On Wednesday 1 November, the Grand Union Teacher Training Partnership (GUTP) are holding an open evening between 5-7pm at Sponne School. Please do come along if you are interested in teaching, to discover the courses available and speak to the team! 

The West Northants Health Protection Team have created a webpage on the West Northants site called “Heat Health”  Heat health | West Northamptonshire Council (westnorthants.gov.uk)

This provides advice and guidance to the public on staying safe during the summer months.

This page will be regularly updated as the weather changes.

Staying safe and well in the heat – information for parents and guardians

A Heat-Health alert has been put into place as even overnight temperatures are predicted to be very warm. High temperatures come with health consequences for some people. It’s important to protect those most vulnerable including our children, those with health conditions and elderly, as well as keeping yourself safe.

Here are our top tips for staying safe in the heat:

• look out for those who may struggle to keep themselves cool and hydrated
• stay hydrated, take water with you if you are travelling or out and about
• stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm as this is when UV rays are the strongest - avoid physical exertion at this time
• if you have to go out in the heat stay in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a wide brimmed hat
• close curtains in rooms that the sun faces - this will help rooms remain cooler - remember it could be cooler outdoors than indoors
• never leave anyone in a parked closed vehicle – especially not animals, children or babies
• avoid travelling at peak times on motorways, particularly if transporting children or the elderly
• sadly, accidents (often fatal) happen in water at this time of year, particularly involving youngsters. That’s why we’re asking parents to supervise their children in and around water. Although it can be fun to cool off in water, structures such as bridges, locks and flood channels, reservoirs and quarries should be avoided. Make sure you know the RNLI’s Float to Live
• unexpectedly cold water or strong currents can catch even experienced swimmers off guard. Better to swim safely at one of the county’s organised events where support is provided

Look out for signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and follow some common sense behaviours, to keep yourself and others safe in the heat.

Stay safe!

We recently introduced our work towards the Wellbeing Award for Schools with Optimus Education in partnership with the National Children's Bureau.

Miss West’s team has been hard at work since then, reviewing survey responses, listening to proposals from our student wellbeing group and creating plans for improvement with close support from Optimus Education’s expert adviser. We thank everyone who took the opportunity to complete the survey and are pleased to share the key findings and outline the plan for what happens next.

David James, Principal, said of the survey findings: “It is great to see that students, staff and parents all recognise the importance of wellbeing.  Wellbeing is an incredibly important aspect of the school’s work, and we must ensure that everyone is able to develop excellent wellbeing for themselves and each other.”

Reflecting on the work so far, Miss West (Assistant Principal, Inclusion) said: “World events have challenged everyone’s wellbeing in recent times, and I am proud of our role and the work we are doing to support families in our community with this. It takes a huge team to action sustained support and we will continue to reach out and support at every opportunity. I am particularly proud to share our new partnership with the local NHS Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is just the first of many improvements we are planning to help everyone’s emotional wellbeing and mental health. Although I acknowledge exceptional challenging times, we will continue to create both opportunities and innovative solutions where we can.”

YMCA Trinity are hosting a free webinar 'Devices, social media, gaming: How to help your child navigate this world' on Wednesday 8 March 2023 from 19:00-20.00 with an optional 30-min Q&A session afterwards. 

Please click on the link below to find out more information and to register your interest. 

Devices, social media, gaming: How to help your child navigate this world Registration, Wed 8 Mar 2023 at 19:00 | Eventbrite

Deadline to register – 3^rd March 2023

If you have any questions get in touch by emailing mentalhealthtraining@ymcatrinity.org.uk