School News

Dear Parents and Carers,
 
Welcome back to school! I trust that you all had a lovely Easter break.
 
Today, I have received the risk assessment from North Yorkshire for the Summer term. The new risk assessment has been amended to reflect the updated Government guidance and personalised to meet the needs and requirements of our school. I have attached a copy of the current risk assessment to the webpage below and the highlighted sections reflect the amendments. Please click the link below:

 COVID Risk Assessment

 
The success of the last lockdown and vaccine programme is allowing us to progress within the roadmap outlined by the Government. However, the systems and protocols for keeping everyone safe in school have in the main, remained unchanged.
 
Things that have remained the same:
 
1. Entry/exit of school and movement within
 
Entry/exit of school and movement within It is necessary to reduce the possibility of large groups of the school community gathering at any one time. Therefore, entering school and exiting school pose potential problems, as does movement within school. The DfE acknowledge that schools may change the start and finish times or introduce processes for drop-off and collection arrangements.

 In light of this guidance, the following has been agreed:
 During Covid-19: Drop-off Pick-up:
 Class 1 and Class 3: 8:40am 3:20pm
 Class 2 and Class 4: 8:50am 3:30pm

*Parents who have siblings in different classes, should drop off and pick up at the earlier time.
**Breakfast Club will run every morning from 8-8:40
 
We ask that where possible, for you to walk to school and only one parent/carer will be permitted on the school grounds. Please line up outside your classroom. Class 1, 2 and 4 will use their normal entrance/exit points and Class 3 will use the side door. Please ensure you are wearing a face covering whilst on the school grounds. You will be met by your class teacher/TA and then the children will be instructed to leave their parents/carers and go into their classroom. We would be grateful if you could arrive on time for drop-offs and pick-ups. The playground will be open to parents to briefly wait in before your children are released. Whilst you are waiting, social distancing must be adhered to and face masks worn at all times please. Teachers will not be available to speak to unless teachers initiate the contact. Teachers must commit their time to ensuring that all children safely leave their care. Parents can contact teachers through the school office email system if they have queries about the day or they can call to make a phone appointment. The school office is inaccessible. If parents need to speak face-to-face with the office team, then parents need to call to make an appointment. The office will not be open for parents to drop-in to. However, parents can obviously still call and receive support over the phone or via the admin email. 
 
 
2. Outdoor play (break and lunch)
 
Playtimes will be timetabled to ensure that no class bubbles meet. Games that encourage distancing and little touch will be made available to the children. However, each group will have resources from their classrooms or the PE cupboard so that they have dedicated outdoor equipment that is taken out and used exclusively by them. This will then be gathered back in at the end of their break/ lunch time. We are able to offer school lunches as normal and you have already selected from the menus. If you are bringing a packed lunch then can you please send this in a container that can easily be cleaned, thank you. Children will remain in their class bubbles at lunchtime and will not mix with other groups.
 
3. Cleaning/hygiene considerations
 
 In order to contain the virus, a strict cleaning regime needs to be in place. The government have provided very specific guidance about what we should be doing to effectively clean spaces in school. This will require adults that don’t normally identify as cleaners to fulfil those duties throughout the day before the cleaning staff are in school to complete a thorough clean. Handwashing protocols are to be strictly followed and ‘catch it, kill it, bin it’ is to be promoted. Children are to be encouraged not to touch their mouth, eyes and nose. Pedal bins to dispose of tissues have been issued to each classroom and will be emptied regularly. Adults and children will be asked to wash their hands; on entry to school, before break time, after break, before lunch, after lunch, before leaving school, and anytime that they visit the toilet or cough/sneeze into their hands. Hand sanitisers will be made available in classrooms. Temperature checks will be carried out by staff on children who are unwell. Children will be allowed to go to the toilet as they would do in a normal school day. Staff will organise that they go one at a time and will ensure that children wash their hands afterwards. At various intervals, adults will disinfect and clean tables, door handles and equipment. Each class will have their own allotted set of classroom cleaning equipment that will be stored appropriately within the classrooms. Laptops and computers will be cleaned after every use.
 
 
4. Classrooms
 
Each child has been allocated their own chair and classroom resources and in Class 2, 3 and 4, they will be sat in a forward-facing position. We will make sure the rooms are well ventilated and will plan for timetabled outdoor activities. All surfaces have been cleared to help with cleaning surfaces.
 
5. Uniform
 
 Children should wear school uniform as normal. There is no expectation for children to bring in an extra pair of indoor shoes. PE kit should be brought in on a Monday and we will send it home on a Friday to be washed. It’s important that the children have layers so that they are warm as we are having to ensure the school is well ventilated. Please ensure that they have a cardigan or jumper and have appropriate outdoor clothing.
 
6.Breakfast and After School Clubs
 
Breakfast club will operate as normal from 8-8:40. To reserve a place please ensure you have completed a booking form. KidZone will run after school from 3:30-5pm everyday. Please ensure you complete the booking form to ensure you have secured a place. Children will be organised in class bubbles within the hall to help maintain social distancing.

Changes:
 
As detailed in the risk assessment above, we are now able to offer outdoor clubs to mixed groups of any size. If the provision is taking place indoors and it is not possible to group children in the same bubble as they are in during the day, we are being asked to keep them in consistent groups of no more than 15 and at least one member of staff.
Details on the clubs on offer will be sent out by the end of the week.
 
Current guidance is that you can still have one childcare support bubble which you can use to help with pick ups and drop offs. Please contact the school office if you have a childcare support bubble.
 
Where you are using external childcare providers or out of school extra-curricular activities for your children, we are being asked to share the following advice:
 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-of-children-attending-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-of-children-attending-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak
 
 
If you have any questions or concerns about the revised risk assessment, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch at headteacher@gfschools.co.uk
 
Kind regards,

Pam Acheson