Dear Parents and Carers,

We are looking forward to welcoming your child back at St Aidan’s. It is such a long time since we were all together as a school family and I know we all want to get back to how things were.

Lots has happened during this time. For some of you it will have felt like an extended holiday; for others I know it has been a time of great sorrow.

Naturally you will all feel differently about the return to school. Those of you who have been lucky may be wondering what all the fuss is about. However, some of you will feel very nervous about making the ‘right’ decision for you, your child and your family. It is very important that we all respect each other’s feelings at this time as we return to school and work alongside each other.

Following government guidance, we have made a number of changes to the way we work in school. Please read and follow the guidance in this booklet so that we can be respectful of each other and how we work together over the coming weeks.

Bringing Your Child to School

We will be following a 1-way system around the school site. This will allow everyone to move comfortably around the site and maintain 2 metres distance from other families.

All children will enter via the KS 2 gate and leave via the KS 1 gate.

When you arrive at the drop-off point your child will go into school immediately to wash their hands and the parent will continue around the 1-way system. If another child is entering school, then your child may be asked to line-up with a teacher for a moment.

General Hygiene

Children will be asked to wash their hands as soon as they enter school. Please teach your child how to wash their hands carefully. There are lots of videos that can make this fun.

We have new pedal bins in our classrooms and toilets to control the spread of germs and viruses. Your child will be expected to use these bins during the day.  

Food and Drink

A packed lunch will be provided for all children in Reception and Year 1. A drink is not included with the lunch so please make sure you send your child to school with a full water bottle. They will not be able to drink from the water fountains in order to control the spread of the virus.

Children in Year 6 can purchase a packed lunch via Joinos or bring a packed lunch that will stay with them at their desk.

What to wear and bring with you

Government guidance says it is important to wash clothes at the end of every day. For this reason, you do not need to wear school uniform. It is up to you.

We know it is safer to be outside in the sunlight and fresh air. Please make sure that your child is wearing strong protective sun cream when they come to school. They should also bring a sun hat and a full bottle of water.

Please do not allow your child to bring any items such as a phone, pencil case or school bag. They will be provided with what they need in school. 

Home/School Contact

If you need to speak with a member of staff then this can be done via the school phone number 0191 716 0585 or by email office@staidans.school. Our school office will not be open to visitors.

It is very important that we can get in touch with you during the day. You must ensure you have provided  up to date contact details to school.

Attendance

Under the Coronavirus Act 2020, parents will not be penalised if your child does not attend school. However, it is important that we know who to expect in school so that we can organise staff, groups and work space.

Playtimes and Lunchtimes

As part of our risk assessments we have been asked to work in groups of pupils or ‘bubbles’. Children from one bubble will not be allowed to play with children from another bubble. We are lucky to have lots of yard space and a large field. Some bubbles may be outside at the same time but it is important that your child knows to stay in her/his own group.

Special Educational Needs

We will continue to do our best to meet the needs of individual pupils. However, this may not be in the same way as before. For example, for those children who benefit from small group and 1-to-1 learning with an adult, this may not be possible as the adult may be needed to cover one of our ‘bubbles’ somewhere else in school.’ However, we will make reasonable endeavours to meet the needs of those children with specific needs.

Home School Agreement

June 2020

Please read through our updated Home/School Agreement for pupils returning to school before the end of the summer term. It is necessary to update this agreement in line with the government and Department for Education guidance. Please ensure that your child, and anyone bringing or collecting your child, is also aware of the agreement.

School will:

• Provide an environment which has been risk assessed in response to the COVID-19 infection.
• Ensure that there is a designated safeguarding lead on the school site at all times to support children, staff and parents.
• Promote the government’s social distancing guidance in an age appropriate way.
• Have regular, stringent cleaning procedures in place.  
• Organise the staff and children into ‘bubbles’ with a maximum of 15 children to reduce the possibility of contact between different groups of children and adults.
• Educate children in the new expectations around school.
• Inform parents when children are struggling to manage the new expectations.
• Contact parents/carers if a child displays symptoms of COVID-19, or if there is a confirmed case within a ‘bubble’.
• Provide a range of educational opportunities for all children, both in school and at home.
• Communicate between home and school through Seesaw, text, email and the school website.
• Provide a meal in the form of a packed lunch for all children in receipt of universal free school meals or free school meals.  

Parents agree to:

• Self-isolate as a family for 14 days if anyone in my household shows symptoms of COVID-19. I will get them tested and I will let the school know as soon as possible via telephone.
• Collect my child from school immediately if my child shows symptoms of COVID-19.

• Prepare my child for the return to school including discussing the social distancing rules and possible changes to their routine such as different adults etc.
• Understand that school cannot guarantee that social distancing will be maintained at all times.
• Adhere to routines for arrival and departure i.e. 1 adult only, remain 2m apart, ‘drop and go’ at handover point.
• Support the school in the behaviour policy put in place and understand that my child’s place will be reviewed if rules are broken.  
• Maintain contact with school over the phone or by email.
• Provide up to date contact details that will be answered.
• Ensure that my child is wearing a fresh, clean set of clothes each day.
• Ensure my child does not bring any items from home such as mobile phones, toys, pencil cases, etc.
• Send packed lunches in a disposable carrier bag so that everything can be thrown away. Please note that the school packed lunch does not include a drink.
• Provide my child with their own individual water bottle on a daily basis – rinsed and refilled.

Pupils will:

• Understand that things will be different in school and recognise that they will not be able to do all the things they used to do in school.
• Tell an adult if they feel unwell.
• Follow new routines for arriving and leaving school.  
• Follow new school instructions on staying clean and healthy, such as hand washing and sanitising.  
• Only use the equipment given to me by school.
• Stay in their assigned ‘bubble’ group in the allocated areas both in the classrooms and outside on the playground.
• Follow all rules in the behaviour policy set out to support the safety of themselves and others.
• Behave well at all times.
• Engage with all learning set within this new environment.

School:            Mr A James                                        Date:    2/6/20

Parent:……………......……..................…….……………          Date:……………………

Child:…………………………….………..............…….…           Date:……………....……