News & Events

Dear Parent / Carer,
We hope this letter finds you well.  As you are aware, school sites are now closed to the majority of children and staff and they are operating only as emergency childcare centres for those key children identified by the Government.
In line with Government guidance, Knowsley Council has worked with the school to be able to support you to provide meals for your child during these difficult times.  Thank you for your patience whilst we have worked to resolve this matter.

If your child currently receives means-tested free school meals (not Universal Free School Meals eligible to Reception to Year 2 children) and is not attending school during this period of time, Knowsley Council has made arrangements for you to receive food vouchers via a partnership with Wonde.com.  This will replace the previous arrangement of collecting a packed lunch.

These vouchers will be sent once a fortnight, in the first instance via TEXT or EMAIL to your mobile phone. Knowsley Council will fund this service until a Central Government scheme is up and running. For Primary School Pupils the voucher will have a value of £32.20 and for Secondary School Pupils the voucher will have a value of £32.90.

You will shortly receive a text message from Wonde to confirm which supermarket you would like to use your voucher in. The supermarkets currently available are ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s (however Wonde are adding more in the near future).

Please contact the school via telephone/email by 3.30 pm on Friday 27th March if:
You have any questions about the message that you receive from Wonde OR
Your child is eligible for means-tested Free School Meals but you have not received a text from Wonde. It may be that your contact details are not up to date with school

Further updates about the scheme will be provided shortly both via Knowsley News (www.knowsleynews.co.uk), the school website and social media.

We hope that you are keeping you and your family safe and thank you once again for your patience and support.

Yours sincerely

Miss J Hegarty
Headteacher

We have been notified of scams surrounding Free School Meals that have been circulating on social media.

We have not received any reports of scams in Knowsley, but at this current challenging time, we would urge everyone to apply caution. With regards to Free School Meals, as per the Government guidance, we are in the process of arranging a voucher scheme which will not involve transferring money or requesting bank account details. Residents are reminded to not give any personal or financial information to someone you do not know, however plausible they may sound.

Genuine organisations would not telephone you to ask for such information. If you receive a letter, email or phone call that you suspect to be bogus, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 for advice. Don’t feel pressured to reveal any information.

Home learning packs have been sent home.  Here are some additional resources to help support your child’s learning

Early Years Specific Support

https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com

https://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/cbeebies

KS1

https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/free-home-learning-packs/

KS2

https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/

https://play.ttrockstars.com/auth

https://www.sats-papers.co.uk/ks2-sats-papers/

https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/free-home-learning-packs/

These are also ideas and activities below that are good for ALL year groups.

https://www.themathsfactor.com

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/

www.oxfordowl.co.uk

http://www.pobble365.com/

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/

https://medium.com/pobble/simple-and-fun-non-screen-activities-that-children-can-do-at-home-115543cb3b9c

www.cosmickids.com

https://www.hamilton-trust.org.uk/blog/learning-home-packs/

https://chatterpack.net/blogs/blog/resources-list-for-home-learning

https://plprimarystars.com/news/home-learning-activities-school-closures?utm_campaign=1869264_REMAIL%3A%20homelearning_19.03.20&utm_medium=email&utm_source=edcoms&dm_i=3VTU,142C0,344SKJ,3WORB,1

If your child is eligible for a free school meal, the council will help ensure he or she has access to food even whilst schools are closed to the vast majority of pupils.

Here’s how it will work in Knowsley:

Children still attending schools

If your child is still attending school (as the child of a key worker or are they meet the criteria set out by the Government) then they will still be provided with a free school meal from the school that they are attending on the days that they attend. All school kitchens remain open.

Support for pupils who are staying off school

The Government is still developing a national voucher scheme that will be rolled out. At the current time the date for this hasn’t been confirmed. But further details of how this will work will be announced shortly. It is likely to be a food voucher for £10 a week but the council are awaiting full details of this. Any applications for food vouchers will need to be done via your schools directly who will issue you with a voucher. This will likely be in the form of a physical voucher or an e-voucher. Your school will inform you when this is available.

What should I do in the meantime?

The school meals service has made provision to cater for all children who are entitled to a free school meal from Monday 23 March 2020 until the national scheme is launched. Packed lunches will be available for distribution from the following children’s centres:

• The Star Children’s Centre – St Andrew’s View Tower Hill, Kirkby, L33 1ZF.
• The Eden Children’s Centre – Westvale Primary School, Melverley Road Westvale, Kirkby, L32 0RQ.
• The Pride Children’s Centre – 2 Simonswood Lane, Kirkby, L33 5YP.
• Jubilee Children’s Centre – Twig Lane, Huyton, L36 2LF.
• Hilltop Children’s Centre – Bedford Close, Huyton, L36 1XH.
• Southmead Children’s Centre – Sherwood Drive, Whiston, L35 3XZ.
• New Hutte Children and Families Hub – Lichfield Road, Halewood, L26 1TT.
• Stockbridge Village Primary – The Withens, L28 1AB

What shall I do if my family and I are self–isolating?

When the voucher scheme is set up it is expected that electronic vouchers will be issued and you will can receive these through your mobile phone or computer but we are still waiting on further details on that from the Government.

Whilst we are waiting for that think about whether there anyone else who can collect the meal(s) on your behalf.

The council has launched a new Coronavirus Community Support and Volunteer Line. The helpline number is 0800 073 0043 and is for residents to use to ask for help and advice. We are working to build a team of volunteers who you may be able to use to deliver lunches whilst you are self-isolating.

What if my child is in a school outside Knowsley?

If you attend a school that is outside of the borough, you need to contact your school as they might have made alternative arrangements.

Here are some useful links to other organisations providing support

https://knowsley.foodbank.org.uk/ – Knowsley Foodbank

https://www.facebook.com/kirkbystorehouse – Kirkby foodban