Hello Everyone,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your support through all of the challenges we have faced over the past 18 months. As all of the national COVID-19 restrictions have now been lifted, we are planning to return to normal operation when we reopen in September.
This means that from the day that the children return on Monday 6th September 2021 (unless the government change their advice) the following arrangements will be in place:
- School Uniform: Will return to our usual uniform policy. Details can be found on our School Uniform page.
- Bags: Children can bring bags to and from school.
- Start and Finish Times: We will no longer have staggered start and end times.
- Nursery: Morning 08:45 – 11:45, Afternoon 12:10 – 15:10 (full-time Nursery will be 08:45 – 15:10)
- Reception, Year 1 and Year 2: 08:45 – 15:00
- Years 3 – 6: 08:45 – 15:05
- Clubs: Breakfast Club and After School Club will resume normal operations and times.
- Lunchtimes: Children will return to eating their lunch with other classes.
- Visitors: Will be allowed back on to the school site. Parents from every year group can come on to the school site to drop off and/or collect their child(ren).
- Reading Books: Books will be sent home every day. We will not have reading diaries and will continue to use SeeSaw to share reading targets and feedback.
- Class Arrangements: The classrooms will be set up as they were before COVID. Resources will be returned to classes and books will be sent home every day.
- Break times: Classes will return to having playtime with other classes.
- School Trips: These will resume in the autumn term.
- Hand washing: We will continue to ask children to wash their hands regularly in school.
- Social Distancing: There will be no requirements for social distancing in school.
- Face Coverings: Staff, visitors and children will be able to continue to wear face coverings, if they wish.
- When someone develops COVID-19 symptoms or has a positive test: Pupils, staff and other adults should follow public health advice on when to self-isolate and what to do. They should not come into school if they have symptoms, have had a positive test result or other reasons requiring them to stay at home due to the risk of them passing on COVID-19 (for example, they are required to quarantine).If anyone in our school develops COVID-19 symptoms, however mild, we will send them home and they should follow public health advice.
- COVID-19 Symptoms: If you or anyone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result, you should stay at home and self-isolate immediately. You could be fined if you do not self-isolate following a notification by NHS Test and Trace. You may be entitled to a one-off payment of £500 through the NHS Test and Trace Support Payment scheme if you are required to stay at home and self-isolate or you are the parent or guardian of a child who has been told to self-isolate. This guidance still applies even if you have received one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Response to positive COVID-19 cases in school: Schools will no longer be undertaking contact tracing. Close contacts will now be identified via NHS Test and Trace. Contacts from a school setting will only be traced by NHS Test and Trace where the positive case specifically identifies the individual as being a close contact. From 16 August 2021, children under the age of 18 years old will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case. Instead, children will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, informed they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test. We would encourage all individuals to take a PCR test if advised to do so.
Thank you again for all of your support. I wish you all a happy and restful summer break.
With best wishes,
Susan Papas
