Potential reopening of school
We have today sat with all staff to consider all the implications for returning to school. We have thought about the risks and possible solutions so that we can make sure that when the children return to school we can be as sure as possible that everyone will be safe.
Many of you were asking questions about how we are going to do this and below are details of the actions we are taking:
- All pupils to be in a small class group of no more than 10. These class groups will have a teacher and teaching assistant for each group and each group will not mix with any other group.
- The start and end of the day will be staggered with year groups arriving and leaving at different times so that there are fewer children going into/leaving the school at the same time.
- Break and lunchtimes will also be staggered so that there are fewer children outside at any one time.
- Each group will have an allocated classroom and play area outside so that they do not mix with other year groups.
- In Years 1 & 2 classrooms the children will be sat 2m apart.
- In Reception we will encourage social distancing when they are working with a member of staff however it will be very difficult to keep them apart all the time when they are playing.
- Children in Years 1 and 2 will not be allowed to share resources. In reception there will be limited sharing of resources however resources will be cleaned after use.
- There will be sanitising hand gel in all classrooms and anti-bacterial wipes to wipe down desks, resources etc.
- All staff and pupils will wash their hands on entry to school, at break and lunchtimes and before leaving the school. and after going to the toilet.
- Toilets, desks, chairs, door handles etc will be cleaned after use during the day.
- All rooms will be cleaned at the end of each day.
- No visitors will be allowed into the school building.
- We may close the school early on a Friday afternoon so that we can deep clean classrooms and minimise staff changes during the week.
There are other measures that we will be putting in place but I think these are the main ones that people have asked about.
I want to be honest with you therefore I must add children are children and they will want to talk to their friends and therefore even though we have put all these measures in place and the children will be well supervised we can not promise that they will always be 2m apart, especially when they are outside. For example if they are playing a game of football with their group outside or if they are running around with their group in the playground. Reception children may get closer than 2m when in the classroom as they will not always be sat at a table. We will follow the guidelines but we can not guarantee this wont happen.
Current plans are that we will open for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 on the 1st June, this may change once the government has reviewed its data or if new requirements are put in place that makes 1st June impossible to organise. Key worker and vulnerable children in other year groups are also allowed to attend but with a limit of 10 children. If there is any change to this date I will let you know as soon as I know.
Once we have hit the limit of 10 in each group then no other children will be allowed to return at a later date, unless there is a change in guidance from the government. It may be that we change to a rota system if there are more children than we have spaces for.
We currently have enough spaces in our groups for all those who have requested a place.
Start times, allocated groups and pick up times will be sent out later this week.
If you have not already told the school that you want your child to attend can you please contact the school by the end of this week or you may not get a place.
I hope that this answers any questions you have. Further details will be sent out to those parents whose child/children are returning to school later in the week.
If you have any other concerns or questions please email them to me and I will do my best to answer them.