16th July 2020

 

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

I am now able to give you more detail about the opening of the school for all pupils in September 2020.  The safeguarding, safety and well being of children remains the highest priority and will be continually monitored during re-opening and into the school year. The purpose of this letter is to give you the practical information you need and, as best we can, to reassure you that we are working tirelessly to make this opening as safe and positive as possible.  At the end is a list of items we would like each child to bring to school.

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The planning process has been challenging and has required us, at times, to put aside what we know about good primary practice, as we endeavour to balance the emotional well-being of children and staff with the stringent safety measures we are required to implement. For all of us, school will be very different and no-one will be able to have the freedom to move around as normal. 

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Attendance

 

School opens full-time on Monday 7th September for all children. Children new to Africa class (Reception) will be following a separate phased introduction to school. The government has been clear that full-time attendance is expected of all children. We want to reassure families who still feel uncomfortable about the opening of school; please do make contact if you need to discuss any aspect of the opening plan.

 

Uniform

School uniform will be compulsory once again from the start of the Autumn term. PE kit should be worn to school on the days when PE is taking place. Every child will need a pair of wellies and a waterproof coat with a hood, as they will be spending lots of time outdoors every day.

 

Classroom organisation and layout

Children will be in class ‘bubbles’ in the usual classrooms but with an allotted outdoor space. Each child will have a set seat and desk as well as a tray for belongings, a water bottle, writing implements and other resources. Each class ‘bubble’ of children will be kept separate from the others wherever possible, in order to minimise the number of social contacts each child is having. All soft furnishings and unnecessary resources will have been removed. Window and doors will be left open wherever possible in order to minimise contact and aid ventilation. Children will be taught outside as much as possible. In Yr R the organisation be slightly different and will allow free flow, more in line with the normal approach at this age.

 

Staffing

All staff are expected to be back in school in September. All members of staff will be practising social distancing and some are members of the particularly vulnerable groups.

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Drop-off and Pick-up

In order to manage social distancing at these times, there will be staggered start and finish times as follows:

 

Eagles: 8.30 drop off and 3pm pick-up

Falcons: 8.40 drop off and 3.10pm pick-up                            

Kestrels: 8.50 drop off and 3.20pm pick-up

Please keep strictly to time

 

For the first three weeks, Africa class will have a phased introduction to school – information about timings has already been communicated to parents. Thereafter, timings for those children will be as above.

 

There will be a clearly labelled, one-way system during drop-off and pick-up times, and parents will need to observe strict social distancing. Sadly, we need to be clear that parents will need to work with younger children to be able to make the final steps in to school themselves, as we will not be able to ‘peel’ children off parents, as we sometimes do normally.  Entry and exit will be via the playground. On entry, each child will have their temperature taken and will sanitise their hands. Any child with a temperature of 37.8 or higher will not be admitted to the building and will need to return home immediately.  Any messages for staff will need to be communicated by email please.

 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

All staff will have access to personal visors and masks.  As part of our protocols, staff will use gloves where necessary but handwashing and good hygiene will be the priority.  The advice is that children should not be wearing masks or gloves, as this is likely to increase the spread of germs rather than offer protection.

 

Curriculum

The main priority on return to school will be pupils’ wellbeing and settling back into routines. The first two weeks back will have a ‘continent’ theme linked to class names. We will be sensitively assessing wellbeing as well as academic skills.

 

Playtimes and lunchtimes

These will be staggered for each group so that there is minimal interaction between groups.

Hot meals will be provided as usual – please order in the usual way. Yrs R and 1 will eat in the hall, all other year groups in their classrooms. Playtimes will be staggered.

 

Visitors

We will not be having visitors in the school apart from for essential maintenance. Unfortunately, parents are included in this protocol and will not be allowed in school buildings. You can of course, contact any member of staff through the school office in the normal way.

 

Clubs

There will be no clubs for the time being apart from Kiwi (after school) Club.

 

                                                                                           

Infection control

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You must not, under any circumstances, send your child to school if they or anyone else in your household is unwell.  If your child is poorly at school, you will be asked to collect them within 45 minutes of being informed. If your child is displaying symptoms of COVID-19, they will be isolated whilst being supervised by an adult who can maintain a 2 metre distance throughout. If there is a confirmed case in school, we will enact policies to test and/or isolate the rest of the staff and children in that class and all parents will be informed. 

 

Everyone who attends the school (staff and pupils) will follow the protocols below that are designed using the government guidance and the ‘hierarchy’ of priorities for infection control:

 

● children will have to wash their hands regularly. We expect that this will be at least 5-6 times per day as recommended in government guidance. Your child may bring hand cream if they have sensitive skin;

● tissues will be available for every child to help promote the ‘Catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach;

● these can be disposed of in a swing bin which will be regularly emptied;

● surfaces will be wiped between sessions with antibacterial spray and wipes; 

● surfaces will be washed thoroughly each day and wiped with antibacterial spray at regular intervals during the day;

● all regular contact points such as door handles are prioritised for cleaning each day by care-taking staff;

● for the most part, internal doors will be left propped open during the day to minimise surface contact; ● each class will have its own First Aid Kits

● each class will have their own dry wipe sanitation checklist- linked to the daily schedule so that we can ensure that routines are regularly followed;

● the sanitation checklist specifies 6 occasions during the day when everyone in each class must wash their hands and two occasions when surfaces and door handles must be sanitised.

 

Symptoms: Any child or member of staff who displays symptoms will be sent home.

 

● if the only symptom displayed has been a cough, we will send the child home and liaise with the parents to see if it persists. If there is a persistent cough and/or a temperature/loss of taste or smell, children will have to be tested and will not be able to return to school until they have been cleared or have gone through the subsequent isolation period;
 

● We would be grateful if parents and carers would share test outcomes directly with us before returning children to school;
 

● in the event that there is a confirmed case of COVID 19 in a class, the whole group including staff will be required to isolate for 14 days. In this instance, it will be necessary to revert to remote learning arrangements for this group.
 

● parents will be expected to ensure that there is never a time that there will not be an adult available to collect a child within 45 minutes of receiving a call from school;
 

● a coronavirus test can be booked here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
 

● essential workers in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland, can apply for priority testing through GOV.UK:

 https://www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test-essential-workers

Essential Kit List for September

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All pupils apart from Yr R will need a named pencil case (to keep in school), containing colouring pencils, felt tips and a pencil sharpener. T

he school will provide all other stationery items. If you are unable to provide the above, please contact the school and we can help.

 

• Named water bottle – to be kept at school and brought home for sanitisation at the weekend.
   

• Named wellies – to be kept in school
   

• School uniform including school shoes. (Trainers are not part of school uniform)
   

• PE Kit and trainers (PE bag not needed for the time being)
   

• A waterproof, warm winter coat with hood.
   

• A named bookbag (Yrs R – 3)
   

• Please do not send your child in with a backpack.

 

We hope this information is useful to you. 

 

Please rest assured that our amazing staff are working very hard to ensure that everything is as safe as possible, whilst maintaining the nurturing ethos we hold so dear, for your child during the time they are in our care.

 

We would like to thank you for your understanding and support at what has been a very demanding time for all of us. We hope that you all have a peaceful and healthy summer.

 

Kindest regards, 

 

 

Serena Nicholls                                   David Buckley

Headteacher                                       Chair of Governors