 August 2024
As the summer holidays draw to a close, we know this is a busy time for families across Devon as you prepare for a new academic year.
We want to help you make the transition back to school as easy as possible, so we've put together a special edition of our 'Connect Me' newsletter packed with information and advice about everything from school transport to help with childcare costs.
It can be a particularly challenging time for parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), so we've also created a special edition of our SEND newsletter for subscribers. If you missed it in your inbox, you can read it online here.
 Helping your child prepare
The prospect of starting a new school year will be exciting for many pupils and others might feel anxious after the long summer break.
Helping your child transition smoothly back into a school routine can make a big difference. Here are a few tips:
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Re-establish a routine: Start winding down the relaxed summer schedule by gradually implementing a routine similar to what it will be during the school term
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Talk positively about school: Discuss what they're looking forward to and any worries they might have. Open communication can help ease anxiety
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Organise school supplies early: Avoid feeling rushed and disorganised by sorting out what your child needs for school ahead of time. Let your child help choose their supplies as this can help them to feel more involved and excited about the new school year
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Healthy habits: Ensure your child is getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in regular physical activity. A healthy body supports a healthy mind
Young Minds has helpful information and advice about supporting your child with school anxiety. Their website also has tips for working with your child’s school if your child is having difficulties, and finding extra help if you need it.
 Is your child entitled to free school meals?
All children in reception, year one and year two at state schools in England automatically get free school meals.
However, if you receive certain benefits, you are encouraged to apply for free school meals when you enrol your child in school, as this can also help your school to attract additional ‘pupil premium‘ funding to support your child's learning.
Please apply through our website, as this is the quickest and easiest way and will result in you getting an instant decision. Alternatively, call our Education Helpline on 0345 155 1019.
When it comes to buying school uniform, the costs can add up. The Recycle Devon website has tips and advice to help families plan and get the most wear out of their school uniform.
Websites such as Freegle, Preloved, Gumtree or Freecycle are all good places to pick up bargains! And many schools offer low cost, second hand uniform or uniform swaps.
You can also find out what the latest deals are on buying new uniform from the MoneySavingExpert website.
 Travelling to school
We encourage all children to walk, cycle or scoot to school if they can. Teachers tell us that pupils who travel actively often arrive more alert and ready for learning, as well as being generally happier.
Active travel also helps parents and carers to stay fit, help the environment, and it might save you money. Even if your family can only make the change a couple of days a week, or for just one leg of the journey to and from school, it will make a big difference. Our recycling centres often have bikes and scooters in their resale shops at bargain prices!
If your child isn’t able to walk, cycle or scoot, could they use public transport instead? And if you do have to drive your child to school, please consider parking a ten minute walk away to help keep the school entrance clear of traffic.
We provide school transport to more than 16,000 pupils across Devon. Families who qualify should have received information from us regarding arrangements for the new term, and the majority of school bus passes have now been sent out. However, if you have not heard from us, or you have a query, please call us on 0345 155 1019.
 Attendance matters
Attending school regularly is important, and we know that missing days or even half days here and there can add up. We, like you, want children to do the best they can at school, to get the most out of their education, to help them fulfil their potential and to thrive.
Regular school attendance is considered to mean being at school over 95 per cent of the time. We know though that some children and their families find attending school a challenge for any number of reasons.
Please don't be afraid to ask for help if a problem arises and your child is finding it difficult to attend school. There is support available for parent and carer of children who find it challenging to attend, or to arrive on time.
Visit our website for more advice and guidance about school attendance.
 Wraparound childcare is expanding
Lots of families in Devon need childcare before and after school so that parents and carers can work the hours that they need to. This is is known as wraparound care, and many schools in Devon have breakfast clubs and after school clubs on offer as part of this.
Earlier this year we received £3.5 million funding from the Government for this financial year to make wraparound childcare for primary school-aged children in Devon more widely available and ensure that it is regular and dependable for working parents, operates for longer hours, and is inclusive with appropriate support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
We've been working with schools and local childcare providers to increase the number of wraparound childcare places available in areas where demand is highest from this September, and it is our ambition that cost-effective childcare from 8am to 6pm will be available for every primary school pupil that needs it by September 2026.
You can find out more from the story on our news page, or visit the Government's website for more information about the programme. Or visit our website for further information.
If you're interested in childcare, we have recently published a special edition of this newsletter for parents and carers. If you missed it in your inbox, you can read it online here or subscribe to receive others like it here.
 Has your child had all their vaccinations?
Going to school means mixing with lots of other children. Making sure your child is up to date with their routine immunisations gives them the best protection from what can potentially be very harmful infections.
A list of vaccinations that your child should have had, by age and by when is available on the NHS website. If you're not sure if your child has had all of their vaccinations, you can check their personal health record (their red book) or contact your child's doctor's surgery.
If you have any concerns about vaccinations, you can read more about them on the NHS website. There are also vaccination tips for parents and carers to help your child's vaccination appointment go smoothly.
The NHS also has helpful information online to help parents and carers know how long their child should be kept off school when they are ill.
 Is your teen staying in education or training? Don't forget to extend your Child Benefit claim!
Child Benefit is an important financial support for many households and we don’t want to see any eligible family miss out.
You can continue to claim for children after they turn 16 years old if they are staying on in full-time education or training. But you only have until Saturday 31 August to let HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) know!
You can quickly and easily extend your Child Benefit claim on the Government's website or by using the HMRC app. Alternatively you can do by post or by phone.
If your child changes their mind about further education or training, you can simply inform HMRC online or via the HMRC app and payments will be adjusted accordingly.
For more information on Child Benefit for 16-19-year-olds please visit the Government's website.
 Support is available for households in Devon who are struggling
The financial challenges facing some households in Devon can be intensified over the school summer holidays.
Increased costs such as food and activities, particularly with the current cost of living, and reduced incomes due to childcare, mean that this year’s break may have be especially difficult. And now, with the new school year just around the corner, and new uniform and supplies to buy, budgets are being squeezed.
That’s why we are reminding people of the support available through the Government’s Household Support Fund, which is planned to run until Monday 30 September.
Earlier this year we were allocated a little over £5 million from the Government to help households struggling to pay higher bills for energy, food, water, and other essential items.
Visit the news page of our website to find out more about how you can access the support.
Thousands of students across Devon received their A Level, AS Level, T Level, BTEC, vocational and technical qualification (VTQs) and GCSE results this month. We are incredibly proud of what learners in Devon achieve through hard work and dedication, and we will continue to ensure that our county is a place that people can thrive and have opportunities to fulfil their potential.
Our Employment Hubs welcome anyone looking for support or advice on what to do next. They can help you to find out about different learning opportunities, career options and jobs, so that you can move forward on your employment, learning or skills journey with confidence.
We also fund Youth Hub Devon, which works to help young people aged 16 to 24 years old get the right training, support, and guidance for their future. Based in Exeter Library, they offer careers advice, CV and interview support, help searching for a job or an apprenticeship as well as employment events, workshops and study spaces. Visit their website to find out more.
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