Dear Parents and Carers,

We are really looking forward to welcoming all the children back to school in September, along with our Nursery children.  Children will be welcomed back to school on Thursday 3rd with our Nursery new starters beginning the following week.

In order to return as safely as possible, we have created flexible start and end times throughout school.

Our Nursery times are now:

Morning Nursery:      9.00 to 11.45

Afternoon Nursery:    12.30 to 3.15

These revised times are to support children and parents to maintain social distancing, avoiding overcrowding on entry and exit from school.  For this to be successful we would like to limit the number of people dropping off and picking up to one adult only where possible.

When the children enter Nursery we ask that they hang up their belongings and then wash their hands with soap and warm water for twenty seconds before fully entering the Nursery room.  We also ask for children not to bring items in from home at this time.

In Early Years we will continue to offer an exploratory curriculum during the children’s ‘free choice time’, where our areas will be set up and resourced to support the children to learn and develop.  Alongside this we will continue to deliver carpet sessions for music, story time and focused group activities, whilst following the Government guidance on resource rotation and cleaning.

Nursery and Reception will both be in separate ‘bubbles’.  Therefore, the children will remain in their own class and not transition between the two rooms.  Both classes will have access to the outdoor area, however again this will be at a staggered time.

Many thanks for your continued support,

Mrs Forrest
Nursery Teacher

Following on from the letter about plans for re-opening in September, the staggered start and finish times for all pupils are as follows. Nursery will receive a separate letter.

Reception (from 14.09.20), Year 5 and Year 6
8.30am to 2.40pm

Year 3 and Year 4
8.40am to 2.50pm

Year 1 and Year 2
8.50am to 3.00pm 

We are fully aware that this will require some of you to wait, however we have tried to keep this to as short a time as possible.
Your patience and understanding is again appreciated.

We are expecting the majority of Year 6 and many Year 5 pupils to walk home independently. We will be sending a separate survey to check on this in late August.

The week before pupils return we will post further information.

 

 

Important Information to All Parents

Full Re-opening of School – Thursday 3^rd September 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

On Friday 17^th July we are closing for the Summer Break. Before providing you with further information on our initial plans for September, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience and support throughout these most challenging times. It has been really appreciated.

The Government has now published guidance for the safe re-opening of schools, and following this we are now looking forward to welcoming all children back to school.

At the time of writing we are continuing to develop policy and procedure and a full risk assessment (in line with this guidance) with the focus on keeping your children, you and our staff safe. The school day may look very different to the majority of children and families, however our routines for the Key Worker groups and the classes who returned in June have worked really well. It is amazing how quickly the children have adapted and how positive they have been.

The following information is there to provide you with a reference to the key points around the return to school. We will keep this updated and provide further guidance where required to specific year groups, particularly around start and finish times.

Key Information

 Attendance and Punctuality

• All children are required to be in school full-time, from September.
• We expect children in Year 1 to Year 6 to attend school from 3rd September.
• Reception and Nursery children will receive more specific details about starting back arrangements.
• It is important not to be early, as well as not to be late, due to the staggered start times.
• Parents must telephone school if their child will be absent due to illness, and to give reasons why.

Daily Routine (Summary)

• Drop off times will be staggered with only one parent/carer allowed to do this at the school gate. Staff will monitor the safe entry of pupils to the school building.
• Children must arrive at the allocated times, not earlier or later.
• Pick up time: these are also staggered. We have allocated a waiting area just inside the school premises but away from the building. More details on this to follow.
• Please do not drive cars into the entrance road for drop off or pick up.
• Parents will not be permitted to enter the building and we would expect Staff not be approached at the beginning or end of the day to talk about any issue.
• Communication with Staff should be through email or telephone.
• Parents should avoid coming onto the school site at any other time unless invited.

 Additional Information about Grouping and Organisation

 Class Grouping, Teaching and Learning:

• The children will remain in their Class group throughout the day, including playtimes and lunchtimes.
• Teachers and other staff are allocated to each Class group.
• Children will be assigned a desk and equipment to use where they will sit throughout the day.
• Children in Y1 to Y6 will be sitting facing the front of the classroom.
• We will continue to teach an enriched, broad and balanced curriculum.
• Break and lunch times will also need to be staggered to ensure social distancing can be adhered to as much as possible.
• There will be no ‘Whole School Activities’ in the Hall.
• Pupils will be expected to follow all school rules, including those introduced as a result of the current pandemic. They will be guided through these. Further information to follow.

 School Uniform, PE Kit and other items:

• School Uniform should be worn each day. It is essential that each item is clearly named.
• Please ensure your child has a coat or jacket for Outdoor play.
• PE Kit is needed by all children. We will inform you which days PE kit is needed.
• Please do not bring any other items in to school including scooters and bikes.

Lunches:

• If your child is entitled to a free school meal they will be able to have a free lunch from school.
• If your child is in Year 1 or Year 2, a ‘universal’ free school lunch will be provided.
• Parents can purchase a school lunch via Parent Pay.
• If your child does bring a packed lunch from home, please be careful about what you put into the lunch box. More details on this to follow.

 Changes to other School based activities:

 Unfortunately,

• There will be no After School Clubs.
• There will be no events for parents.
• No Breakfast Club
• There will be no Collective Worship or Church Services

Health Guidance

 Prevention:

• An enhanced cleaning regime will be in operation.
• Routines will continue to be in place for regular handwashing throughout the day.
• ‘Catch it, kill it, bin it’ approach to respiratory hygiene.
• Minimising contact between individuals.
• Staff will not be wearing PPE. However, we must wear PPE to administer close First Aid or to supervise the isolation of a symptomatic child if 2m distancing cannot be maintained.

