Week 5: A letter from Mrs Cunningham (Friday)

24th April 2020A Stelling

Hello everyone, it’s Mrs Cunnningham here again.

It’s Friday! Where are the weeks going? Before you know it we will all be back at school and getting back to normal. I hope you all had a nice Thursday. 

Today’s letter is for you all, but it also for your mams and dads too. I also miss them. I enjoy being on the steps at 3.30pm and having a chat with them. I also love how some of them groan on a Friday parent assembly when I say that old joke when I give you the next two days off. I also miss the busy reception area on a morning when it’s all about parent pay, dinners, lost coats and late arrivals. You have all been together for a long time in your houses with all of the same people and I am pretty sure it has been the same in your houses as it has been in mine. A few cross words and short tempers. Miss Beattie told me that her and her sister had an argument about Harry Potter. My two grown up girls had a big argument about the smell of butter. Can you imagine that? I had to get a little bit cross. They both realised that was such a silly argument and made up and became friends again. 

Today I re-read a book. It’s the only book ever that I often re-read. Mrs Ogden bought it for me as a birthday present. I have even bought copies for my two girls.

It’s called ‘The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse’ by Charlie Mackesy. It is all about the friendship and the conversations between the four characters. I will share a tiny bit of each conversation and hope that it makes sense for you. I know it will for your mams and dads.

Mole: “Most of the old moles I know wish they had listened less to their fears and more to their dreams”

Boy: ” Sometimes I feel lost.” ” Me too,” said the mole, “but we love you, and love brings you home.”

Horse. (He’s big and strong): “What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said?” asked the boy. “Help,” said the horse. “When have you been at your strongest?” asked the boy. “When I have dared to show my weakness. Asking for help isn’t giving up,” said the horse. “It’s refusing to give up…sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent.”

Boy: “The fox never really speaks,” whispered the boy. “No. And it’s lovely he is with us.” said the horse. 

The horse ends with saying, ” Always remember you matter, you’re important and you are loved and you bring to this world things that no one else can.”

Now you all know, at the end of any story in assembly, I ask you what you think the meaning was. Well this one is all about appreciating the people you love the most and seeing them for why you love them. 

Have a fab Friday and wonderful weekend. Give  hugs and kisses to those in your house.

Mrs Cunningham

Favourite Book Challenge

23rd April 2020A Stelling

We set the challenge and Mortimer pupils and staff cracked it!

Recreate your favourite book front cover.

Look at these fabulous creations!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” …

Week 5: A letter from Mrs Cunningham (Thursday)

23rd April 2020A Stelling

Hello everyone, it’s Mrs Cunningham here again. What a lovely sunny day it was yesterday. It was Miss Middleton’s turn to look after the school,  so I delivered a few work envelopes to your houses and waved to some of you.  I was a little jealous that some of you still had your jarmies on at 1.00pm.

I had a cup of tea with my mam and dad today, but they were right down near their garage and I was near the pavement. We had to shout to each other.

Sammy is loving the facebook  attention he is getting, so is Pip. They are thinking that they are famous! They might even become friends at the end of this!

Have you seen Mrs Stelling’s challenge, to be the front cover of a book? I am really looking forward to seeing your pictures.

Have a thrilling Thursday.

Mrs Cunningham

 

Week 5 – A letter from Mrs Cunningham (Wednesday)

22nd April 2020A Stelling

Hello everyone, it’s Mrs Cunningham again. I hope you had a top Tuesday and got a chance to go outside in the lovely sunshine. Sammy is so loving the house full of people. He is usually on his own and loves it when we all get in about 5pm, but these days he has us all to himself, and he is doing what cats do best……making their owners run around after them! So today he started meowing at about 6am and kept on going until I got up to feed him and let him out. He has tried to scare a big pigeon from the tree but did not win, so he came in for another packet of food. Then I saw him lying on the road on his back hoping for someone to stop and give him some attention. I called him in and he appeared with an extremely odd look on his face. I asked him what he was up to and he opened his mouth and a butterfly flew out!!! What a big fright. It happened in my kitchen, so I had to then try to get the butterfly out. He is such a naughty boy. He then went outside to sleep in a plant pot.

