Friday 3^rd April 2020                                    

Dear Parents,

Another lovely day with the sun shining and apparently more on the way. However, please don't let that tempt you to go out and about as yet again the daily death rate has risen, and we must all stay in to stop this virus spreading further.

FSM: Thank you to everyone who has responded to the text messages which were sent out earlier this week. Currently the vouchers for the infant school children are being processed as we are still awaiting the necessary information from the DfE for the junior school. We have logged a complaint but are waiting for a response as to why the junior school code has not been received. 

We cannot be sure when these vouchers will be with you but hopefully - very soon and if you have not yet sent in your email address for your e-vouchers…..it’s not too late!!  Please do so as soon as possible.

For those of you who are booked in with us for next week, please bring your learning packs with you.

The year 1 packs are now ready for collection. These will be available on Monday at the following times from the infant school reception.  Only 1 person at a time will be allowed in to collect their pack, and no children should be brought in with you.  If you have to bring children with you then they will need to remain outside whilst you collect the pack.  It is only a small reception area and we cannot adhere to the 2 metre distancing rule if there is more than one person in there.                                                                                     

Surnames A-C                      9.00 – 10.00 a.m.    

                                                               Surnames D-I                      10.00 – 11.00 a.m.  

                                                            Surnames J-P                     11.00 – 12.00          

                                                           Surnames Q-T                      1.00 – 2.00p.m.    

                                                           Surnames U-Z                      2.00 – 3.00p.m.   

Please note the slight changes in times/surnames - this is due to there being a lot of children in year 1 with a surname near the beginning of the alphabet and we didn't want you all arriving together!

As these next 2 weeks would normally have been the Easter holidays we should have been closing for 2 weeks, but we definitely are not! Both schools will be open and if you need any support, help or guidance then please ring in and we will do what we can. If you are a key worker and need emergency cover then please ring school to discuss your requirements.

It has been rather disappointing not to share Easter activities with the children but hope that you are able to share some activities at home with them.

Finally, I shall continue with my updates over the next few weeks but will reduce these to Tuesdays and Fridays but in the meantime please stay in and stay safe, it is staying at home that is saving lives, so please don't be the one to spread this virus or worse still contract it from someone else who has chosen to go out and about and disregard the very clear government advice. Help our NHS.

Wishing you a relaxing weekend.

With best wishes

Mrs Sheila Pape

Executive Headteacher

Thursday 2^nd April 2020

 Dear Parents,

Thank you to those of you who have been in touch to provide an email address for the Free School Meal e-vouchers. If you haven't yet responded to the text sent yesterday, then please do so as soon as possible.  If you feel you are entitled to benefits related Free School Meals and did not receive a text please telephone either school office tomorrow.

Learning Packs: Many of the learning packs have now been collected. They will be available again tomorrow for those of you who have not been able to collect them. Please try to visit during the times outlined in previous updates.

We have now provided lots of work through a variety of Learning Packs, CGP books, Seesaw, Purple Mash, spelling shed, maths shed and mathletics, depending on their age group. However.... we are not expecting the children to do it all immediately. The teachers have been impressed with how much is being done by some children - but worried that some might feel overwhelmed. Help support them to pace themselves and identify the tasks you would like them to attempt each day.

For those of you who are Vivid tenants, you may be interested to see this:

 VIVID, a social housing provider, is offering free devices and internet connections to families who live in our homes.  These devices are available where:  

1. A person is deemed as ‘extremely vulnerable’ and has received an NHS letter telling them to stay home
2. Families who have school children who are unable to complete their homework due to lack of devices.

 This offer is only open to people who live in a VIVID home . 

This will be on a first come, first served basis and the number to ring for enquiries is 02392063327.

Finally - if your child is in school please remember to send their learning packs in with them.

Stay safe, stay in and keep washing your hands!!

With very best wishes,

Mrs Sheila Pape,

Executive Headteacher

Wednesday 1st April 2020

Dear Parents

A good up take on learning packs today by Year 3.  Remember if you have been unable to collect your child's pack they will be available tomorrow at the times outlined in previous updates.

