Opening of School in March 2021 – Safety information
1st March 2021
Dear Parents and Carers,
When should my child go back to school?
All pupils will return on Monday 8th March.
In readiness for the return, we have updated all our Risk Assessments and consulted with staff. In readiness for the return of all our fantastic pupils’ staff have begun to discuss how school will operate with your child, either in school or through their remote teaching.
Staff have received updated training on PPE and the policies that need to be in place for the return; these will continue to be developed in light of the Governments developing guidance.
How will school continue to maintain ‘social distancing’ and other protective measures when all the children return in March?
Arrangements will be as they were at the end of the Autumn Term.
Pupils of Primary Age do not need to wear a face mask.
Some key elements of our organisation are highlighted below:
· Only one adult per family allowed on site.
· Visitors will be allowed into the school building by appointment only.
· Guidance states that children in primary schools do not need to social distance, but we will maintain enhanced cleaning regimes and avoid mixing groups wherever practicable.
· Children will be taught in class groups within their year group. This means we can send home a smaller number of ‘close contacts’ home, should we have a report of a positive case.
· Play areas for some year groups will be demarcated outside, so that class groups know where they can play.
Are you testing pupils for C19 at Normanby, like they are at Secondary Schools?
Normanby Primary pupils will not be asked to test at this time, this follows the most recent guidance given from the Department for Education.
Are you testing staff or parents for C19 at Normanby?
About 1 in 3 people with coronavirus do not have symptoms but can still pass it on to others. Regular testing of people without symptoms is important to help stop the virus spreading and protect your loved ones. As lockdown restrictions gradually ease, we all need to play our part to help protect each other.
All our staff and regular visitors (such as our catering staff) have access to regular rapid lateral flow testing made available to them via school. Upon returning to school, teaching and non-teaching staff should take twice-weekly tests using a home test kit provided by their school. This includes permanent, temporary and voluntary school staff.
Households, childcare and support bubbles of primary and secondary-age pupils are also encouraged to take a test.
How to get a rapid lateral flow test
There are different ways to get a test for school staff, pupils, and members of their households, childcare and support bubbles in England who do not have symptoms of coronavirus.
Members of households, childcare or support bubbles of school staff and pupils
From 1 March 2021, if you’re a member of a household, childcare bubble or support bubble of staff or a pupil you can get a twice-weekly test:
· through your employer if they offer testing to employees
· at a local test site
· by collecting a home test kit from a test site
· by ordering a home test kit online
Get a test through your employer
Your workplace may offer rapid lateral flow testing to you. Contact your employer to find out more.
Take a test at a rapid lateral flow test site
You can take a rapid lateral flow test at a local site. Testing at these sites is assisted, which means you will swab yourself under the supervision of a trained operator. You may need to book an appointment.
Find your nearest rapid lateral flow test site.
Collect test kits
You can collect up to 4 home test kits at a local collection point. Each kit contains 7 tests. Anyone 18 or over can collect. You can check online if the location is busy before you go.
Find your nearest home test kit collection point.
If you or your child has coronavirus symptoms
The most important symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of any of the following:
· a new continuous cough
· a high temperature
· a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
If you have symptoms of COVID-19, arrange to have a PCR test if you have not already had one. Stay at home while you are waiting for a home self-sampling kit, a test site appointment or a test result. Do not use the rapid lateral flow testing service as this is only for people without symptoms.
Order a test for people with symptoms online or call 119.
How will dropping off and picking up work from March 8th?
Face coverings must be worn by all adults on site, at all times.
Drop off and collection times are as in the Autumn Term.
If you have a child in morning Nursery, you should drop them off first. If you have child in afternoon Nursery, you should pick them up last.
Please be aware that you will not be able to speak to your child’s teacher at ‘drop off’ or collection. You will need to make an appointment with the office or pass messages to the office, preferable by phone. Emails can be used if a less urgent message or response is required.
There is only one person allowed in the office reception area at a time. There is a box area marked outside of the entrance, to indicate where you should wait.
No scooters or bikes to be on the school site.
