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Tips for Looking After your Emotional Well-being During

Isolation and School Closures

• It is really important to to look after you general health where possible as this can have a huge impact on your emotions. Being asked to stay at home means you may do less exercise. Exercise is really important for your emotional well-being.
• There are a number of things you can do at home to keep yourself active.
• Walk in your local area (unless we are told to stop doing so) , walk the dog, go for a run, go on a cycle ride, exercise in your garden, do some cleaning or gardening, use a trampoline, use a hula hoop, use your stairs to walk up/down on.

You can use the videos below to inspire your exercise or try some from YouTube

1. https://www.sportengland.org/news/how-stay-active-while-youre-home
2. https://www.nhs.uk/10-minute-shake-up/shake-ups
3. https://watch.lesmillsondemand.com/at-home-workouts
4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51933762

• Make sure you are sticking to your routines where possible. It can be very tempting to sleep in or nap during the day but sometimes this can make us feel worse. Regular bed times and similar sleep/wake times are good for keeping our bodies in a routine.
• We are very lucky to have lots of open spaces and parks where you could go for a walk or run. Being outdoors – even if this is on your doorstep or in your garden will lift your mood.
• Learn something new, staying at home is an ideal time to learn a new skill, some new words in a different language, a new recipe, or some key facts about a certain topic. Learning something that interests you is extremely good for your well-being.
• Do something creative – make a photo collage, learn how to draw something new, paint your nails, learn some origami, or build something. This gives us a sense of achievement and is guaranteed to lift your mood.
• Connect with others using technology. It is important to keep connected with your friends and family
• Think about your social media use- whilst it can be very good for connecting with your friends and family members- it can negatively affect our well-being. Limit your social media use where you can. You can put your phone on flight mode if you still wanted to use it for other things like listening to your music.
• Be careful with the information you read. There is lots of incorrect information online about the Corona virus- only trust information that comes from the government or NHS websites. Misinformation or reading people’s opinions may increase your anxiety unnecessarily.
• Think about how much time you spend talking and reading about the current situation as this can affect your wellbeing. It’s perfectly fine to say to people ‘can we talk about something else..’ or log out of social media/ click off news websites to give your brain a break.
• You may find that with everyone staying at home that it is busy and more stressful. You may need to ask for time or space out. Run a bath or use head phones and relaxing music to switch off and have some time for you. There are lots of free relaxation apps (Headspace, CALM) or music on YouTube.

Useful Sources of Further Support

https://www.southtynesidelifecyclementalhealth.nhs.uk/

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/for-children-and-young-people/

Peer Support Message Boards

On message boards like The Mix or Childline you can share how you’re feeling with other young people, as well as asking for information and suggestions for support

There might be other message boards or online groups that you find. But sometimes you might see posts, images or comments that are upsetting. It’s a good idea to look for groups that:

• have moderators, who can make sure everyone sticks to the rules
• have guidelines about what you can and can’t post
• are for your age group
• make you feel better, not worse
• don’t encourage you to do anything dangerous or harmful to yourself.

Support in a Crisis

If the young person is open to a service currently- You can contact that service for urgent support.

A young person in crisis can be triaged through the non- emergency ambulance number 111 (*please note this service by be extremely busy*)

You can also contact Children & Young Peoples Service – If you are under 16

Intensive Community Support Team

0191 5665500

If you or a family member is an immediate danger to themselves or others then call 999

During this time away from lessons we know most our pupils will have increased screen time; please monitor and look for support if you are worried. Here are some fantastic links if you have concerns.

Radicalisation advice hub

North East

https://act.campaign.gov.uk/

https://www.ltai.info/

1.4.20 Update Contents:Easter – Home Work – Free School Meals

Easter Set Up

Dear all,

The school will be open over the Easter holidays with confirmation to come regarding Good Friday and Easter Monday. As per our previous Facebook post, we would like to close but wish to ensure all families are supported. If we do open over these two days, it would be from 10am-2pm and parents will need to provide lunch.

