Reopening Letter to Parents 10th June 2020

10^th June 2020

 

Dear Parents

I hope you are safe and well at this current point.

I would like to begin this letter by expressing my thanks for your support over the past few months. These have certainly been challenging times and I appreciate all the positive comments and support we have received. I hope to set out for you the plans as we move forwards into a partial re-opening for prioritised year groups and the continuation of childcare provision for Key Worker families and vulnerable children.

 

Commencement – School has been closed to all children this week. We have been making our final preparations before the partial re-opening for wider year groups which was due to take place on Monday 15^th June. However, in the light of Government announcements and on recommendation of LDST we have delayed our wider opening to Nursery, Rec, Year 1 and Year 6 until WC 22^nd June at the earliest.

 

For clarification and information, we will open on Monday 15th June for Key workers and vulnerable children from Y1 to Y6 only.

On Tuesday 16th June we will open for Key workers and vulnerable children in Nursery and Reception also. 

 

This Key worker and vulnerable children childcare has been operating throughout lock-down and we have accommodated approximately less than 12 children each day. Our numbers have now significantly increased and we will be operating more PODS to accommodate these increased numbers.

 

On Monday 15^th June we will re-open for children of Key workers and vulnerable children childcare in Y1/2/3/4/5/6

On Tuesday 16^th June we will also welcome back those children of Keyworker families and vulnerable children in Nursery and Reception

 

Week commencing 22^nd June we will begin to welcome back other children from Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

All Parents who completed and returned a form requesting a place in the wider opening by 25^th May have been allocated a place and should have received contact from school by phone.

 

Dropping off and Picking up

In order to maintain social distancing, it is necessary to stagger drop off and pick up times. If you have more than one child and you do not wish to drop off at different times then please drop all children off in the morning at the later time and pick up in the afternoon at the earlier time.  Please note Iver Close gate will remain closed.

 

Please refer to the year group of your child.

 

In order to maintain a flow of Parents and avoid crossing this one-way system will be in place for all Parents. All Parents must enter though the gate at the main entrance and leave via the gate at the Nursery path.

 

We would kindly ask that Parents

1. Follow the one-way system that will be in place for all families.
2. Maintain 2m social distancing
3. Do not approach staff at the classroom door – if you have any queries then please ring or email school (crontonce@ldst.org.uk).
4. Stand back a 2m distance from the classroom door whilst your child goes into school through the classroom door.
5. Please stick to your time slot – if you are late you may have to wait until the very end of all   the staggered drop off times.
6. Do not congregate in groups with other parents, please immediately leave the school site after your drop off / pick up following the one-way system that is in place.
7. If you have more than one child and you do not wish to drop off at different times, then please drop all children off in the morning at the later time and pick up in the afternoon at the earlier time.
8. Only one Parent should collect or pick up. This is to minimise risk of cross contamination as far as possible. Please do not ask another Parent to collect your child.

 

I will be at the front entrance to school limiting the amount of Parents on to the site at any one time and asking Parents to queue if necessary. It will be important to keep the flow of parents and children at these times to avoid Parents having to wait.

This might take some time for us all to get used to so I respectfully ask that Parents bear with us and expect some delays initially. I would suggest that you inform your employer of the situation.

 

PODs

Throughout the day children will remain with their staff in their POD. They will not be able to mix with other staff or children from other PODS. Children will not be able to swap PODs.

Children will need to bring with them

1. Coat (if needed)
2. Water bottle clearly labelled (there will be no access to water fountains)
3. Apart from Nursery, children may bring a small snack from home following usual healthy snack rules.
4. Packed lunch bag (if not having school lunch)
5. Reading Book (please wipe with a sanitised wipe when returning to school and school will wipe any reading books that are being taken home)
6. Suncream & Sun Hat (if required, children must be able to apply themselves. Please label sunhats and explain to your child they must not wear anyone else’s hat))

 

There will be limited access to cloakrooms and children from Y1-Y6 will need to keep everything they bring to school with them at their desks in a SMALL bag. Children will not need any other resources and will be given their own resources to use in class.

Due to the nature of early years, younger children will need to access some shared resources. This has been carefully risk assessed and planned and managed so that thorough cleaning can take place at regular intervals.

Hand washing will be timetabled regularly.

 

Teaching & Learning (Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6) 

Lessons will look and feel slightly different across all of the PODS.  Children will have all their lessons with the staff in their POD. Children will not be allowed into other areas of the school apart from the toilets. Lunches will be taken in the classrooms.

Children will be accessing materials from the Oak Academy and also White Rose maths. When the children first return, we will also spend some time talking to them about the PODs, social distancing and how to stay healthy at this time. This will be done in an age appropriate way. Your child may not have their usual teacher and may be in a different classroom.

Those children in the Y2/3/4/5 keyworker child care will be able to access their home learning during the day but will not be having lessons as such. This remains child care. 

 

School Lunches

All children in school who are entitled to free school meals will be able to access these. School lunches will be sandwiches and finger foods which will be brought to the POD each day. Children will eat their lunch in their POD.  These will be ordered on a daily basis. Payment for lunches will be via Parent pay in the usual way. 

 

Keeping Healthy –

It is very important that Parents and children do not enter site if you or your child are displaying symptoms of Corona Virus. Any child who is found to be displaying symptoms during the school day will be isolated and then sent home immediately. Staff will be requested to wear PPE when dealing with a child with suspected symptoms or when dealing with a child with intimate needs (ie changing nappies.)  If your child displays symptoms, your child will need to self-isolate for 7 days and all members of the family will need to self-isolate for up to 14 days. Parents will be asked to access a test for their child. If your child tests positive you will need to let us know immediately as staff and children within that POD will need to self-isolate. Any Parent who does not wish their child to have a test will be treated as a positive result.

 

Communication

It is very important that Parents do not approach staff at the classroom door or enter the school building. I completely understand that this might be difficult as you want to pass on simple messages. However, this could put staff and therefore children at risk. We ask that Parents contact us via email (crontonce@ldst.org.uk) or ring the school if you have a query or concern. All staff have been informed to politely remind Parents of this if any Parent approaches them at the door. Your co-operation and understanding regarding this would be helpful.

We ask that only 1 Parent completes the drop off or pick up. This is again to minimise risk to children, staff and all Parents.

 

School Uniform

School uniform is not compulsory for the rest of this term. Your child should wear comfy clothing. It has been recommended that clothing is washed after wearing hence the reason we have decided not to make school uniform compulsory. Please ensure all clothing and footwear is appropriate for the age of child. Do not send young children with laces or fasteners that they cannot manage themselves. You will not need any PE kit for your child as this will be done in the clothing they will be wearing. Please ensure all clothing and footwear is labelled with your child’s name. Of course – if you want to send your child in their uniform this is fine and it does not need to be summer or winter uniform specifically. I do not want Parents to purchase specific uniform at this challenging time.

If you have any questions or queries, please email the school (crontonce@ldst.org.uk) and we will respond to you via email. The school office will be closed on Thursday for staff training. It will re-open again on Friday should you wish to speak with the office or myself.

 

I look forward to welcoming back our first group of children on 15^th, then 16^th and finally 22^nd June.

Kind regards

Mrs S Thomson

Headteacher