1^st March 2021

Dear Parents/Carers,

Information for Parents for Full Re-Opening of Primary Schools from 8 March 2021

Further to my communication with you last week, following the Prime Minister’s Announcement that as part of the Government’s planned easing of restrictions it is expected that all primary aged children will return to school from 8 March 2021, I am providing you with updated guidance and information specific to our school.  Our plans have been carefully drawn together based on the updated national and local guidance and information we have received. 

In addition to this guidance the staff are putting together “welcome back” video messages for you to access from our website at the end of the week and where you have specific concerns relating to your child we are very willing to discuss these with you.

Please take the time to read through the following information.  Although there are many messages and measures which will feel familiar, there are also subtle changes.  Most importantly, whilst we are really looking forward to welcoming back all our children, we recognise how important it is to maintain rigour around all the protective measures we have in place and we ask you to support us in working to keep our whole community as safe as possible.

Attendance

School attendance is for all pupils from 8 March.

All the usual rules for school attendance as detailed in our Attendance Policy apply.  However, your child must not come into school if either they, or someone they live with, has COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days.  Please continue to inform us if your child needs to be absent for any reason.  You can report absence by calling the school directly before the start of the school day and leaving a message.

If you have a very specific query you can also call or email our admin team using the email address above and a member of staff as appropriate will respond to you at the earliest convenient time.

Drop off and Collection Arrangements

Drop-off arrangements remain unchanged. Flexible drop off times are between 8.35am and 8.50am.  Follow the one-way system up the front main walkway to the playground to your child’s marked entrance. 

Collect from the same place at the end of the day, observing the staggered finish times as shown below. Please note there are some slight adjustments compared with previous arrangements to avoid crossing of “bubbles” inside school.

Please avoid arriving early and observe the social distancing measures at the gates and throughout the site to avoid crowding in front of the gates and on parts of the playground.    Please also observe our one-way system to exit.  We continue to request that parents and carers wear a face-covering when coming on to our site, unless you are exempt.

Please observe the new entry and exit (2^nd door on the playground) for Rabbits’ Class.

Social Distancing and “Bubbles”

Whilst we continue to acknowledge that the majority of young children find it difficult to adhere to social distancing measures, in an effort to reduce contact across much of our school and as far as it is possible we will be working in class “bubbles” in Year 1 and 2. We are temporarily suspending mixed grouping across classes and year groups. This does not mean that your child will not be well-supported in their learning and well-being but at this current time this will take place within their own classroom or with a small designated group from only their class.

Play times and lunchtimes will also run a little differently.  The playground is divided into class “bubble” zones and children will be supported to remain within their designated play zone and use equipment specifically assigned to their zone.  We have new and exciting bags of equipment for use at play and lunchtime and teachers will select play leaders from their class to support with this.

Children in Year R will be eating in the hall, whilst children in Years 1 and 2 will eat their lunch in their classroom.

Exceptions

In Year R, when the children are supported with adult-directed learning, this will take place in class “bubbles.”  However, as Early Years Provision includes a mix of child-initiated learning and adult directed time it does not lend itself to working consistently in class “bubbles”. Most children in Early Years would struggle to remain in a smaller class-base for a sustained period of time therefore,  they will continue to work as a year group “bubble”.

Active 8, wrap around provision will be offered as extended childcare provision before and after school.  However, this will continue to operate in Year group “bubbles”.  Other before school provision and clubs will be put on hold for the remainder of this term.

Toilets

Whilst we do not unfortunately have three discrete toilet blocks, Year 2 are allocated the upstairs toilets whilst the downstairs toilets are used by Year R and Year 1. These toilets separated into cubicles which are marked and assigned to individual classes. We already have enhanced cleaning measures in place and have increased these measures further this term.

Year Group Assemblies and Shared Events

All year group assemblies and learning experiences where the children combine together, will be temporarily suspended. Collective virtual assemblies will continue which the children can access and participate in from their classrooms.

Visitors and Meetings

At this current time we will continue to limit visitors into school.  We recognise that some visits remain essential and this includes certain individual appointments. Where visits and meetings take place 2m social distancing will be adhered to, staff will wear a face covering and we are requesting that all visitors do so too, unless they are exempt.

Clothing

Children should come to school dressed in school uniform.

We need to continue to ensure that there is adequate ventilation in all areas of the school building, but we recognise that at this time of year the temperature can sometimes be quite low. To strike a balance between maintaining the flow of air and keeping a comfortable working temperature, windows will be opened to provide background ventilation in cooler weather and then opened more fully at break times. We are also continuing to encourage learning to take place outside whenever possible.  Please ensure even if your child does not have a “meadow session” that they bring a warm, waterproof coat for outside.  School jumpers and cardigans should be worn but it may also be worth considering an additional layer underneath normal school clothes.

Here is our updated PE and Meadow Timetable to take effect from 8 March:

Handwashing

• There is a continuing focus on regular handwashing.  Children will be supported to wash their hands thoroughly
  • On entering school in the morning;
  • Before eating lunch / break time snack;
  • On return from breaks
  • After going to the toilet!
  • When they change rooms e.g. if attending an intervention such as an ELSA session

• Children are permitted to bring their own soap / hand cream / hand sanitiser but they must not share this with others.
• In the case of dermatological reactions, you can send your child with CLEARLY NAMED aqueous creams to help children who have excessively dry hands as a result of cleaning measures.

The expectation around hand hygiene is that it is part of the culture of the school so that all children including those with complex needs understand the need to follow these routines and are supported to do so.

Further and Continuing Protective Measures:

• We are using and encouraging the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach to ensure good respiratory hygiene.
• Children should continue to bring their own water bottle daily.
• Whilst the government is no longer insistent that uniform needs to be washed more regularly than usual, we recommend that PE kits are washed and returned weekly.  To ensure your child is equipped for both their sessions it may be easiest for your child to bring their PE kit to school on a Monday.  We will then aim to send it home for washing after your child’s second PE session of the week.
• We are observing strict cleaning and isolation regimes for shared equipment. 
• We are minimising contact with each other – our meetings are in small, socially distanced groups or take place virtually, and even the staffroom is timetabled!
• We are continuing to engage in lateral flow testing twice a week.

Well-being and Celebrations

• Whilst we continue to need to do things a little differently we are here to support you and your child.  Please do contact your child’s class teacher or any member of our team.  We will continue to be out on the playground before and after school and although we cannot always answer calls and emails as soon as they are made, we will get back to you.

• Mrs Stewart our Inclusion and Family Support Co-ordinator, our ELSA Mrs Wiggins and our SENDCO Mrs Cook are continuing to provide bespoke support for children and parents

• We look forward to resuming a celebration of the achievements promoted in our Behaviour for Learning Policy and our weekly Reading Awards.  We will also be promoting weekly Tricks from our Trick Box Programme to provide ongoing support to overcome personal challenges.

Finally, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support in such rapidly changing times.  Throughout lockdown you have been truly amazing in the many and varied ways you have supported your children and us.  We know it has not been easy but as ever the strength of our Fairfield Family Community has shone through.  If you have any questions about any of these arrangements or any queries please do get in touch.

I will ensure that I keep you updated should any of our arrangements need to change but in the meantime I look forward to welcoming everyone back next Monday.

Yours sincerely

Lara Jelliff

Headteacher