Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope this letter finds you all well and safe.
I am pleased to provide you with clarification and details on the re-opening of our school to the children on Monday 8th March. Although we all share concern about the well being of everybody in our school and community, a safe return to school will benefit our children greatly and enable them to continue learning, playing and being part of the family here at School of Christ the King.
Well done to all the children and families for what you have achieved since 5th January.
We will be working with our children to settle back in to the routines, systems and processes of school, ensuring that they all feel happy and safe.
I would like to provide some clarification on our arrangements for opening on Monday 8th March and we felt it would be beneficial to provide you with a reminder and updates.
Establishing Good Routines
As we all get back into the routine of regular school life it’s also important we all get enough sleep to be ready for the school day. Please help us help our children by encouraging them to sleep well, especially before a day in school. Breakfast is very important and if your child is in KS2 we ask you to send them with a piece of fruit for tuck to keep them going.
What to Bring to School Next Week
- Children should wear full school uniform when they return.
- Following current government guidance, primary school children should not wear protective masks in school.
- If your child brings a packed lunch to school please can it be in a disposable bag or a plastic box that can be wiped/washed.
- Please can the children bring a water bottle every day.
- Please ensure your child has any medication in school which they would usually take and that it has a label with their name printed on it and is in-date.
- Book bags which can fit in their class tray (so not bigger backpacks as these cannot be stored safely)
- We are planning for children to start using their PE kits into school from the second week of return. We will update you next week on how we will safely manage this.
If anyone in school becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature, or has a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell they will be sent home. They will be advised to follow the ‘stay at home’ guidance to self isolate for at least 10 days and arrange to have a Covid-19 test. While a child is awaiting collection we will ensure that they are cared for in an appropriate room within the school.
We will inform all families within the class/year group if we have to send anyone home. It is imperative that parents/carers inform school, via the School Administration Office when a test result has been received.
If a negative result is received and the child feels well enough they can return to school.
If we are aware of a positive test result for anyone who has been in the school we will take swift action. We will make contact with the local health protection team and we will have to send home those who have been in close contact with the person who has tested positive. They will be required to self-isolate for 10 days from when they were last in close contact.
Remote learning will be provided for those children.
Pick-up and drop off of children
As before, to ensure parents do not gather outside the school building and can follow social distancing guidelines, each group will have a different start and finish time. Please stick to the time your child is allocated, as groups of children are not to come into contact with each other:
To make the start of the day as safe as possible, when children enter and leave the school, we will be using two entrances:
- The main entrance
- The carpark entrance.
Please maintain social distancing of 2m+ at all times when waiting outside school.
Please can you wear a face covering (unless not able to do for medical reasons).
If your child uses the car park entrance, please wait for the previous class children/parents to exit before coming down the lane.
If at all possible, just one parent/carer to drop and collect children.
If possible, do not bring younger siblings in buggies.
Please stay outside the school gates and please pass on any concerns or queries via the office email address or phone.
Children who do not arrive on time will have to wait until an adult can safely supervise them coming into school. If children are on time then they will be quickly escorted into school, otherwise they may have to wait.
If weather is especially bad and you have a gap to wait (between classes) of 10 mins or more, please phone the office before 2.30pm and we will arrange for both children to leave at the later collection time. We can only do this for a limited number and if agreed in advance. This can only be done for siblings.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL CHILDREN ARRIVE ON TIME, SO THAT THEY CAN THEN GO INTO CLASS WITHOUT HAVING CONTACT WITH CHILDREN FROM OTHER CLASSES.
A Reminder of start and end of day times
Please can we ask parents and carers to not congregate in groups when dropping off and collecting their children and unless you have a valid reason always wear a face mask. This is to protect our school community. Thank you.
Return to School - Breakfast and After School Clubs
Although the government has announced a return of breakfast and afterschool clubs we can not safely staff these clubs whilst keeping children and staff COVID safe.
Therefore we will only be able to provide breakfast or after club support where it is absolutely essential.
Thank You
Can I take this opportunity to thank you all again for working so closely with us to keep the school active and alive and ready for the challenge of everybody returning on Monday.
Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you all next week.
Yours sincerely
Matt Condon
Headteacher
