**CORONAVIRUS UPDATE**

As you will be aware, schools across England will be closing on Friday for the foreseeable future to all but the children of key workers. We are waiting for a definitive list of these key workers but it would be helpful if you could contact school if you work in the following sectors AND WOULD SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.

•NHS

•Emergency Services & prison officers

•Armed forces

•Teachers / Childcare / School staff

•Care home workers

•Social workers

•Local Authority planners

•Environmental Health

•Highways Agency

Although these are not on the current defined list, we are expecting the government to include those who work in Ministry of Defence, pharmacies and supermarket workers / delivery drivers.

Please either telephone us or email Mrs Noble or Mrs Parlett as soon as possible if you fall into these categories.  We will also make provision for children with EHCPs and those with a social worker and will contact you today.

n.noble@stcuthbertsprimary.com

e.parlett@stcuthbertsprimary.com

 

Update: Wednesday 18th March 8:23pm

This evening, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said classrooms in England will close from Friday until further notice for all pupils except children of key workers and the most vulnerable. Schools will remain open with reduced provision for these children and are encouraged to do so through the Easter holidays.

Assessments and exams will not go ahead this year and there will be no performance tables for this academic year.

I am sure you will have some questions about this, as do we, but there has been no guidance as yet from the local authority about what this entails. As soon as we have more information tomorrow, we will let you know.

A full list of key worker categories will be published by the Cabinet Office tomorrow. Children who do not fall into these groups should remain at home with appropriate care.

Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with Education Health and Care plans. We are not sure as yet how the government intends to support those families who are in receipt of free school meals, but will let you know when we hear their proposal.

If your child is well, please still send them into school for the next two days. They will be shown how to access materials they can use at home. We are not sure how long schools will be closed for, so we really would encourage you to access the learning platform on the school website at home to continue to support your child’s education. If you are self isolating, please still look at the learning platform as there will be activities your child can do once they have recovered. If you have any problems with access or logins please contact Mr Graham. 

b.graham@stcuthbertsprimary.com 

We are incredibly proud and humbled by the dedication of our staff who have at all times prioritised the care of our children; the positivity of our pupils and the overwhelming messages of support and community from parents and carers that we have witnessed daily.  You can still communicate with school via the usual means and senior leaders and teachers are keen to hear from and about our families. We thank you for your patience and support in these very difficult and uncertain times.

Best wishes, 

Nicola Noble

Elaine Parlett

Helen Coates (Chair of Governors)

Update: Tuesday 17th March 1:50pm

We have been working on an action plan to minimise social contact in school and avoid contamination.

1. Breakfast Club – No parents to come into the school entrance way.  Please leave your child at the door and all staff and children will wash their hands on entering school.
2. Morning Drop Off – We ask that no parents come onto the school yard.  Additional staff will be on the gate and the yard from 8:30am.  Please drop your children at the gate between 8:30am and 9:00am.
3. Break Times – KS1 and KS2 children will have different playtimes.  Children will be allowed on the field to increase space.  This will be the case whatever the weather so please send in a change of shoes and a waterproof if weather is poor.
4. Assemblies/Liturgies – All Assemblies and liturgies in school are cancelled.
5. Lunchtime -Lunchtimes will be staggered to minimise contact. Classrooms and lunch hall will be used and children will be supervised washing their hands before and after lunch.
6. End of School Day – We are going to stagger leaving times to avoid congregation on the yard.  Children will be leaving from the following doors:Reception Class – Usual Door at 3:00pm
   Year 1 – Usual Door at 3:00pm
   Year 2 – Usual Door at 3:00pm
   Year 3/4 – Classroom Doors at 3:10pm
   Year 5 – Classroom Door at 3:20pm
   Year 6 – Usual Door at 3:20pmIf you have a child in a younger class, you can collect your youngest child and then your oldest child early to reduce congregation and waiting on the yard.
7. School Office – Wherever possible please email or telephone staff rather than popping into the school office.

We understand everyones concerns and we have had lots of emails today for health advice.  We cannot advise you what to do and we are following government advice.  Our only advice would be for you to contact a professional regarding your child’s health.

Update: Monday 16th March 9:07pm

Tonight, the Prime Minister and his health advisers announced that they would not be closing schools. However, important to note is that anyone with symptoms AND THEIR FAMILIES should be self isolating FOR 14 DAYS.  Please get in touch with school if anyone in your family is showing symptoms and if self isolating is a precaution we will try our best to provide your child with school work.

