The Big Ask

The Children’s Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, wants to hear from as many children and young people in England as possible through The Big Ask. Her job is to speak up for children in England, stand up for their rights, and make sure that the people in power listen to what children need and want.

This is the largest ever survey of children and young people in England. We’ll use what you tell us to show the government what you think, and what children need to live happier lives.

This survey will only take you 5-10 minutes.

This is YOUR opportunity to tell the Government what YOU think! Find out more and take part click here

School Covid-19 Mass Testing Information and Consent Form

Emergency Food Parcels

The foodbank has been established to provide short term, emergency food to individuals and families in crisis.

This is a project which involves the whole Outwood community!

There is no charge for the food, but it is given on the understanding that it is not resold.

For further information please click here

You can apply for an emergency food parcel using the link below:

Free School Meals

We want to make sure that we are providing your child with the best education and support we can. Healthy school food has obvious health benefits and can help pupils establish healthy habits for life. Healthy school food can also help to improve pupils’ readiness to learn.
Families who receive certain benefits may be eligible for free school meals. Your child is eligible for free school meals if you’re in receipt of one of the following benefits:
• Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400.
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
• Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190

If you think this may apply to you please contact Sheffield City Council by phoning 0114 2734567 (select option 4 then option 3) or visiting the Sheffield City Council website to complete the application form. If a student is entitled to free school meals their account is automatically credited each day with sufficient funds to purchase a main meal of the day, a dessert and a drink.

How to Protect Children from Digital Eye Strain during the Pandemic

While it’s not possible for your child to stop using screens altogether, there are a few things you can do to help protect your child’s eye health. Please click the link below.

Digital Parenting

Please see the attached guide ‘Welcome to Digital Parenting’ Vodafone’s guide to help your family live a happy and safe digital life.

Christmas Free School Meal Vouchers

If your child is entitled to free school meals you should have received a Christmas free school meal voucher letter from the FSM service.

The Christmas FSM Vouchers should be redeemed using the following website link: www.selectyourcompliment.co.uk/grocery

And the October half term FSM Vouchers must be redeemed on the following website link: www.selectyourcompliment.co.uk (without the /grocery)

It is important that the correct website link is used to redeem the eCodes as the eCode will come up with an error message on the wrong one.

Please see below a short step by step ‘How To..’ video on how to redeem an eCode and download a supermarket voucher on the Edenred website.

Music Tuition 2020-21

Please complete the below Google Form if you wish your child to access Music Tuition in 2020-21.

Google Form

Hegarty Maths

Hegarty maths is the online platform used for Maths homework for year 8 -11. Your child will be set and expected to complete at least one task per week. This will be set on a Thursday and due the following Tuesday morning. Open the tab below to download and then click on the links in the document

Year 7 Sparx Maths

Sparx maths is the online platform used for Maths homework for Year 7. Your child will be set and expected to complete at least the compulsory tasks per week. All tasks are personalised and will be set on a Thursday and due the following Tuesday morning. For more information please see https://www.city.outwood.com/maths

Calendar of Events

Click here to view the full Academy Calendar.

Good News Stories

Find out what Outwood Academy City students have been doing in their own time on our new ‘Good News Stories’ web page.

If you have a good news story to share with us, contact Mr Colliver with the details by email to J.Colliver@city.outwood.com.

Student Voice

Y7 Tutor Competition

Sheffield Parenting – What’s on Guide

Kooth

With the Festive period approaching Kooth.com, is a free, safe and confidential way for young people to receive counselling, support and advice online, will still be accessible over the break from school. We know that there are times when life can feel like a struggle and some extra support can be needed. Recognising this, Kooth has been commissioned by Sheffield City NHS Clinical Commissioning Group to provide support for young people aged 11- 18, up to 25 if in care, who live within the Sheffield City area.

Kooth is accessible 24/7 365 days of the year and provides access to quality counselling from BACP or UKCP accredited counselling professionals via a text based format from 12noon to 10pm on weekdays, and 6pm-10pm on weekends, providing a much needed ‘out of hours’ service. Kooth is accessible from any device that can access the Internet, allowing young people to seek help and support at a time and location that is suitable for them.

In addition to the counselling, Kooth provides a fantastic, safe place for peer to peer support through forums where all contributions are moderated before being posted. Young people can also access the Magazine and Articles section where they can read approved content from individuals in similar situations to their own or even write their own articles.
Kooth is not a replacement for any in person support for a young person; rather it is an additional means of accessing further support.

www.Kooth.com

New online e-Payments system for School Meals and other School Purchases

Outwood Academy City is pleased to announce that we will be introducing iPay impact online payments to eliminate the need for your child to carry cash to school for school meals, trips and school shop items. We will be transferring to the new payment system week commencing 19th October 20 and this will replace the current system Biostore

Please note that from 20th October 20 there will be no facilities within school to accept cash payments for school meals or trips.

Please click on the link below for more information. A letter with specific account information will be issued week commencing 5th October 20

Key information

• Letters with account activation details will be sent out week commencing – 5th October 20
• Funds can be added to accounts from 5th October but not accessed until the system goes live on 20th October 20
• Last date for adding funds to Squid accounts in 16th October 20
• Outstanding Squid balances will be added to Ipay account on the afternoon of the 19th October 20

Tuesday 20 April 2021
Parents Evening Years 10 &11 only

Letters To Parents

See below the latest letters. Click here to view all letters issued this and previous academic years.

Sheffield Parent Carer Forum Newsletter

The Forum is an independent, parent-led organisation established to bring together parents/carers of children with disabilities and/or special educational needs from across the city to support, share information and influence policy. The twice yearly produced newsletters are available from the Forum’s website. Click here for more information. Alternatively, a limited number of paper copies are available from Visitor Reception.

Programme of International Visits

In February 2019, the academy launched its Programme of International Visits which have been made available to students to provide them with the opportunity to engage in rich cultural and sporting experiences. Subject to interest, two international visits will be offered each academic year and take place during the Easter holidays, now starting in 2022.

We am very happy to inform you that plans are well underway for our upcoming Skiing tour to Italy. The trip is now going ahead during the Easter holidays 2022. Thank you to all parents and carers for your understanding during these unprecedented times and unanimously agreeing to defer the international tour to the Easter holidays 2022.

Click the links below to view the latest information on all our forthcoming trips.