Dear Parents/Carers 11 September 2020
We have now come to the end of the partial opening period. This phased return has proved to be very useful for us before all pupils are back next week. We have been able to iron out small glitches and we have recognised one or two minor issues that we need to address before Monday. I thank you for your patience during this past week and a half. Pupils will still have the same staggered arrival and collection times however please can Nursery Morning pupils arrive at 9.10am.
I have been visiting the classes during the week and am able to share with you that the pupils have all been happy in class and that they have all behaved so remarkably well. I am sure that many would have been very anxious about the return to school given that they have been away for so long and that all we seem to hear in the media is bad news surrounding Covid-19 and schools. I have to say that all our staff have done a superb job of supporting and caring for the children as they return to school, or indeed attended for the first time.
As we look forward to Monday, there are some messages and reminders that we need to share with you.
We have received a visit from the Head of Conwy’s Corporate Health and Safety this morning. The purpose of the visit was to assess whether the measures we have implemented to reduce the risk from Covid-19 was sufficient and effective. We were given the green light and we are happy that we have a sound plan in place. However, it is our behaviour as individuals that will determine whether that plan is successful or not.
We are operating as if the school was inside a protective bubble. Our first line of defence is to ensure that the virus does not enter the building. Therefore, you must not send your child to school if they exhibit any symptoms consistent with Covid-19.
These are:
- A new continuous cough;
- A high temperature
- A loss of taste or smell
- Diarrhoea, vomiting or abdominal pain; or
- A new onset of severe headache, especially with a fever.
According to the government and the local authority, social distancing and good hand hygiene are still the most effective means of stopping the spread of Covid-19. So, at the gate in the morning and at the end of the school day, stay two metres apart. This means from each other and from school staff.
Please ensure that you have completed and returned the parents/carers declaration form by Monday morning. These are essential and are available in the blue plastic racks outside the main reception area.
When the north wind blows. In line with guidance from Corporate Health & Safety, windows in school including those in classes, will be kept open. This is in order to dilute the air in the building with fresh air from outside. Therefore, whilst this temporary measure is in place, we can all expect the school to be somewhat colder even though the heating will be on. So, we will all need to layer up! Vests, t-shirts under polo shirts, fleeces and jumpers are all acceptable. As they are ‘extra’ garments, they do not have to be consistent with school uniform. Coats are necessary every day as pupils will be spending as much time as possible outside.
Breakfast club will not start on Monday 14th September. We are still working to ensure that when it does return that it is Covid-19 safe and that it does not compromise the integrity of our contact groups.
Thank you for your patience. Our intention is to provide a healthy and safe learning environment for your child and to work together in a way that will avoid the need for a further lockdown.
Lates: Your child arriving late for school causes more problems than you can possibly imagine. Please make every effort to be punctual.
Peanuts – we have pupils who have serious nut allergies. These allergies are not exclusively to peanuts but can be to any nuts. Therefore we operate a no nut policy. Please do not send any nuts, nut products or food containing nuts in packed lunches or as snacks.
School Dinners – update
The School kitchen will be providing a hot finger food alternative and packed lunch options from Monday 14th September. The cost is £2.70 per meal and will be charged to parents/carers on Parent Pay – please ensure that your Parent Pay account has enough credit for your child to receive a school meal. Please be aware that the lunch only contains a small juice carton therefore parents/carers should ensure that their children also bring enough drinks to school for the whole school day. We have attached a copy of the food options available – your child will be asked every morning which option they would like.
PLASC INFORMATION: – Conwy County Borough Council have provided printed copies of the information we hold on your child/ren. These forms will be given to pupil at the beginning of next week, please ensure you check the information and sign/date the form. The forms then need returning to your child’s class teacher. Please return the forms as soon as possible. It is vital that we have correct contact details for your child. Thank you
TEMPEST PHOTOGRAPHY: Tempest photography will not be visiting before Christmas to take individual photographs of the pupils. We have arranged a provisional date in January and the situation re. Covid-19 will be reviewed then.
STAFF TRAINING DAY: Please note there is a staff training day on Monday 5th October – there will no school for pupils on that day.
OCTOBER HALF TERM – We will finish school on Friday 16th October. Pupils will return to school on Monday 2nd November.
NEW STARTERS – reminder – If your child is new to our school, they will bring your Parent Pay log-in details home with them as soon as possible. PLEASE RETURN YOUR SCHOOL STARTER FORM PACKS TO SCHOOL URGENTLY.
NAMES ON ITEMS – REMINDER – Please ensure that names are put on every item of clothing/lunchbox/drink bottle as we will not be able to ‘guess’ which item belongs to which pupil and lost property will be removed every day.
School Information Reminder –Please continue to check our school website and Twitter page for any updates and photos/videos. The letters from the Headteacher can be found on the News section and in particular, there is also Class information available.
Reading Books – reminder – For the moment, we will not be sending reading books home. Hundreds of the reading books that we use in school (and normally send home in the book bags) are available as FREE eBooks (with audio support included). To access the resources, click on the link below and create an account as a parent/guardian. You can browse by age, series or reading level.
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/books/free-ebooks/ If you still have any school reading books at home, please can you arrange for your child to bring them to school when they in school next week.
Contacting school – just a reminder that parents/carers should please contact us via e-mail with general queries. Please only phone the school if urgent or to explain absences.
Many thanks for your co-operation.
Yours sincerely
Iwan Lloyd Jones, Headteacher