Response to infection: (Summary)

• Parents and Carers must be willing to take part in the NHS track and trace process.
• If your child shows any signs of illness we will call you and you must collect your child immediately.
• If your child shows any symptoms they will be placed in supervised isolation whilst they wait for you to arrive.
• Symptomatic children and the members of their household must be tested. (We have been informed that by the start of term we will be provided with a small supply of home testing kits.)
• If the test is negative for all members of the household, then the child can return to school. Evidence of a test result is required immediately. A child or adult who has a confirmed case would be required to self-isolate for seven days. The household would be required to self-isolate for fourteen days.
• Where there is a confirmed case within a Class, the children and staff within that Class would be sent home to isolate for fourteen days following the ‘Stay at home Guidance’. The other household members would not need to self-isolate unless the child displayed symptoms and subsequently tested positive.
• In the event of a confirmed case, School will receive support from the local health protection team.
• In the event of a Local Lockdown, school would be in regular contact with Public Health England and further advice would be issued accordingly.

Finally, to help us support your children and your family, please remember:

We require the names and telephone numbers of at least two emergency contacts. If you need to update the information we have for you, please call the School Office.

Follow all social distancing protocols as part of the Government guidance.

At the time of writing specific guidance on the wearing of masks is changing daily. If this has any impact on procedures in school, we will pass that on to you.

If you wish to communicate with staff, please call the School Office.

Our continued very best wishes to you all

Mr Andrew Farnell (Head Teacher)
Mrs Nicola Pallister (Deputy Headteacher)
Mr Andrew Kay (Deputy Headteacher)
Alison Tweddle (Chair of Governors)

 

Please see the attached information.

Jack Drum Arts Summer School

Dear Y6 Pupil, Parents/Carers

You are invited to attend school on the morning of Monday 13^th July for a short visit of 15 minutes to enable us to say goodbye to all of our Year Six pupils.

This will take place outside, at the front of school, to enable social distancing. There will be three groups of 10 pupils at a time.

We will send you your time slot via text. Please help us by arriving on time, not early or late and leaving at the end time.

Unfortunately, there will not be time to ‘mingle or talk to individual pupils and families as much as we would like. Also, we can only apologise if the short notice and time slots do not fit in with your work or other commitments. We cannot fit this in at other times for many other reasons, but please call school to speak to Mr. Farnell.

We look forward to seeing you all!

Mr. Farnell
Mrs. Pallister
Mrs. Bennett
Mrs. Pearson

Dear Parents/Carers,

The Summer Food Fund is an addition to the free school meals voucher scheme and will support children who usually receive benefits-related free school meal.

Through the Covid Summer Food Fund, school can support eligible pupils with a £90 voucher to cover the 6 week holiday period.

Vouchers will be ordered in the usual way, e-code directly to the parent or e-gift card printed in school on behalf of the parent.

Vouchers will be ordered one week before schools break-up.

Thank you

Vikki

Dear Parents/Carers

The Class Teachers for September 2020 are as follows:

Nursery: Mrs Forrest

Reception: Miss Smith

Year One: Miss Bramley

Year Two: Miss Clarey

Year Three: Mrs Barker

Year Four: Mr Kay

Year Five: Miss Ramage

Year Six: Mr Ward

Further information on the roles Mrs Pallister, Mrs Moan, Mrs Pearson and all other Staff working in classes will follow in September.

Parent Governor Vacancy

Date Notice Circulated to Parents: 25.6.20

There is currently a vacancy for a Parent Governor.

All parents of children at the school are eligible to stand for election.  This includes:

• any person who is not a natural parent but has parental responsibility for him or her, or who has care of the child (Education Act 1996, Section 576)

Parents who are employed at the school for more than 500 hours per year are NOT eligible to stand for election as Parent Governors.

If you are interested in becoming a Governor please contact the school for a nomination form.

Nominees must be proposed by a parent of a pupil registered at the school.

A parent may nominate his/her partner.

Where the number of nominations is equal to, or fewer than, the places available no ballot will be necessary and any remaining vacancies will be appointed by the Governing Body.

The completed and duly signed nomination form should be returned to the school by Friday 10^th July 2020.

Should a ballot be required the school will send each parent a voting form.

When the process has been finalised, the school will inform the parent body via its newsletter, website or other means and the School and Governor Support Service will write formally to the candidates with the outcome.

Mr Farnell

On behalf of The Governing Body

 

 

Dear Parents,

Please read the updated letter on our plans to partial re-open school.

Phase 1 Letter 2 – 5th June 2020

 

Dear Parents,

Liz Nasby – nee Jary

It is with sadness that I need to tell you the news that Liz passed away on Tuesday 2nd June.

Liz worked at St. John’s for 16 years as part of the Administration, Cleaning and Lunchtime Supervisory Teams.

Many of you may have already heard this news and talked about this at home. If you have not already done so, I would appreciate it if you could inform your child or children of this news.

Liz got so much joy out of seeing the children in school and many of them equally enjoyed chatting to her.

We are hopeful that in future we are able to come together and share our memories.

We will all miss her greatly.

Regards

Mr Farnell