Dear Parents/Carers,

Firstly an apology for sending such a long message. I have tried to include everything you need to know!

We all remain very excited about welcoming back all children to school on the 8^th March. We have been working very hard planning out the details to ensure the transition back to school for everyone is seamless and safe. Please remember that it is compulsory for all children to return full time from the 8^th March.

We sent out a survey to parents and received a fantastic number of survey responses back – over 100!  Thank you, we really do value your opinions and read every single comment.

I have taken a few themes from the survey feedback and tried to highlight our thinking below each point.

• Parent suggestion: could children begin with half days – either mornings or afternoons? Without lunch in school there would be less gathering.

The Government has stipulated that it is a legal requirement that all children are expected to return full time on the 8^th March as normal. Carrying out half days is logistically very difficult firstly for parents who have children in different year groups and secondly for working parents. We have staggered year group playtimes and lunch will be eaten within classes to ensure no mixing in the dinner hall.

• Parent suggestion: could we have a staggered start date for the different year groups to monitor any positive cases?
  We will certainly be carefully monitoring positive cases. As stated, the expectation is that all children return on the 8^th March for Primary aged children. There is only flexibility around this for secondary due to the necessity of secondary children needing to do regular testing.

• Could there be a staggered start and end time of the day to avoid too many people on site at once?
  Staggered start/end times really don’t work for parents who have children in different bubbles and actually causes us more concern as parents waiting for their other children’s bubble to open, are left waiting on site for this to happen. It also causes issues for key worker parents who have to work around strict work patterns. The guidance states that we must keep the length of the school day the same but can stagger to avoid rush hour times. We have done this with the 8.30 – 9 arrival window and 3 – 3.10 finish times. We will have staff onsite making sure that we only allow the numbers on site that are safe.

• Maybe years N, 1, 2 and 4 could use the main gates and years 3, 5 and 6 use the back gates to ease congestion?

Using separate gates only causes more issues for parents with children in multiple year groups. Please make sure you do not gather in a group on entry into school or at other key points around or on our site.

• Parent suggestion: can we continue using email for teacher communication? It is useful if any issues arise or to inform about appointments etc.

We will be carrying on the use of year group email communication until at least Easter and we may continue this beyond that date. Reading diaries will be collected in on a Friday and re allocated on a Monday for the week.

• Parent suggestion: could we please confirm the PE days  for each year group?

All year groups will update you with PE days before the 8^th March and will update you about any other requirements. Children will be able to come to school in their PE kits on these days.

• Parent suggestion: maybe the first hour of school could be a catch up within the class? An opportunity to talk as they will want to re-engage with friends and will get this out of their system so it will not disrupt the rest of the day.

All children will be given time to catch up with their friends. We know from talking to children that this aspect is what they have really missed. We also know that children will be looking forward to normality and routine. We are very confident that they will slot back into ‘normal’ school life very quickly.

• Parent suggestion: if breaks were made shorter due to covid, is there any chance to now extend them a little?

The children have plenty of time outside with a full quota of PE and forest school/basecamp.

Here are some reminders to reassure you and help you prepare for the 8^th…

• Staff are required to wear masks in communal areas at all times. There is no recommendation for children to wear masks at school and we ask that you allow us to have consistency in this and therefore do not send your child with a mask. ‘Children in primary schools do not need to wear a face covering’ Department for Education operational guidance February 2021.
• A brand new Risk Assessment will be uploaded onto our website after we have received the model from the local authority and amended it to suit our school.
• Though we will have full size class groups, we will be careful how each group mixes with other children beyond these groups.
• Assemblies will continue to be delivered in smaller class groups.
• Please ensure your children are dressed appropriately as we will be ensuring ventilation in classrooms is high, with extended periods where the doors and windows are open to keep air circulation levels up.
• Equipment needed: lunchboxes, water bottles (which will come home daily for cleaning), coats etc with names in. Older pupils are permitted to bring in mobile phones (which are turned off on site) for the purpose of safety when walking home alone. These need to be handed into staff on entry / these are not the school’s responsibility whilst on site if you choose to do this. No other equipment is permitted in school at this time please.
• Full school uniform is required, other than on PE days where children are allowed to wear PE kit all day.
• We are hoping to resume after school sports clubs after Easter, but will keep you updated. Afterschool club and breakfast club will continue from the 8^th March.
• Parents will not be permitted into the school for any reason, so please use our email address newdale.primary@taw.org.uk or use your child’s year group email or call school on 01952 387720 if you have any messages. Teachers won’t be able to talk to you at the classroom door so please continue to use the class email address for additional communication.

