CopthornePrimary School Telephone: (01274) 501460 - Email: office@copthorneacademy.co.uk
Executive Headteacher: Mrs Christabel Shepherd
Head of School: Miss Stephanie Ngenda
Copthorne Primary School
All Saints Road
Bradford
BD7 3AY

COVID-19

Keep up to date with the latest guidance from the Department For Education. Visit: Gov.UK 

 

Please click on the link below to see updates regarding Coronavirus.

Guidance to Parents COVID-19

 

Please click on the link below for the letter to parents regarding Coronavirus. Dated: 22.5.2020

Letter for parents 22.5.20

 

Please click on the link below for the letter to parents regarding Coronavirus. Dated: 11.5.2020

Letter for parents 11.5.2020

 

Please click on the link below for the letter to parents and families of children with SEND. Dated: 24.3.2020

Minister Ford’s open letter

 

Please click on the link below for the letter to parents regarding Coronavirus. Dated: 19.3.2020

Letter for parents 19.3.20

 

Advice for parents and carers from the Department for Education

Help primary children continue their education

 

Supporting children through the coronavirus: 

The outbreak of Covid-19 means that many aspects of children’s ‘normal’ routines have been abruptly and significantly changed. Many children are now spending much of their time at home with their immediate family and are not able to have direct contact with their wider family and friends. 

This will be an anxious time for many children, they may have worries and questions about how the virus might affect them and those close to them, especially older members of their family and those already in poor health.

 

Tips for supporting children with Coronavirus-related worries

1. Deal with the news head-on and talk about it openly and calmly, giving them the facts

  • Give children age-appropriate information – take a look at:

         BBC Newsround hub – regularly updated with information and advice

         #covibook – for under 7s

  • Educate them about reliable sources of information and how some stories on social media may be based on rumours or inaccurate information
  • Encourage them to take breaks from listening to or reading the news – overexposure isn’t helpful

 

2. Encourage questions

  • This will give them the confidence to reach out and ask, if they have anything to ask
  • Use comforting tones and be honest when answering questions – it’s ok if you don’t have all the answers
  • Allow for repetition – children tend to repeat themselves when they’re feeling uncertain or worried, so you might have to answer the same questions more than once as they seek extra reassurance

 

3. Be a role model

  • Recognise and manage your own worries first
  • Be open about sharing this with children – e.g. I’m also finding the news a bit worrying, so I’m doing X which makes me feel calm

 

4. Let them know it’s normal to be concerned

  • If needed, reassure them that the effects of this virus on healthy young people are very mild

 

5. Promote awareness of our body’s immune system

  • It’s constantly working against germs without us knowing. We can’t and don’t need to control this process
  • Explain that we’re taking precautions against this particular germ because it’s a new one which our bodies haven’t come across before
  • Remind them of the benefits of healthy eating, sleep and exercise – which help to fight germs

 

6. Be aware of children with higher levels of anxiety 

  • Get them to do activities such as counting, ordering and sorting tasks which can help with heightened levels of anxiety
  • Encourage them to use relaxation techniques such as controlled breathing
  • Detect any obsessive or compulsive behaviours early and intervene before they become entrenched patterns of thinking. Do this by challenging unhelpful thoughts and assumptions. Frame worries as situation-specific by relating them to the current situation, which is temporary and unusual

 

7. Keep doing your bit to help children reduce the spread of germs

  • Remind pupils how and when to wash their hands
  • Encourage them to sing ‘happy birthday’ twice when they’re washing their hands

 

Useful Links

Child Bereavement UK

A short film about supporting bereaved children during the outbreak. 

 

Childline 

Support and information about Coroanvirus which updated regularly

 

Children’s Commissioner

A downloadable guide for children about coronavirus.

 

The Linking Network 

A home learning resource to support wellbeing with a focus on hope, resilience, friendliness, kindness, wellbeing, talk and connection with others. 

 

Winston’s Wish 

Guidance on talking to bereaved children about coronavirus with suggestions on how to tell a child that someone has died from coronavirus. 

 

 

Twitter updates

Important Message

Copthorne Primary School fully recognises its responsibilities for child protection and safeguarding. We are committed to maintaining a safe learning environment for our children and, where there are child welfare concerns, we take action to address them. Our Child Protection and Safeguarding policies and practise apply to all staff, governors and volunteers who work in our school. To view these policies please click on the Parents section of the menu bar above.
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