End of Autumn Term Update 2022

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

As we have come to the end of the Autumn term and the calendar year, it is time to reflect on a fantastic 2022 and the position of the school moving forwards. One aspect to share is that Sewell Park will be oversubscribed from September 2023, following the school receiving a record number of first choice applications - testament to the rapid development and growth in recent years.

One of the most pleasing aspects of this half term was to be able to welcome back our ‘Class of 2022’ and a huge proportion of our current students for the first Prize-giving evening we have been able to host for a number of years. It was an exceptional evening, with former student Jack Dean, now a successful podcaster and youtuber, inspiring the students for the evening. Well done again to all of our award winners, demonstrating our values as a school.

Following our Ofsted result before the summer, the Lord Mayor of Norwich was keen to visit Sewell Park to see the work being done here; paying tribute to the engagement of students within the lessons and the support and enthusiasm from teaching staff.

The autumn term has also seen us develop our community engagement through ‘SPA+’ and try to share more of what we are doing to be an active and key role in the local community. We have also had visits from a number of other Norwich high schools to learn from the work being done by staff here. The students are very fortunate with the quality of staff who work with them on a daily basis.

Looking ahead to the new year and 2023, we would like to wish Miss Street, our Careers Lead, well as she begins her maternity leave and there are a few key aspects to note:

1) Scarlet Fever

You will have seen in the national news that there has been an increase in cases of Scarlet Fever in children across the country. The symptoms of Scarlet Fever include a sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. This is followed by a fine red rash which typically first appears on the chest and stomach, rapidly spreading to other parts of the body. On more darkly-pigmented skin, the scarlet rash may be harder to spot, but it should feel like 'sandpaper'. The face can be flushed red but pale around the mouth.

If you think you, or your child, have scarlet fever:

• see your GP or contact NHS 111 as soon as possible

• make sure that you/your child takes the full course of any antibiotics prescribed by the doctor

• stay at home, away from nursery, school or work for at least 48 hours after starting the antibiotic treatment, to avoid spreading the infection (this is double the government guidance due to the additional risks given the nature of our setting)

I would also ask that you contact the school if your child is ill and especially if there is a confirmed case of Scarlet Fever so that we can monitor the situation closely.

2) Year 11 Period 6

As previous communication has outlined, in order to support our Year 11 students through to their summer examinations, their period 6 sessions will be running on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. These are statutory sessions and will include additional Science lessons for curriculum time, as well as additional bespoke intervention and support through to the summer.

3) Cost of living concerns

We are acutely aware that during the course of 2022 there have been substantial impacts on families regarding the cost of living, including utility bills and food costs. If families are struggling please get in contact with us at the school and we can look to support.

The Just One Norfolk website for keeping families warm and well can be found at:

https://www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk/Keeping-Families-warm-Well

Also attached to this email is a leaflet from Norfolk County Council regarding help with living costs plus a leaflet from Norwich City Council and The Feed, who have put together a list of providers offering free or pay-what-you-can meals and food services for people in the Norwich area.

You can find links to lots of other helpful resources on our website

https://www.sewellparkacademy.co.uk/supportandresources

I hope you all enjoy the holiday season and some time with friends and family. It is definitely well deserved for the students, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on Wednesday 4th January.

Best wishes,

David Day

Headteacher

Help with living costs_FINAL

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