Latest News

Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Knowsley Survey

  Tue 30 Jun 2020

  Knowsley LA have asked us to share a new survey with our parents and carers.The link to log in and complete the survey is below.

  Please note the closing date is 3rd July (Friday)

  Thank you

  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HWYCTZX

• Drainage Work

  Mon 29 Jun 2020

  Dear Parents and Carers,

   

  Starting on Wednesday 1^st July the school will be undergoing some repair work to some of the drains. The work will begin in the Reception and Nursery play area. This means that our current one-way system for entering the school grounds and dropping off the children will be unable to operate. With this in mind we have had to put in place some temporary changes to the current system. All drop off and pick up times remain the same.

   

  Nursery:  Come in from the main front entrance (not the Nursery gates) as normal. Turn right across the front of school (in front of Year Two and Year One) and turn into the undercover area by the nearest shutter. Drop off your child as normal and exit via the other marked Nursery shutter.

   

  Reception: Come in from the main front entrance (not the Nursery gates) as normal. Turn right across the front of school (in front of Year Two and Year One) and turn into the undercover area by the nearest shutter and go to Reception door. Drop off your child as normal and exit via the other marked Nursery shutter.

   

  Year One Pods: Continue to drop off and pick up your child in the same way.

   

  Key Worker Provision in the hall and Year Four classroom (Year 2,3,4 & 5 children): Come in through the usual gate and follow the path. Drop off your child at the main gates to playground where a member of staff will be there to receive the children. Exit through the car park. The same routine will be used at home time, when a member of staff will bring the children in the pods to the main playground gate and dismiss them back into your care.

   

  Year Six Pods in Year Six and Year Five classrooms: Come in through the usual gate and follow the path. Drop off your child at the main gates to playground where a member of staff will be there to receive the children. Exit through the car park. The same routine will be used at home time, when a member of staff will bring the children in the pods to the main playground gate and dismiss them back into your care.

   

  We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but unfortunately the date of the work is out of our control. We will keep you updated with any further changes or when the work is completed and we can return to the original routines. Thank you for your understanding.

   

  Yours sincerely,

   

   

   

  Mrs S Thomson

  Headteacher

• Homework Questionnaire

  Mon 29 Jun 2020

  Homework Policy

  We are currently reviewing our homework policy and would like to have the input of our children and families. Here is a link to a survey for parents and one for children on our website. If you have more than one child in our school, please complete one survey per child. The survey will be open to complete between Monday 29th June and Monday 13th July. We appreciate your support with this.

   

  Children's survey link

  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JGN82VQ   

  Parents survey link

  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JZBVW8G

• Year 6 Invitation

  Mon 29 Jun 2020

  Calling all Year 6 children. Please see our Invitation to Year 6 under

  Children - Class Pages - Year 6 - Announcements.

  Thanks you 

• Calling all budding playwrights

  Thu 25 Jun 2020

  Good morning. We wanted to notify parents about an initiative that will launch on The One Show this evening (Thursday, 25th June 7pm – BBC1).

  ‘As You Write It – Your Play on Stage’ is a national young person’s play-writing competition that has been organised by The Shakespeare North Playhouse and The One Show.

  This initiative has been months in the making and is a really exciting opportunity that will allow more people to hear about the Playhouse as it continues to be built in Prescot.

  Importantly, the competition is a chance to engage our children and young people in a creative activity that we hope will spark imaginations and potentially a lifelong interest in the theatre, arts and culture.

  All the competition details will be shared on the programme and will be available on the BBC website after the show.

  It would be wonderful if any of our children could enter – even maybe win it! Get your thinking caps on children and good luck!

• Residential refunds - Update

  Wed 24 Jun 2020

  Good afternoon. We were hoping to start refunding parents for our cancelled residential trips today. Sadly we cannot now start this until the middle to end of next week due to complications at Parentpay that we were unaware of. We will refund these just as soon as we possibly are able.

  We truly apologise for this but it is completely out of our control. We thank you for your continued patience while we are sorting this.

• Met Office Level 3 Heat-Health Alert

  Wed 24 Jun 2020

  Good afternoon. As the weather has become very hot and sunny we have been asked to share with parents a reminder of some Do's and Don'ts of keeping you and your children safe in the current heatwave, Please see below the Met Office Level 3 Heat-Health Alert from today. Thank you

   

  Met Office Heat-Health Alert - Hot Weather Alert –

  Important Do’s and Don’ts of keeping safe in the heatwave.

