Dear Parents,

Many of you will have seen on the news that the Department for Education has offered for schools to take the last of term, Friday 18th December, as an INSET day. Each school is able to make their own decision on this.

 

I have decided that we will not be changing our current arrangements as I do not feel it will benefit anyone from a last minute change. Staff will not benefit from training at the end of a long and demanding term and it would mean I then had to lose one of the INSET days already planned for next year, as this is not an extra day that is being given to us. Furthermore, it would mean many working parents having to make last minute arrangements for childcare which could mean children mixing with other children outside of their bubbles and so increasing the transmission risk very near to Christmas - which I am sure we all want to avoid. So, the last day of term will remain Friday 18th December, but with a collection window of 12.25-12.45p.m. for both schools. This will allow all of the children to have their lunch before they are collected. If children have not been collected by 12.45p.m. they will be allowed to walk home (junior children only) as they would at the end of a usual school day.

 

Nursery will be open for the morning session only on the Friday, with those who usually stay for lunch still able to do so, and then be collected in the 12.25 -12.45p.m. window, in line with the rest of the federation.

 

You may remember that over the half term break, I asked anyone who displayed symptoms, or who had a positive text result, to inform the school via the school website contact form. This was to enable us to inform other contacts that they would need to isolate. The DfE have asked for a similar arrangement over the Christmas period which is as follows:

 

Where a pupil or staff member tests positive for Covid, having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted. Parents and Carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS test and Trace.

 

If a child develops symptoms up to and including Sunday 20th December and subsequently tests positive, parents are asked to inform the school so that we can identify close contacts and advise on self-isolation, as the pupil may well have been infectious whilst in school

 

Where a pupil is required to self-isolate due to contact with a positive case after the first 6 days following the end of term (Thursday 24th), we do not need to be informed until the first day of term to explain the absence of the pupil if they are still isolating.

 

Please use the contact form on the website to notify the school of any test results or symptoms, or to ask for advice, as this will be checked daily.(except for Bank Holidays). I will then contact you if necessary, as soon as I can. Please include a contact number in your message.

 

Obviously, I sincerely hope that I do not need to contact any of you to ask you to isolate over Christmas, but you can be assured that I will contact you if I do need to so that you are fully aware of what is happening and to keep you all safe.

 

Don't forget tomorrow is Christmas Jumper Day!!

 

With my very best wishes,

 

Mrs Sheila Pape

 

Keep washing your hands and stay safe!