Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
1st 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.
|
End of the day |
||
|
Rabbits |
Main playground 3rd door |
2.45 – 2.50 |
|
Owls |
Year R playground door |
2.45 – 2.50 |
|
Squirrels |
Main playground 2nd door |
2.45 – 2.50 |
|
Otters |
Main playground 5th door |
2.50 – 2.55 |
|
Hedgehogs |
Main playground 5th door |
3.00 – 3.05 |
|
Badgers |
Main playground 5th door |
2.55 – 3.00 |
|
Moles |
Main playground 1st door |
3.00 – 3.05 |
|
Foxes |
Main playground 4th door |
3.00 – 3.05 |
|
Woodpeckers |
Main playground 4th door |
2.55 – 3.00 |
Please observe the new entry and exit (2nd 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:
|
|
Meadow |
Indoor PE |
Outdoor PE |
|
Rabbits |
Tuesday AM |
Thursday AM |
Wednesday AM |
|
Owls |
Monday AM |
Thursday AM |
Tuesday AM |
|
Squirrels |
Wednesday AM |
Thursday AM |
Monday AM |
|
Hedgehogs |
Friday AM |
Monday AM |
Wednesday PM |
|
Otters |
Thursday PM |
Monday AM |
Wednesday AM |
|
Badgers |
Thursday AM |
Monday AM |
Tuesday PM |
|
Woodpeckers |
Monday PM |
Tuesday PM |
Friday PM |
|
Foxes |
Tuesday PM |
Wednesday PM |
Thursday PM |
|
Moles |
Wednesday PM |
Thursday PM |
Monday PM |
Handwashing
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:
Well-being and Celebrations
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
Meridian Centre—Mothers Day Drawing Competition
The Meridian Shopping Centre are holding a drawing competition for Mothers Day on Sunday 14th March.
They are inviting Fairfield children along with other local schools to participate and be included in their online gallery. All entries will be entered into a prize draw to win a £25 gift card. They will also be creating a gallery of entries in the shopping centre so you will be able to see these if you visit the centre.
Your child can participate by completing the attached artwork template to print out at home or it can be a free flowing design that the children can create themselves.
Please ensure you insert your child’s first name, age and their message for mum (or someone like a mum to them) on this form or on their original artwork.
Please send the finished artwork by scanning or photographing it to: adminoffice@fairfield-infant.co.uk
Please mark your email subject as - MOTHERS DAY POSTER COMPETITION.
If your child is attending school, please hand entries into class. You are also welcome to post your child’s entries through our letterbox at the office (this option is available 7 days a week).
Please ensure all entries are received via email or in school before 3pm on Friday 5th March. We will pass these to the Meridian Centre for inclusion in their online competition and gallery display.
We wish you all luck and can’t wait to see the children’s entries!
Flu Immunisations
Don't forget to complete your child's online e-consent form for their flu immunisation before Wednesday 7th October. This should be completed even if you do NOT give consent. Please follow this link to complete: https://www.southernhealthimmuisations.co.uk/forms/flu
Our schools code is SH115904. If you do not complete by this time your child will not be included in the immunisation programme at school on Monday 12th October. If you have any queries or issues with accessing the form please call 0300 003 0323 and the team will be happy to help
On 8 October 2020, Clean Air Day, we would like everyone to give their cars a rest! Did you know that in 2018 on the day of the London Marathon, when the streets were closed to cars, the air quality in the city improved by 89%. So, let’s try and reduce the pollution caused by traffic this Clean Air Day and leave as many cars as possible at home.
We would like your help to remind parents about Clean Air Day! We would like you to complete our poster and draw a picture showing how you would like to come to school without the car. It could show how you’ll run, scoot, skateboard or travel actively in any way you like. You aren’t allowed to use any means of transport that uses a petrol or diesel engine and pollutes the air.
How about inventing a new sustainable, clean air travel machine? There will be great prizes for the best posters and the winning designs will be displayed on the My Journey websites. Some of these entries will be displayed in the Meridian Centre and Libraries and on social media. The closing date for the competition is Friday 2nd October
If you would like to take part, please pick up a copy of the poster template from outside the office from Monday 21st September
Did you know it is National "Walk to School " week from Monday 5th October until Friday 9th October?
How can I help?
I don't have time to walk!
Bulbeck Road (West Street) Car Park,
Prince Georges Street Car Park,
East Pallant Car Park,
Town End House Car Park (HBC spaces only – not LiveLink Private car park spaces - limited availability)
The above car parks are available FREE to Fairfield and Bosmere parents/carers between the times:
What are the advantages of walking?
Trick Box 'Breathing Colour'
Choose a colour for the feeling that you want to change. Breathe this colour out. Choose a colour for the feeling you want instead and breathe this colour in.
Magic Circle
To feel confident, think confident thoughts and make a magic circle with you thumb and finger.
We are holding a number of Open Days and Meadow mornings to come and see what Fairfield has to offer.
The next Open Day is Thursday 14th November, followed by another on Wednesday 20th November.
For further details please select the Admission tab in Key Information and select Open Days. All the details of the Meadow Mornings can be found here too.
We are excited offer three courses to parents of Fairfield School. Sign up now for your place or contact Jo Stewart for more information.
HENRY
This is a new 8 week course to Fairfield and will cover Health, Exercise and Nutrition along with some practical parenting tips.
Family Links Nurturing Programme
This is a 10 week course designed to help you create a calm and respectful environment in the home. We will look at the importance of praise and self esteem, how to give choices and consequences and how to manage your own well being.
Speakeasy
This is an 8 week course designed for parents to help them support their children through the various stages of growing up. We are very proud to offer this course at Fairfield as we believe that it will ensure parents are equipped with the correct knowledge they need to safeguard their children both in the real and digital world.