Our next door neighbours have a little Jack Russell Terrier called Pip. He is a lovely little dog, but Sammy’s enemy. Sammy does really bad things to get Pip into trouble. He looks at him through the window and walks around the top of his garden fence!  I am now watching Sammy looking through their sitting room window making Pip bark and run around the living room.
Here are a few photos of him in action. Chasing a bird through the window, looking cute and sleeping in the plant pot. I have also added a picture of Pip.
Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Mrs Cunningham

 

Information for Parents from South Tyneside Council

21st April 2020A Stelling

 Useful contacts: 

Safeguarding support  [email protected]
Social care Advice and support Early Help Outreach advice – 0191 4246210 (for children over 5), 0191 4246363 ( for children under 5 years)

Children’s services – 8.30am-5pm – 0191 4245010

Children’s services (out of hours 5pm onwards) – 0191 4562093

Police (non-emergency) – 101 

Emergency – 999

Community Police Officers –  Darren Lough 07885262870

NSPCC – 0808 800 5000  https://www.nspcc.org.uk

Childline – 24 hour helpline – 0800 1111
Young carer’s support South Tyneside Young carers – 0191 4272795

http://www.southtynesideyoungcarers.org/

Email: [email protected]  – 07387109388
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT KOOTH –  free, safe and anonymous online support for young people ages 10-25) Mon-Fri 12pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 6pm-10pm http://www.kooth.com/

LIFECYCLE –  Free mental and emotional health support via telephone and face to face appointments. 0191 2832937

CYPS – Free mental health support for young people who are experiencing serious mental illnesses or symptoms of ill mental health. 0191 5665500

ICTS (Crisis) Team – free emergency support for young people who present an immediate risk to themselves or others. 0191 5665500 (under 16), 0303 1231145 (over 16) – then ask for the ICTS team

MIND – Mental Health Charity – 0300 123 3393

PAPYRUS – Prevention of young suicide – 0800 068 4141

SAMARITANS – Phone 116 123 – [email protected] 

STREETWISE – Free and confidential advice, counselling health and support services for young people aged 11-25 – 0191 230 5400

RETHINK MENTAL ILLNESS – 03005000927

CALM – support for men – 0800 58 58 58

HOPE AGAIN – Bereavement support – 0808 808 1677

MIND – Mental Health Charity – 0300 123 3393

NHS MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING –  http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety/depression

NHS CHOICES WEBSITE – http://www.nhs.uk 

FRANK – national drugs information and advice service – 24hours per day – 0300 123 6600 – text 82111 – email –  [email protected] 

NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELPLINE – 0808 2000 247

WELLBEING INFO.ORG – Website with advice, tools and support – http://wellbeinginfo.org 0191 4178043
FOOD BANKS New Hope Church, South Shields – 0191 4245462

Hospitality and Hope, South Shields – 0191 420 3336

Hebburn Helps – 0191 4899707

Churches Together Food bank, Boldon lane, South Shields– 07833 613393
FINANCE Financial crisis fund: The Fund provides direct financial support to residents in financial crisis as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is managed by the Welfare Support Team in South Tyneside Homes. Applicants to the scheme should contact 0191 424 7444 or visit https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/35031/Crisis-support
CORONAVIRUS SUPPORT COVID-19 support for residents – 0191 4247575 – Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9am-1pm – http://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/69129/Cornavirus-COVID-19- 

Week 5 – A letter from Mrs Cunningham (Tuesday)

21st April 2020A Stelling

Hello everyone, it’s Mrs Cunningham here again. I hope you had a good Monday and the first day of the Summer Term. Today I was in school and I let the children put chalk on the pavement. Mrs Stelling had to persuade me, but the results are really good. If you are passing on a walk with your parents, you might want to do some of our hopscotch and other games.

I have had lots of Zoom meetings today. I have had 4 and the last one has just finished and it’s 7pm. Everyone sees your face and you have to ask and answer lots of questions.  I had a posh work blouse on…….and my pyjama bottoms and slippers!! How funny is that?

Now because it is late, this is only a short letter, but I am hoping to make you laugh. Can you all remember the assemblies we had a few months ago and children told jokes and we all had to clap loud to see which one we all liked the best. I thought your clapometers were really good. Can you remember the Infant and Junior winners? if you can’t, here goes:

What do you call a dog that lies next to a fire?

A hot dog!!!

You infants loved that joke!! Some of you were lying down laughing on the hall floor at that one.

