Coronavirus Update 08.07.20
Dear parents and wider St Bernadette’s family,
Socially distanced picnics
It was so heart-warming seeing our Reception, Year 2 and Year 3 children for a wonderful socially distanced picnic yesterday. It really gave the staff and hopefully the children a great lift! One Year 2 commented on her way out: “That was the best day of my life!”
We are looking forward to seeing Nursery, Year 4 and Year 5 on Tuesday 14th July. We hope this experience lessens some children’s anxiety about returning to school and allows opportunity to engage positively and in person with their peers and their teachers. In the event of poor weather, we will have the picnic in the school hall.
School opening
We will be open next week, our last week of the school year, to Year 1, Year 6 and children of critical workers and vulnerable children only in school.
Children who fall into the critical worker/vulnerable group may only come to school if you have first authorised this with Mr Conway/Miss Brady.
Only in exceptional circumstances can a child be in school before/beyond our interim times. Mr Conway/Miss Brady must authorise these cases prior to commencement of each week (where agreed normal charges will apply).
Staffing 2019-20
Next year, as a result of our period of absence and for continuity of the children, all teachers will remain with the same year group they have taught this year with the exception of Mrs Mannion who will be leaving us to assume her Assistant Headteacher role at St Therese of Liseaux. We are delighted to inform you that Miss Victoria Simpson will be joining our teaching team. Miss Simpson is a teacher who has 3 years experience at Caedmon Primary School and St Margaret Clitherow. She will assume responsibility for Year 1 from September 2020. We have also employed Miss Lumley, a former pupil at our school and a recently qualified NQT to teach in school as part of the Nursery team. Mrs Harris will continue covering Mrs Whitfield’s maternity leave until she returns in 2021.
Staffing for next year is as follows:
- Nursery – Mrs Andrews-3 days / Miss Lumley -2 days
- Reception – Mrs Harris until Mrs Whitfield returns from Maternity leave
(Miss Brady will continue to support the EYFS team as appropriate)
- Year 1 – Miss Simpson
- Year 2 – Mrs Pennick
- Year 3 – Mrs Smith
- Year 4 – Mr Lynn
- Year 5 – Mr Bourner
- Year 6 – Miss Cuff (Mrs Stoker will revert to her maiden name from next academic year)
We are delighted to have the continued support of our skilled and dedicated group of Teaching Assistants who will be assigned to their classes and duties by the Leadership Team.
Thank you in advance to the warm welcome you will give our new members of staff.
Transition plans (Y1-6 2020-21)
Unfortunately, our annual transition week will not take place in July as in previous years. However we plan for ALL children to spend their first few days back in school (Wednesday 2nd September to Friday 4th September) with their current teachers before transferring to their new teacher wb 7th September.
In this way we hope children will not be anxious about a school return and look forward to seeing their usual familiar faces. This period will also allow a short period of familiarising the children with new year group routines.
Transition plans (Reception 2020-21)
We are planning for the 2020 Reception children to have an extended transition week commencing on Monday 7th September – half days for one week. In this first week of transition they will meet their new class teacher. We would ask that you collect Reception children at 12.15pm each day. