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Monday 18 May 2020
Dear Parents and Carers,
Return to school plan for Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children on 1st June 2020
Please find the plan, as it stands at the moment, for a return to school for your child. I apologise it is so long, but I need you to be clear about what is being expected of us as a school and what to expect if you choose to send your child back to school.
This is what school will look like, please be mindful that we are opening because the Government says we should and applies to Nursery/Reception/Year 1 and Year 6 only.
We won’t be opening to all children at the same time because we don’t think it’s safe. Therefore, we will only have half a class of each year group in school on any given day. We have carried out detailed risk assessments following the Government’s guidance.
Please remember that we have drawn this up after many hours of trying to make sense of their guidance. Since doing this work, the Government continue to send us more paperwork and expectations - 14 separate documents since last Monday, and so we will do the very best we can in this very challenging time for all.
Please keep in your mind that my view has not changed since lockdown, where we need to keep safe in order to get our lives back to normality. You, as parents, make the decision as to whether to send your child to school being mindful that you have considered the health and safety of your child, the other children and the staff.
We will be limited in the staff we can expect in as some may be shielding themselves or others in their households, they may be self-isolating or may be choosing not to send their own children into school. This will have an effect on who teaches your child.
So, what does it all mean?
Whichever groups the children will be in, they will be in with no more than 12 children throughout the day. We will try really hard to keep the children 2m apart and the adults leading each group will also be expected to keep 2m for their safety. Staff may be wearing PPE should it be required.
The times for start/end of days will be staggered. Parents, carers and adults accompanying children to school will not be allowed past the gates. We feel this is the only way we can try to keep everyone safe.
*Siblings of children in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, cannot be taken into school at the moment unless they are keyworker children and then all your children will be in the same group.
We cannot now open Breakfast club. There will be no childcare after 3.05pm and so we ask that drop off and pick-ups are prompt for the safety of our school family.
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What will they be offered? |
What are the times they will be in? |
How will the class be split? |
Other information |
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Nursery |
2 x mornings a week |
8.30am – 12noon
usual entrance |
Depends on numbers, but could be 2 groups.
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Reception |
2 week rota
Week 1 3 days (Mon/Wed/Fri)
Week 2 2 days (Tues/Thurs) |
9am – 2.45pm
Through the nursery gate. |
In groups, they will stay in one small space all day, have breaks and lunchtimes together and at different times from the other children. |
The days they are not in school we will provide learning.
They will not be mixing with any other group and will not have the same breaks/ lunchtimes throughout the day
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Year 1 |
2 week rota
Week 1 3 days (Mon/Wed/Fri)
Week 2 2 days (Tues/Thurs) |
8.45am -3.00pm
Through the car park gate |
In groups, they will stay in one small space all day, have breaks and lunchtimes together and at different times from the other children. |
The days they are not in school we will provide learning.
They will not be mixing with any other group and will not have the same breaks/ lunchtimes throughout the day
|
|
Year 6 |
Week 1 3 days (Mon/Wed/Fri)
Week 2 2 days (Tues/Thurs) |
8.45am – 3.05pm
Through the main gate |
In groups, they will stay in one small space all day, have breaks and lunchtimes together and at different times from the other children. |
The days they are not in school we will provide learning.
They will not be mixing with any other group and will not have the same breaks/ lunchtimes throughout the day
|
What do they need for school?
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Nursery |
Their own labelled water bottle – filled at home
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Reception Year 1 Year 6 |
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*The government says clothes should be changed every day. This is another reason for us having alternate days in school.
What will we provide?
Can I please ask that you let us know whether you plan to send your child back to school, for us to be able to organise staff and areas, before Sunday 24th May. Shortly after this date, we will let you know which days your children will be attending.
Thank you for your support at this really tricky time. If you need to speak with us about anything which may not be clear, then please get in touch.
Kind regards
Mrs J Kearney
Headteacher
Friday 15th May 2020
Dear Parents and Carers,
Re: Possible reopening of school to more pupils in June
We know you’ve seen in the news that schools may reopen on 1st June to Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils if the government thinks it’s safe then. We have started to create very detailed risk assessments to try to meet this ‘ask’.
It’s a very unsettling time for us all, but rest assured that we’re going to be doing everything we can to try to accommodate these year groups if it’s safe for our school to reopen in the coming weeks. You must consider, as a parent, whether returning your child to school is the right thing for your child, and the teachers and staff who will also be in school every day. Working within a very constrained environment where social distancing and prevention of transmission of any viruses is difficult during normal school life, it may be a higher risk. School will not be the same, they will not be with their whole class and they won’t be mixing throughout the school day as each group of children will be in their own designated area. We must ensure that we are mindful that we have a duty of care for all our school family, just as we as a school staff do throughout the year.
We’re recreating a detailed action plan that we’ll share with you as soon as possible so that you know what the school’s reopening will look like in practice. At present this won’t be a full time timetable as we can only provide provision if we have enough staff allowed to be in school. Precautions we’ll be taking include:
There will be no provision for the siblings of children in these groups and they will continue with the home learning set by the teachers.
We will be unable to have any external agencies in school such as music teachers, therapists, counsellors or volunteers due to the restrictions we will have in place. Any 1:1 provision can only be put in place if it meets the social distancing guidance set by the government. This includes any physical interventions/needs due to personal or intimate care or behavioural challenges. We will endeavour to provide a breakfast club, but this will be on very limited numbers and only for those who are required to be in work before 9.00am.
We do not currently anticipate the school kitchen being open, but await clarification from the Government/local authority on this and free school meals expectations.
If your child is clinically vulnerable, you should follow medical advice to decide if they should come back to school. Please refer to government guidance for further details of these groups.
I want to reassure you that we’re not going to be pressuring anyone to send their children to school; the government have stated that there will be no penalty for non-attendance. We’ll keep you updated with all our preparations for making sure the school is as safe as possible, so that you can make an informed decision.
We know that some employers will be encouraging you to return to work, but we’re not in a position right now to extend places to other children until we receive further government guidance.
I would be grateful if I could ask you to share your initial thoughts of returning your child to school on the 1st June, should this happen. Simply respond to this email indicating your decision as soon as possible.
Please consider:
a. - I intend to return my child to school
b. - I have not yet made a decision
c. - I do not intend to return my child to school
We’d like to thank you for your continuous support in helping your child learn from home. We’ll keep you updated once we know more about when schools will be able to reopen for other year groups.
If you have any questions, please get in touch.
Warm regards,
Mrs J Kearney
Headteacher
Dear Children, Parents and Carers,
I am sure that you will have seen the Government's announcement this evening, detailing their ambition to open primary schools to pupils from Reception, Y1 and Y6, should the new COVID alert level be low enough to allow this from June 1st.
We are committed to following the Government's advice in the safest way possible for all children, staff and parents. We are expecting to hear more details on these plans from the Department for Education and will maintain communication with parents throughout this period, as we have throughout these current times.
In the meantime, school remains open to those critical worker children who have been accessing our childcare provision and we hope you are all accessing the many opportunities on the website and through the learning packs.
As soon as the school has more information, we will be in touch to share our intentions and to discuss your views on these.
Kind regards and stay safe,
Mrs J Kearney
Happy birthday this week to:
Tristan
Tom
Poppy
Jayden
Liam
Andrei