Critical Worker school places

In line with Government policy, we are offering in school places for ‘critical workers’ and our most vulnerable children. This guidance can be found here.

 

We have organised our schools to offer a blended approach where children are educated at home and at school simultaneously. This has been a logistical challenge and we have invested lots of time and effort to implement this as effectively as possible.

 

This week we have received a number of further requests for critical worker places. In the majority of cases, it is unclear why these places are now required when they were not requested from the 4^th January. Therefore, new requests being made will require further clarification.

 

We will be asking families to provide the following:

 

1. Basic evidence of their critical worker employment, this could include, a payslip, official letter from their employer (on headed paper) or photo ID
2. Understanding of working pattern or shifts

 

Due to the logistical challenge of further increasing in-school places, there will be at least a 5 working day wait time for a response, as it is likely we will need to adapt how we are organised in order to offer more critical worker places. If you are now requiring an urgent place, for example, you have been asked to work as part of the vaccine rollout, please state this clearly when contacting the school so we can respond quickly.  

 

Please remember that we all have a responsibility to reduce interactions and break transmission, the Government are now making it clear that ‘parents and carers who are critical workers should keep their children at home if they can’. We support this position and ask our critical workers to only use a school place if they need to, this includes only using days in school that are required in order for you to work. If there is someone at home to be with your children, then they should remain at home.

 

Home Learning 

Thank you to everyone that attended our two parent and carer feedback sessions this week. It was very useful to hear how home learning is going for our children and families. We have collected this information and will reflect on it with the school teams and make some changes.

Next week I will write to families again with further information including a FAQ’s so parents and carers that were unable to make the feedback sessions will be able to see what questions were asked and our response to these questions. 

 

We are planning to schedule more of these meetings in the near future and gather more feedback from families. 

 

Staff COVID Testing

You may be aware that primary school staff will be mass tested from Monday 25^th January. These tests are in place for case identification and will not change any other safety measures we have in place. At this stage children will not be offered testing.

 

Hot Chocolate Friday #HotChocFri

All children are welcome to join Mr Beament on Teams at 3:45pm every Friday to sign off the week with some fun. Pop the kettle on, log in and join the fun! All children have received a recurring invitation on Teams. Please check your calendar each week for any cancellations or in case the time changes.

 

Online Library – Oak National Academy Online

The Government have launched a new free online library. Every week a popular children's author or illustrator will provide you with free books, exclusive videos and their top three recommended reads. 

 

Click here to visit the library

 

School Office

Some members of our office team will be working remotely for the next couple of weeks. Where possible, can I please encourage families to email questions. If you phone it is likely you will get an answer phone, please leave a message as a member of staff will collect these message remotely and return calls as soon as possible. Please be aware that if the office returns your call this may come from a witheld/anonymous phone number rather than the usual school number.

 

SEND updates on website

Please keep checking the school website page for Sara’s updates/uploads during lockdown. There are useful tips for parents and children for working remotely that Sara has uploaded this week.

 

If your child is on the SEN register you will have been invited to book a slot to speak to Sara about any concerns or questions you may have. Please remember to only book a slot if you feel you would like to discuss something with her. The slots are on a Friday morning and an email was sent directly to parents of children on the SEND register. If you feel you have been missed off the list, or did not receive an email, please contact the school office.

 

The link to Sara’s page is here

 

We hope you find these updates useful.