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BERKELEY PRIMARY SCHOOL Back to School effective from Thursday 3rd September 2020 - Arrangements for the NEW ‘normal’ |
Welcome back to ALL classes
I hope that you and your family are well and thank you once again for your continued support over recent months during lockdown. As you read this newsletter, with the changes and adjustments, please be assured that the safety of children, families and staff is our priority and is always at the forefront of our decisions. The school’s leadership team, including governors, recognise the importance and the seriousness of our current situation, especially in continuing to ensure we try our best, within certain confinements, to ‘social distance’ to a degree. At all times, we will continue to be guided by Government and Local Authority advice and our overriding focus will be on ensuring that school is as safe as we possibly can. We will be ensuring that every child has the opportunity to receive a broad and balanced curriculum with new themes for the year, whilst catching up with missed learning.
At the beginning of July the Government announced that it is their plan that all pupils, in all year groups, will return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term. They have said in the Guidance for full opening:
“The prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) has decreased, our NHS Test and Trace system is up and running, and we are clear about the measures that need to be in place to create safer environments within schools. Returning to school is vital for children’s education and their well-being…The balance of risk is now overwhelmingly in favour of children returning to school. For the vast majority of children, the benefits of being back in school far outweigh the very low risk from coronavirus.”
To ensure that we are fully prepared to welcome ALL children, we have had to alter the school day slightly to enable us to keep children in ‘bubbles’ as much as we can and to limit the traffic in the corridors. We can only do this safely with certain measures in place which poses lots of challenges for the school. As we try this out, there may be changes along the way and we must be flexible and adapt if need be. This newsletter is to be as transparent as possible with our community in our procedures during this period.
We ask that you read it carefully and discuss this with your children in a child friendly way so they understand what the expectations of them and their behaviour will be and to prepare them to come back to school. These procedures will be in place until further notice.
Government essential measures include:
The Government ask us to consider the following points when trying to reduce contact:
Points to note:
Please do support the decisions that we make, even if they negatively affect your own arrangements. The logistics have been very difficult to pull together, taking various factors into consideration. Sincere gratitude, once again, for all your support and patience at this time. Take care and continue to stay safe; this situation is far from over.
Anna Cvijetic (Headteacher) and Governors at Berkeley Primary School
Dear Parents and Carers,
I have attached a letter to the letters section with our current plans for when we open again on Thursday 3rd September 2020 to ALL children. I ask that you read this very carefully so you understand what we have put in place to keep everyone in school as safe as we can. Our plans include staggered starts and finishes, staggered lunchtimes, changes to lunchtimes, etc. Please note which class your child is in to understand the timings. There may be changes along the way and we will adapt and be flexible if the circumstances around coronavirus (Covid-19) change or Government instruction changes.
The school lunch offer will be a little different in the Autumn term. For the first two weeks the children will be able to have a cold sandwich option, and one day a week their 'tree' bubble will have a hot grab bag option. From the 21st September, the children will be able to choose from a hot grab bag (see attached menu) or cold grab bag (selection of sandwiches) every day. They will eat this in their classroom. Children who are eligible for Free School Meals will be provided with this selection and the vouchers will stop from the 3rd September. Parents continue to be able to pay for a school meal through ParentPay. You may also choose to send your child with a packed lunch and they will eat this in their classroom.
School will close tomorrow at 3.15pm (17.7.20) and will re-open again for children on Thursday 3rd September 2020, when we expect all our children to return to school.
If you have any queries, please contact me by replying to this email.
Best wishes
Anna Cvijetic (Headteacher at Berkeley Primary School)
Dear Parent and Carers,
I have been asked by the Local Authority to share the list of Ofsted registered childcare that is available to meet the needs of families during the six weeks summer holidays. This is in our Letters section. This is particularly those that are key workers to ensure that you are aware of childcare options available to you during the six-weeks summer holidays. Other families may also require the information to support their work or personal needs in the summer holidays. This information is also being shared with the Family Information Service who may be able to assist families to find childcare if the options presented do not meet their needs. Their telephone number is 01724 296500.
The attached spreadsheet is split into localities to support you in identifying the providers that are closest to you. It includes the names, addresses and contact details, as well as their opening days and times to support families to identify childcare to meet their needs. There is provision in most areas of North Lincolnshire for families however some families may be required to travel short distances to access childcare.
All providers are following the most recently published guidance from the Department for Education in relation to infection control. Please reassure your families that the providers will be offering secure childcare and will have all safety measures in place to minimise the chance of infection, including more regular cleaning of premises and equipment, children regularly cleaning their hands and following the principles of ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’.
Best wishes
Anna Cvijetic
Headteacher at Berkeley Primary School
Reception to Year 5 end of year reports will be given out in September when these children return to school.
Many thanks.
Anna Cvijetic
Headteacher
Dear Parents and Carers of Year 6 children,
We will be sending your child's school report out to you in the next week. Children who are currently attending school will be given a paper report to bring home. Children who are not currently attending school will be sent their report in an email, to their parent's email address. If you have not received your child's report by Wednesday 15th July, please get in touch with the school. The rest of the school will get their report when they return to school in September.
We would like to be able to do a 'proper' farewell to our current Year 6 children when it is safe to do so. We will be in touch in September to make arrangements for a 'Leaver's meet'. The children will be able to collect their books, best work folders, certificates, etc at this meet.
In the meantime, we wish them well in their future and we hope they settle well into their new school.
Best wishes
Anna Cvijetic
Dear Parents and Carers,
The Government have agreed that parents eligible for benefits related free school meals will be supported over the summer holiday period this year. This is due to the unprecedented nature of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. The Government recognises that families will face increased pressure on household budgets over the coming months and wanted to put this support in for our children.
The voucher will come in the usual form from Edenred. I have ordered the voucher today for you to receive it on 13th July 2020. This voucher is for £15 x 6 weeks = £90 per child. If you have 2 children eligible at Berkeley you will receive £180, 3 children you will receive £270.
Please ensure you redeem your eCode within one month from the activation date, as Edenred have shortened the expiry period.
Healthy eating
When using the vouchers, families are free to select the most appropriate food and drink for their child. The Government encourages families to consider making choices that contribute to a healthy balanced diet. The school food standards may act as a useful guide. There are also a number of ideas and tips available online to support families in preparing healthy meals, including the Change4life recipes and NHS Eat Well website.
If you have any issues with redeeming the code you will need to contact Edenred as the school will be closed from the 17th July 2020. I have attached the Parent user guide for Edenred again.
Please note: I have resent a few emails from Edenred to those parents that have not yet redeemed their voucher from the last order. Please ensure you do this as soon as possible.
Best wishes
Anna Cvijetic
Headteacher