CORONAVIRUS UPDATES:

“We are currently working within the realms of Government guidance”

SNAPE WOOD UPDATE – WEDNESDAY 6TH JANUARY 2021

 HOME LEARNING

Dear Snape Wood Primary,

Good morning everyone, today we will be sending out a series of letters (via email and repeated on the school website); each letter will be about a specific aspect of how Snape Wood will be operating due to the national lockdown.  

Please read all of the following information very carefully, we are hoping to cover everything parents will need to know, but if there is anything you think we have missed, please don’t hesitate to give school a call and ask.

HOME LEARNING

• All parents were contacted on 4.1.21 so that we could assess the availability of devices at home in order for us to make a decision about remote learning.
• If you let the teacher know you were able and willing to support your child with home learning and had enough devices in the house, then the expectations is that home learning takes place EVERYDAY.

THIS IS NOT A GUIDE AND IS STATUTORY - attendance at these sessions will be monitored and if your child does not attend they may be asked to come into school to access learning. (Please see below the section - government expectations)

‘Unlike the previous lockdown in March, where we gave home learning packs, we now will be streaming live lessons via Zoom/Dojo.  This is so we can keep a record of those who are accessing learning from home and those who are not.’

• We will assess this on a daily/weekly basis and you will receive weekly phone calls from your class teacher where you can give feedback. If there are any issues or need any support, please let the class teacher know and we will do our best to support you in this as best we can.
• If you are unable to access remote learning, please let the teacher know via dojo or email school on admin@snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk
• Remote learning is new to us all and so we understand that this may be difficult for those who are working from home and have other commitments but your child’s learning is important.

DAILY HOME LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

• All parents must be signed up to Dojo, where communication about learning will take place.
• Teachers will set out on Dojo a daily/weekly timetable on Dojo so you are aware when live lessons are taking place and when independent tasks are being set.
• Teachers will deliver a English, maths, phonics/shared reading session live (between 9-12pm-see dojo for timetable) and set independent work for the afternoon (1-3pm)
• Parents/children must submit the independent work set on class dojo by the end of day at 3pm.
• Teachers will keep a record of those children who are completing work and those who are not.
• Feedback on learning will happen during the live learning sessions in the morning.
• If you need support to access dojo or Zoom please contact the class teacher or ring the school office where we are happy to support you.
• Teachers are available from 8.30am if you need support to set up zoom live lessons or have any queries-please use dojo for this. Please be aware that teachers are under no obligation to respond to messages outside of this time so if it is an urgent query please contact the school office.
• On Friday’s each pupil will receive 4 set tasks  from their year group teachers:

1. Times Tables Rock Stars (30 minute session)        
2. Wider curriculum task (1hour task)     
3. KS1/EYFS-phonics activity (30minutes)     KS2-reading activity 30minutes)      
4. Home reading with parent (20minutes)

• On the school website, there are additional links to online learning videos where children’s learning can be supplemented.
• Each pupil will need to upload their independent work on Friday to Dojo and teachers will keep a record of this.
• Each pupil/parent will receive (once a week) wellbeing/follow up phone calls from a member of staff working from home (this will be from a withheld number).

Government expectations:

• Schools are required to (on a daily basis) track and monitor the number of pupils completing and uploading work.
• If pupils are not uploading work, school are required to make additional phone calls (this will be from a member of Senior Leadership Team) and where needed home visits will be made.
• If you as a family need support with home learning, PLEASE contact school via admin@snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk or the office 01159159146 and speak to a member of SLT (Mrs Choudhury, Miss Williams and Mrs Howarth)

This is a difficult time for us all. If you need support in anyway, please contact school. Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs Choudhury

Head Teacher

SNAPEWOOD PRIMARY UPDATE – WEDNESDAY 6TH JANUARY 2021

KEYWORKER SCHOOL 

Dear Snape Wood Primary,

Good afternoon everyone, today we will be sending out a series of letters (via email and repeated on the website); each letter will be about a specific aspect of how Snape Wood will be operating due to the national lockdown.

