Coronavirus updates

New Notification Letter 14th March 2022 - please click here

Government Advice Regarding Testing and Self-Isolation Periods

East Riding of Yorkshire Council urges residents to take part in its COVID-19 vaccine survey

With the largest NHS vaccination programme in history required to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is asking residents to complete its COVID-19 vaccine survey which should take around five minutes to complete online. The survey is for all adults, including those who have already had the vaccine. 

All responses and data from the survey will be anonymous and kept confidential by East Riding of Yorkshire Council. To complete the survey please visit Smartsurvey

The COVID-19 vaccine survey can be made available in other languages or formats if required. To request another format, please contact (01482) 393939 or email covid19@eastriding.gov.uk

DFE Updates : W.E. 19.03.2021

Update to guidance for parents

We have updated our guidance on what parents need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19.

The guidance now includes information on returning to boarding school from overseas, including arrangements for pupils to quarantine on arrival in the UK. It also provides additional information to support parents considering elective home education for their child.

We have also published a collection of guidance providing information for parents and carers of children attending early years settings, schools and colleges during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This collection brings together information and guidance for parents on:

PCR and LFD testing during Ramadan

The British Islamic Medical Association’s view is that taking polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or lateral flow device (LFD) tests during Ramadan does not invalidate the fast.

People may feel more comfortable doing the tests when they are not fasting. In this case, with the move to home-testing, tests can be carried out at any time.

Shielding guidance is being paused for clinically extremely vulnerable people

The government has announced that shielding guidance is being paused. From Thursday 1 April, clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) people are no longer advised to shield. CEV people must continue to follow the national restrictions that are in place for everyone.

From Thursday 1 April, all CEV children should attend early years provision, school, college, wraparound childcare and out-of-school settings, unless they are one of the very small number of children under paediatric or other specialist care and have been advised by their GP or clinician not to attend.

CEV students who are enrolled in practical, or practice-based (including creative arts) courses should return to in-person teaching.

CEV staff are advised to continue to work from home where possible, but if they cannot work from home, they should now attend their workplace.

Where parents, carers, staff, or students are anxious about attendance, you should speak to them about their concerns and discuss the protective measures that have been put in place to reduce the risk and any additional measures that could be put in place.

4th March 2021

25th February 2021

Winter Grant Scheme
East Riding of Yorkshire Council have received funding to support those most in need with the cost of food, energy (Heating, cooking, lighting), water bills (including sewerage) and other essentials over the winter months.
To be eligible for the grant, parents/guardian must meet the criteria below:

• Be in receipt of a benefit which entitles you to free school meals   
• Have claimed universal credit since 23 March and whose income is less than £16,000 annually

Where an applicant is successful, they will receive:

• £45.00 for food per child   
• £30.00 per household for utilities
• Where an application is submitted for essential items, this will be determined on a case by case basis. The Council will not award grants where funds are no longer available to do so.

Many parents/guardians have already received funding from the scheme, but we are aware that some have still not received this funding. Applications for the grants are open from 15 February 2021 and will close 28 February 2021. This is for new applicants only and not for parents/guardians who have already received a payment.

To check if you are eligible and to make a claim visit www.eastriding.gov.uk/housing/housing-benefit-and-council-tax-support/coronavirus-benefits-and-financial-support. I you cannot make this claim yourself, please call 01482 393939 and a member the Council will assist you.

Benefit Advice
The Council are aware that millions of pounds in benefits goes unclaimed each year, this might be because people don’t know about the benefit or that they can’t claim themselves. The Council has a FREE tool which lets you check that you are getting all of the benefits which you are entitled to, and provide advice on how to make a claim. Go to https://eastriding.entitledto.co.uk/home/start to check if can any financial support today. If you can’t do this yourself, the Council have a helpful team of welfare visiting officers, who can support you through this process, email: benefit.takeup@eastriding.gov.uk to make a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL appointment today.

Budgeting
The Council has a FREE budgeting tool, this allows you to enter in all of your money coming into and out of the household, tells you where you are spending your money and provides tips on how to reduce your outgoings, such as changing Utility Suppliers. Have a go today, it’s confidential and you can use if as many times as you want, you’ll be surprised at when your hidden expenses are. Go to https://budget.entitledto.co.uk/default
If you would like to speak to the Council's helpful team of welfare visiting officers, email: benefit.takeup@eastriding.gov.uk to make a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL appointment today.

