Main messages for Parents re opening June 1^st

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you are well during these unprecedented times.

Thank you for your responses to the previous e-mail sent to you. Some of you have said some very supportive words and please do not underestimate the appreciation of your understanding during these times. Your kind words mean so much to us.

We have put together a bit more information for you regarding the planned return to school from June 1^st.

This plan may not even go ahead. This plan is dependent upon a number of factors, our capacity as a school regarding staffing and space and in a wider sense the UK R rate and figures.

I need you to know that we have worries. We cannot guarantee that children will be able to socially distance 100% of the time. We will do our utmost to keep ourselves and your children safe from Covid-19 but, honestly, we cannot guarantee it.

I need to tell you that we have had members of our school community who have been directly affected by the virus and sadly, some who have suffered bereavements because of it.

Forgive me for my candour, but many of your responses have been honest and very open and it’s only right that I do the same.

I’m sure over the days and week to come, more questions will arise and, as ever, we will continue to communicate with you as effectively as we possibly can.

Stay safe and take care,

We miss you all hugely,

Mrs Hunter and Mrs Revill

• School is open for Foundation, Year 1, Year 6 children from June 1^st.
• Children will be asked to wear normal school uniform- if shoes have been outgrown, trainers are fine.
• Each class will be split into 2 groups of 15 children.
• Each group of 15 children will have 2 members of staff, a teacher and TA. These 2 members of staff will be the only staff members mixing with the group of 15 to avoid cross contamination.
• If a child requires First Aid, it will be their member of staff who administers it.
• If anyone in the group of 15 plus the 2 staff members are confirmed to have COVID-19, then the whole group, plus staff, will all be sent home to self-isolate for 14 days.
• The government have promised that all staff and pupils will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus.
• School staff and learners will not be required to wear face coverings.
• The government recognise it may not always be possible for children and the staff working with the groups of children to maintain a distance of 2 metres from others.
•  We will be asking children to bring in their own water bottle with them each day that needs to go home each evening.
• Children can bring a teddy or comfort toy with them if they wish. It must be made very clear to them that they must not share these with other children and they must be taken home each night. This applies to any items brought in from home.
• Children won’t be sent home with reading books to avoid cross-contamination between households.
• We ask that children bring their own stationary where possible including items such as pens, pencils, crayons, felt tips, safety scissors and glue sticks.
• Children may bring their own hand sanitizer if you want them to, or they want to, and if they can use this independently. This must not be shared.
• There are more relaxed curriculum demands on educational settings. Work set for the children will vary and won’t necessarily follow the formal English and Maths structures. Pupil well-being and personal, moral, social and health education will be a priority.
• For year 6 children, transition to secondary school settings will be a priority as well as finding a clever way to finish their primary education together whilst apart.
• Children will have staggered start and finish times. This will look different on each site and for each year group and it is to avoid bottle necking at the gates.
• We have been advised to minimise the number of parents who enter the school grounds. We expect 1 parent only to drop off and collect children and in the case of Year 6, wherever possible, we hope children will be unaccompanied.
• Foundation and Year 1 children will be met by their allocated staff at a given drop off and pick up point. Parents will be asked to queue up at their given points 2 metres apart.
• At Balderton site we plan that Foundation children queue to the left and the right of the main school gate. Year 1 children will be met on the area of grass opposite Brisbane Court, 2 parallel  groups of 15 children in a queue. These will be at 2 different staggered times- 9am and 9.15am to finish at 3pm and 3.15pm. We ask that you queue in your groups of 15 as you would for the supermarkets, 2 metres apart. The smoothness of this plan will rely on you and us being very strict with our timings.
• The expectation will be that, wherever possible, Year 6’s will come to school independently or dropped off/collected at an agreed point in the local vicinity.
• At Fernwood the children will enter the grounds, again at staggered times, via the 3 separate gates. The expectation of Year 6 children getting to school as independently as possible applies.
• The children of Key workers who are also in Foundation, Year 1 and Year 6 can be dropped off at the school gate at normal school time, regardless of their year groups start and finish time, and make their way into their allocated area.
• At break times children will not be coming into close contact with any of the other groups of 15 children. This will be difficult for those who miss their friends and teachers have been mindful of this when splitting classes.
• At lunchtimes, those who require a hot meal should be able to have one. An alternative option may be sandwiches provided by school for those wanting school dinners. Lunches will be collected from the hall and children will eat their lunch in their allocated classroom with their members of staff.
• Equipment in school, such as sports equipment and outdoor play equipment will only be used by one group of children and will be cleaned before a different group of children use it.
• The structure of the day will follow a similar pattern to a normal school day. The work that the children will be doing will be put on the website for the children in those year groups whose parents have made the decision to keep them at home.
• If you do decide to keep your child at home during these times, we fully understand and support your decision and recognise that everybody’s experience of this situation is different and people’s personal circumstances are unique to them.
• The Government have said that no fines or penalties for non-attendance will take place. There will also be no implications, demands or requirements upon us as an educational establishment.
• Cleanliness is key and cleaning staff will be briefed thoroughly and regularly with direct reference to guidance.
• Consideration of the toileting of children, hand washing procedures, touching faces, washing hands following sneezing and a whole list of other health and hygiene issues and how we manage these is taking place and a full risk assessment will be produced with guidance from County.

We’re sure there’s much more that we may have missed or don’t yet know the answers to ourselves but we will continue our communication with you as fully as we can. Many thanks for your continued support and understanding.

Mrs Hunter and Mrs Revill