Information for parents on school re-opening

Dear parents/carers,

Re: update on reopening of schools

Thank you for your patience while we waited for further information on reopening schools – the government has now published more guidance, and we summarise what we know so far below.

To recap, the government has now deemed it safe to reopen schools. For further advice on the reasoning behind this decision, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/reopening-schools-and-other-educational-settings-from-1-june where all of you questions may be answered. Four Swannes will reopen from 8^th June to nursery, reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils (as well as to key worker children).

Over the week starting 1^st June, staff will be creating a detailed plan to make sure we can safely welcome these year groups back. Precautions we’ll be taking include:

Limiting class sizes
Staggering break times, and pick-up and drop-off times
Increased cleaning
Keeping pupils and staff with coronavirus symptoms at home

If your child is clinically extremely vulnerable, or living with someone who is in this group, they should not come back to school and should continue home learning. If your child is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable), you should follow medical advice to decide if they should come back to school. Please refer to government guidance (detailed above) for further details of these groups.

I want to reassure you again that we won’t be pressuring parents to send their children to school – you know what’s best for your child’s health and wellbeing.

For those families where children can safely return to school, and who have indicated that this is their intention, there are some key points that must be followed to keep us all safe:

Social distancing (2m) must be observed by all persons whilst on school premises
Only ONE parent/carer is permitted to drop off and collect their child
All visitors need to follow the directions as shown on posters and on the ground
Parent/Carers must keep to the drop-off/collection times for their children which are:

Key worker group Drop off 8:30am Collection 3:15pm

Year 6 Drop off 8:40am Collection 2:45pm

Year N Drop off 8:50am Collection 11:45am

Year R Drop off 8:50am Collection 2:55pm

Year 1 Drop off 9am Collection 3:05pm

All children will be supplied with a named water bottle which will stay in school
All children will have a packed lunch either from home or supplied by the school kitchen
There will be no need for school uniform during this half term only

It is essential to keep all children, families and staff safe during the phased return. Due to this, our first safety check will be a thermal temperature check of all children which will be carried out by a member of the leadership team at the school gates. The latest guidance from the NHS and Public Health England states that a temperature of over 37.8 degrees Celsius could be symptomatic of Covid 19. Therefore, upon checking this at the gate, should a child’s temperature exceed this guidance, you will be directed to take your child home and advised to have them tested for the virus before any return to school.

Please be reminded that in the meantime, the school is still open only for the above named classes, vulnerable pupils and the children of critical workers. Until we’re told it is safe to do so, we are unable to provide places for other children.

We’ll keep you updated once we know more about when the school will be able to reopen for other year groups. For pupils at home, we will still be offering meal support for those that are eligible.

If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Kind regards,

Mr Moore