25.03.20
St Agnes is currently closed.
Important
Free School Meals
We have provided vouchers and funds for our families until Friday 3rd April.
However, Manchester City Council have put the following in place for you to apply for after the 3rd April 2020 :
Help with food costs while schools are closed
We want to ensure that all our children and young people have access to a lunchtime meal.
We have the following arrangements in place to support families during this period:-
- FSM pupils_ link to Council’s Voucher Scheme.
- Hardship support to families
Please read this information carefully
FSM Pupils:-
Children who would normally receive a free school meal from the school, based on household income or due to being an asylum seeker
The government has advised that they expect to have a new scheme up and running in the near future. They intend to issue vouchers directly to families. This will not be up and running for a few weeks. Because of this, we will have to make local arrangements to support families until the national voucher scheme is in place.
If you normally receive free school meals due to low income please make a claim for support.
The contribution towards a lunchtime meal is £2.00 per day (£10 per week) for each school child or young person in the household.
We will be able to pay this money within a few days by the following methods
- A bank transfer into a nominated bank account
- A secure text message that can be used to access cash from a range of Paypoint outlets in the city
- A voucher that can be printed and can then be exchanged for cash from a range of Paypoint outlets in the city.
Parents can make an application, please submit a request via the Council’s welfare Provision Scheme.
MCC On-line Application FSM Voucher
Hardship:-
To support to families facing hardship
Because schools have closed and some families are facing additional financial challenges due to the Covid 19 virus, we want to provide support to families, who most need it.
We are providing a financial grant to parents and carers of the following groups of children and young people.
To qualify the family must be:
- a Manchester resident or supported by our Homelessness Service; and
- whose family has been hardest hit by the recent issues and may be waiting for benefits to be assessed or have a gap in their income due to being laid off etc.
The contribution towards a lunchtime meal is £2 per day (£10 per week) for each school age child or young person in the household.
We will be able to pay this money within a few days by the following methods
- A bank transfer into a nominated bank account
- A secure text message that can be used to access cash from a range of Paypoint outlets in the city
- A voucher that can be printed and can then be exchanged for cash from a range of Paypoint outlets in the city.
To make an application, families need to submit a request via the Council’s Welfare Provision Scheme
MCC Apply for cash grant if you are in financial crisis
Please click on the link here that will give you advice on how to talk to your child about Coronavirus.
Other useful numbers:
Samaritans: 116123
Childline: 08001111
Victim support: 08081689111
Rape crisis: 08088029999
Mind: 03001233393
Anxiety uk: 03444775774
Sane: 03003047000
Nspcc: 08088005000
Calm for men: 0800585858
Crisis team: 03005000927
If your child or a member of your household has a new, persistent cough and/or a high temperature please stay at home for 14 days.
Latest update 22.03.20:
Dear Parents and Carers.
I hope and pray everyone is safe and well.
I hope and pray that we are following guidance around staying at home, social distancing and self isolation.
Thank you and stay safe.
Latest update 20.03.20:
In light of the latest guidance from the government regarding COVID-19 please read the following:
The scientific advice to minimise risk of COBID-19 is – If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.
That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.
The fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.
At St Agnes we want to be able to offer care for a limited number of children – children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.
If the following applies to you please contact school the 2.00pm on 0161 224 6829 or email admin@st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk to help us plan and provide support.
- Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs, including child in need plans, on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
- Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.
Please, therefore, follow these key principles:
- If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
- If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
- Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
- Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
Latest update 19.03.20:
Following the latest government advice St Agnes will be closed until further notice.
If you are a key worker ( then please contact school as soon as possible through 0161 224 6829 or admin@st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk
A clear list of who a key worker is yet to be identified and shared by the government but as of now this would include:
- NHS workers
- police officers
- supermarket delivery drivers
- those who are employed to look after the vulnerable and elderly
Our vulnerable pupils’ guardians will be contacted in due course in how best to support them following the latest government information.
Thank you.
Mr Uddin
SCHOOL CLOSURE DUE TO CORONAVIRUS
Dear Parents and Carers,
After careful consideration and taking into account local authority and government advice, St Agnes Primary School will be closed from tomorrow – Thursday 19th March 2020 due to coronavirus.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
This has not been an easy decision, nor been taken lightly, but health (mental and physical) and safety must be our top priority.
As more staff and families are required to self-isolate and others should not be in school because they have underlying health conditions and are more vulnerable to the virus, it is no longer possible to maintain the correct staffing levels and provide a safe or healthy learning environment for pupils.
In order to maintain your child’s education as best we can whilst the school is closed, your child’s teacher will be sending Home Learning Pack containing guidance, activities, a pen/pencil and exercise book. Should you have questions, guidance is also included in how to contact teachers through the school website and your child’s class page.
Teachers can be contacted tomorrow, Thursday 19th March, between the hours of 9.00am and 3.00pm should you have any concerns.
We urge you to encourage your child to complete the activities and to keep them gainfully occupied during the closure period. We also make a special request that you do not allow your child to spend excessive amounts of time online and you closely supervise their online activity at all times.
We very much hope to re-open at the start of the summer term, which is Monday 20th April 2020. However, the current situation is ever changing and it is impossible to predict if staffing levels will enable us to re-open or what government advice will be. All essential communication and updates will be shared with parents/carers via the school website: www.st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk and/or text.
Please check the Urgent Messages page of the website regularly and ensure you are also able to pick up texts to check for any changes.
Any general enquiries should be sent to admin@st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk and we will aim to respond within 48 hours.
We very much appreciate your support, understanding and co-operation during this very difficult time and look forward to welcoming you all back once the virus has subsided and life is returning back to normal.
We pray for all our families and staff, good health and safety, during these very worrying times
Yours faithfully,
Mr S Uddin
Latest communication
Please click Coronavirus letter 11.03.20 for the latest letter sent to all our families in relation to what we are doing in school currently.
Coronavirus – Advice for all early years providers, schools and further education providers
The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Coronavirus and is taking action at home and abroad.
The overall risk of Coronavirus to the UK remains moderate. However we understand that people may be concerned where there are children, students or staff returning from or visiting China.
Public Health England and the Foreign Office have issued advice for anyone travelling to the area. This can be found at:
Latest information and advice can also be found at:
Advice for parents/guardians
You should not be unduly worried about the possibility of your children catching the Coronavirus.
There is no reason why your children should not continue to attend their early years, school or further education setting as normal.
We recognise that some families or children may be planning to travel to China during the forthcoming half term period. If so, please refer to the FCO’s latest travel advice via the link above.
What action you can take
A UK wide campaign has been launched to provide clear advice on how to slow the spread of Coronavirus.
Please help to support the campaign which promotes basic hygiene practices, such as regularly washing hands and always sneezing into a tissue, to stem the spread of viruses.
Sharing DHSC content from the following social media links: