Useful Information and Links

What is coronavirus?

Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school age children, free for anyone to read on screen or print out, about the coronavirus and the measures taken to control it. Published by Nosy Crow, and written by staff within the company, the book has had expert input: Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine acted as a consultant, and the company also had advice from two head teachers and a child psychologist.

The book answers key questions in simple language appropriate for 5 to 9 year olds:

• What is the coronavirus?
• How do you catch the coronavirus?
• What happens if you catch the coronavirus?
• Why are people worried about catching the coronavirus?
• Is there a cure for the coronavirus?
• Why are some places we normally go to closed?
• What can I do to help?
• What’s going to happen next?

Information for parents and carers from Central Bedfordshire Council:

• https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/info/11/children_and_young_people/755/coronavirus_information_for_parents_and_carers

The government have produced some guidance documents that you may find useful. Please find the links below:

• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-primary-school-children-continue-their-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19 – This document gives parents some general guidance about home schooling.
• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-children-with-send-continue-their-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19– This guidance is specifically for parents of children with special needs and/or disabilities, but it has some useful links to resources that are helpful for all children.
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-online-education-resources-for-home-education – This link provides parents and schools with a wide range of online education resources for home education.
• The government has also established a new online national academy to provide online lessons and resources – https://www.thenational.academy/information-for-parents-pupils/

Please find below some useful website that might support you with home learning:

• https://www.youtube.com/thebodycoachtv– a free daily workout at 9.00am, hosted by the popular Joe Wicks! We are completing this at school too, every morning!
• https://www.outoftheark.co.uk/ootam-at-home – Out of the Ark Music has an extraordinary power to bring us together, it can lift us when we feel low, energise us when we feel tired, and is something we all have in common. So, to help with the rhythms and routines of our new daily lives, Out of the Ark are releasing seven songs, one for each day, all with challenges and activities related to each song. Lots of children are familiar with these songs as we regularly sing them in assembly.
• https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/ – David Walliams is releasing a free audio book each day for thirty days! A chance for your children to sit and listen to a story being told.
• https://stories.audible.com/discovery– for as long as schools are closed, Audible is making hundreds of titles available for free to help people cope with self-isolation.
• https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/find-a-book/library-page/ – Oxford Owl is providing a range of free ebooks that match our children’s current book bandings. All you need to do is register with the link above, then select levels, then click book bands and select your child’s colour based on their latest reading book.