Here is the junior winner:

Two bags of crisps were walking down the road. A car pulls over and asks if they want a lift. They reply, “No, we are Walkers!”

There were lots of claps and groans there!

Have a top Tuesday.

 

Mrs Cunningham

Week 5: A letter from Mrs Cunningham (Monday)

20th April 2020A Stelling

Hello everyone, it’s Mrs Cunningham here again. How have you all been? I hope you have all had a super Easter. I know you couldn’t get out to the park or the fair or the beach, but I’m sure your mams and dads made it a special time in the house. Mr Cunningham bought me a Galaxy Easter egg. It did not last very long. I ate it in two halves with 2 cups of tea! I am going to have to do lots of running and spend some time at the gym when we are all back to normal.

Now you know my two girls are grown up and they are both back home at the minute. Well, I thought it would be funny to make an Easter Egg hunt for them, based around Nursery Rhymes. Now if you are in Nursery, I know you will get all of these right. The first clue said, “There was an old woman who lived in a ……”. My girls couldn’t remember the rhyme and thought the answer was “tree”, so they went outside expecting to find a cream egg in the tree. Eventually, I had to tell them the answer. The next one was,  “Old Mother Hubbard went to the ………”, Rachel guessed “kitchen” and then Louise guessed “the Bingo,” I started to think that maybe they were playing a trick on me!! They eventually found all of the eggs!
All of the teachers had a day or two in school over Easter, looking after some children who were in and getting some more work together for you. You might find some new work online or you might get an envelope through your door. The teachers have worked really hard to make sure that you are still learning and the activities are fun. We are looking forward to seeing your homework when you are back to school.
It’s lovely getting back in touch with  you all.
Have a magical Monday.
Mrs Cunningham

Update 19.4.20

19th April 2020Mr Bennett

Update 19.4.20

After the announcement by the Government that lockdown will continue for a further 3 weeks, Mortimer Primary School will remain open for our Key Worker families and supply additional work for pupils at home.

Please see key information below:

  1. Childcare Mortimer

We will revert back to Facebook events for parents to book in for childcare. This really helps us see who we will be having each day.

Mon 20th – Fri 24th April events will be live today.

If possible, please comment with your children’s names and classes to help see when siblings are coming.

Apologies if you aren’t using Facebook, but this is the easiest way for the majority of parents and staff to see uptake. This way you will be able to change your attendance easily if your circumstances change.

Please indicate your attendance at your earliest possible convenience for each day.

  1. Work for home

Additional work will be available via the Google classroom, Tapestry or posted to you. This will be appearing throughout the week.

  1. BBC Bitesize Daily

6 daily lessons of 20mins will be posted each day for varying ages. These may complement the work given by school or provide a different avenue of learning.

 

We will continue to keep you updated and support you all as best we can.

 

Stay safe!

E-vouchers for families whose children are eligible for free school meals

17th April 2020A Stelling

E-vouchers to the value of £15 per child per week will be provided for eligible families to buy food whilst schools are closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The company that is processing the vouchers for families on behalf of the government is called Edenred. The link below takes you to Edenred’s parents and carers information page:

https://www.edenred.co.uk/reward-recipients/Free-School-Meal-Vouchers/

Schools have ordered vouchers for their eligible families via the Edenred website. On receiving a voucher order from a school, Edenred then sends an email to the family giving instructions on how to order a voucher. Sometimes these emails fall into the junk or spam file of email accounts so families need to check regularly to find the email. When families order their voucher, another email is sent with the voucher code.  For families with no access to an email address, a paper voucher will be sent to the family home in the post.

Why are the vouchers currently taking so long to reach families?

Edenred has reported a very high demand for vouchers from schools. This is because it is a national voucher scheme for all schools, and it means that some families have had to wait longer than expected for their voucher. In some cases there have been delays of up to 3 days for vouchers to arrive after the family has selected their supermarket choice. We appreciate how frustrating this is, but please be assured that vouchers will reach all eligible families soon. 

Please note that local authorities and schools are not in control of how quickly vouchers are processed, but families can continue to order packed lunches while they wait for their voucher to arrive. You can order your packed lunch by contacting your school or the Council’s Contact Centre on tel. 427 7000.

If you choose to order food online using your voucher, do check first that your chosen supermarket offers an online service

Note that most supermarkets don’t permit use of the self-service tills with a voucher payment.

April 2020