KEYWORKER SCHOOL HOURS

KEYWORKER SCHOOL

Please find below important information about ‘Keyworker School’ from Wednesday 6th January 2021.

• Keyworker School will be open for the normal school hours Monday – Friday 8.45-3.15.
• Normal staggered start and finish times apply to your child’s year group. Please drop off your child at their allocated gate.
• Packed lunches must be in a plastic disposable bag. Normal l lunchtime meals will be available if you wish; the catering team will be following the current menu. These will need to be paid for via bank transfer (BACS) unless you are entitled to free school meals. You can choose to send your child with a packed lunch if you prefer.
• Key worker pupils are expected to wear normal school uniform each day. They may bring additional hoodies or jumper to keep warm due to open window for ventilation.
• They MUST bring a named water bottle and their reading book and diary with them each morning.
• If you are accessing key worker school, then we require you to send your child every day. It is not an option in this lockdown to choose specific days to send your child. Due to the DFE requirements for learning and the monitoring and tracking of completed work, we need you to commit to a full-time key worker place OR inform us you will not need the place, but you will then still need to ensure that your child completes the daily remote learning at home.
• If your child attends key worker school, full time, then you will not have to complete any home learning sent via Dojo as this exact work will be completed in school each day.
• This allows us to keep the same number of consistent children in school each day - which is safer for all!
• IF YOU NO LONGER REQUIRE A KEY WORKER PLACE DUE TO THE FULL TIME COMMITMENT THEN PLEASE LET SCHOOL KNOW BY THURSDAY  7.1.21 3PM.
• If you have sent up-to-date evidence into school to validate your key worker status then your place is secured. If you are yet to send in evidence for this lockdown then please do so by 3pm 7.1.21 to secure your place.

As the government’s advice is to ‘Stay at home’, in order to keep all members of our communities, including teachers and children safe; please only send your child to keyworker school, if there is not an adult who can safely care for your child at home.

This is a difficult time for us all. If you need support in anyway, please contact school. Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs Choudhury

Head Teacher

Headteacher Update Sunday 3rd January 2021

Sunday 3^rd January 2021

Emergency Planning School Closure Notification

Dear parents and Carers

I would like to thank you first and foremost for your patience regarding the notification of school opening.

After an emergency meeting with the chair of governors, the decision was made to close school tomorrow (Monday 4^th January 2021), in order to plan a way forward.

The decision to close the school was extremely difficult, but due to staffing and circumstances beyond our control, we did not have a choice but to close.

The education of our children is of utmost importance and we will do whatever it takes to ensure that we are providing the best provision – whether that is remotely or partial opening.  The provision for key workers and vulnerable children will be facilitated from Tuesday, if the decision is to deliver learning remotely.

Your child’s class teacher will be in contact tomorrow to collect important information from you, in order to support our decision making process.

Please be assured that the safety of our pupils, staff and community is at the forefront of all our decision making – especially with the new Tier 4 restrictions and the government guidelines.

Please accept our sincere apologies for the late communication regarding the closure.  We endeavour to notify you of the plans for Tuesday before the close of the school day or at the earliest opportunity tomorrow.

If you have any questions or queries, then please do not hesitate to contact me via the school email: admin@snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk

Thank you for your continued support and whatever decision we make will be after carrying out robust risk assessment and in consultation with the city council and public health experts.

Kind regards and please stay safe and well.

Mrs Shewley Choudhury            Mrs Cheryl Cotterill

Headteacher                             Chair of Governors

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE FOLLOWING GOV ANNOUNCEMENT 30.12.20:

HT COVID 19 UPDATE – SATURDAY 2ND JANUARY 2021

Hello SWPS Family,

Firstly, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!  Let’s hope that this year is prosperous and a productive one for all our families.

