Dear Parents/Carers,

We are absolutely thrilled to hear the news that the school will be able to open for all children on 8th March. All staff are so appreciative of the efforts which have gone on at home to ensure that the children can access the remote learning and attend Zoom sessions. We have been amazed at the enthusiasm, determination and resilience shown both by children and grown ups in the last 6 weeks – a real commitment to learning. Because of the high levels of engagement, the transition back to learning in school should run smoothly and relatively seamlessly. 

A massive thank you to the teachers for providing such quality and commitment in the online tutorials and the films on Tapestry, which have been used in EYFS. It has been a completely different style of teaching to get used to and they have been brilliant! Thank you also goes to the support staff who have  been in school every day supporting the children of critical workers and children who have been identified as vulnerable.

School from 8th March will be very similar to what it looked like in September; children will return in their class/year bubbles and social distancing will be maintained whenever possible. We will ensure a COVID safe environment by thoroughly risk assessing and  implementing the recommended control measures:

Hygiene and control measures

As in September, children will wash or sanitise hands on entry to school, before and after eating, and before and after playtimes. If children have their own sanitizers, they are fine to use them in school.  Rooms will be ventilated with windows and doors opened.  Children and adults will stay in their bubbles, and staff will wear masks in corridors and refrain from using the staff room for anything other than making a drink or preparing food.  Staff will also wear masks at the start and end of day.

Staggered start and end of the day.

Children will be welcomed from the external classroom doors between 8.30 and 9.00. They will be collected between 3.00 and 3.30, again from the classroom doors. A form has previously been filled in as to who has been given permission to collect the children, and if walking, what time to leave school. If this has changed, please contact the office.

We are asking all parents/carers to continue to wear masks on school site, maintain social distancing and not to gather on the site. Please try to limit the amount of people who pick up the children – we are still in a National Lockdown! The school gates open at 8.30, and again at 3.00. Please do not come before this time.  

Uniform

Children will all be expected to wear school uniforms from 8th March. We understand that buying shoes (in particular) may be tricky as there may be a National demand if children have grown out of them, so we would hope that orders can be placed as soon as possible if this is the case. 

PE kits will be worn for PE lessons and must be kept in school at all times. 

Although we appreciate that hair cuts may not be viable, this is a reminder that children should not come back into school with hair dyed or extreme hair styles!

If you have specific concerns regarding uniforms, then please contact us.

Laptops

If a laptop/Chromebook or modem has been loaned from the school, this will need to be returned to the school office in the week beginning the 8th March by an adult. We can then cross reference with the loan agreements which have been signed. 

Pebbles, Bibbles and Shells

Pebbles, Bibbles and Shells will resume as ‘usual’ from 8th March. Please contact Miss Hawken to book your places!

Playtimes and Lunchtimes

Playtimes and Lunchtimes will resume as we were in the Autumn Term. Playtimes and lunchtime breaks will be staggered, allowing children more space in the playground and be supervised by support staff within the year group bubble.

EYFS will continue to have their lunch in the classroom. Years 1 &2 will have their lunch in the hall at the same time. They enter using different doors and sit with a substantial gap between the two year group bubbles. Support staff from the year group bubble will serve the children and take the plates away. Children will continue to sit with their peers until all are finished. The tables and seats are then wiped down before Years 3 and 4 enter, and then Years 5 and 6.  

If your child is having a school lunch, please book via Parent Pay in the usual way. If you are having issues using Parent Pay or are unable to book lunches contact the school office as soon as possible

After School extra-curricular clubs

From 8th March, each of the year group teachers (EYFS to Year 6) will lead a study club for the children in the year group. This club will be for all year groups on Thursday until 4.15. There is no need to book in – just turn up! Please collect from the classroom door as you would do at the end of the school day.

Miss Andrew is running a fitness club for Year 6 only on Tuesdays until 4.15. Unfortunately, we cannot offer this to other groups as this would be crossing to many ‘bubbles’.

Clubs for the summer term will be reviewed as the ‘roadmap’ develops and as always, we take advice as to what is possible within the covid restrictions. 

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Lateral Flow Testing

All adults working in the school will have Lateral Flow testing on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. If an adult tests positive, although asymptomatic, the bubble (the whole year group) will need to isolate for 10 days. Remote learning will then be reestablished  and laptops can then be collected from school if required. 

Covid measures

Pupils, staff and other adults must not come into the school if: 

• they have one or more coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms 
• a member of their household (including someone in their support bubble or childcare bubble if they have one) has coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms 
• they have had a positive test 

They must immediately cease to attend and not attend for at least 10 days from the day after: 

• the start of their symptoms 
• the test date if they did not have any symptoms but have had a positive test (whether this was a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test) 

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Residential camps

We are currently waiting to hear from Cornwall Outdoors about our residential trips to Porthpean and Delaware. We will let you know as soon as we do. 

IEP Meetings for children on the Record of Need

If your child is on the Record of Need, your class teacher, or Mrs Ewart will contact you to arrange a meeting in the week beginning 15th March. We can either meet with you after school in the classroom, whilst observing social distancing and wearing masks, or we can hold a meeting via Zoom. The Summer term IEP meetings will be the week beginning 7th June.

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We all can’t wait for the school being a busy and exciting place once again. The hard work and commitment you have all shown over the last 6 weeks has been incredible – it will make such a difference when we continue the learning in school on 8th March.  

As always, please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have worries or questions about the return on the 8th March.

Continue to take care of yourselves … not long left!

Ms Teagle