Please be aware of social distancing rules on and around our site. It is important you follow timings strictly and leave site as soon as you can to avoid congestion.
There is a one-way system for parents and carers accessing site for drop offs for children between FS2 and Y6. 2YO and Nursery children will be dropped off and collected from the Nursery gate. Please follow the instructions to help us manage the numbers of people flowing through site.
The usual crossing patrol will be in operation from 8:30-9:00am before school and 3:00-3:30pm after school.
We encourage walking to and from school but recognise that driving to school is unavoidable for some families. If this is the case, please park with care and respect our neighbours.
How will you maintain hygiene with so many children on site?
As before, children will continue to need to wash their hands: on arrival, before they leave and throughout the day.
Hand sanitiser and tissues are available in all classrooms, for when access to a sink is not practicable.
Cleaning routines will be increased, so that there is more frequent cleaning of shared areas which prioritise touch points throughout the day.
Should children wear uniform?
Yes.
School uniform should be worn – please don’t worry if you have to supplement items of a dark colour for trousers etc that your child may have outgrown.
Arrangements for teaching: Children in Years 1-6
Following government guidance, when children sit at tables, they will be sat facing forwards when possible. Generally, they will face towards the teacher.
Teachers and other staff will wear face masks when within 2m of your child.
Teachers will also take learning outside where appropriate.
If your child is bringing a packed lunch, then they can bring it in their lunch bag and it will be stored for them until lunch time.
We plan to make sure all the children settle down quickly into the routine of school through lots of praise and positive reinforcement. We will offer a broad range of lessons; we won’t rush to test or judge your child.
Although staff are permitted to move between bubbles, we have planned to limit this as much as possible.
Arrangements for teaching: Nursery, Reception and the 2-Year-Old room.
Children in Early Years will not be allocated tables to sit at. They will work in provision areas, at tables and outside.
Teachers and other staff will wear face masks when within 2m of your child.
Teachers will also take learning outside where appropriate.
The reception classes will work in two halves, with each half working separately from each other. Teachers will minimise contact through groupings and use of the space.
Soft furnishings have been removed and equipment will be regularly wiped clean.
What should my child bring to school?
In Reception, Year 1 and 2, children should bring their book bag, a water bottle, a coat and will only need a packed lunch bag if they do not have a school dinner.
Children in Years 3 to 6 are allowed to bring a small bag for their iPad, a water bottle and a coat and a packed lunch bag if necessary.
We plan to make sure all the children settle down quickly into the routine of school through lots of praise and positive reinforcement. We will offer a broad range of lessons; we won’t rush to test or judge your child.
Although staff are permitted to move between bubbles, we have planned to limit this as much as possible.
Will my child need a PE kit for return?
In September we asked that you didn’t bring PE kits into school. This remains the case.
We would like you to continue to send your children to school as described below when PE takes place. PE is a really important part of the school’s curriculum and it is important the children get back to their physical activities as soon as possible. We will try to increase the amount of activity all our pupils undertake as part of making being back at school engaging and stimulating.
On the day that children do PE, they should wear a white polo shirt (or T shirt) and normal school jumper, adding plain navy or black leggings/ joggers instead of skirt/ pinafore/ trousers for example, and trainers instead of school shoes.
As the children will be outdoors as much as possible, they should also have a coat/jacket they can move in easily or a plain navy or black hoody to wear over their uniform top should they need this outside.
Before and after school sports clubs will resume after the Easter break, should it be judged safe to do so.
What will lunchtime provision look like?
To adhere to Government guidelines on minimising group interaction, children will eat in the hall facing forwards and in their classes.
Lunches will be served in a rota, with children attending the hall on different days. Younger children will go earlier than our older pupils. All classes in Key Stage 1 and 2 will access the Hall equally, but on some days, they will have to eat in their respective classrooms. This allows us to keep our bubbles smaller and separate.
We are grateful to our caterers, Mellor’s, for their support and positive attitude towards solving this challenging issue. Thanks also to our staff who will be regularly giving up their lunch and break times to supervise your children.