Currently more work is being prepared for children in Early Years, Year 1 and Year 2.  I will let you know when this is ready for collection.

Can I remind those of you who are sending your children into school that they must bring their learning packs into school with them as they are being given time to work on them at some point during the day.

Free School Meals: By the time you read this update those of you who are eligible for FSM should have received a text outlining how you request the e-vouchers which are worth £15 per week per child. They are only payable for these 2 weeks when school would normally have been open. They will not be issued for the Easter Holiday period as outlined by the Dfe. These are only for children who are registered as eligible for FSM and not currently in school.  If your child is only attending part time we will look at these cases individually to decide on the value of the e voucher to which you are entitled.

We hope to get these e-vouchers to you by the end of the week.

Sadly I hear that the death rate has risen yet again today along with the number of people going out in cars and using public transport!  We cannot become complacent - please remember you should stay in at all times unless you need essential shopping, medication or for daily exercise.  Children should not be out playing, unless they are in their own gardens with their own siblings.

Staff are still reporting seeing groups of teenagers walking about the neighbourhood - they are putting all of our lives at risk as well as their own. Please remind them of their responsibilities to help keep the spread of this virus down - otherwise they could well be the next victim, something we want to avoid.

By working together as a community, and following the governments guidelines on not going out and social distancing,  we can play our part in trying to keep the number of cases down in our area and so reduce the distress it is causing to many lives.  If every community does this it will significantly help reduce the spread, death rate and pressure on the NHS. 

I know the police are also stopping people in Basingstoke to check on the reasons as to why they are out and about - so please - essential journeys only.

I am starting to sound like Boris Johnson but I just want you all to stay safe!

So - Stay safe, stay in and keep washing your hands frequently.

With very best wishes, 

Mrs Sheila Pape

Executive Headteacher

Tuesday 31^st March 2020

Dear Parents,

It was good to see more learning packs being collected today. Half of the year 4 packs were collected, with year 3 packs being available tomorrow:

Wednesday 1st April:  Year 3

Surnames A-E                9.00 – 10.00 a.m.    

                                                 Surnames F-J               10.00 – 11.00 a.m.  

                                                    Surnames K-P              11.00 – 12.00          

                                                     Surnames Q-T               1.00 – 2.00p.m.    

                                                     Surnames U-Z               2.00 – 3.00p.m.   

If you have children in more than one year group you can collect all of their packs on your first visit. We will only be allowing one person at a time into the office area, so be prepared to wait outside - at a distance from each other of course! If your child is already booked in to attend school this week, they will be given their pack then.

If you have missed collecting your child's pack then you can collect it on Thursday, if possible keep to the times above which apply each day, as this has helped spread out the number of visits to the school.

I mentioned yesterday that I was investigating supplying FSM vouchers ourselves as there had been no news on the national voucher scheme, however, I read in the news this morning that schools would get the information today. It has at last arrived in my emails at 5.15p.m today, so we will work on this as a priority tomorrow.

If you feel you are eligible for free school meals and have not yet registered, then it is not too late to do so. See the Latest School News section on the school website for details on how to do this and a link to the online application hub.

The school will be remaining open over the Easter holiday fortnight including the Bank Holidays. If you require your child/children to attend during this time and have not yet booked them in, please contact either school office for more details.

Sadly I write this hearing that the death toll today has risen to nearly 400 people in the last 24 hours, so keep yourselves safe, keep up with your social distancing, stay in and wash your hands frequently.

Wishing you all the very best,

Mrs Sheila Pape,

Executive Headteacher

Monday 30^th March 2020

Dear Parents,

We are now into week 2 of our lockdown and the weather seems to have turned a little colder. Snow was falling as I walked between the schools earlier today! Hopefully that will deter more people from going out and further reduce the likelihood of the virus spreading.

Today was the day year 5 parents could collect a learning pack from school, as mentioned in my update on Friday. Sadly only 16 parents collected the work for their children. Their packs are still available but will need to be collected on Thursday as tomorrow and Wednesday are allocated for year 4 and 3 respectively and as we are trying to maintain as much social distancing as possible we want to stick to the current schedule, so we haven't got a huge number of adults arriving at the same time.

