11th May 2020 - School's Phased Re-Opening Information

Mrs Fryman's message to Parents/Carers 11th May, 2020

Hello there, 

I hope you are well and have enjoyed a fine Bank Holiday weekend.

I had hoped to be emailing you with some further information after Boris' most unexpected 'bombshell' including EYFS and Y1 in a potential return to school yesterday evening, but I still haven't heard from WBC.  That Y6 would return was anticipated.  I am sure WBC are still engrossed in meetings and will contact me later this evening.  I will be able to provide you with further information in the coming days and weeks and will do as soon as I am able to do so.

So, for now all I can offer you is the reassurance that our school leaders (myself, Mrs Mc, Mrs Hazeldine and Miss Hill, Linda Buckley and the other governors) are the people who know our school best.   If the national guidance (once known in detail) cannot be safely applied in our school, we retain the power to make decisions regarding the safety of our children and staff based on our own individual risk assessments. This may ultimately mean that our school is not in a position to expand pupil numbers in the way the government has indicated on the 1 June. 

The document Boris has referred to can be found here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/884171/FINAL_6.6637_CO_HMG_C19_Recovery_FINAL_110520_v2_WEB__1_.pdf

I have copied the reference to SCHOOLs here for you:

SCHOOLS

• A phased return for early years settings and schools. Schools should prepare to begin to open for more children from 1 June.
• The Government expects children to be able to return to early years settings, and for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 to be back in school in smaller sizes, from this point.  This aims to ensure that the youngest children, and those preparing for the transition to secondary school, have maximum time with their teachers.
• Secondary schools and further education colleges should also prepare to begin some face to face contact with Year 10 and 12 pupils who have key exams next year, in support of their continued remote, home learning.
• The Government’s ambition is for all primary school children to return to school before the summer for a month if feasible, though this will be kept under review.

The Department of Education will engage closely with schools and early years providers to develop further detail and guidance on how schools should facilitate this."

WBC are keen that there is a coordinated response from Warrington schools and as much consistency as can be managed as children return to being schooled at school.   So, for now, we shall wait. 

Thank you for all the questions you sent in; if yours wasn't included please will you email the school office with them again and please accept my apologies if they were missed off the list I sent out on Saturday.   We now have many more unanswered questions than ever this evening.   

I do want to finish by reminding ourselves that nothing will change immediately; we now have some time now to think carefully and plan.

Have a good evening and stay safe ... 

Mrs Fryman