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

Dear Parents/Carers,

Thank you for all of your support this tricky half term. We all feel very proud of the achievements that have been made. The online learning offer has developed at a rapid pace and the engagement we have had from home has been really positive. We really do understand how hard it is to manage this, as well as run your household and for many, hold down full time jobs.

We have had particularly bad luck in our Nursery despite following the strictest of procedures and hygiene measures. Unfortunately quite a high number of staff have been affected by the virus and I know you will join me in wishing them a speedy recovery. We have tried our hardest to open up as soon and wherever possible to support parents and to give continuity to the children.

It is important that you inform us the moment you know if you or anyone in your immediate family has received a positive test. This includes over half term. The dates that we are interested in are anything up to and including this coming Saturday. Track and trace ask us to back track 48 hours from the first signs of symptoms or from the actual test date if there are no symptoms. Please keep us informed so that we can carry out the necessary arrangements.

Please remember you can get a test as often as you like even if there are no symptoms by using this link https://rapidtest.telford.gov.uk/

We know that it will be a welcome relief for everyone to have some time away from screen lessons, but we do ask that you keep reading over half term if you can. Here are some ideas –

• Visit the ‘Storytime online hub’ for a range of children’s books – you can find a direct link for or simply scan using a QR app. These are already    broken down into books suitable for different age ranges.
• David Walliams Elevenses stories are also available online and prove popular with KS2. Cbeebies bedtime stories are available for EYFS and KS1.There are some wonderful online reading supports available such as E-books and audio books using devices.
• Continue to plan regular reading opportunities into your day, such as bedtime stories – this will help to keep up the love of reading that we promote in school.
• Continue to access the online platform your class uses, such as Oxford Owl, Fiction Express or Purple Mash.
• Don’t forget other formats of reading that your child may enjoy such as comics or magazines!

If you are undergoing any issues over half term that you need support with, we might be able to help! We have staff on call and the school email address newdale.primary@taw.org.uk and the school text messages 07765147868  will both be checked regularly.

We look forward to a lighter, brighter, healthier half term and have our fingers crossed that Newdale will soon be running at full capacity again.

Take care and stay safe

Miss Cook

Headteacher

We would like to remind parents that we have set up year group emails for you to contact your child’s class teacher regarding any issues or concerns you may have. These emails are monitored by all of the teachers and TA’s within the year group team to ensure a swift response and are the first point of contact.  We politely ask that you do not try to send any correspondence to individual members of staff through their personal email addresses.

General school enquiries – newdale.primary@taw.org.uk

Reception Team – newdale.yearrteam@taw.org.uk

Year 1 Team – newdale.year1team@taw.org.uk

Year 2 Team – newdale.year2team@taw.org.uk

Year 3 Team – newdale.year3team@taw.org.uk

Year 4 Team – newdale.year4team@taw.org.uk

Year 5 Team – newdale.year5team@taw.org.uk

Year 6 Team – newdale.year6team@taw.org.uk

Kind regards

Miss Cook

Dear Parents/Carers,

Firstly I would like to thank you all for supporting us so well with the online learning offer we have running at the moment. This learning is accessed by all children in school and with your help, all children at home.

It is so important that your children engage with every lesson. Teachers continue to spend a lot of time planning sessions that we hope will result in the children making the progress they deserve over this prolonged time out of school. Please rest assured that the lessons that are being delivered to children at home are the same as the ones which are being delivered in school. Thank you for supporting us in keeping your children home if you are able to.

We are already planning the priority learning and effective ways forward when they eventually do return, but in the meantime all we ask is that you make sure your children tune into all lessons every day. This includes the children who may be in school for part of the week – when they are not in school, they are expected to log into the lessons from home.

Many of us are parents and certainly share your pain when it comes to managing the household and in many cases work commitments on top of this. Of course we will do all we can to help with any digital issues and any other issues that you may have that may affect your children’s learning.

Email us on newdale.primary@taw.org.uk or call us on 01952 387720

We have been made aware that some children are staying attached to devices late on into the night playing games or on social media. Clearly the amount of time they are online learning at school isn’t ideal, but to add to this with hours more screen time could have a detrimental affect on e.g. sleep patterns and moods.

Again, I have two teenage children myself and know it is hard to peel them off devices, but also see the need to set boundaries and limit this time. Simply insisting they go on a walk could be a nice way to get them outside in the fresh air.

Numbers of cases in our area are thankfully coming down slowly. We cannot afford to relax however. We had another case in our Nursery this week despite the very best routines and risk management. Cases thankfully do not get the chance to spread, as we have systems in place to prevent this from happening.

Please remember you can get a precautionary test at any time even if you don’t have symptoms. https://rapidtest.telford.gov.uk/ All staff at Newdale test a minimum of twice a week to support our drive in keeping the virus out of our school community.

Thank you for your ongoing support and fingers crossed we continue to see more positive news across our borough in the coming days and weeks.

MIss Cook

Headteacher

Each year at Newdale, we take part in Safer Internet Day (SID). This year it will take place on Tuesday 9^th February. Whether your child is learning from home or in school, they will engage in a series of activities throughout the day with the aim of learning key ways to keep themselves and others safe online.

Please click on the link below to view the full letter.

Safer Internet Day February 2021