  DO

   

  • take sensible precautions to avoid sunburn, particularly in children

   

  • Keep out of the sun between 11.00am and 3.00pm.

   

  • Apply sunscreen (minimum factor 15 with UVA protection) thirty minutes before you go out in the sun. Remember to keep reapplying sunscreen every couple of hours.

   

  • Ensure all children wear a hat or head covering.

   

  • Ensure children wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes.

   

  • Ensure everyone has plenty of cold drinks to keep hydrated (avoiding caffeine and sugary drinks).

   

  • Ensure children avoid extreme physical exertion.

   

  • It is advisable to eat cold foods, particularly washed salads and fruit with a high water content.

   

  • Keep the environment cool by keeping windows that are exposed to the sun closed or shaded - electric fans will help too and ensure a flow of air.

   

  • Ensure there are shaded areas in the play areas.

   

  • Monitor children with health conditions

   

  • Ensure that children's medication is kept below 25C.

   

  • Take extra care when planning outdoor activities such as barbecues, which involve prolonged time spent outdoors as well as posing an additional fire risk.

   

  • Wear at least factor 30 sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection and remember to apply 30 minutes before going out in the sun. Reapply every couple of hours.  Always follow manufacturer's instructions

   

  DON’T

   

  • Don't jump into cold water (dams etc) to cool down. Extreme caution should be taken if entering, playing or swimming in open water.

   

  • Don't leave babies and young children alone especially in cars or rooms which get very warm such as conservatories. 

   

  • DO NOT use an electric fan if anyone in the home is unwell with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).

• Residential refunds

  Wed 24 Jun 2020
  Good morning. Today we will start to refund parents for the cancelled residential trips. This may take a little time so please bear with us while we organise it via ParentPay. Please give us a few days and we will get to you all as quickly as we can. If you have any queries after this please email the school at crontonce@ldst.org.uk We thank you for the patience shown while we have have been sorting this

• School Numbers

  Fri 12 Jun 2020

  Dear Parents

  We are now at full capacity for our Key workers childcare next week and wider opening the week after.

  All parents who completed the form and returned their request by 25th May should've received a phone call from school by the end of last week to confirm their child's place.

  If you are at all unsure, please call school before attending school. It will be necessary to turn away any Parents whose child's name is not on the list.

  If you have a place and now no longer require it please let us know. We have a waiting list and we would like to be able to offer unused places to other families.

  The school office will close at 3:30pm today and will open at 8:30am on Monday.

  Kind regards

  Sylvia Thomson

  Headteacher

• Reopening Letter to Parents 10th June 2020

  Fri 12 Jun 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.

  Group	Drop off	Pick up	Location	Access
  Key worker Childcare Y2	8:45 – 9:00	3:15-3:30	Year 4 classroom door	Front main entrance, turn left and follow the signs around the school in a clockwise direction. Continue in this direction and leave via the Nursery path.
  Key worker Childcare Y3/4/5	8:45 – 9:00	3:15-3:30	Junior entrance at Back of school	Front main entrance, turn left and follow the signs around the school in a clockwise direction. Continue in this direction and leave via the Nursery path.
  Nursery	8:30-8:40	2:30-2:40	Nursery Undercover door	Front main entrance, turn left and follow the signs all around the school in a clockwise direction. Continue in this direction  until you reach the nursery door in the undercover area and leave via the Nursery path.
  Reception	9:15-9:30	2:45-3:00	Reception Class door	Front main entrance, turn left and follow the signs around the school in a clockwise direction. Continue in this direction and leave via the Nursery path.
  Year 1	9:30 – 9:40	3:30-3:40	Y1D – Year 1 classroom door Y1K – Year 2 classroom door	Front main entrance, turn right and walk across the front of school. Continue in this direction and leave via the Nursery path.
  Year 6	9:00-9:15	3:00 – 3:10	Y6H – Library classroom door Y6R – Y5 classroom door	Front main entrance, turn left and follow the signs around the school in a clockwise direction. Continue in this direction and leave via the Nursery path.

   

  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