Friday 15^th May 2020

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Thank you for your patience while we waited for further information on reopening schools – the government has now published more guidance, and we summarise what we know so far below.  I realise that the last few weeks have been a challenge for us all and that we are desperate to get back to some normality but we need to only do that when it is safe.

To recap, if the government thinks it’s safe, schools will reopen from 1 June to Reception (Wrens). Year 1 (Robins and Year 6 (Eagles) pupils .

Over the coming week, we’ll be  adding to the detailed plan produced  this week creating a detailed plan to make sure we can safely welcome these year groups back, if it’s safe for us to start the phased reopening of the school then. Precautions we’ll be taking include:

• Limiting class sizes
• Staggering break times, and pick-up and drop-off times
• Increased cleaning
• Ensuring that each class bubble has use of it’s own toilets and a route to follow within school
• Keeping pupils and staff with coronavirus symptoms at home

If your child is clinically extremely vulnerable, or living with someone who is in this group, they should not come back to school and should continue home learning. If your child is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable), you should follow medical advice to decide if they should come back to school. Please refer to government guidance for further details of these groups.

I want to reassure you again that we won’t be pressuring parents to send their children to school – you know what’s best for your child’s health and wellbeing and how you feel about your child returning to school.

The plan initially would be that each class (Wrens, Robins and Eagles)  is split into two groups (an A group and a B group). Each of these groups would rotate weekly  and spend Monday to Thursday all day in school with the following week completing follow up activities at home. The Friday would be used as a cleaning day where we would deep clean the rooms used as well as swap over learning resources with teachers having PPA time in readiness for the following week.

 Although I have sent out a questionnaire already please could I ask you  (Wrens/Robins and Eagles parents) to fill in the second one now that you are aware of our plans so that we can numbers in each year groups.  You can access this through the website on the latest news and please could we ask that ALL Reception/Y1 and Y6 complete this by Monday  lunchtime – thank you.

Details of the actual day, lunchtime arrangements and clothing needed will be given nearer the time.

I would like to reassure you that we will be ensuring guidelines are followed within school but we need to be mindful of the challenges associated with social distancing with younger children and we cannot guarantee this.  

Please be reminded that in the meantime, the school is still open only for vulnerable pupils and the children of critical workers. Until we’re told it’s safe to do so, we’re unable to provide places for other children.  This will also be the case from June 1^st.

For other year groups the Government is hoping that they will come back to school in some form before the end of the summer term and of course we will keep you informed of any further information as soon as we know anything. In the meantime for these children we will continue to provide home learning.

Please know that the QMPS team are thinking of you all and want you to stay safe and keep smiling.

With kind regards,

Sara Bennion

Headteacher