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Fighting Poverty, Giving Hope

Looking for activities to help keep the family entertained during February half term? Take a look at this activities pack for families.

Dear Parents,

At a time when most children are using the Internet more than they would normally, I would urge you all to take time tor review the information below. There is quite a lot of information, but it is all useful and I believe every parent needs to understand the issues raised. We are aware that  some of our pupils have had very negative experiences using the Internet at home in recent years - reading and using the information attached will hopefully minimise the chances of this happening in the future.

All children will have stories or activities on SeeSaw this week to help them think about safe internet use.

Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can help in any way.

Mr Cresswell

Many thanks for your support in trying to reduce numbers of pupils on site where possible and using the provision in school carefully. As you will have read in the Crossdale News this week some bubbles are close to capacity and we want to ensure that we can continue to offer places to critical workers on the days that they are working and unable to supervise their children safely at home.

However, given the increased number of pupils on site  we will need to move back to start and staggered times to reduce the number of parents on site at one time from tomorrow (Wednesday 3rd February).

We now more than ever need staff and parents  to be diligent about following our procedures carefully and consistently as well as strictly keeping to government guidelines to keep our pupils, staff and families safe.

1. Please ensure you stick to the start and end times to the day detailed below. Please don’t be early or late and help us control the number of people on site:

• YR 9:00am - 3:30pm
• Y1 8:55am - 3:25pm
• Y2 9:05am - 3:35pm
• Y3  9:05am - 3:35pm
• Y4 8:55am - 3:25pm
• Y5  9:00am - 3:30pm
• Y6  9:05am - 3:35pm

2. Only one adult per family should accompany their children onto the school site and should be  wearing a face covering (covering their nose and mouth) at all times that they are on site.
3. Parents of children in Base 2 and 3 – please let your children go to the ‘Be Safe Bees’ alone to avoid congestion near entrances to the school. Parents of children in Y3 and Y4 should stand on the middle playground, but not past ‘The Tower’.
4. Please be mindful of social distancing with teachers and avoid congregating on the playground. You can send any questions to your child’s teacher using the class email system.

To answer your questions and point you in the right direction, Mr Cresswell, Mrs Westie or Miss Seedhouse will be available on the gate every day from 8.55am and after school until 3:35pm. 

Kind regards,

Mr Cresswell

From next week, staff in primary schools are being asked to use a covid-19 self-testing kit twice a week and report their results to the DfE and to school. The aim of testing is to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19. Testing will help identify and isolate more asymptomatic people who might otherwise spread the virus.  

If a member of staff tests positive, we will need to notify parents and close, or partially close, bubbles in school. The length of time a bubble is closed will depend the outcome of a second test the staff member will need to take.

Although this testing regime aims to make our school safer for staff and children, it seems likely that there will be some disruption as a result of any positive tests that may not ordinarily have been detected.

For parents accessing our critical worker provision in schools, it would seem sensible to ensure you are familiar with our home school offer using the SeeSaw app. This will enable your child to access education in the event of a bubble being closed.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Dear Parents,

As we respond to the latest school closure announced on Monday 4^th January, we continue to receive guidance and information from the government.

I wrote to you on Sunday to update you with a detail added to the critical worker guidance on Friday afternoon, ‘Children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can go to school or college if required, but parents and carers should keep their children at home if they can.’

Acknowledging the higher than expected numbers of pupils attending school, and concerns about community transmission rates, Matt Hancock has now urged key workers not to send their children to school if they can manage at home. The health secretary told Sky News: “If you’re a key worker and your partner doesn’t work then you shouldn’t be sending your children to school. That’s clear in the guidance.”

I  understand the latest statement from Matt Hancock will only apply to a few families. I am not sending this information to make parents feel guilty or to contradict information that employers have sent out – these are challenging times for everyone, but I have a responsibility to share guidance with you and urge parents not send their children to school whilst transmission rates are so high unless it is necessary.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Mr Cresswell

NB Please read Thursday's blog if you missed it: PROOF OF CRITICAL WORKER STATUS