Vranch House is a centre for the treatment of over 2,000 outpatients with physical difficulties, a provider of various therapies throughout Devon and an independent Day School in Exeter for children with significant physical difficulties.

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Last updated: 28/03/2024

Parent's Newsletter June 22

Parent's Newsletter June 22

Date added: Wednesday 22nd June 2022
Latest updated: Thursday 23rd February 2023

Dear Parents & Carers,

Re: Updates and key dates

Summer Fête - Saturday 9th July - Just a quick reminder that we will soon be holding our Summer Fête in a little over two week's time.   Come and browse the huge selection of craft stalls or sample a range of food and beverages on sale. You can enter the highly popular raffle and test your skills with a selection of games and other entertainment for children and family members of all abilities.

If you would like further information about this event or have something you wish to donate, please contact your child's class teacher or head over to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VranchHouseSchool   

COVID update - after further careful consideration, the Management Team have decided to

discontinue the wearing of face masks/coverings from Monday 27th June 2022.  

This relaxation in infection prevention measures is in line with other NHS clinic environments in the Exeter locality.  This means that no member of staff, or other adult visitors to Vranch House will be required to wear a face mask/covering in any area of the school or outpatient areas from this date.

As increased hand washing, surface sterilization and use of sporicidal hand sanitisers have become assumed best-practice, we will continue with these practices until further notice.  Please continue to follow the previous guidance on the reporting and isolation of COVID infections within your family, as below:

You should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days if you or your child have symptoms of COVID-19 and either:

  • have a high temperature
  • do not feel well enough to go to work/school, or do your ‘normal' activities

Your child can come back to school, college or childcare when they feel better or do not have a high temperature.  If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can come to school. 

There is more guidance for people with COVID-19 symptoms and other respiratory infections on GOV.UK. at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19

Picnic in the Garden at Vranch House - we have certainly missed whole-school events during the past two years of COVID-related social restrictions, so we are delighted to announce that we have planned a ‘Picnic in the Garden' event to take place on Tuesday 19th July, 2:00 to 3:30pm, in the grounds here at Vranch House.

We are fortunate to have beautiful open areas of wrap-around gardens with plenty of shady areas, perfect for us to invite our parents and carers to come and join us on picnic blankets (and there will also be a number of gazebo-covered areas available).  I'm sure that classes will be making some delicious treats to share at this picnic, but please feel free to a picnic blanket and small food items to share, should you wish.

We would politely request that you check with your child's class teacher regarding any allergies before bringing food items into the school. 

We want to keep our gardens beautiful and un-spoilt so, if you do bring food or drink items in, please ensure that all packaging and rubbish is taken home or deposited in the refuse bags made available on the day.  As we are a school, I must stress that smoking (including vaping or the use of other tobacco/nicotine products) and alcohol are not allowed anywhere in our grounds or buildings, so please respect this.

Our hope is that this event will act as an opportunity for parents and carers, old and new, to come together and share information, meet new teachers and staff groups for September and generally catch-up before we all go our sperate ways for the Summer holidays.

Annual School Reports 2021-22 - we will shortly be sending-out the pupil annual reports for the academic year 2021-22.  It has been truly encouraging to read how much our pupils, despite individual and national challenges, have achieved this school year. 

These reports will also give details of your child's class group and class teacher from this September; we have grown as a school this year and will be recruiting additional staff, including a new teacher for our Beech class.  If you have any queries regarding your child's class group, our teachers will be on-hand at the upcoming picnic event.  Alternative you can contact either myself or your child's present/receiving class teacher on the afternoon of Monday 5th September when they are in for an INSET training day.

We are extremely proud of all our pupils and the progress that they have made term-by-term, and hope you are too.

Key dates for your diary

Saturday 9th July, 2.00 to 5.00pm - Summary Fête - Open to all

Tuesday 19th July, 2.30 to 3.30pm - ‘Picnic in the Garden' at Vranch House - Open to all (see above)

Friday 22nd July, 2pm - Summer term, second half ends

Monday 1st August to Tuesday 6th September (inclusive) - Summer Holiday - school closed to pupils.

Wednesday 7th September - Autumn term (and the new academic year) commences - school re-opens to pupils.

On behalf of all at Vranch House, I wish you all an enjoyable half term and we hope to see you at our upcoming events.

Yours sincerely

 

Ian Norton

Head of Education