Dear Parents and Carers,
Yesterday evening Buckingham Palace announced the death of Her Majesty the Queen, the longest reigning monarch. As the United Kingdom enters into a period of national mourning, we will be taking the time to reflect on the life of Queen Elizabeth II during her incredible reign of 70 years.
Her Majesty passed away at the age of 96 having spent 70 years on the throne and was part of many people’s lives from childhood to adulthood. While death is not an easy topic to discuss, the passing of one who was such a big part of the nation and the world will be a particularly sensitive topic, especially for children. However, at school, we will be keeping the memory of Queen Elizabeth alive and will be broaching the subject in a sensitive manner.
This morning we held an assembly for children, where we displayed pictures of Queen Elizabeth II and sang our jubilee song in honour of her. We spoke about the sadness that many people will be feeling and that for many, the passing of the Queen will affect them deeply but for others, it may not affect them in the same way, and that this is ok.
We appreciate that the younger children may not fully understand what it means to die and that it is important for adults to talk openly to support the children. To aid children’s understanding of death, it is important to be open and honest and answer any questions they may have using clear and simple language that is age appropriate.
If you need any further support, there are plenty of charity websites to support discussions with children around death and bereavement.
Child Bereavement – Website
Young Minds – Website
Place 2 Be – Page
We took the time this morning to explain to the children the changes that will take place in light of the sad news and how our new monarch will be a King, King Charles III.
Please take the time to talk to your children about the Queen’s incredible life as this is a major historical event happening in their lifetime.
If you have any questions or your child needs any support during this time, please contact the school.
Yours Sincerely,
Sarah Barnes
KS1 Deputy Head Teacher