Dear Parents and Carers,
With less than a week to go before we welcome you all back to school, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of the procedures we sent to you before the summer holidays. I fully appreciate how much information there is to take in; this is such a strange time for us all and so it is all the more important to me that you feel that you have had all your questions answered and are ready to send your children back to us on Thursday. I hope that reading through this guide again will remind and refresh you of the measures we have taken both in school and around the site to ensure the safety of everyone.
However, if you do have any questions or wish further clarification please don’t hesitate to email:
september@greenfieldsprimary.org.uk
If you would like a reminder of the specific timetable plan for your child, they have been uploaded to our website where you will be able to view them.
Our school website address is: www.greenfieldsprimary.co.uk
(Mr Hallibuton has been doing a great job of updating the look of our website, so if it doesn’t look exactly as you remembered last time you checked, you are still in the right place!)
Some other news to update you about; you may have noticed if you have been walking down the bridleway at the back of the school grounds, that the council have added a gate and a pathway for you to access school. As soon as I have confirmation that the work is finished I will let you know, as I know that for many of you it will mean a much easier route to school from now on. I’m hoping it will be ready by the first day of term.
Below you will see answers to some of the questions that have already come into school;
Q. Should my child come into school in their P.E kit on the first Thursday or Friday (3rd/4th September) if this was their timetabled P.E slot?
No. P.E and outdoor learning sessions will start on the first full week back in school – week beginning Monday 7th September 2020.
Q. On the days my child does have P.E, is it ok to wear tracksuit bottoms rather than shorts?
Yes. We are back to uniform as normal in September, so please make sure that your child has the correct P.E kit; a white t-shirt and either black or navy unbranded shorts or tracksuit bottoms. Football strips are not school uniforms.
Q. I have more than one child at school- can they go into school through the same entrance?
No. Your children must go through the entrances identified on the timetable for the class they are in. We have allocated a 8:45am drop off for siblings- we absolutely appreciate that you can’t be at two entrances at the same time so understand that one of your children may be a couple of minutes later than 8:45am.
Q. A family member will be bringing my child with their cousin to school- can they come into school at the sibling drop of time?
Yes. Staff will be prepared for the fact that siblings (or children with a childminder or brought by the same adult) need to come through their designated doors so some will be slightly later than 8:45am to allow for the time to move between entrances.
Q. I want to send my child to breakfast club but I haven’t filled in the google form- can they still come?
Yes. I sent a letter to parents last week asking for parents to let us know if they thought they might use our breakfast club service so that we can resource it properly. If you haven’t let us know and your circumstances have changed which means you now need us- please don’t worry. We have designed the breakfast club to be flexible as possible and so there is no need to book in advance. However, it would be helpful in our planning if you know that it is going to be a regular service you need.
Q. My child is really worried about coming back to school- what can you do to help?
It is absolutely understandable that some children will be anxious about returning to school. We have thought very carefully about our curriculum from September, drawing on the best research around supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing. As a result there are some changes to the behaviour policy and the way in which we teach, which we will share with you in due course. I am confident that for the very vast majority of children as soon as they get back into school things, although different, will feel reassuringly familiar.
However, if you are very concerned about your child and you would like to discuss your specific situation, we are here to help. Please email september@greenfieldsprimary.org.uk and we will ensure that you are contacted to talk through your worries.
Q. I am very worried about sending my child to school- what if there is a ‘localised lockdown’ or government guidance changes for schools?
Unfortunately, schools receive the same notice periods as the general public for any changes in guidance or Public Health Information around ‘localised lockdowns’. As a school and staff we have worked incredibly hard to put comprehensive infection control measures in place in school so that we can all return safely. We will continue to be open in how we communicate any changes to school with you including any changes to the current guidance as our risk assessment process is ‘live’ this means that we are constantly monitoring and reviewing how our systems are working. Please be reassured that your children and our staff safety is our uppermost priority.
However, if you feel like you would like to speak to a member of staff, we are here to help. Please email september@greenfieldsprimary.org.uk and we will ensure that you are contacted by the staff member best placed to help you.
Although this September might not be a ‘normal’ one, by previous years’ standards, I am very sure that it is the one that I am most looking forward to.
All that is left to say, is that I will see you all on Thursday, ready to make this the best year for Greenfields yet!
With kindest regards,
Mrs Ele Dobson
Headteacher
The DfE released their guidance for the Autumn term before the holidays. Based upon this information, below summarises the key procedures in place to ensure that school is as safe a place as it can possibly be.
These plans are based on the information current at this time and will likely need to be reviewed throughout the Autumn Term to ensure our practices reflect whatever advice the government subsequently issues.
The current DfE and government guidance outlines key measures for prevention of an infection outbreak. In summary the key aspects for schools to consider are:
Prevention:
1) minimise contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have symptoms of COVID-19,
or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend school
2) wash hands thoroughly more often than usual
3) ensure good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach
4) continue with enhanced cleaning, including cleaning frequently touched surfaces often, using standard products such as detergents and bleach
5) minimise contact between individuals and maintain social distancing wherever possible
6) where necessary, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
Response to any infection:
1) engage with the NHS Test and Trace process
2) manage confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) amongst the school community
3) contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice
In addition to the information included in the pack which is specific to the class your child is in, I am outlining below the measures we as a school are taking to ensure that school is a safe place for everyone.
Handwashing/ respiratory hygiene
Children will be encouraged to wash their hands regularly throughout the day including on arrival, before and after breaks, lunchtimes and outdoor activities as they have been successfully doing during the Summer Term. Tissues are readily available in all classes and children will be encouraged to use them. They will be reminded of ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ to manage coughs and sneezes.
Cleaning
We have made modifications to our cleaning schedule to allow for frequent cleaning during the day and enhanced more thorough cleaning at the end of each day. Toilet areas will not be able to be cleaned after every use but will be subject to more frequent cleans. There will be a cleaner on site to allow this to happen.
Minimising contact
The government advises that children work in consistent groups and that these groups do not mix. We have allocated staff to work within consistent class ‘bubble’ groups. These class groups are staggered in and out of the building and at playtime and lunchtimes. Children with EHCPs will be working with one adult in addition to their class teacher.
Social distancing
The government recognises that maintaining social distance for young children is difficult. The guidance asks children to sit side by side rather than face to face and that the teacher aims to keep a social distance from the children. Classes from Year 2 upwards will be organised in this way.
Managing arrival and departure from school
The government advises we use staggered starts or adjusting start and finish times to keep groups apart as they arrive and leave school. If you typically bring your child to school yourself we ask that only one adult enters the school grounds with your child and that you maintain a 2 metre distance from other parents and their children and follow the one way systems within the grounds.
Lunchtimes
Our current plan is that children will eat lunches in the classrooms. Children will be able to bring their own packed lunch if parents choose or there will be a school dinner option. We have been advised by catering services that the school dinner menu will be limited to one choice daily in the Autumn term. There will be a vegetarian option and any dietary needs will still be catered for. We will plan to provide a hot meal option for all of those entitled to a Universal Free School Meal in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 and for those entitled to a Free School Meal across Key Stage 2. Parents of children in Key Stage 2 who would like to purchase hot meal options should liaise with Catering Services.
School will resume for all children on Thursday September 3rd 2020
If you feel like you have any further questions or would like clarification on anything included within this information, we have set up a dedicated ‘September’ email address so that we can respond to your queries quickly:
september@greenfieldsprimary.org.uk
Below are downloadable documents for each class.