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Newsletter 26th June
Fri 26 Jun 2020Free School Meals
All children in school have lunch as normal – either a school meal or packed lunch. If your child is still at home and entitled to free school meals then you should now be receiving free school meal vouchers. During lockdown, due to difficult financial circumstances, many more children will now be entitled to free school meals. If you think your child may now be entitled but you have not yet registered, please check if your child can get free school meals - and find out how to apply - on the London Borough of Waltham Forest website.
Dear Parents,
We now know that the government hope that schools will be reopening to all pupils in September (unless circumstances change in the meantime).
Prior to that, we will be opening a Year 5 group for the last few weeks of term.
Year 5 parents please read the newsletter dated 29th May which contains important information regarding procedures and routines that will enable your children’s safe return to school.
While the government have updated guidance on keeping a safe distance apart it is worth repeating that in primary schools, the safety measures have never been based on trying to keep individual children socially distanced from one another but rather on keeping children in ‘bubbles’ – groups of no more than 15 children with 2 or 3 members of staff who spend their days together without mixing with children or adults from any other group.
We expect these bubbles to remain in place for the next few weeks with schools opening for all pupils in September. However, the bubble idea could still be in place in September, so each class bubble of 30 children may still have to stay away from children in all other classes as much as possible. To work safely, this could require staggered start and finish times – I will contact you when we know more.
If you would like your child to return to school for the last few weeks of term please note that we have spaces for key workers’ children and a limited number of spaces in our Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 groups. If you would like one of these spaces please check with the office and we will confirm their return date as soon as possible. Because we have to keep children from different groups separate, we are only able to offer after school care to children in the key workers group.
Some Reminders from Earlier Letters
It’s still important that all children must be brought to school and collected by an adult – we cannot risk children from different groups mixing together on the journey to and from school - just one adult please, with no other family members apart from babies in buggies.
Home Learning
Teachers from all year groups continue to post work every day and are still available to help if you contact them via email (on the school website) or Seesaw.
The following and Health and Safety guidance from the Government still applies in school:
- During the school day, groups of children socially distance from other groups by staying within and only having contact with children in their own group of no more than 15;
- If a child is taken ill during the school day then they will be quickly isolated and cared for in strict accordance with Government guidelines – they will need to be collected by an adult and taken home straight away;
- If your child becomes unwell and is diagnosed as having Covid-19 then you must inform school immediately. If at any time we have a confirmed case then we close that group and everyone in it goes home to self-isolate for 14 days;
- At the present time, the Government’s guidance still tells us that children should not wear face masks in school as they create a risk of infection spreading in school through young children taking them off and leaving them lying around.
School Office
The school office is open for appointments only. Appointments can be made via phone or email. Please do not go to the office without an appointment as regretfully, we will not be able to see you. The same also applies to meetings with teachers.
Best wishes to you all - stay safe!
M Hanks
Headteacher
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Partial Return to School
Fri 05 Jun 20205th June 2020
Dear Parents,
The Partial Return to School
It’s been a pleasure to see some of you again this week. Thank you for taking such care in bringing your children to and collecting them from school safely. Thank you also for universally observing social distancing on the school grounds.
School is open for children in our key worker group and for pupils in Early Years, Year One and Year Six. We can only accept your child if you have confirmed their return with the office or with their teacher – we are not able to admit any children who turn up on the day. If your child is in one of the above groups and has so far stayed at home but you would now like to send them to school, inform the office and we will confirm their return date as soon as possible. Because we have to keep children from different groups separate, we are only able to offer after school care to children in the key workers group.
It’s still important that all children must be brought to school and collected by an adult – we cannot risk children from different groups mixing together on the journey to and from school - but just one adult please, with no other family members apart from babies in buggies or prams.
Free School Meals
Now children are back in school, we are unable to safely organise the distribution of free school meal hampers. Instead we are sending out food vouchers to children not attending who are entitled to a free school meal. Please be aware that in order for you to receive these vouchers, the school needs to have your email address. If we have this then each week you will receive a £15 voucher per child.
If you think you are now entitled to receive free school meals but are not registered, please make sure you apply through the Local Authority – it won’t happen automatically unless you apply.
Home Learning
Our commitment to your children learning at home continues - teachers from all year groups will post work every day and are still available to help answer any queries you may have via email or Seesaw. Even though your child’s teacher may be back in class teaching, phone calls and Seesaw responses will still be made but may come from a different member of the teaching team.
Government Guidance and Health and Safety
- During the school day, children will be encouraged to socially distance as much as possible but guidance has consistently told us that we cannot guarantee that young children will always keep away from each other;
- If a child is taken ill during the school day then they will be quickly isolated and cared for in strict accordance with Government guidelines – they will need to be collected by an adult and taken home straight away;
- If your child becomes unwell and is diagnosed as having Covid-19 then you must inform school immediately. If at any time we have a confirmed case then we close that group and everyone in it goes home to self-isolate for 14 days;
- At the present time, the Government’s guidance tells us that children should not wear face masks in school. Despite the fact that masks provide protection to others from the wearer, there is a higher risk of infection spreading in a school setting through young children taking them off and leaving them lying around.
School Office
The school office is open for appointments only. Appointments can be made via phone or email. Please do not go to the office without an appointment as regretfully, we will not be able to see you. The same also applies to meetings and conversations with teachers.
My very best wishes go to you all.
M Hanks
Headteacher