8/1/2021

Please see the document below for information regarding restricting attendance during the national lockdown.

8/1/2021

We are taking requests for Critical Keyworker places for w/c 18/1/21. Please let us know by 2pm today by emailing cowickprimary@gmail.com. Notification of places will be sent next week. Thank you.

5/1/2021

Please see document below for requests / contract for education on site during lockdown.

4/1/2021

Further to the Prime Minister's announcement this evening at 8pm, Cowick Primary School will be moving to online learning from Wed 6th January 2021.More information will follow as soon as possible. Thanks for your support.

3/2/2021

You may have seen speculation in the news regarding the re-opening of primary schools from 4th January 2021. We are following the guidance from the East Riding: 

14/12/20

Self Isolation - Change to Guidance

From Monday 14th December 2020, the UK Government is shortening the self-isolation period for contacts of people with a positive coronavirus test result from 14 to 10 days. This change will apply in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland from 00:01am on Monday 14 December.

However, you can only end self-isolation after 10-days if:
- you do not have symptoms,
- you are not in a household with someone who is symptomatic,
- you are not awaiting any test results.

If a close contact begins to show symptoms during isolation, and tests positive, they must extend their isolation period to complete 10-days from the day symptoms begin or the day the test is taken if they are not showing symptoms.

14/12/20

Support for children eligible for Free School Meals: East Riding Winter Grant Scheme

In November the government announced it would support the provision of additional funding for families where children are eligible for Free School Meals over the Christmas school holiday. The government have asked councils to include this with its Winter Grant Scheme as it part of the wider financial support programme to help families during this very difficult time. This also means that help may be available for families facing financial struggles who do not currently claim free school meals.

If you or your child (including those in Post-16 education) are eligible for the Winter Grant Scheme,  you will need to complete an online claim form by visiting https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/housing/housing-benefit-and-council-tax-support/coronavirus-benefits-and-financial-support/. Once your application has been validated and approved, the relevant funding will be transferred to your bank account by BACS.

If you live outside the East Riding boundary, your ‘home’ council has made arrangements for you and you should contact them for further information. 

For more information, criteria of the grants and how to apply, families should go to https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/housing/housing-benefit-and-council-tax-support/coronavirus-benefits-and-financial-support/. If you are unable to complete the application, please call the Council on 01482 393939 and an advisor will be able to help.

Please click here for information regarding help and support for parents with your children or a new baby

3/11/2020

Click the link below for guidance from the House of Commons regarding self isolating and separated families.

Coronavirus: Separated Families and Contact with Children in Care FAQs (UK)

30/10/2020

Half Term Free School Meals - East Riding Council Financial Assistance The ERYC will be providing financial assistance to families whose children are usually in receipt of free school meals over the half term holiday. Families of children eligible for free school meals will be able to register to receive a direct payment for each eligible child up to 30th November. Once the application has been verified, ERYC will arrange for the money to be paid directly into your bank account. For further information and details of how to apply please click on the link below

Half Term FSM

30/10/2020

For anyone that has been told they must self isolate, those individuals must remain at home. If siblings do not need to self isolate, alternative arrangements should be made to transport them to school where possible; perhaps a friend or close relative. Guidance relating to direct contact self isolation is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person Copy and paste the link into your browser, it will take you to the official guidance.

Covid-19 Safe systems Risk Assessments 

Please click on the links below to view the Risk Assessments that are in place in school.

Risk Assessment in response to COVID March 2021 - Cowick CE Primary School.docx

20.09.04 Schools Music Service COVID RA.docx

Visiting Agreement Cowick.docx

Site map for staggered starts from September 2020

Please click on the link for the site map to show which entrances and exits will be used for each class 'bubble'.

Site Map - Sept 2020

Updated information on face coverings

Please find information on wearing face coverings on transport. Click here

World Health Organisation resources for parents

Please find a link below from the WHO which you may find useful to support children at home. The posters are available in 70 languages:

https://www.covid19parenting.com/

22/5/2020

Please click on the link to a letter from Deborah Myers, Head of Children and Young People, Education and Schools regarding the East Riding position on the wider opening of schools:

DMs Letter to Parents.pdf

Advice to parents who rely on home-school transport:

2020.05.22 Advice to Parents (website) in relation to HTST.docx

21/5/2020 - Phased re-opening of schools

Please refer to the newsletter detailing the local authority's decision to defer re-opening to 8th June at the earliest.