I am sure you are aware of the announcement made by the government on 30^th December.  Tier 4 for Nottingham City (and the majority of the country.) The announcement was not very clear regarding school closures.

I can confirm that Snape Wood Primary and Nursery School WILL BE OPEN for ALL PUPILS, as planned on Monday 4th January 2021. (Only primaries in the London Borough are closed and will be remote learning until Monday 18th January or until further guidance.)

I will continue to update you as Unions are debating this weekend regarding closure of all primary schools outside of London.

School Statistics:

We have been incredibly fortunate so far and have had no confirmed cases of Coronavirus. We have had children self- isolate due to families testing positive or were in close contact with someone who had tested positive. All children had been given home learning packs.

We did not have any cases of coronavirus over the holiday – which was really good news, as our families were able to enjoy the festive break with loved ones.

This is very encouraging in terms of the safety measures we have consistently reviewed and put in place at Snape Wood throughout the pandemic. The success of keeping everyone safe is down to all stakeholders, but especially to our parents and grown-ups, for following and supporting all measures we have continued to put in place.

Please continue to follow the government guidelines with regards to Tier 4, in order to keep all our community safe.  I will urge all our grown-ups to support school and the safety of all our SWPS families, by continuing to avoid household mixing.

If you do need to update school with any positive cases of: pupils, family members or if you have been contacted by test and trace; please can I remind you to contact school via text or use the school email: admin@snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk

Please continue to ALWAYS contact school DAILY (by either text, email or phone) if your child will not be attending for ANY REASON; it is imperative you clearly communicate the specific reason why your child is absent from school;

If your child or anyone in your household/support bubble has:

-A new or continuous cough

-A high temperature (above 37.8 Degrees Celsius)

-Loss of taste and/or smell

DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL – BUT CONTACT SCHOOL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

ALSO: If ANY MEMBER of your household has a test for COVID 19 (other than for regular, scheduled tests as a part of your job that are conducted by your employer) YOU MUST NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL – AND AGAIN PLEASE CONTACT SCHOOL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

SCHOOL (TERM TIME) CONTACT OPTIONS

EMAIL: admin@snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk

Text/Phone: 0115 9159146    

Please can we also remind you that:

ALL PUPILS NEED TO BRING a clean, NAMED, water bottle to ensure strong hygiene daily (DO NOT BRING JUICE/FLAVOURED WATER OR FIZZY DRINKS). As well as their reading diary and school reading book EVERYDAY. DO NOT bring in large bags – maximum size 25cm x 20cm or a school book bag. We continue to have a system in place in each class so that reading books are quarantined 72 hours, before going back on the shelf for other children to access. 

Uniform reminder;

Please ensure your child comes in their School PE Uniform on their designated physical activity days. (School jumpers to still be worn on PE days.)

PACKED LUNCH: due to Tier 4 restrictions, plastic lunch boxes will not be permitted.  All children must bring their lunch in a disposable bag – this will be disposed of at the end of lunch time.

Weather:

The weather has been chillier than expected and as a result children must wear school jumpers and must bring in a warm coat for outdoor use. Teaching area windows will be open at strategic points during the school day on very cold days. All teaching area doors will be permanently open to encourage strong ventilation across school. On colder days, pupils are actively encouraged to please wear:

• Additional layers under their uniform (vests/extra t-shirt)
• Pupils may also wear additional hoodies/gilets (Plain black or grey – No Branded or decorative or embellished) 

Staff:

Staff will continue to communicate with you using Class Dojo and Class email. Please do continue to support, respect and communicate with all school staff in a thoughtful and appropriate way. In these difficult times, a kind word or well phrased enquiry can make all the difference.

If you require any support in any circumstances, then we are here to assist.  Please do not hesitate to contact school.  We are here to help and support;

• If you have had your home circumstance change over Christmas,
• If you need support with finance funding (think you may now be entitled to pupil premium/Free School Meals)   
• If you or  think another family may be struggling for food
• Please find a time to speak to one of us; due to the high infection rate - phone, text or email – we’ll do all we can to support you. It will always be treated in the strictest of confidence.

