This is the detailed plan for how to safely support the wider opening of school for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 at St Luke’s when the Government decides it is appropriate for this to happen. At the moment they are hoping for a 1st June start, but this is not confirmed. The plan outlined below has been put together by all the staff and the Governors. When written out in detail like this it can feel scary, but please be reassured we will make sure school is a lovely, vibrant place to be. The children’s wellbeing is always our priority. If you have any concerns you want to talk through with me do not hesitate to phone school.
General information
Children to come in school uniform.
Children are not to bring books or book bags. Children need to bring their PE kit into school and leave it here. If possible, please bring a water bottle into school and leave it here, we will wash them. Children on packed lunches can of course bring this in.
The children will be in pods of no more than 15. The classes will be split alphabetically by surname. The children will stay in those pods for their school day and work with the same adults. This is to reduce the cross-infection possibilities.
Drop off and pick up
The start and the end of the day will be staggered to give everyone space in the playground to distance.
Only one parent to do the drop off or pick up.
A one-way system will be in operation due to the narrowness of the path outside school. Come in through the side gates to drop your child off, then walk round the back of the school and leave through the car park gates. This one-way system will be reversed at pick up time. This is so children are always using the path not the car park.
We would ask that adults do not come up to the doors at drop off or pick up times but to wait in the playground socially distanced from the other parents.
Merlins to go in through their door.
Kestrels to go in through their door.
Peregrines to go in through Osprey’s door.
Peacocks (the children of key workers or vulnerable children from Years 2-5) to go in through the main entrance.
Drop off times are:
Surnames A – H 8.40 –8.45
I – Z 8.55 – 9.00
If you are late and miss your drop off time your child may not come into school until after 9.10 and should be taken to the main entrance.
Pick up times are:
Surnames A – H 3.20
I – Z 3.30
On arrival at school the children will be asked to wash their hands. They should also have washed their hands before leaving for school. They will be asked to wash their hands several times across the day. Each pod will have access to soap and water. If there is no sink in their area they will also have hand sanitiser.
The school day
The children will be reminded to ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ in a tissue. Bins with lids will be in each pod area. If the cough or sneeze does not allow for time to get a tissue, elbows will be used.
As you know the guidance to schools makes it clear that primary school children are not expected to keep 2m apart. However, the children will be encouraged to keep a distance from each other whenever possible. We acknowledge that it is impossible for primary school aged children to do this all the time. The use of pods and hand washing is the best way to minimise cross infection opportunities. .
Each of the pods has their own area within school which they will be in for at least a week. Each pod will work outside as much as possible. The younger children will swap areas week-on-week to ensure they all get access to the whole curriculum. All the areas will be regularly and thoroughly cleaned and sanitised.
Playtimes will be staggered.
Lunchtimes will also be staggered:
11.30 – 11.55: The 2 Kestrel pods to have lunch in different distanced areas of the hall. The 2 Peregrine pods to be outside in different playgrounds.
12.00 – 12.25: The 2 Peregrine pods to have lunch. The 2 Kestrel pods to be outside in different playgrounds.
12.30 – 1.00: The 2 Merlin pods and the Peacocks to have lunch in different distanced areas of the hall.
1.00 – 1.30: The 2 Merlin pods and the Peacocks to play outside in different playgrounds.
Measures will be taken to ensure toilets are not overcrowded or contain children from different pods at the same time.
Guidance if someone is unwell
If a child or adult has any symptoms they must stay at home and be tested. If they test negative they can come back to school. If a member of a pod is self-isolating the parents of the other children in that pod will be informed and will be asked to keep them at home until the result of the test is known. If they test positive, all members of the pod will have to stay at home and self-isolate for 14 days.
If you need to talk to a member of staff please do it over the phone.
When this plan gets put into operation, the blogs for the other year groups will still continue with a teacher setting challenges, sharing links and responding to children’s posts. If a child in the year groups returning to school is not able to return due to them or a family member having been recommended to shield, staff will ensure they are supported at home.
We hope you will feel confident to send your child back to school when we are asked to expand the number of children attending. As you know there will be no fines for non-attendance.
I know there has been a lot of chat amongst the parents of the year groups not coming back to school and worries about how that will be done. I am afraid I cannot give you a clear plan at the moment because we have not yet been given any information about this next phase. When I know I will share it with you so that you can make an informed choice.
We realise this can all sound very daunting and appreciate that the decision to send your child to school will [or may] be a difficult one to make. School has remained open during this difficult time and we have managed to get a balance between keeping everyone safe and looking after everyone’s wellbeing. Nobody has got ill and children and staff are all happy.