Letter to parents re 8th June.pdf

Useful resources for parents and families

8 Ways a child's anxiety shows up as something else

CCSC Family Activities Book

Lucy's in Lockdown

Positive Language Alternatives

18/5/2020 Frequently Asked Questions for parents

We are continuing to work through the recently published Government guidance for Educational Settings and in close liaison with the Local Authority, Staff and Governors we are working hard to determine next steps for our children, families and staff. 

Please find below some of the measures already considered, and the answers to some of the frequently asked questions, regarding some of the measures put in place to enable schools’ to reopen.

FAQ for parents

 11/5/2020, 6:30 pm  Local Authority update 

Coronavirus and schools closure information for parents/carers

Following the Prime Minister's announcement on Sunday 10th May, schools in the East Riding will remain closed to the majority of students.

Schools will continue to operate to provide childcare for a limited number of children whose parents or carers are critical key-workers, children with an Education Health Care Plan who cannot be safely cared for at home and vulnerable children with an assigned social worker.

Many parents working in critical sectors are able to ensure their child is kept at home. Every child who can be safely cared for at home, should be.

The Prime Minister outlined that some pupils may be able to return to school in the forthcoming weeks and months, but these details have not yet been confirmed and are conditional on the 'R' rate continuing to decline.

We are waiting to receive guidance from the Government to provide the detail behind what the Prime Minister said in relation to schools, education and childcare. Once we receive this information, we will need some time to enable us to understand what this means for schools, pupils and families in more detail before publishing anything further.

The council’s Children’s Services teams will continue to work with schools and the trade unions to consider the implications and practicalities of how they can reopen safely for the children identified by government. We would like to reassure you that the council's first priority is supporting pupils, families, schools, staff and the wider community to stay safe.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our teachers and school staff for their dedication, parents and carers for supporting young people through this difficult time and a big thank you to pupils for embracing the changes they have been faced with in such a positive way.

11/5/2020 - 4:35pm

Dear parents and carers, following on from the government's announcement last night regarding the proposed partial re-opening of schools for children in Year 6, Year 1 and Reception, I wanted to let you know that we are working on plans to facilitate this for the 1st June as requested; but until we have further clarification from the DFE and local authority, we are unsure of how this will look at present.

As soon as we have clear guidance on how best to proceed in a safe manner, I will write to the parents of the year groups in question. In the meantime, I will keep you all up to date with as much information as I can when we receive it. Thank you for your patience and your continued support.

Kindest regards, Katherine Rawes

4/5/2020

Please click the link below for details of a local food bank set up in our area:

Two Rivers Food Bank

20.4.2020

17/4/2020

Updated guidance for parents and carers on the closure of educational settings.

10/4/2020

Wishing all of our families a very happy Easter. Stay safe everyone. With best wishes from the whole Cowick team.

9/4/2020

For updated information about the East Riding Local Offer during the Covid-19 Response, please refer to our SEND page under the light blue 'Information' tab.

9/4/2020 - Update from the DFE

8/4/2020

Check whether you are entitled to free school meals:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

8/4/2020

Updated guidance from the DFE for parents and carers on the closure of education settings:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

2.4.2020

27.3.2020

Please click on the link below to access information about Covid19 and how to explain this to children and further tips.

Family Links information

25.3.2020

Please click on the link below to access guidance from the Educational Psychology Service on how to support your child's emotional well-being with regards to the Coronavirus.

Guidance for parents - children's emotional wellbeing EP .pdf

24.3.2020

Coronavirus and schools closure information for parents / carers
Following the Government’s announcement, East Riding of Yorkshire Council would like to reiterate that schools, colleges and childcare providers will be closed for the vast majority of children until further notice.
 

Many parents working in critical sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. Every child who can be safely cared for at home, should be.

The Department for Education is asking schools, colleges, nurseries, childminders and other registered childcare settings to offer provision, where they can, for children of critical workers and vulnerable children. You may have already been contacted by your child’s school. If this is not the case please look at their website.  

This is an offer to parents and carers who are critical workers or have vulnerable children. There is no requirement for parents and carers to send children to school if you do not need or wish to do so.

Further information is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers 

23.3.2020, 10:20pm

Following the Prime Minister's announcement this evening of more drastic measures to limit social contact, I am sure you will all be re-evaluating your own family's plans.

Please can I ask once again that if you are a key worker, and are considered critical to the COVID-19 response, you only send children into school if there is no other option.

The government state that every child that can stay at home should in order to limit the virus spreading.