SchSchool Office:

Due to the Tier 4 restrictions, the school office will be closed.  Only appointment slots will be considered.  Please use the BACS system to pay.  School office will not be open for any forgotten water bottle or forgotten lunch.  Children must bring their lunch with them when entering school.

If you need to contact school for any reason, then email: admin@snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk or phone 0115 9159146.

Attendance:

It is paramount that all children arrive on time ready to learn.  School gates are open 8:40 – 8:55.

Thank you for your continued support and please keep checking the website for updates.

We look forward to seeing the children bright and early on Monday 4^th January 2021 at their allotted gates at 8:40am.

Please stay safe and well.

Warm regards

Mrs Choudhury

Head teacher

COVID – 19 UPDATE: 11.6.20

 HEADTEACHER UPDATE

REOPENING SCHOOLS INFORMATIVE PARENT LETTER

Dear SWPS Family

On the 9^th of June 2019, the Local Authority announced that all maintained schools are to prepare for re-opening schools to Y6 pupils from Monday 15^th June 2020.

I am writing to confirm, that from next Monday 22^nd June 2020, WE NOW WILL begin our gradual reopening of Snape Wood Primary School, starting with Year 6. Nottingham City, have issued a letter of statement.  I have uploaded this on the website.

On Monday 15th June, SWPS will be shut to all pupils, including keyworker pupils, in order to have a whole school emergency inset day. I will be briefing all staff on the numerous measures that will need to be consistently put in place, across the entire school, to ensure we are doing our utmost to protect the safety and wellbeing of all individuals, which continues to be our number one priority. We will also make all final, practical preparations in our new bubbles, each of which will be in new, set locations across the school.

KEY POINTS FOR PARENT INFORMATION

1. Key worker school will remain open EVERY DAY 8:45am-3:15pm. EXCEPT FOR MONDAY 15 JUNE. (Whole SWPS staff emergency inset).
2. School from now until the end of the academic year (Thursday 23th July) will be shut to all non-keyworker pupils on a Friday for deep cleaning, teacher preparation and for staff to continue to also run home learning for those pupils not at school.
3. The following set year groups will now be invited back to SWPS;
4. Year 6 – Monday 22^nd June 2020
5. Year 1 – TBC  (IF … the Year 6 reopening has been successful.)
6. F2 – TBC  (IF.....the Year 1 reopening has been successful AND … we still have enough teachers/classrooms available to facilitate this. This will be completely dependent on the number of keyworker pupils entitled to a priority place in school and the number of pupils in Y6 and Y1 wishing to return.)
7. If you have a sibling of a pupil, not in these 3 year groups, (brother or sister in Nursery, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4 or Year 5) they do not currently have a place at school, unless they are at Keyworker School.
8. At present there are no set dates to invite back pupils from Nursery. This is due to numbers of staff, space and the level of intimate care required for toileting and changing. Nursery at present remains shut.
9. At present there continues to be ‘no set dates from the Government or Local Authority’ to reopen school to pupils in Year 2, Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 (unless they are keyworker children) – we continue to await further instruction for these year groups – the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, will be sharing the governments thoughts for this in the daily broadcasts – I will keep you updated.

