Dear Parents,
At long last we now ready to welcome all our children back to school. I know that for some of you this will be relief and for others a time of anxiety. The following is to address some of the questions you may have and give additional reassurance of how the school day will operate. I apologise in advance for the length of this letter but please do take the time to read it.
Is it safe for my child to come back to school?
Yes – we wouldn’t go ahead with our plans to have children back if we didn’t think it was safe. Our overriding priority is the well-being of your children and school staff and we have been preparing throughout the Summer. We have comprehensive risk assessments in place which adhere to government guidelines and will keep these under constant review.
When will my child be returning to school?
All children will return to school on Thursday 3rd September.
- We will be operating staggered starts and finishes to reduce the number of parents and children arriving and leaving together.
Year 2, 4, 5 & 6 8:45am – 3:15pm
Nursery, Reception, Year 1 & 3 8:55am – 3:25pm
- Children will be met at the gate and go into school through different doors. Classes will be entering the school yard from different entrances. These will be the main gates (1), Gate from Williamson’s Lane (2) and Back Lane (Rosebank) (3). Gates will open at the slightly earlier time of 8.45am. We would like the following classes to enter the yard in the following way:
8:45 – Gate 1 – Year 5/6 class
Gate 2 – Year 4/5 class
Gate 3 – Year 2 class
8:55 – Gate 1 – Nursery/Reception
Gate 2 – Year 1 class
Gate 3 – Year 3 class
- Children will be met at the gate and go into school through different doors. Parents will not be allowed on the yard. This is to keep everybody as safe as possible. Remember we are always free to talk on the phone.
- Your children will be brought to the same gate at home time by the school staff at the following times:
11:50 – Gate 1 – Nursery (AM)
3:15 – Gate 1 – Year 5/6 class
Gate 2 – Year 4/5 class
Gate 3 – Year 2 class
3:25 – Gate 1 – Nursery/Reception
Gate 2 – Year 1 class
Gate 3 – Year 3 class
If you have more than one child who need to be dropped off at different gates, you will have now received a separate message to inform you of the gate and times in which to drop off/collect your children.
We know that some children will find coming back to school extremely difficult. However, we would prefer for you to leave them and we will phone you with updates where necessary. If you need to speak to a member of staff please make an appointment by phoning the school office and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
All school age children are expected to return full time and be in school, on time, every day.
What are the plans for each class?
Each class will be one ‘bubble’ with some of the KS1 children working across bubbles for a small amount of time. The groups will be kept separate at all times including break and lunch times and will use separate toilets in a bid to reduce the risk of transmission. This goes against the community feel of the school, where we actively encourage older children to help and look after our younger children, but we feel it is necessary at this time.
How will my child/ children be taught?
The first couple of weeks are about establishing routines and ensuring your child/ children feel happy, safe and secure. During this time, we are also going to be assessing where your child/ children are, what they can remember and what they can’t so that we can target any extra support they need. This will not just be done through testing but through fun, hands on activities and talking to your child.
What about PE?
Children will have PE lessons. Wherever possible these will be outside so as well as sending their normal PE kit of dark shorts, white t-shirt and pumps or trainers they may want an old jumper or joggers too. Please do not buy these extra items if you haven’t got them.
What about lunchtime?
We are resuming hot lunches. However, the children will be in 3 sittings. Children will be eating together and then having a set time outside. Tables will be cleaned between the different groups.
Will my child/ children be expected to wear Uniform?
Yes. Current Government guidelines do not require this to be washed any more than normal.
What equipment will students be expected to bring?
We ask that the children bring as little as possible to school. We will provide the children with individual pencil cases, to avoid sharing equipment, so they do not need to bring in their own items from home.
A coat, lunchbox, if applicable, and water bottle are sufficient. PE kits can stay in school and will be sent home at half term unless they need washing before.
What if my child is ill or has to self isolate?
After a whole term of home learning, and finding the pitfalls, this has helped us to prepare for this term. Work in lessons will be provided for children to access at home.
What about Health and safety regimes?
Children will be expected to wash their hands when leaving home, on arrival at school and at various points during the school day including before and after breaks. Each child will also have access to hand sanitizer in their classrooms. Older children will sit in the same place each lesson and desks will be wiped down at the end of each session. Windows and doors will remain open where possible to ensure good ventilation.
Remember good handwashing at home is also important in reducing the risk of transmission.
As we all know, our cleaners keep our school extremely clean and we have allocated extra hours throughout the day to ensure that deep cleans continue.
Does my child have to wear a facemask?
No. Public Health England does not currently recommend the use of face coverings in primary schools as risks to children are lower, pupils and staff are mixing in consistent groups, and because misuse may inadvertently increase the risk of transmission.
I hope that I have answered your main queries, but know that many more will arise. As ever, please do not hesitate to contact myself or the school office. No question is a silly question.
Please remember that if your child displays any COVID symptoms, do not send them to school. We have in-depth procedures in school if this should happen and we can talk you through each step if this is the case.
We cannot wait to welcome your children back into school. We have missed them terribly.
Kind regards
Faye Eldon
