Updates from Mrs Norden

Happy New Year to you all, we hope you had an enjoyable festive period, with hopefully some rest and recouperation as well, even if your original plans changed during the holiday period.

It has been wonderful to see so many interesting visitors in Year 1 and 2 today - Marie Curie, Jackie Robertson, Rosalind Franklin, David Attenborough and Emily Pankhurst to name but a few.  The children have embarked on their 'People who have changed the world' topic, and have already learnt so much about a chosen 'hero'.  It has been wonderful to hear and see their enthusiasm and wonder - as well as their fabulous costumes.  Look out for a news article and gallery linked to today's activities next week.

As you will be aware there have already been changes to Covid guidance this week and this has been reflected in the Covid section of this newsletter, with links to all documents and reporting sites to support you.  We know that the ongoing safety measures continue to impact on different aspects of school life, but we will continue to work hard for events to go ahead in adjusted ways where we can, and thank you for your continued support.

We have unfortunately already been impacted by staff absence this term and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole school staff, who have rallied to support minimal disruption of our provision, many giving of their own time to do so. 

Finally today, please do check through the whole newsletter to see information on our current vacancies, which we hope you will help us to disseminate out to interested parties, confirmation of next year's term dates, diary dates, as well as, our regular links and updates.                                                                                                                                                                                          _{Anna-Claire Norden
                                                                                                                                             Headteacher}

Covid Update:

LA Spring letter to parents can be found here

Safety measures from 4th Jan (review after government review on 26th Jan):

1. Please do not send your child to school if they are unwell – please see the LA poster here for guidance on Covid symptoms and actions required.  From 11th January if a child has a positive LFD they will not need to take a confirmatory PCR, but should self-isolate as per the guidance which can be found here. The positive result must be reported via the government reporting site which can be accessed here.
2. If a child displays any Covid symptoms (found in the poster here) at school, we will send them home and request they are taken for a PCR.  They will only be able to return to school after a negative test result or 10 days isolation if a PCR is not undertaken.
3. All adults are to wear masks during drop off and pick up times
4. All adults and children are asked to maintain social distancing when moving around the premises at drop off ad pick up times, especially through gateways.
5. Communication between parents and staff to be by email and phone calls to reduce the likelihood of adult transmission through close contact conversations.
6. Staff will wear masks in all communal areas and when entering the work/learning spaces of others. 
7.  Staff enter work/learning spaces they are not assigned to only where needed to support provision and safety.
8. Only visitors who support curriculum and special needs provision, or to carryout essential premises works, will be allowed within the building.
9. Any outdoor events will have enhanced safety measures.
10. There will be no planned school indoor events involving parents or the wider community – any diarised activities/events will either be postponed or alternative arrangements will be made.

Admin Updates:

Term Dates 2022 - 2023

(These have now been agreed, and we apologise for the delay, please note that there are some training day differences to SVC)

Autumn term

Training day: 1^st September 2022

Training day: 2^nd September 2022

Start of term: Monday 5^th September 2022

Half term: 24^th October to 28^th October 2022

Last day of term: 16^th December 2022

Spring term

Training day: Wednesday 4th January 2023

Start of term Thursday 5th January 2023

Half term: 13th February to 17th February 2023

Last day of term: 31st March 2023

Summer Term

Start of term: 17th April 2023

May day bank holiday: Monday 1st May 2023

Training day: Friday 26^th May 2023

Half term: 29th May to 2nd June 2023

Last day of term: Friday 21st July 2023