As a reminder:

Tuesday 31st March:  Year 4

                                           9-10a.m.     Surnames A-E

                                           10-11a.m.   Surnames F-J

                                           11-12           Surnames K-P

                                              1-2p.m.    Surnames Q-T

                                              2-3p.m.    Surnames U-Z

Wednesday 1st April:  Year 3

                                            9-10a.m.     Surnames A-E

                                           10-11a.m.   Surnames F-J

                                           11-12           Surnames K-P

                                              1-2p.m.    Surnames Q-T

                                              2-3p.m.    Surnames U-Z

If you have children in more than one year group you can collect all of their packs on your first visit. We will only be allowing one person at a time into the office area, so be prepared to wait outside - at a distance from each other of course! If your child is already booked in to attend school this week, they will be given their pack then.

I know some of you have been enquiring about Free School Meals. As mentioned in a previous update I was awaiting information on the government's voucher system.  The last update was on 20^th March where they said:

'We are currently developing a national approach to providing support through supermarket and shop vouchers. We will provide further details shortly.'

However, as there are still no details, I am looking to source vouchers directly from local shops. I will let you know when these are available. Rest assured they will be issued for these last 2 weeks. They will only be available to families who meet the criteria and are currently registered for Free School Meals in either school This will not include infant children who receive a free meal through the universal free meal scheme.

Please don't forget if you are feeling lonely, vulnerable, anxious or struggling financially, do ring in to school and we will try to do what we can to support you. This is a tough time for everyone so don't think you are alone.

Finally, if your child is booked in for emergency care cover with us, and you find you do not need it, please ring to let us know. We were overstaffed today as so many children failed to turn up, so I ended up sending some staff home. However I would have preferred to have adjusted the staffing sooner to reduce adults arriving in school and moving around the community unnecessarily.

Hoping you are all keeping safe, washing your hands and staying in.

Best wishes,

Mrs Sheila Pape

Executive Headteacher

Friday 27^th March 2020

Dear Parents,

The end of an unusual week with still more to come. Hopefully the weather will continue to be lovely as it certainly helps make the world seem a little happier when the sun is shining.

To ensure you have enough to do with your children the staff have provided some more ideas and links which have been added to the on line learning section of the website. Please have a look!

Next week, for junior school children, there will be the opportunity for a parent/adult to collect a learning pack from the school. To ensure you don't ignore the 'stay in' advice, when you do collect your child's pack, this must be your 'exercise for the day' because as you know you should only leave the house once a day for exercise, be that a walk, cycle or run.

Furthermore to comply with the social distancing expectations, the adult should come into the school alone to collect the pack. To ensure we don't have huge numbers of people arriving together this is the collection timetable:

Monday 30th March:  Year 5

                                                9 - 10a.m.        Surnames A-E

                                                10 - 11a.m.      Surnames F-J

                                                11 - 12             Surnames K-P

                                                1 - 2p.m.         Surnames Q-T

                                                2 - 3p.m.         Surnames U-Z

Year 5 pack will also include some CGP study books which will help them revise what they have been taught so far and prepare them for year 6.

Tuesday 31st March:  Year 4

                                                9-10a.m.          Surnames A-E

                                                10-11a.m.        Surnames F-J

                                                11-12               Surnames K-P

                                                1-2p.m.            Surnames Q-T

                                                2-3p.m.            Surnames U-Z

Wednesday 1st April:  Year 3

                                                9-10a.m.          Surnames A-E

                                                10-11a.m.        Surnames F-J

                                                11-12               Surnames K-P

                                                1-2p.m.            Surnames Q-T

                                                2-3p.m.            Surnames U-Z

If you have children in more than one year group you can collect all of their packs on your first visit. We will only be allowing one person at a time into the office area, so be prepared to wait outside - at a distance from each other of course! If your child is already booked in to attend school next week, they will be given their pack then.

Similar packs will be following shortly for Years 1 and 2.

