Year 6 Return to School

When
4 June 2020 at 8:45am — 9:00am
Categories
Year 6

The Government has recently announced that schools should start planning to re-open to some year groups from 1st June 2020 at the earliest, although this depends on whether infection rates remain low. We take the safety of our whole school community very seriously and we have written to all parents / carers to provide more detail about the steps we are putting in place to keep our school safe while we are living with coronavirus.

Year 6 is one of the year groups identified by the Government as being able to return to school. Until the Government confirms otherwise, it is your choice about whether you want to send your child to school.  We will liaise with parents who choose not to send their child into school to understand your concerns.

In line with Government guidance re social distancing measures, all pupils will be allocated to a small ‘Bubble’ of children, with a teacher and teaching assistant.

Our plan is for Year 6 pupils to return to school on Thursday 4th June 2020 as part of our first phase of re-opening, subject to Government guidance. Monday 1st June 2020 will be an inset day so that staff can receive training on our new arrangements for welcoming back children to school.

Pupils must stay at home and self-isolate if they or anyone else in their household is showing symptoms of the coronavirus.  Further details about the symptoms are available here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/

Time: To minimise social contact, we will be staggering drop off and collection times as follows:

Year 6 pupils are to be dropped off at school between 8:45 and 9:00 at the main blue door

Year 6 pupils are to be collected from school between 14:50 and 15:00 from their usual exit door

 

How:  Parents / carers must drop off their child at the main doors and collect them from the usual exit door and adhere to social distancing..

Only one adult should accompany the pupil to school. We ask all parents / carers to ensure they arrive on time.  If you are more than 10 minutes late for your drop off or pick up time they will not be admitted. This is for safety reasons.

The Government guidance states that pupils / parents should avoid public transport where possible and should instead walk to school or cycle (if it is safe to do so).  If you have to use public transport to get to school, please read the Government’s advice: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers

If you choose to take your child to school by car, please be aware that the neighbouring building works have started again so parking and access will be restricted.

Parents should not enter the school premises so children will be greeted by Miss Coleman and Miss Carruthers who will administer hand sanitiser and then guide the children to class.

Pupils are expected to wear their school P.E. kit.  This is to help parents to ensure that their clothes can be washed after school each day and so that parents do not have to purchase a summer school uniform for what is left of the summer term.

School Meals will continue to be provided for Year 6, if you choose to purchase them. For the first few weeks this will be an individually wrapped packed lunch made by our new school meals providers, Harrisons.

Clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable individuals

·        If your child has been classed as clinically vulnerable, you should follow medical advice about whether your child can return to school.  Please notify your year group contact if your medical advisor recommends that any additional steps are taken for your child to return to school.

·        If your child lives with someone who is clinically vulnerable, the Government guidance states that your child can still return to school.

·        If your child is clinically extremely vulnerable and has been advised to shield, they are not expected to return to school and we will support them to work from home.  Again, please notify your year group contact if your child falls into this category.

·        If your child lives with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, the Government guidance states that they can only return to school if stringent social distancing can be adhered to and they are able to understand and follow those instructions.  Please inform your year group contact if your household (or any other households your child lives in) falls into this category so that we can discuss whether your child can return to school or if they should stay at home.

For further information about who is classified as clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable, please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk-from-coronavirus/whos-at-higher-risk-from-coronavirus/

Helping pupils to adjust to school life

The school day, the building layout and the resources and equipment that are available will feel very different for our pupils while we all adjust to a new way of working and learning.   It might help your child to adjust if you explain there will be some changes to school life to help keep them safe.

We also understand that the lockdown restrictions will have an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of our school community.  If you have any particular concerns about your child’s physical or mental wellbeing or if there are any issues relating to behaviour or your domestic circumstances which the school needs to know about in order to help your child to safely re-integrate back into school, please indicate this on the Google Form when you complete this. https://forms.gle/SFT8jAxb5m77QmKc8