Thursday 16^th July 2020

Dear Parents/Carers and Children,

We hope that you and your family are continuing to remain safe and well. Although this letter is longer than the usual letters we send, we hope it will provide you with all the information you need for when the school reopens for all children on Thursday 3^rd September. We are really looking forward to welcoming the children back to school and have implemented many safety measures to enable this to happen. Our overriding concern is the safety of all members of the school community, therefore it is imperative that we all work together to follow the plan, so that we can avoid the spread of Covid-19 and keep the school open. If you would like to review the risk assessments that have been written to support the reopening of the school, they can be found on our school website: https://www.whcps.org/covid-19-risk-assessments/

For those children who have been accessing school since March, school will be very similar and they will be used to the new routines, so we are confident that they will be able to continue to model expectations, whilst we ensure all children who have not been in school quickly learn the new safety procedures.

Children will continue (where possible) to be educated in a class ‘bubble’, and within a year group ‘pod.’ Each pod will have separate break and lunch times and bubbles will be in zones within the same area.  Children in Year 6 will have a later lunch.

The government has said that attendance at school is mandatory from September. As a result, parents/carers whose children do not attend school or are consistently late to school, may receive a fixed penalty notice of £60 per parent/carer per child. However, if you are worried about sending your child back to school please contact us in the first instance so that we can advise and support you first.

Dropping off and collecting children from school

There will be no bells across the school as bubbles will be working to different timings.

Only one parent/carer of children in year groups up to and including Year 4, are to drop off their children and are to leave the school site immediately as opposed to waiting by classroom doors, on school grounds or at the school gates. Please ensure that you also adhere to the timings, walk on the left of the paths and keep 2 metres from other people. 

Nursery children to enter via the Marlow Road path and children to enter via the green gate into the Nursery outside area. Morning Nursery - Children to be dropped off at 8.30am and picked up at 11.30am / Afternoon Nursery - Children to be dropped off at 12.15 pm and picked up at 3.15 pm.

Reception children to enter via the Marlow Road car park, enter the gate next to the main office and walk to the classrooms.   You will need to exit via Marlow Road path - Children to be dropped off at 8.55am and picked up at 3.00pm (doors open at 8.45 am).

Children in Lions and Giraffes to enter via Marlow Road onto the KS1 playground (entrance is next to the bungalows, and just to the left of the main school entrance). There will be a marked area for children in each class to be dropped off and collected from. Children to be dropped off at 8.50am and picked up at 3.05pm (doors open at 8.40 am).

Children in Elephants to enter via Marlow Road and walk up the path to their classroom. Children are not to enter or exit school via the Waterford Road entrance next to the Flying Horse pub. Children to be dropped off at 8.50 am and picked up at 3.05 pm (doors open at 8.40 am).

Year 2 children to enter via Marlow Road and walk up the path to Year 2 classrooms. Children are not to enter or exit school via the Waterford Road entrance next to the Flying Horse pub. Children to be dropped off at 8.50 am and picked up at 3.05pm (doors open at 8.40 am).

Year 3 and 4 children to enter via Marlow Road or Waterford Road entrance. One parent / carer / relative to accompany each family. Parents/carers are to drop children off and to leave the premises. Children to be dropped off at 8.40 am and picked up at 3.10pm (doors open at 8.30 am).

Year 5 children to enter via Marlow Road or Waterford Road entrance. Parents/carers/relatives are allowed to drop off at the classrooms for the first 2 days, but from 7 September, Year 5 children are asked to walk to classrooms by themselves (they are able to meet a grown up at a sibling’s classroom at the end of the day).  Children to be in class by 8.40am and will be released from class at 3.10pm (doors open at 8.30 am).

Year 6 children to enter via Waterford Road car park entrance. Parents/carers/relatives are allowed to drop off at the classroom for the first 2 days, but from 7 September, Year 6 children are asked to walk to classrooms by themselves (they are able to meet a grown up at a sibling’s classroom at the end of the day).  Children to be in class by 8.40am and will be released from class at 3.10 pm (doors open at 8.30 am).

Westbourne children are allowed to pick up their siblings, up to and including Year 4, but their friends are not allowed to accompany them. Westbourne children are not allowed on site to meet their parents/carers who may be picking up a child.

If children are late to school or need to be picked up early, then parents/carers need to go to the Marlow Road office and wait until a member of staff comes out to talk to you. Please try to avoid this and phone in advance.

Parents/carers will not be allowed to enter the school unless a meeting has been pre-arranged.

School gates across the whole school will be locked at 9 am. Please ensure that your child arrives at school on time.

During the school day

• When the children return to school in September, please ensure that they have any necessary medical equipment with them, for example inhalers or Epi-pens.
• Breakfast clubs will continue but in 3 separate locations for children up to year 2 (not including Nursery), years 3 and 5, and year 4 and 6. (Spaces must have been pre-booked)
• Children will need to bring their own filled water bottle into school, this needs to be clearly labelled. We will re-fill water for the children.
• Whilst we will continue to focus on literacy and numeracy every morning, the afternoon curriculum will focus on all other subjects. We believe that the children need a broad and balanced curriculum that supports their mental health on their return.
• Children will wash their hands regularly during the day, such as when they arrive, before and after break and lunch, and after they have been to the toilet. Posters have been displayed around the school to remind everyone.
• Windows and doors will be open as much as possible to ensure good ventilation.
• Children will sit 2 to a table, side by side, and tables will be in rows as opposed to groups of tables.
• Children will have their own tray with their own stationery. Children should only be bringing essential items to school: water bottle, reading book and lunch box.
• Regular cleaning will take place every break and lunchtime in each classroom, and between lessons in toilets and other communal areas.
• PE lessons will be non-contact until further notice and equipment will be cleaned after each lesson. This means there will be no football or netball matches against other schools until further notice.
• Children will wear school uniform unless it is a PE day when they will need to attend school in their school PE kit on the days they have PE (children will be notified in September of the days).
• Play equipment will continue to be out of use on playgrounds; please do not allow your children to climb on this.
• At lunch, children from Year 1 upwards can still choose a pick and mix, hot school dinner, or bring a packed lunch. They will eat in a dinner hall. Reception children will eat on their corridor and have pick and mix for now.
• Children can take reading books home. When changed, the books will be cleaned at school before another child borrows one in line with the risk assessment.
• Assemblies will take place virtually in classrooms to avoid large gatherings.
• Adults who teach in different pods will be able to continue to do this following social distancing guidance. For example, Mr Jordan will continue to teach PE throughout the school.
• There will be no after school clubs until after October half term at the earliest so that we can ensure everyone is following the safety guidance. Gym Trails will be organised within the school day.
• There will be no school trips in the first part of the autumn term.
• Volunteers will not be able to come into school until further notice.
• Adults who are not based in school e.g. music teachers, social workers, speech therapists, will continue to come into school, following all social distancing guidelines and school protocols.
• If a family travels to school on public transport they will need to wear a face covering in line with government guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers

If you believe you have symptoms or a family member has symptoms of Coronavirus then you must remain at home and get a test as soon as possible. Please notify school immediately of the outcome.

We are aware that this is a lot of information to absorb but our absolute priority is to ensure the safety of everyone and that is about minimising the movement around school and the number of contacts people have. We will, of course, continue to review our practices and make changes where government guidance alters.

If you have any questions or queries about arrangements for September, please don’t hesitate to email parents@whcps.org and a member of SLT will contact you in term time.

Thank you for your continued support during this very difficult time for us all.

Have a lovely and safe summer holiday,

Mrs Hall

Headteacher

Class organisation reminder for 2020/2021