Possible reopening of school after 1st June

24th May 2020

Dear Parents,

I would like to share with you our plans for the possible reopening of school after 1^st June.

At present, the Government’s advice is for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children to begin to return to school after 1^st June alongside Keyworker children who have already been attending school. The remaining year groups, and any children whose parents choose to keep them at home, will continue to have tasks set by school to be completed at home.

We will only know if we can definitely return after the Government’s scientific advisors present their evidence on Thursday 28^th May, and the Government announces that schools will reopen.

As defined in Government Guidelines, we have been using our best endeavours make the school environment as safe as possible for the children and staff to return.

We will send more details of the daily routines, how lessons will be taught and access or not to equipment after Thursday’s announcement. We are only able to offer part- time schooling. This is because some staff are clinically vulnerable and so have been advised to work at home, and the remaining staff only work part time. We have been advised to reduce the number of adults working within each ‘bubble’. With this model, should you change your mind and wish your child in Reception, Years 1 or 6 to return to school, we have the capacity to do this without disrupting bubbles. The Government advice is for no more than 15 children in a bubble, but this would require an enormous classroom. We have measured our spaces and know that we can, with reasonable endeavours, have up to 6/7 children safely in each bubble so can cater for our age groups. We do not need a Key Worker bubble as these children belong to the returning children age group.

With these considerations, our proposal at present is:

• The school will be closed every Monday and instead there will be a Zoom lesson for each class. These will resume Monday 1^st June and continue every week thereafter
• School will commence on Wednesday 3^rd June for RECEPTION and YEAR 1 only at 8.50am
• Year 6 will start on Thursday 4^th June at 8.50am
• Friday afternoon we will be closed and we will have our Zoom assembly at 1.30pm
• Each bubble below will have their own entrance, classroom, toilets and sinks
• Bubbles will not mix as they share no common areas except the field, which will be divided into zones
• Frequent and appropriate handwashing will take place
• Each child will be given their own equipment which will not be shared with others
• When Year 1 and 6 children are completing school work, they will have their own table 2m away from their classmates
• Playtime will be staggered

We will have three bubbles at school:

Bubble 1

• Mrs Sweetnam with Reception
• 4 mornings and hopefully Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons until 2.30pm

Bubble 2

• Miss Hampton with Year 1
• 4 mornings and hopefully Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons until 2.30pm
• Mr Walker, the PE coach, and Mrs Hegan will be covering the afternoons all outdoors so 2m social distancing will be maintained through all reasonable endeavours

Bubble 3

• Mrs Scott with Year 6

• 4 mornings and hopefully Tuesday and Thursday afternoons until 3.00pm
• Mr Walker, the PE coach, and Mrs Hegan will be covering the afternoons all outdoors so 2m social distancing will be maintained through all reasonable endeavours

Bubble 2 and bubble 3 will not mix at any point as they will be using different sections of the field and forest school area. I am awaiting confirmation that we will be the only school in which Mr Walker will be working. If this is not guaranteed, the plan will be revised.

If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 6, I do not require you to say whether or not they definitely will be returning to school until we confirm that we are reopening. You will have the option to opt in, which will require you to commit to every day that we are open, or opt out and continue with schooling at home. You cannot mix the two options. Should you change your mind and wish to send your Reception, Year 1 or Year 6 child to school, there will be space for them to join us.

Please do not hesitate to contact me as naturally you may have many concerns about this next stage of our slow release from lockdown measures. 

Thank you for all the support you have given to the school and educating your children at home. We do appreciate the work that this has involved.

We are all looking forward to seeing the children back at school when we are told that we are able to do so.

With best wishes,

Sonia Hegan