Phase 2 Plans
Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope this email finds you well and as always I thank you for your support and continued partnership during this tricky time.
Last week brought more announcements and changes for schools and the Secretary of State for Education finally clarified the government position regarding the full opening of schools for the month before the summer holidays. He has accepted that most primary schools do not have the capacity, in terms of space and staff, to welcome back all pupils. As a result of this statement, the school’s Executive Leadership Team and the Bath and Wells Trust have been considering the position of Trust Schools as a collective, and the individual position of the St Saviour’s Schools.
In the last few months, we have been asked to respond, usually at very short notice, to circumstances we could scarcely have imagined at the beginning of 2020. We have been tasked with the complete reorganisation and redesign of our school sites, including the outside grounds, classrooms and learning spaces, in order to follow the Government’s guidance and fulfil our own risk assessments. We have launched an online learning platform and worked with children remotely. I would like to thank the staff team, families, carers and children for their understanding, support and flexibility as we have tried our absolute best to do this.
At the start of last week all children that were entitled to return to school have been offered a place, with many having chosen to attend last week. We have now reviewed the current position and made decisions regarding what more we can offer children at home and in school for the remainder of this term.
These will include* (more details can be found in the ‘The Details’ document that can be found here):
1. Continue to offer full flexible schooling to multiple groups of children of Key Workers, vulnerable children and Nursery children every week until the last day of term on Friday 17th July.
2. To maintain our two day a week provision for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 until the end of term (Friday 17th July) with the adults currently supporting them.
3. To offer one whole day in school transition to all Year 2 children during the last 4 weeks of term with one of their new Year 3 class teachers.
4. To offer a bespoke induction package to the children joining our Nursery and Reception year groups in 2020, including a combination of virtual induction and onsite visits.
5. To offer online live streamed lessons to support transition for all children in Year 2, Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5. These will include lessons with teachers from the year group your child is currently in and lessons with teachers who will be teaching your child’s year group next year**
6. To offer live group story time to vulnerable children and selected children with a Teaching Assistant during the last 4 weeks of term**
7. To offer live online interactive evening sessions for parents aimed at providing strategies for supporting your children at home
*Please note, all these activities are subject to change if staff are ill or have to isolate
**These sessions will be recorded by staff for safety reason. The files will not be published.
We understand that this plan is not ideal and will not replace lessons and work that would normally be carried out at this time of the year in the same way. We are also aware that these plans will also continue to have an impact on family life and you will have many questions about the future. We hope the activities above will support families in managing these tricky times and give the children a chance to be part of a group (even if only online), share learning with some familiar faces and enjoying the experiences.
Like yourselves, I await the next Government announcement and as soon as any announcement has been made, will review this and share our plans with you for future phases.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Best wishes,
Mr Beament
Executive Headteacher
St Saviour’s Infant and Church Schools