On Friday we will share the menu for the first week back. Children will be visiting the dining hall for a hot meal or having a takeaway style lunch - jacket potato or Pizza in their classroom
Reminder, all children from FS2 to Year 2 receive a Universal Free School Meal. From Year 3 to 6, a School Dinner is a paid option. Contact the office if you think you may be entitled to free school meals. School meals can be paid for via the usual Parent Pay system.
How will the school contact me, if it needs to?
It remains essential we have your most up to date details so please make sure your details are up to date with school by using the SIMs Lite app. Please see the office for details.
How will contact be minimised on the school site?
Discussion with your child’s teacher will be completed by appointment only; you will need to make an appointment with the office or pass messages to the office, preferably by phone. Emails can be used if a less urgent message or response is required.
There is only one person allowed in the office reception area at a time. There is a box area marked out. Others should wait outside.
Hand sanitizer is available near every entrance.
Please be aware of social distancing rules on and around our site. It is important you follow timings strictly and leave site as soon as you can to avoid congestion. There is a one-way system for parents and carers accessing site for drop offs for children between FS2 and Y6. Please follow the instructions to help us manage the numbers of people flowing through site.
Our barrier, to keep our site safe from cars, will operate as usual between 8:15am and 4:15pm. Please do not walk under the barrier.
What will the school curriculum look like?
As discussed with your children, priorities on return will be:
· Welcoming the children back to school, ensuring they feel safe.
· Establishing school routines, rules and expected behaviours.
· Teachers will prioritise the teaching of reading, writing and maths where necessary but not to the exclusion of our planned Normanby broad and balanced curriculum.
Some activities, such as singing in a choir, cannot take place.
We are not allowed to hold large assemblies.
How will reading books be organised?
We will continue to allow children to choose, or be allocated, books at the start of the week and return them on Fridays. These books will be kept in quarantine when returned to school, for the Government advised period of time, before they are allowed to be used by others. Other online activities will be shared via Seesaw to support reading at weekends.
Will Homework still be provided?
We will continue to use Seesaw, as parents and pupils have all responded positively to its implementation.
Homework will now be set online, because we have been told to limit the number of items moving between home and school, but there will remain a balance of activities for children and families to look at, or work on together.
This will mean Seesaw and Microsoft Teams can be used to set the work and respond to it and can be used quickly to set home learning, as it has during this period of lockdown, should we need to adapt to this situation again in the future.
Can my child walk to school unaccompanied?
Yes, if they are in Year 5 or Year 6 and you have informed us of your decision.
You can contact the school office to update us on your decision.
All other pupils should be accompanied by one adult; only one adult will be allowed on the school site.
Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 can travel by bike or scooter if parents let us know in advance. However, we cannot guarantee that other pupils will not come into physical contact with your child’s bike, due to the limited storage available.
Parents should ensure that their child travels directly from home to school and returns home directly at the end of the day, as other restrictions on social mixing remain in place.
Will children be able to attend Sunshine Club?
Sunshine club will be available before and after school for children in Reception to Year 6; normal charges will apply. Breakfast will be available but under current guidelines, we are providing a yoghurt or cereal bar at parent’s request. Please see Mrs Burke for charges. Sunshine Club is available from 8am and closes at 5:30pm – Monday to Thursday (to allow for sufficient cleaning to take place for the next day) and 5pm on Friday. The Government guidance states that children from different groups can mix in consistent bubbles of 15; at Normanby this will be provided for children within age phases where possible.
There will be no other before or after school activities in school (apart from Sunshine club) until further notice.
Other questions?
Thank you for taking the time to read all of the information in this letter. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us after looking on our website for all the safety documents related to March opening; these will be updated as they are finalised this week.
In order for your child to prepare your child for the return to school, you may find it helpful to talk over this week about the return on Monday and reassure them, that very quickly it will feel normal to be back.
We can’t wait to see everyone back at Normanby Primary again next week.
Mr Carl Faulkner, Executive Head Teacher & CEO Ironstone Academy Trust
Mrs Kathryn Pentney, Head of School
