The sad news regarding the death of HRH Queen Elizabeth II

We are sorry to hear the sad news that HRH Queen Elizabeth II has died, aged 96. We send our thoughts to her family and everyone affected by this news.

In line with guidance from the Department for Education, we will not be holding our usual celebration assemblies tomorrow. Instead, children from Year 1 to 6 will attend short assemblies to help us remember her and celebrate her remarkable life. Children in EYFS will be supported in class by their class staff.

This week's 'Golden' certificates will be given out in class instead and I will be visiting classes to say well done and give the children their stickers.

With regard to how we will respond to children's comments, questions and feelings about the death of the Queen, please see below some advice I have shared with teachers and other staff from the bereavement charity 'Winston's Wish':

• Children and young people will appreciate time to verbalise their feelings and fears. 
• Allow space for “If only’s...” to be acknowledged. 
• Discussion – allow pupils to share their own experiences of death, eg. “When my pet/my gran died” etc.
• Be honest about your own feelings and experiences
• Answer pupil’s questions factually. Avoid using euphemisms like ‘passed away’, or ‘lost’ etc. 
• Use the words dead, died and death to avoid confusion for children. 
• Be prepared for children to say or do the unexpected, experience has shown some responses or apparent lack of response may be upsetting for adults. 
• No apparent response does not mean that a child does not care.
• It is natural that some children may be upset and/or need time to process information, offer a quiet space for them to go to.

There are also further resources available on the Winston Wish website on how to support children following a bereavement, including someone they did not directly know  https://www.winstonswish.org/supporting-you/

Support for adults with bereavement is also available from Cruse bereavement support at https://www.cruse.org.uk/

Please contact the office if you would like any further information or signposting to support services.