I implore everyone to follow the message delivered by the Prime Minister and to say safe.

Kind regards Katherine Rawes.

23.3.2020 - Conditions of accessing Cowick Primary School Childcare Provision

We will offer childcare provision in circumstances where:

• One or both parents are key workers, or in a single parent family where the parent is a key worker AND where there is no other option for childcare provision
• Only on days when the key worker is at work (there is an expectation that on days that they are not at work, they will look after their own child
• When children and others in their households are free from symptoms and not self-isolating.

You will sign to say that

1. you and your family have been following sensible and recommended social distancing
2. you and your employer believe that your role is critical to the government COVID-19 response
3. you will respect the 14 day household isolation period if anyone in the family home has the main 2 symptoms (high temperature and new, persistent cough)

You accept the conditions listed below

• Please ensure that your child washes their hands before they enter the provision and when they have left the provision
• Please make sure the children wear fresh/clean clothes each day. This can be ‘normal’ clothes or uniform
• Please avoid taking your child to shops and other places where they could contract the virus. This puts your child, your family, our workers and our other families at risk
• Please reconsider sending them to the provision if your child is ill in any way. This could be a common cold, sore throat etc. Children can be carriers of the virus and show different symptoms, not just the cough and temperature. This is to protect other children, but also our staff, who may contract something and the provision will have to
• You are willing to provide your payroll number and for your employer to be contacted to confirm your status.

A reminder that the government have made it clear that ‘every child who can be safely cared for at home should be’ and you should only be sending your child to our school provision if ‘your work is critical to the government’s COVID-19 response.

They state clearly that 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.

 Again, please do not use the provision unless absolutely necessary. This weekend, guidance has become clearer about reducing social gatherings and keeping social distance.

Whilst in our care, your child/children may be exposed to up to 25 other children and staff. If one person is a carrier, it is likely that all will be infected. If your child is infected, your household and any extended family/friends that you are still in contact with may be infected.

Please remember, it can take up to 5 days to show symptoms. Please do plan alternative provision, we will stay open for as long as we can, but if we close, we may only be able to let you know on the morning of the closure.

Thank you for your support.

22.3.2020 - guidance from the unions

The only children in school next week should be children of key workers or other vulnerable children who really can’t find an alternative. We are driving down the number of children in school to stop the spread of the virus. Please click on the link below:

contract - parents 22.3.2020.pdf

20.3.2020 2:10pm

Statement from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Coronavirus and schools closure information for parents / carers

Following the Government’s announcement, East Riding of Yorkshire Council would like to reiterate that schools, colleges and childcare providers will be closed for the vast majority of children until further notice.

Many parents working in critical sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. Every child who can be safely cared for at home, should be.

The Department for Education is asking schools, colleges, nurseries, childminders and other registered childcare settings to offer provision, where they can, for children of critical workers and vulnerable children. You may have already been contacted by your child’s school. If this is not the case please look at their website.  

This is an offer to parents and carers who are critical workers or have vulnerable children. There is no requirement for parents and carers to send children to school if you do not need or wish to do so.

Further information is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

20.3.20 12:00pm

A message from the school nurse team:

https://humberisphn.nhs.uk/

Our website is a useful resource for many parent/carer queries, and also contains information to support young people. Our duty teams are also available to answer and any staff or parental queries.

Any changes to our service will be publicised via our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and also contain information that is pertinent to children and their families at this challenging time.

20.3.20 10.00am

Dear parents,

Please click here for the latest guidance on the closure of educational settings including information about keyworkers.

Click here for details of the Governments Keyworker Criteria

18.3.2020, 6:15 p.m.

Dear parents and carers,

You may have heard the government announce this evening at 5:15 pm that schools are to close their doors on Friday.

Currently, the directive is that schools should close but offer partial opening for pupils whose primary carer is a key worker – and has no alternative provision to support their child.

We obviously need to be prepared for this. Therefore, if you are one of the following people:

• Working in healthcare, emergency services or social care (e.g. nurses, doctors, paramedics, care workers, midwives,  health visitors, social workers, cleaners, caretakers, nursery assistants, police and firefighters).
• Staff working in a school – where the school remains open (e.g. teachers, TAs, cleaners, caretakers, lunchtime supervisors). 

and would require childcare support, if available, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing the school office on  cowick.primary@eastriding.gov.uk giving details of your job, place of work, and your potential requirements.

