Update on wider opening to children

Dear Parents,

Update on wider opening to children

Thank you for your continued patience and support. As you are aware, the Government has asked schools to open more widely and to invite specific year groups to access their learning on the school site.

Leaders, supported by Create Partnership Trust have been working hard at ensuring this request can be fulfilled while ensuring that every action, in order to minimise the risk to the health and safety of each child and adult while at school, is taken.

The school has remained open to key worker families and vulnerable groups since 23^rd March and throughout lockdown. This provision will continue until the end of the summer term.

Welfare calls from the school to each family have been made weekly since 23^rd March and throughout lockdown. Working under the guidance of Public Health England and the Government, school staff have worked off site. In order to follow professional safeguarding guidance, welfare calls have been made by staff as they access the site. Now that guidance allows staff to work on site, our welfare calls can now be completed by the specific class teacher.  I know our families have valued these calls as it’s enabled you to keep in touch with us and us with you. These calls will continue. As will the ability for you to contact your child’s year group through the email system found on each year group page on the school website.

Leaders are planning to open the school more widely as follows:

Week beginning Monday 22^nd June – Year 1

Week beginning Monday 29^th June-Year 6 and Reception

These groups have been identified by the Government.

The Trustees of Create Partnership Trust have read and signed off the school’s risk assessment. This risk assessment template was provided by Birmingham Local Authority. All Department for Education guidance has been followed.

We are able to confirm the following:

• The start and end times of the school day will need to be staggered for different groups to minimise the number of people on the site at any time so your child may start and finish school at a different time than they would usually.
• Schools will not be able to offer breakfast or after school clubs.
• Children will not be based in their usual classrooms or be taught by their usual teacher.
• Children will attend a three hour session in accordance with the staggered start and end times.
• If your child is currently attending fulltime they will continue to attend fulltime.

Social Distancing

Plans have been made upon the basis that social distancing guidance can be maintained in school.

• The children will be put into groups of no more than 8 and will stay in these groups throughout the school session. 
• Each child will have their own work station, desk and chair with everything they need.
• Children will not be sharing stationary or toys.
• Children will sit at a desk which is 2m from their classmates and their teacher.
• Children will be encouraged not to make contact with each other physically.
• Children will have their own sets of everyday equipment such as pencils and whiteboards to make sure they are not sharing items.
• Teachers will support children to learn and practice the new behaviours and routines that will be needed to help everyone to stay as safe as possible.
• We cannot guarantee that children will remain at least 2m apart from each other at all times. This is especially difficult the younger the children are.
• Children of key workers will remain in their current groups as they are full time.

Social distancing for adults

• Social distancing will be in place at the start and end of the school day.
• Start and end times will be staggered for each group to minimise the number of people on the site at any time, and families will need to keep 2m apart at all times.
• There are very strict restrictions on visitors to schools so schools will communicate with parents online or by phone. The main reception area will be closed to parents and visitors. Access will only be through a pre-arranged appointment.  
• Only one parent may bring a child to school or collect them at the end of the day.
• A one way system is to be in place: at the start and end of the school day access only from Bromford Road. Children will be dropped off at clearly marked points with the adult being asked to continue walking to leave the site at the Twycross Grove gate. We know that this could be a change for some families but there is a short alley way at the side of the school that links Twycross Grove to Bromford Road which we ask Parents to use.

Learning from home

In response to feedback from our parental community we have introduced a weekly family learning project. Teachers have carefully planned learning around a common theme and personalized it so that every primary school aged pupil can access the learning. We are fully aware that for families with more than 1 child, access to technology may be difficult; therefore, we have planned learning in such a way that the use of technology isn’t vital. Teachers have also planned learning in the core subjects and have continued to set work on Bug Club. The weekly family projects can be accessed from the School’s website, through the year group page, under the tab “weekly homework projects”. We are asking any work is saved and brought into school when guidance allows. We will then host one of our successful pop up events. This week’s project is based around the National Refuge week.

What next?

Staff are phoning each family in Year 1 today to find out how many children are planning to attend on Monday.

Specific details about attending school will be sent to Year 1 families via email today. Tomorrow videos will be posted onto the school website showing key details to enable parents to prepare their child for returning.

Next week, staff will contact families of Years 6 and Reception children and repeat the process.

If there are any further questions please contact the school either via phone, year group page or when the welfare call is carried out.

Thank you for your continued support.

C Lucas