Welcome back and updates
Monday 7th September 2020
Dear Parents,
Welcome back! Thank you for your support and understanding when dropping off your children this morning. We are all working in such unfamiliar ways to ensure we can keep everyone safe and ensure that schools can remain open.
Overall, it appeared that the drop off procedures worked well. Like I said in the letter last week, we would need to evaluate and make changes as necessary. From my evaluation, there were three areas that we could make better:
1. Lots of cars were present on the school slip road but with people trying to distance, this meant many people were on the road. Can I request that only those who live a significant distance from school or who have a mobility concern use cars? For those that do have to use cars, is it possible to park them safely along the main road rather than our service road to ensure we keep everyone safe?
2. Reception pupils- due to these pupils being very young and just starting full-time school, they took slightly longer at the gate which made the Y3 children delayed coming in so from tomorrow, can Reception parents please drop off at 8:35am instead for the time being. Once they are settled, we'll be able to return to 8:40am.
Nursery morning pupils- staff will be on the gate from 8:25am instead of 8:30am ready for children to come in so they are all in before Reception pupils start coming in at 8:35am. This will also give staff time for a longer hand-over with our youngest pupils.
3. A few pupils missed their gate slot either because they late or because they had not been noticed and the gate had moved onto the next year group. I will ask staff to call out for any more of the relevant year group before we move onto the next year group so please listen out for this. I will also have a sign showing which year group is currently being invited in so please look out for this too.
As you know, school is very different now with children remaining at all times with their own classes. Overall, children have managed this very well today. They have really tried hard to remember all the changes and maintain 2m distance wherever possible.
We have identified a few areas today which you can help with:
1. Bags- please remember we are not able to use cloakroom areas so children should not be bringing bags, e.g. rucksacks, to school with them as they have to store what they bring under their chair (like on an aeroplane!). Children only need their reading book and personal organiser anyway. Reception and Nursery children can still bring bags to carry their change of clothes, wipes etc.
2. Naming clothing- it is even more important at this time that children's belongings don't get mixed up so can you please ensure that all clothing, lunchboxes, shoes etc are named and these are checked regularly to ensure they are still readable?
3. PE kits- please remember we changed our PE kit information last week so children do not need to bring kits to school. You will be informed this week which day your child needs to come to school wearing their PE kit. PE lessons will start next week.
4. Coats- Many children have come to school without coats today. Unfortunately, our weather is unpredictable and can change significantly throughout the day (as in today). Please ensure you send your child with their coat everyday.
5. Breaktime snacks- pupils in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will be provided with a piece of fruit each day so you don't need to send them with a snack for breaktime. Children in Y3-6 can bring a piece of fruit from home to eat at morning breaktime. Please be aware no other snacks should be bought for breaktime,.
Your child has been given a reading diary/personal organsier today (Not nursery). Please read all the information inside and sign the home school agreement.
Your child will be given a reading book as soon as their reading level has been assessed this week. Please read with them at least 5 times per week as per the information in your child's organiser/diary (not Nursery).
Your child will also bring home a contact recording sheet this week. Please complete and return this by Monday 14th September so we can ensure all the important information we need is up to date.
Thank you again for your support at these very challenging times. Together, we can continue to make school a safe and happy place where children thrive.
Take care,
Mrs Johnson