Please understand that until the DfE directives have been issued via the local authority to schools, we cannot make any guarantees regarding this service.

Please be aware under these arrangements, this will operate as a childcare facility not a school day. This would be a directive to help relieve some of the burden on the NHS and thus help to protect the most vulnerable people in our society.

We will update you further once we have received confirmation of how this will operate from the DFE and LA.

Kind regards,

Katherine Rawes

Coronavirus updates - 17.03.2020

As you will be aware the Government have moved to the next ‘delay’ stage of its Covid-19 strategy. At this point in time, this does not include school closures and all schools must remain open.  It is possible that as the pandemic develops this position may alter and we will await advice and act accordingly.

 Yesterday, the government increased measures to limit the spread of the virus. These include anyone displaying symptoms of a continuous cough or fever / high temperature should self-isolate for 7 days and anyone else within the household should self-isolate for 14 days.

 To manage the uncertainties ahead, we have contingency plans to cover various scenarios including but not limited to:

 Remaining open

• Managing school in the event of a positive Covid-19 diagnosis of a member or members of our community
• Partial closure or scaling down of normal activities
• Complete closure if required by the LA, DFE or PHE
• Complete closure in the unlikely event of school being unable to open and operate safely due to severe staff shortages

Please do ensure that you keep school fully updated with your own circumstances, if you are self-isolating or if you have any confirmed cases of Coronavirus in your household.

 As a result of recent government directives, we are taking measures and making reasonable adjustments in order to avoid the spread of the virus. This includes avoidance of public meetings and maintaining the cleanliness and sanitisation of the school (we have employed additional cleaning staff in order to ensure these measures can be carried out satisfactorily). 

 We continue to remind children to implement good hygiene practices and they are supervised to ensure frequent handwashing.

 We understand that children are becoming more aware of the situation regarding Coronavirus and some children are beginning to discuss this. As such, we have shared with them in worship today information in a child friendly format (this can be located on www.mindheart.co/descargables).  We would also encourage children to talk to you at home in order to allay fears and to support them in addressing potential misconceptions.

 The current advice regarding children and their attendance at school is as follows:

 Children with newly developed persistent coughs and / or high temperature (37.8 ° + C) must stay off school and self-isolate for 7 days.

Please inform school of absences in the usual way.

 Any emergency updates including school closure will be sent via the school app and website.

In the event of a national school closure, children will be able to access work at home as described yesterday.

 Please follow these links for further information:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

 I would like to thank you for your continued understanding and support in what are highly unprecedented, rapidly changing and unpredictable times for us all.

Coronavirus Information - update 12/3/2020

We recognise that you may have queries or concerns regarding the potential spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). I want to assure you that since the start of the outbreak we have been following all government advice and will continue to do so as part of the broader national effort to limit the spread of Coronavirus. We receive a daily update from the Department for Education with the latest information from Public Health England and have access to Public Health England and Department for Education helplines, as well as support from the Local Authority.

While I am aware that some work places have their own policy on who should self-isolate following travel, as a school we are directed to follow Government and Local Authority policy and procedures.   Should the Government move the country to the delay phase, and the advice around self-isolation changes, we will of course update you. We are working on contingences to support learning in the event of any increased directive on self-isolation or national school closure.

At the moment schools in the United Kingdom are instructed to remain open.   Anyone travelling from government recognised areas of concern or lockdown should self-isolate.  Please see the link provided for which areas these are and the instructions for self-isolating https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-self-isolation-for-patients-undergoing-testing/advice-sheet-home-isolation

We complete returns regarding anyone in the school community who has travelled from any affected areas for the purpose of their monitoring. Please do let school know if this is pertinent to you.

As a school we continue to monitor children’s health and wellbeing and continue to remind and encourage everyone to wash their hands thoroughly and regularly, use tissues which are then thrown away and follow good basic hygiene practices, as I am sure you will be doing at home too.  (please see  information in the newsletter section / app)

For the latest updates please click on the link https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

If you have concerns about any symptoms or contact your child may have had with other people who have travelled to restricted areas or who have symptoms, access the NHS 111 online coronavirus tool at https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 Here you can answer a few simple questions and you will be directed what to do next. This service is suitable for anyone, including young people.

Further information and up-to-date information is available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

There is also a Department for Education Coronavirus helpline on 0800 046 8687 which is open to schools and parents.

We continue to work hard to monitor and respond to any changing situations, we hope this information is of help to you and thank you for your continued support.