Latest News
Regular updates, messages and news are posted here.
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Contact Tracing
Thu 17 Dec 2020Dear Parents,
If your child has developed symptoms within 48 hours of being school and tests positive within 6 days of being in school then it is very important that you either:
Phone school 0208 527 3157 and leave a message on the answer machine – tell us your child’s name; their class, when they started to feel unwell and when they were last in school.
Or email office@rapsch.co.uk and tell us your child’s name; their class, when they started to feel unwell and when they were last in school.
Where a pupil tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted. Parents and carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.
For the first 6 days after teaching ends, if a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school, the school will assist in identifying close contacts and advising self-isolation, as the individual may have been infectious whilst in school.
You only need to contact school if your child has a positive test result. You do not need to contact school beyond 6 days since they were in school.
Best wishes
M Hanks
Headteacher
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Letter to all parents 16th December
Wed 16 Dec 202016th December 2020
Dear Parents,
On Monday we received a letter from the Local Authority Director of Public Health describing a deepening and accelerating Covid-19 infection crisis across Waltham Forest and calling for:
‘immediate and decisive action to control the spread of the virus. I am recommending that all schools in Waltham Forest move to remote learning and remain open only to support the children of key workers and vulnerable children’.
We have no reason to doubt the seriousness of the situation described or the expertise behind the recommendation and as such we decided to switch to remote learning for pupils, other than our key worker and vulnerable family groups, for the remaining three days of this term.
Yesterday all schools in Waltham Forest received a letter from the Minister of State for School Standards, Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, who expressed ‘deep disappointment and concern’ over Waltham Forest’s action and asking for all schools to reopen to all pupils. In the letter he explains that the Government will consider using their powers to direct all schools to reopen if we do not do so.
This leaves us in a difficult position: having responded to the Waltham Forest Director of Public Health’s recommendation to immediately switch to online learning for most pupils; do we now respond to Nick Gibb’s request to immediately reopen?
I understand the Minister’s desire to keep schools open for all pupils and both schools in our Trust have a longstanding reputation for doing so whenever possible. However, we do not possess the means to question the Director of Public Health’s recommendation and consider the most responsible decision to be the one we have taken – we shall keep to online learning at home for most pupils until the end of this term while remaining open for our key worker and vulnerable family groups.
If the Secretary of State directs us to open for all pupils tomorrow then we shall do so - and will notify you via each school’s website and Seesaw.
I send you all my very best wishes for a peaceful and safe Christmas.
M Hanks
Headteacher -
Partial School Closure
Mon 14 Dec 2020Dear Parents,
This morning I attended a meeting with the Director of Learning in Waltham Forest. Headteachers of all schools in the borough were asked to attend. During the meeting it was explained that Covid 19 infection was spreading rapidly across the borough and continuing to accelerate. High numbers of infection were being recorded in children - including those in primary schools.
As a result of the accelerating levels of infection, and with reference to the growing pressure on keeping Whipps Cross Hospital running effectively and safely, all schools were asked to close as soon as possible and switch to remote learning (via Seesaw for most children in our school) until the end of the week. This request comes as part of Waltham Forest's response to the growing public health crisis in the local area and as such it is important that we act immediately. This is why I took the decision to close school at the end of today (Monday 14th December).
We will remain open for the children of key workers as we were during the summer term lockdown.
I look forward to seeing you all again in January. School is due to reopen after the Christmas holidays on Tuesday January 5th. If that date changes due to the continuing Covid crisis then I will keep you informed via this page on the website.
A letter to all parents from Councillor Williams, the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families is posted on the Covid 19 page of our website. This includes important information on how families eligible for free school meals can claim their entitlement during the Christmas holidays.
Happy Christmas to you all - please stay safe and look after each other
M Hanks
Headteacher
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School is open tomorrow
Thu 03 Dec 2020The water is back on so we will be in school tomorrow (4.12.20) -
School Closed
Thu 03 Dec 2020We don't have any water so are having to close for the day. Please presume we will be open tomorrow unless you are informed otherwise. I will update here and Seesaw.