We hope your children are as excited as we are in welcoming them back to school. There really is a light at the end of this long rocky tunnel, but we need to continue to work together to keep the virus away from our school. If you are in any doubt about positive contacts or symptoms we urge you to consider the implications of risking it and sending your children in to school.

Many thanks,

Miss Cook

Headteacher

We are always keen to help the wider community and are therefore supporting Red Nose day once again on the 19^th of March.

We will be supporting this charity by allowing children to come to school wearing their PE kit along with something red. Please do not feel the pressure to buy something red; any splash of red will do!

In school, we will be completing some fun activities and learning what a difference the money raised will make to the lives of others.

We have also purchased some red noses. Parents will be able to purchase these via ParentPay.  We have a limited supply of these and once they arrive, we will contact you with further details though one per child will be the limit to begin with. Red noses are also available to buy in Sainsburys.

Kind regards,

Miss Cook

Headteacher

Dear Parents / Carers,

At last, we have a clear indication that we are close to getting everyone back to school. We are delighted about this news and know the children will thrive being in school with their teachers and of course seeing their friends.

All primary school pupils will return on Monday 8 March. From this date it is compulsory that you send your children to school. If you fail to send your children to school, we have no option other than to record them as unauthorised absence, unless they are ill.

Online learning will cease and be replaced by full face to face teaching. All our staff will continue to take two rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) tests each week at home to identify positive cases more quickly and break the chains of transmission.  We encourage you to get your family tested if anyone is showing any symptoms of illness. The Oakengates testing centre allows any resident of Telford to get tested as often as they want. Please use this link to book a test https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

After school sports clubs may be able to resume. However, we are continuing to research this option and will update you as soon as we are clear.  Wraparound childcare (Breakfast Club and After School Club) will resume as normal. If you have any questions about this, please call the school office on 01952 387720.

All our systems are remaining in place and it is important that you and your children follow them please:

• The one-way system around school will be in operation with no parents allowed into the school building. Please do not approach school staff as it is so important that we maintain over 2 m distance until further notice.
• The gates will open at 8.30 am and again at 3 p.m. – please remember this early opening and closing is intended to allow more of a staggered arrival and departure. The register does not close until 9 a.m.
• All adults on site are expected to always wear face coverings (unless you have proved you are exempt).
• We will be sending any children home with signs of illness and hope you will be extra vigilant and not send them to school if you believe they are coming down with something.
• Hand washing and sanitising will continue as routine.
• Touch points (e.g. doors) and toilets will continue to be cleaned more regularly.
• Seating plans will remain in class so that we know where children have been seated; however, with everyone being back, contact will inevitably be a lot closer.
• We are continuing to allow children to come to school in PE kits if it is a PE day or if they have an after-school sports club.
• Lunches will continue to be served in class bases until Easter. Home packed lunch, school packed lunch or school hot dinners are the three available options.
• Reading diaries will need to be handed in on a Friday. Teachers will then look at each one and then send home for the week on a Monday. Please remember Reading is the key to access all learning. A story time at bedtime can make a huge difference to your child’s progress.
• If you need to contact your teacher directly, the year group email communication system will continue until Easter and then will be reviewed.

We are very excited about having everyone back in school. We are very proud of our online learning offer, but we know that nothing beats being sat in front of a ‘real’ teacher with your friends!

I would like to end by saying a huge thank you to all of you for supporting us so well over this very difficult time. I have two children of my own and know that juggling home learning, work and running the household can at times be impossible. Fingers crossed everyone follows the new rules and we keep the virus out of our school.

Kind regards,

Miss Cook

Headteacher