VERY IMPORTANT - PLEASE CONTACT US BY 11AM ON WEDNESDAY 17^TH JUNE IF:

If you think you NOW REQUIRE a NEW KEYWORKER PRIORITY PLACE at our school. (Your child may be any year group.). Please either call school on 0115 9159146 or email us at admin@snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk - and we will be happy to offer your child a place. We will require proof from your employer stating your job and requirement for you to return to work. Your work schedule or rota. The current critical government keyworker list still stands. If your child currently attends SWPS Keyworker School, there is no need to contact us, your place is guaranteed

If you are a parent of a Year 6 pupil, who has not already booked a place in a new Year 6 bubble, BUT, NOW WISHES FOR YOUR CHILD TO RETURN TO SCHOOL; we will do our best to fit them in to one of our 4 planned Year 6 bubbles from Monday 22^nd June 2020. A detailed letter outlining the provision will be sent out by Monday 15^th June 2020. Preview slots (20 mins) can be booked on Thursday 18^th June 2020 – 9:30 – 11:30.  Please ring the school office to book a slot if you are unsure of whether to send your child into school or not, and need to see the provision before deciding.  We will upload a video virtual tour of the school to enable the children to become familiar with the changes.

INFORMATION ABOUT Y6 TRANSITION

We have had, understandably, many of our Year 6 parents ask about transition arrangements. Out of our current Y6 cohort, we have pupils going to approx. 6 different secondary schools across Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire! Miss Brown has spoken to these schools, about each pupil, as an individual regarding their: academic abilities, personal attributes and character.

Sadly, secondary schools cannot offer any specific transition arrangements for us to deliver to our Year 6 pupils. All information including: virtual tours, contact email addresses and important information is available to access on each individual secondary schools website.

I feel it is important to continue to be as honest and transparent with you as parents; what we can offer our current Year 6 pupils regarding transition preparation is sadly very limited. I know this will, for many Y6 parents, be a key factor in terms of your decision as to whether or not you send your child back to SWPS, as we gradually reopen from Monday 22^nd June 2020.

INFORMATION ABOUT Y6 – END OF YEAR TRADITIONS

It is with deepest regret that we need to share with you that we are unable to do the vast majority of our normal Y6 Leavers Traditions.  The only options we feel we can safely continue, following the current social distancing guidelines at this time, are:

*To ensure all Y6 pupils receive their Leavers end of year gifts

*Miss Brown is in the process of organising a virtual leavers session or a recorded message from each pupil to compile as a video of remembrance – this is TBC

We too, are so saddened, that we are unable to safely commit to anything else. Our Year 6’s will, alongside the rest of school, soon receive their individual end of year reports which all clearly demonstrate the love, care and respect we have for each one of them and our best wishes going forward.

As always, our school will completely respect your decision as parent, we just now need this information in order to prepare final ‘groupings of pupils’ in to their NEW ‘bubbles’ from Monday 22^nd  June. Our priority within each bubble is to ensure, for the children’s emotional well-being that they are with SOME of their friends – hence us needing to know Y6 numbers by Wednesday 17^th June 2020 - 11AM.

Thank you to everyone in F2 that has already let us know if they would like a place (through welfare calls). If you are an F2 or Y1 parent and have not yet informed us, or have changed your mind, please can:

• YEAR 1 parents let us know by Wednesday 17th June by 11am- phone call or email please.
• F2 parents let us know by Wednesday 17th  June by 11am. – phone call or email please.

Myself, Miss Williams, (Acting Deputy Head) Mrs Howarth and Miss Brown, - SWPS Leadership Team - continue to be in the school on a regular basis. Mrs Stafford is in the office on a daily basis to assist with your enquiries. We always welcome your calls and questions – please know that your questions and opinions are important to us, so please do get in touch – we are here for you!

I hope this helps to clarify our plans/dates/year groups for the gradual, reopening of Snape Wood Primary School beginning on Monday 22^nd June 2020.

 
Take care and stay safe                                                                                                                                   

Mrs Shewley Choudhury – Headteacher

COVID 19 UPDATE 22.05.20

UPDATE: Friday 22^nd May 2020

A message to our Dear Snape Wood Families:

We know you have seen in the news that schools may reopen from 1st June to Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils if the government thinks it is safe at that time. We would like you to know that we want nothing more than to have all of our children back with us in school.  However, the safety of our children, their families and our staff is our number one priority, so we have been working extremely hard to consider how we can do this appropriately.  It is a very unsettling time for us all, but you can rest assured that we are doing everything we can to make sure we are ready to receive these year groups if it’s safe for our school to reopen in the coming weeks.

