Dear Parents/Carers

We hope you are all well and keeping safe and healthy.

With all of the media coverage surrounding Coronavirus, it is exceedingly difficult to keep up to date with what seems to be so many conflicting pieces of information and advice about the best steps to prevent the risk of exposure and spreading of the virus. As a school, we are keeping up to date with and continuing to follow the advice given by Public Health England and the Department of Education in relation to general health and more specifically for schools.

In these uncertain times with regards to what seems to be the inevitable spread of Coronavirus we feel that as a school, as well as following the Government advice, we also have to take the necessary precautions to prevent and delay any spread of the virus to safeguard all of our children, families and staff, to the best of our ability. Our main aim as a school is health and safety of all and trying to ensure that we can keep our school open.

Therefore as a means or prevention and delay we have put into place, from today, the following measures, which are in line with our Critical Incident Plan for Preventing and Managing Sickness including outbreaks (to be found on the school website) at Stage 3:

• All planned school events for the rest of this term are to be postponed and will be timetabled to take place at a later date in the school year.
  Events to be postponed are Robins Class Assembly, Special Lady Reading event, Parents Evening, SEND Reviews.
• We are reducing/stopping all non-essential visitors into school with the exception of any visits that are a necessity. Any necessary visitors into school will be asked to follow our health and safety procedures to reduce any risks to children and staff.
• We are cancelling any non-essential meetings or training for staff that have been planned to take place in other settings or take staff out of the school setting.
• We are following rigid health and safety precautions in terms of regular washing of hands, on entry into school, at relevant times of the day, and before going home.
• Staff are cleaning the main areas of the school buildings, including handles, light switches, general surfaces, toilet areas and frequently touched areas throughout the school.
• We are monitoring attendance and the symptoms for any absences and providing advice as per Public Health England guidance.
• We have purchased thermometers in school in order that we can take temperatures to act quickly with regards to next steps for both children and staff.  

It is our ultimate aim to keep our school open for as long as possible and following these preventative measures will help us to do this.

We apologise wholeheartedly for any disruption this may cause but we hope that you understand that all decisions we make are in the best interests of all children, families and staff and are a means to try and safeguard all.

The same information continues to apply in the event of school closure being enforced by the Department of Education and we would inform you as parents/carers as soon as we are made aware of this.

We want to reassure you that we are ready for such an occurrence, and we as a school will  provide adequate learning resources so learning can continue at home. Should this be the scenario, you will receive a class letter of detailed information as to the expectations and relevant resources that can be used at home to support learning. Communication with school will remain open throughout any school closure, through the enquiries email or my school email or other systems that we deem to be effective and user friendly and accessible for all. We do not expect parents to provide any learning activities or be expected to purchase any additional resources. All we ask is that in the event of a school closure, that you support your child to the best of your ability, in completing the work set by the Class Teachers.

Once again, we would like to ask all families to support the prevention of Coronavirus by following Public Health England Guidelines on hygiene, in particular the washing of hands using soap and water for at least 20 seconds before leaving the home, and when returning home at the end of the school day, as well as following general health and hygiene procedures.

We would like to thank you for your continued support and understanding. I will continue to keep you updated as and when I have any information.

Please keep checking the school website. All of the relevant links for updated information can also be found on the school website.

Yours sincerely

Mrs J Jameson

Headteacher