School Reopening in September 2020

At the end of last week the government published their guidance to help schools prepare for all children to return to school at the start of next term.

We have used this information to produce a detailed plan, a link for this is at the bottom of this page. It includes our plans to

• fully reopen to all children as COVID-19 infection rates continue to fall 
• keep children in ‘bubbles’
• encourage children and staff to keep their distance from each other
• encourage testing if staff, pupils or their families develop COVID-19 symptoms
• increase the frequency of cleaning
• take action in circumstances where there is a positive case in school

Most of these measures are already in place for the children that returned to school this term. Here is a brief summary of our plan for September (see below for our detailed plan):

PREPARING OUR BUILDINGS

• Outside equipment has been closed off and is not available for use.
• All rooms are well ventilated.
• The entry and exit routes into school have been reorganised.
• Classrooms are reorganised to maintain as much space between children as possible.

STAYING HEALTHY

• We are doing everything we can to ensure that everyone avoids contact with individuals who are unwell.
• Frequent hand cleaning and good respiratory hygiene practices are in place
• All pupils must bring their own water bottle each day. No water fountains are available
• Everyone will use the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach.

CLEANING

• We are carrying out enhanced, regular cleaning of the school.
• All frequently touched surfaces are cleaned often.

CLASS GROUPS (‘BUBBLES’)

• We have reorganised each year group into ‘bubbles’. These bubbles may not be the same as the classes that the children are currently in.
• Everyone will be encouraged to keep their distance within their ‘bubble’.
• We will ensure that there is no physical contact between each bubble in school.
• The seating in years one to six, us organised so that pupils sit side by side and facing forwards.
• In nursery and reception, activities will be planned to support social distancing.
• ‘Bubbles’ have been organised by the leadership team. The new teacher for each bubble will telephone to introduce themselves to each child in the week beginning 13^th July 2020.
• Nursery children will be allocated to either a morning or full-time session (full time places available on application and subject to a charge at the usual rate)

UNIFORM

• We will continue to relax our uniform policy for the autumn term.
• Children should wear their own, easily washable, clothes to school each day.
• Clothes should be suitable for PE and sports activities as children will be taking part in physical activities every day. Dresses and skirts are not suitable and should not be worn to school.
• Children should wear trainers to school every day.
• Parents should follow normal personal hygiene routines and wash children’s clothes following a day in a school

CHANGES IN SCHOOL DAY

• Children need to bring their own water bottle to school and nothing else (unless they have a packed lunch).
• Pupils will not take books or other shared resources home. Access to e-books and other resources will be made available to all children.
• If a child needs to wear a coat to school, it should be hung on the back of their chair in the classroom.
• If your child has a packed lunch, they can bring this with them.
• Children will each be given a named plastic, zip up wallet to contain their individual exercise books, pencils and resources. These wallets will be wiped down regularly and should not be touched or used by any other child (or adult).
• Assemblies are cancelled until further notice.

STAGGERED TIMETABLES

• Each year group will have their own drop-off and collection times to ensure that parents and children can arrive and leave school as safely as possible.
• The details of these times will be published before the end of term.
• If a parent has children in more than one of these groups, they should contact the school to agree a start time for all of the children concerned.
• All classrooms will be accessed directly from outside where possible

SOCIAL DISTANCING

• Children will be supported to maintain distance and not touch staff or other children.
• Only one adult will be allowed to bring their nursery, reception, year one and year two child onto the school site.
• No adults will be allowed to accompany key stage 2 pupils onto the school site. Pupils from years three to six should come onto the school site alone.
• Break and lunch times will be staggered so that no bubble has contact with any other.
• No adults or visitors will be allowed onto the school site other than to drop/pick up their nursery, reception or year one child(ren) at their designated start and finish times.
• All questions and queries to the school should be done via email or telephone.

BEHAVIOUR

• With so many pupils returning to school after a long time at home, behaviour will matter more than ever. Children may have lost the habits that enable them to flourish as learners and as members of the school community.
• It is important to note that children will have to observe far higher standards of respiratory and tactile hygiene than ever before.
• To support this, we have written an addendum to our behaviour policy. You can find it here:

CATERING

• We will provide hot meals for all children attending school.
• Our school kitchens are operating as usual.

PPE AND FACE COVERINGS

• We are following government advice on PPE requirements in school
• Face coverings are required at all times on public transport (for children, over the age of 11). We have disposable masks available for those children who need them.

RESPONSE TO ANY INFECTION

• All staff and parents/carers of children in school must book a test if they are displaying any COVID symptoms. Staff in school can support with this booking process.
• All children can be tested, including children under 5, but children aged 11 and under will need to be helped by their parents/carers if using a home testing kit
• All parents, carers and staff must inform us immediately of the results of a test.
• We will contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice.

RESPONSE TO CONFIRMED CASE IN SCHOOL

• The school will take swift action when we become aware that someone who has attended has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
• We will contact the local health protection team. This team will also contact us directly if they become aware that someone who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) attended the school – as identified by NHS Test and Trace.

TEACHING AND LEARNING

• All pupils will be given the support they needed to make substantial progress by the end of the academic year.
• We will be teaching an ambitious and broad curriculum in all subjects from the start of the autumn term.
• We will assess pupils’ starting points in all subjects and address the gaps in their knowledge and skills.
• For children in Nursery, we will focus on the prime areas of learning (communication and language, personal, social and emotional development (PSED) and physical development.)
• For pupils in Reception, we will also assess and address gaps in language, early reading and mathematics, particularly ensuring children’s acquisition of phonic knowledge and extending their vocabulary.
• For pupils in key stages 1 and 2, we will prioritise identifying gaps and re-establish good progress across the curriculum especially in the essentials.
• We will provide regular PE lessons so that children are encouraged to exert themselves physically as often as possible.
• Outdoor sports will be prioritised, wherever possible. We will maximise distance between pupils and pay scrupulous attention to cleaning and hygiene.

ATTENDANCE

• School attendance will be mandatory from the beginning of the autumn term. This means from that point, the usual rules on school attendance will apply.
• We will need to record attendance and follow up absence.
• We may issue sanctions, including fixed penalty notices for persistent non-attendance in line with advice from the local authority.

PUPILS WHO ARE SHIELDING OR SELF ISOLATING

• Shielding advice for all adults and children will pause on 1 August, subject to a continued decline in the rates of community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).
• This means that pupils on the shielded patient list can return to school, as can those who have family members who are shielding.
• Where a pupil is unable to attend school because they are complying with clinical and/or public health advice, we will immediately offer them access to remote education.
• Where children cannot attend school as parents are following clinical and/or public health advice, absence will not be penalised.

TRAVELLING TO AND FROM SCHOOL

• We encourage parents, staff and pupils to walk, use a scooter or cycle to school if at all possible.
• Children should not travel to or from school with other children or with another family outside of their ‘bubble’.
• Face coverings are required at all times on public transport (for children, over the age of 11)

SCHOOL TRIPS AND EVENTS

• The government continues to advise against overnight educational visits.
• All trips, assemblies, performances, parents’ evenings and sporting events are suspended until further notice.

CLUBS

• All club provision is suspended until at least half term (including after school and breakfast clubs).
• We are aiming to offer breakfast club and after school club provision after half term. This will be organised in such a way as to reduce contact between children and adults.
• Activity clubs continue to be suspended until further notice.

If you have any worries or concerns about your child returning to school, please email the school office admin@selsdonprimary.org.uk and one of the leadership team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Please look at our detailed plan for more information

The government have also published information for parents about what to expect in September.