Please note: If your child is coming into school during the day, please send them in with their learning packs (and CGP books for year 5) as they will be given time to complete some of their work.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Bond and the cleaning staff for all of their hard work. The cleaners have been rigorous in cleaning the school every night including tables, chairs, door handles, door plates, toilets, light switches, banisters and anywhere else the children might have touched! Laptop keyboards are also being wiped after each child. Rigorous handwashing and social distancing continue too, plus plenty of fresh air.

Make sure you stay in during the weekend and stay safe.

Best wishes

Sheila Pape

Executive Headteacher

Thursday 26th March 2020

Dear Parents

We are nearing the end of the strangest week, I hope you are all managing to stay safe.

Please remember if your working hours change and you are a key worker or have vulnerable children, then contact the school to alter your arrangements. Some key workers are being called back into work, again just ring up if we can provide any child care for you.

Tomorrow there will be an update on more home learning ideas to help you keep the children busy.

Breakfast club continues to be at the junior school from 8.00 - 9.00 a.m.

If arriving after 9.00 a.m. please drop your child/children off at their respective school office.

Lunch at the infant school from 12.00 -1.00 p.m.

Children should be collected from their respective school offices when you finish work.

If you are going to arrive after 9.30 a.m. please ring in and let us know what your child would like for lunch as these need to be ordered by 9.30 a.m.

Please continue to keep safe. I know this lockdown is proving very tough for some of you but if we do not continue to follow guidance the result could be horrendous.

Best wishes,

Mrs Sheila Pape

Executive Headteacher

Wednesday 25^th March 2020

Dear Parents,

With this beautiful weather it has enabled us to take the children outside for a significant amount of the day. The children seem to be enjoying this greatly along with all of the different activities the staff have planned for them.

I have been informed today that the DfE have requested we stay open for Good Friday and Bank Holiday Monday. If you feel you will need cover on these days please can you ring into school by Thursday 2nd April so that I can plan staffing.

I am still waiting to hear about the vouchers for those receiving FSM. These will be made available to families who are at home and so their children are not receiving meals in school as usual.

I hope that you are all keeping well and staying safe.

Mrs Sheila Pape

Executive Headteacher

Stay safe.

Mrs Sheila Pape

Executive Headteacher

Monday 23rd March 2020

Dear Parents,

Fortunately many of you have been able to keep your children at home where it is safest for them and so we have been able to accommodate all of those working parents who are key workers and provide childcare for them.

Can I remind you that, as per government guidance, children should not be out playing with other children, everyone should be staying at home to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus.

Some children have told us they have been going out with friends and as stated on the news today, if people ignore the ‘stay at home’ advice it will result in a total lockdown for everyone.

It has been great to hear that many of you are supporting your children at home with their learning. We are working on providing further learning packs for your children which will not be reliant on internet access. We are currently ordering in study books for the year 5 children and once we have them, we will let you know how we will get them to you.

Key stage 2 teachers are considering how we can provide ‘non internet’ based work for other year groups but as you can imagine this is a huge task and therefore it will take a few days so we would appreciate your patience. Not all staff are in every day, as we have to have as few staff as possible on site, again to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. 

Key stage 1 is not quite so easy to plan for in this way as most of their learning is through key skills and therefore they need these skills to be taught to them. However if you keep up with their reading, spelling, phonics and learning times tables this will certainly help them immensely.

Please also remember that on our school website there is the Federation Calculation Policy. This shows you in detail how maths is being taught to the children, with some examples to follow. So if your child becomes ‘stuck’ you can refer them to this or support them yourself by guiding them through the modelling shown in the policy.

Those of you who are entitled to Free School Meals will probably have heard that families are going to be provided with vouchers which you can then use to buy food. We are still waiting to hear when we are to receive these vouchers and as soon as we do, I will let you know.

Please remember to stay safe and keep washing your hands, especially if you have been on public transport or out in the shops touching door handles etc. Remind children to cover their nose/mouth when they cough or sneeze and then to wash their hands. All of these things will further reduce the spread of the virus.

I will provide further updates as more information becomes available for please remember to check the website frequently.

This could be a very lonely time for many of you. The offices will be manned every day and I will be here every day, so if you are struggling with anything at all and think we may be able to help, then please give us a call. 

Stay safe.

Mrs Sheila Pape

Executive Headteacher