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 15^th 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^th JUNE. (Whole SWPS staff emergency inset).
2. School from now until the end of the academic year (Thursday 23^rd 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 17^th June by 11am- phone call or email please.
• F2 parents let us know by Wednesday 17^th 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