Update: Monday 16th March 8:35pm

Physical Education lessons & after school clubs

In principle there is no reason to restrict or cancel clubs at the moment. Providing our pupils with the opportunity of structured physical activity, especially in the fresh air may offset some of the anxiety that they are inevitably sensing. All activities will be risk assessed and verbally agreed by SLT and staff, and in particular where there is the potential for skin on skin contact, such as group work in gymnastics, alternative activities will be given. There is no need to stop the use of physical education equipment such as shared bats and balls, but robust hygiene regimes should be advocated. This should include the regular cleaning of grips and handles with a disinfectant spray and thorough hand washing before and after lessons with supervision.

Update: Monday 16th March 2:30pm

The Department for Education has released updated advice for schools which can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19#contents 

Latest Update: Monday 16th March 1:00pm

SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED ON TUESDAY 17TH MARCH

• There are still no confirmed cases in school although some families are self isolating.
• We have taken further guidance from the Local Authority as well as referring daily to Public Health England updates. The LA and Public Health are advising that only specific areas need to be cleaned. Leaders and governors have agreed that to ensure we are best protecting our pupils, a thorough, professional clean of the whole school is our best option which is above and beyond requirements of schools. This will mean that school will need to remain closed to pupils tomorrow. Today, staff are preparing and clearing surfaces and cleaning staff are ensuring that small items are thoroughly disinfected e.g. toys and equipment so that a team can come in tomorrow morning to carry out the professional clean. This clean doesn’t just cover floors and surfaces but will extend to walls, displays, books etc. so that we can be confident we have made the best possible provision.
• School will reopen to pupils on Wednesday. Our action plan moving forward is to ensure that we are limiting the equipment accessible to pupils, that school staff disinfect at appropriate points throughout the day e.g. with PE equipment and that all staff have additional duties for cleaning. We will be using recommended products following advice from the Local Authority. This will eliminate the need for further professional deep cleans.
• We have cancelled all assemblies, masses, visitors to school and sporting events for the remainder of term to ensure we are best protecting pupils.
• Can all pupils bring in a water bottle daily which will be sent home each evening rather than being left in class.
• Can all packed lunches be taken home daily too please. Any that were left in school over the weekend will be placed in a box outside of school for you to collect on Wednesday as we need to remove all food products before the deep clean takes place. Please do not send these immediately back into school on Wednesday or ask children to collect them – they will need to be taken home and disinfected.
• Just a reminder that if anyone in your family is showing symptoms, please follow NHS guidelines and contact school via telephone / email if out of hours or school is closed. 

n.noble@stcuthbertsprimary.com

e.parlett@stcuthbertsprimary.com 

• Mrs Parlett and Mr Graham will post learning activities for Tuesday on the website this afternoon and, once again, if you need any logins for pupil online accounts, contact Mr Graham at b.graham@stcuthbertsprimary.com 

Many thanks to you all for your continued support.

Update: Sunday 15th March: School closure update:

We are unable to take any further advice until tomorrow when we will inform you as soon as possible of any changes. As stated yesterday, we acted as soon as we were given information from families and we are obliged to follow directive from the Department for Education and Public Health England. As it stands, school will be shut on Monday. We now know that a second family have self isolated so we have removed our previous Facebook post because it is now out of date. We will update parents via text message tomorrow. If anyone in your family is showing symptoms, please follow NHS guidelines and contact school via telephone / email if out of hours or school is closed. 

n.noble@stcuthbertsprimary.com

e.parlett@stcuthbertsprimary.com 

For tomorrow, if your child is able to access the internet, there are lots of links through the pupil page on our school website. Spelling shed and Times Tables Rockstars are particularly useful, as well as spending some time reading.

Any queries about accessing these, please contact Mr Graham. b.graham@stcuthbertsprimary.com 

Many thanks for the well wishes to the two poorly pupils and the messages of support to school.

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Update: Saturday 14th March 2020

We have been notified that we have a suspected case of COVID19 in school. We take the health and safety and wellbeing of our pupils and staff very seriously, and as such, we want to reassure you that we are following the guidance from Public Health England and The Department for Education.

We will be closing school on Monday 16th March and the school will undergo a thorough deep clean. School will reopen again to pupils and staff on Tuesday 17th March.

The child has been absent from school since Wednesday so it is likely that if your child develops symptoms they will have done so already or will do over the weekend. If your child develops a fever or a new continuous cough, please follow NHS advice. For updates about children’s work, please check the school website from tomorrow.

We are currently increasing precautions to ensure we are effectively safeguarding our pupils and staff. As a result, we are trying to reduce the number of visitors in school. This means that class assemblies are cancelled and if you usually come into school to read or volunteer with a class, we ask that you don’t come in for the remainder of term. Please also, wherever it is possible, telephone or email the school office staff rather than popping into the office. We will continue to make sure pupils wash hands carefully and that we monitor this carefully.

Thank you for your support.