Returning to school
The government has stated that: ‘For the vast majority of children, the benefits of being back in school far outweigh the very low risk from coronavirus’
Following the government’s advice, we welcomed all children back to school on Wednesday 2nd September. Our aim is to provide the most enjoyable experience for our children whilst ensuring that safety is still our number one priority.
What safety measures are in place to protect my child?
The government recognises that to enable primary schools to reopen, social distancing cannot be expected within classes. In our school each class forms what we call a ‘bubble’. Our aim throughout the day is to keep this bubble intact. We achieve this by: –
- Having separate break times for each class – this enables toilets to be cleaned between groups and groups do not mix outside.
- Separate lunch slots enable children to access the dining hall but with time between groups to clean tables and chairs.
- Staggered arrival/home times to keep classes apart.
In addition to the ‘bubble system’ we also ensure that: –
- Children and staff avoid contact with anyone with symptoms
- We promote frequent handwashing and good hygiene e.g. blowing nose into a tissue
- There is regular cleaning of rooms and equipment
Arrival at School
It is very important that only one adult accompanies a child/siblings to and from school, regardless of their age, so that social distancing can be maintained. We operate a staggered drop off and pick up system. We are also asking that adults leave the school site as soon as their child has been dropped off/collected.
What should my child wear?
Children should wear school uniform as usual. The exception to this is that when it is your child’s PE day they are to come to school in their PE clothes. PE clothes should consist of tracksuit bottoms/ joggers and t-shirt/sports top. Please note that with the weather getting colder, children should ensure they have a warm sweatshirt/hoody and coat for break and lunchtimes.
What will school be like?
School will appear quite normal to children and they will undertake their usual timetable of subjects. Due to the large chunk of time missed during lockdown, teachers will be dipping into the previous year’s curriculum to fill gaps in knowledge when necessary. Each class teacher will post a ‘Welcome to Year…’ letter on the school website containing information on PE days, reading books, spellings etc.
Reading books that are brought back are quarantined for 72 hours before being returned to the bookshelves.
What will lunchtimes be like?
Most classes will eat their lunch in the dining hall, however we are trialling Y3 to Y6 eating packed lunches in class at the start of term to free up space in the dining hall. Each class have their own assigned lunchtime supervisor who stays with them throughout the lunch period. Classes are staggered to allow cleaning between groups and each class has a designated outdoor/indoor area each day to keep bubbles separate.
What about breakfast club?
Breakfast club is running as usual for children from Year 1 to Year 6. Breakfast club runs from 8:10 in the morning and children sit on their year group table to maintain distancing between bubbles.
Preventing the spread of infection
In the event of your child presenting with symptoms of COVID-19, please refer to the stay home guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
In addition, it is your responsibility to book a test for a child or family member displaying symptoms: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested
We are constantly reviewing our procedures to make school as safe as possible and will regularly update you via text, Dojo and Facebook with any changes.