The government’s proposals to re-open primary schools to more pupils from Monday 1^st June is still conditional, and the reopening of schools will only happen if the five key tests set out by the government have been met.

We have read the government guidance on the re-opening of schools. I have read plenty more in addition to this so that we can do our very best to ensure our school is the best prepared it can be for re-opening in this situation.   

Every school setting, staff and environment is unique and what we will aim to do at Snape Wood is a gradual and phased re-opening which builds staff, parent and pupil confidence as we go along. Our skeleton school provision will continue as usual till the end of term. You MUST be on the skeleton school register to access this provision. 

Our first priority is the safety and well-being of the children and staff, and in order to re-open safely we will need to make significant changes to the school day and ‘normal’ routines.

We will NOT be opening on the 1^st June 2020 for Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils. We are awaiting an announcement on Thursday, 28th May which will tell us whether the government still believes that it is safe for schools to re-open. If, after that, the government still wishes children to return to school, the school will need further time to prepare staff, buildings and resources to do this.

Each school is unique, and we are all planning slightly different approaches depending on what our risk assessments determine to be right for each setting.

We will only do what we feel is safe for us all, which means we may not be able to invite as many children into school as the government might want us to. Similarly, no family should feel pressurized to send their children to school; the choice lies with you and we will respect your choice completely.

We have been overwhelmed by the support you have given our schools during this time of crisis, and we are extremely grateful for this. We feel confident that when this situation is resolved, we will emerge even stronger and more ready to work with you all together.

Kind Regards

Mrs Shewley Choudhury

(Headteacher)

SNAPE WOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL DAILY UPDATES ON THE CORONAVIRUS

Snape Wood Primary and Nursery school are following guidance updates from the Government, that is set out for all schools nationally.  We are also following updates and advice from the Local Authority as well as the Nottingham Schools Trust - This is to ensure that we are providing the best provision for our Snape Wood families.

For any parent, for whom English is an additional language, here is a useful link of information in a variety of other languages.

https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/coronavirus-information/

MONDAY 11TH MAY 2020 - HEADTEACHER UPDATE

MONDAY 11TH MAY – HEADTEACHER UPDATE

Good Evening Everyone - SWPS Family

Following the Prime Minister’s broadcast last night, I wanted to reassure you all, our amazing Snape Wood Community, that at the moment, for us a school, there is no change to the guidance. We will continue to provide care for those parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response. The message is still that it is safer to stay at home.

We have not yet received any information from the government to support us with this new plan of phased reopening of some year groups. When we do, as always, the approach will be well measured, strategic, carefully considered and communicated well in advance for you as parents to make an informed decision that we will respect as a school. When we do gradually reopen, our highest priority will be: pupil, parent and staff safety, and, pupil, parent and staff wellbeing. This has to and will always come first in any informed decision that we make as a school.

In the meantime, please continue to do what you have been doing at home. You are doing a fantastic job of keeping your children safe and educating them at home. Activities for the children are on the home learning page of the school website:

https://www.snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk/swps-home-learning/  

https://www.snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk/parent-learning-project-for-children-covid-19/

https://www.snapewood.nottingham.sch.uk/class-pages/

Please do keep sending in the work they have been doing or activities you have undertaken as a family! (The expectation is still to contact your child’s teacher via Class Dojo.) It would be fantastic to hear from you all and see the faces of your children who we miss so much!

I will be in touch again during the week, as more information is released to schools from the government.

Stay safe and well. Please give your children a great big hug from all of us here at SWPS and make sure that you take care of each other - and stay home. Remember! Anyone can catch it and anyone can spread it!  Together we can fight the battle against COVID-19.

Mrs Choudhury

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