Dear Parents and Carers,
Update regarding plans to reopen to pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6
Thank you very much for your patience, as we work our way through this current situation.
Since the end of last week, schools have received further guidance from both the local authority and the DfE and I am now in a position to give you a clearer idea of how we plan to bring Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children back to school after half term. We will also be continuing to provide for our key worker families and vulnerable learners as we have been through this school closure period to date.
I am afraid we are not yet in a position to confirm start dates for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, although we are hoping that some classes start in the week beginning 1st June. Classes will return in phases over 5 school days - with one class returning to school at a time.
There will be no Breakfast Club or Chill Time Klub at this time.
‘Bubbles’
We are planning to create seven ‘bubbles’ with no more than 15 children in each. Two for Reception, two for Year 1, two for Year 6 and one for the children of our key worker families.
We will do all we can to ensure that these ‘bubbles’ do not mix during the school day. As many of our staff are part-time, a ‘bubble’ may have a staff team of two or three across the week, some of whom will not be part of your child’s regular teaching team due to clear guidelines on staff able to work in school.
Each ‘bubble’ will use one classroom only, with furniture organised (and some removed) so that space is given to each child. Equipment will be carefully selected so that it is not shared by children where at all possible. Where this is not possible, regular cleaning of resources and equipment will take place throughout the day.
Movement around the school
We are devising a one-way system around our building, to avoid congestion in the corridors. As mentioned above, children will be accessing their classroom from the external doors and avoiding the use of the corridors where possible.
We will ask that parents observe social distancing when waiting for children at the end of the day and also make contact with us by phone or email where possible, rather than coming into the building; this is to minimise the risk to everyone.
Handwashing and cleaning
We will be ensuring children are supported to wash their hands regularly throughout the school day and practise strong personal hygiene. Bins with lids are being purchased for each classroom (as well as many boxes of tissues) so that children can ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’, and we will spend some time during the first couple of days sharing some of the new arrangements and systems with children (in an age appropriate way) so that they understand how to keep themselves and others safe.
Staff will be available to ensure regular cleaning of classrooms and toilets and regular wiping of surfaces.
Timings of the school day
So as to limit adult numbers at the start and end of the day, we will slightly stagger drop off and pick up times. I will communicate the exact timings of this next week.
At playtime and lunchtime the playground classes will be timetabled and the playground will be divided into ‘zones’ for each group to play in.
PPE
PPE is not being recommended for staff in schools unless we are dealing with a child who exhibits specific Covid 19 symptoms or if a staff member is supporting a child with intimate care.
We are in the process of writing a detailed Risk Assessment which will cover the above point, and many others, and this will be shared with governors, members of the school team and Bristol City Council so it can be signed off prior to June 1st. This document is absolutely key to us being able to reopen and will continue to be a working document as circumstances and guidance changes.
Early closure on a Friday
Our current plan is to close early on Friday to allow for a deep clean of the site along with whole staff training, planning and preparation time. This will ensure we do not need to introduce another teacher to a ‘bubble’ in order to cover this time.
Timings for pick up on a Friday will be confirmed early next week.
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As you can imagine, we are still working on the details of a possible reopening and will communicate again early next week with further information and timings. We await updates from the government and acknowledge that the risk assessment is absolutely key to us being able to open. It will be important to manage children’s expectations and share with them that although the staff will do their utmost to carry on as normal and provide a stable and welcoming environment for their group, school will look and feel different when they return. We have some work planned around mental health and wellbeing for the first week in order to support our young people.
As always, please contact us if there is anything you would like to discuss or any questions that you would like to ask.
As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, schools have been told that we will hear on 28th May whether all of the key requirements have been met sufficiently to enable schools to start the process of reopening the following week. This announcement may impact on our plans, but in the meantime we will work together to plan for a safe reintroduction of children into our school.
Stay safe and take good care.
Matt Condon
Headteacher
