will receive our communications leaflet explaining all other ways we communicate with you.

The week started with two staff training days, during these days we had external trainers in for Sensory Integration and a full day of Intensive Intervention. We also received our annual safeguarding update training and prepared our classrooms ready to welcome the children back.

Although restrictions and guidance for Covid 19 changed over the summer, we are still implementing aspects of our risk assessment e.g children continue to eat their lunches in classrooms, we will continue our celebration assembly virtually for the first month to monitor Covid 19 cases,  we will continue our daily temperature checks, during playtimes we have increased our classes to 2 sharing the space – it’s so wonderful to see the children interacting with children beyond their classroom peers, we have missed this greatly!

The pick up and drop off times have been busy, as predicted, it takes the staff a little while to get to know all the different vehicles and where the pupils are on the bus loop. We will monitor our parent drop off and pick up times for another week before finalising our timings. A big well done to Ian for managing the bus loop this week! For new parents, Ian is the smiley gent in the high vis-jacket keeping all our taxi drivers in check, he’ll get to know all the new parents in no time! ☺

For those children who require health care support, our newly appointed Health Care Assistant will work alongside the Special School NHS Nursing Team this month, getting to know all the children’s needs.
Lynn Rowan has worked with the NHS prior to returning to Hob Moor Oaks in this new role. All forms, communications and enquires regarding your children’s health will continue to be through the nursing team, we will inform you of any changes as Lynn’s role develops over time. Our main priority for Autumn term is for classroom staff to be trained to support your children’s enteral feeds. She is super excited to get to know everyone.

Our Parent’s Community Hub meeting will be face to face on Tuesday 14th September 10am-11:30am, we will also provide a virtual option if needed (if you would like a virtual invitation, please email admin.hmo@ebor.academy for the link). The Parent’s Community Hub is an informal forum for parents and senior leaders to talk all things Hob Moor Oaks , this includes SEND support in the local areas. Everyone is welcome, refreshments will be provided. Please see the communication leaflet for information regarding the email address for requesting agenda items.

All other dates for the diary will be added to our electronic calendar on the school’s website.

In our school, we have an open door policy, please do not hesitate to contact me or the school office.
We cannot wait to welcome you in in person! In next week’s newsletter we will introduce our HLTAs who have roles across the school.