New attendance – Rather than confirming your attendance each day on a Facebook event, we would like you to fill out the new Google Form to indicate your child(ren)’s attendance over the two-week period to help us plan activities. Please can you complete this to the best of your knowledge, ie shift patterns etc by Friday 3^rd April 6pm https://forms.gle/VPorBG6TSNdTRmWh8

Please complete the form for each child. We recognise plans and work can change, but your best fit will help us.

Over these two weeks, lunches will be in the form of a packed lunch. Parents can send children with their own packed lunch if you wish.

Work from school

Teachers will not set any additional work over the Easter period but new work will be ready either via Google Classroom or posted out to you after the two-week period.

We still have no indication of when schools will reopen. Please try not to panic about your child being left behind, we will be here for them. We’d encourage pupils to do something educational each day but not placing additional stress on yourself or your child. Looking after your family’s mental health is as important as their physical health at this time.

Free School Meals

We will be switching to the voucher system as soon as we have the go ahead that they available and working. Eligible parents will be contacted. Initial information was for after Easter but they may be ready before. When we know, you’ll know! Until that point, packed lunches will continue to be collected from the school main entrance.

Thank you for your continuing support!

Stay safe!

31.3.20 Update 14:20

Dear all,
We are aware that the Government has released information regarding free school meal vouchers. Staff are working to get this sorted as quickly as possible.

There is no need to ring the school. More information will follow.

We will be in touch very soon with how you access your voucher.

Thank you for helping us.

Stay safe.

Hello everyone, it’s Mrs Cunningham here again.

Well, you certainly took Mrs Stelling’s challenge on. The photos that I’ve seen really made me smile. So many Superheroes, Disney characters, Star Wars characters and Book characters. Also, animals, insects and  your favourite outfits (this is the one I did). You all made such an effort.

I was thinking about some of the funny things that have happened at school this last year which have made us smile, chuckle or laugh out loud. One of my favourite things we do at the end of each term is the giant Conga. All of the teachers go out into both yards and when you all see us you run over to join the end of the line. Maybe you could do a family one on Friday at about 1.15. 

Infants, can you remember a couple of Fridays ago when I did the singing in the hall instead of the usual Mrs Peacock, and I couldn’t get the music to play for the right songs. So you were all singing the right words to the wrong tunes. Eventually, I had to call for help.

Nursery can you remember when I came into Nursery dressed as Miss Trunchbull and I had funny teeth in, and some of you did not know it was me, and you all ran away. Green group still ask about my teeth.Then I chased Mrs Peacock, who was dressed as Miss Honey, around the school and she was screaming and I was asking you all if you had seen her, and you all said “No”.

……and Juniors what about when Miss Middleton lets you sing that song sometimes on a Wednesday about Superman and his UNDERWEAR and she makes you sing it very loudly so I hear, then I have to come to the hall to tell her off!!

Oh, and remember when Santa visited and he did that funny dance and his belt fell off!!

Year 6 children who did not go to Thurston, can you remember when we played hockey on those little boards on wheels. Mr Bennett had just started at our school and thought it was great fun. He thinks we should do it again. I got a bit competitive.

What about when we are in assembly and you come out with your trophies, certificates and medals and sometimes you show me a few steps and I copy them. The other teachers particularly like it when you teach me a few tap dancing steps. I really like the ballet ones the best. The last time I did a plie in assembly, I actually split my skirt, but I did not tell you at the time. The other teacher laughed!

Best of all was the day we stopped the traffic on Mortimer Road and marched for our 30th Celebration. It was so good, wasn’t it? There was a piper in the front, we all had flags and each year group had a banner. There were so many parents and grandparents and residents all clapping and cheering you all!  What a day! Can you remember when we practiced so many times to make the big 30 on the yard, then when the man with the drone came he told us we had to turn it all upside down. I can remember everyone was very confused.

I hope you can explain some of these funny stories in a bit more detail to your mams and dads.

Have a terrific Tuesday.

Mrs Cunningham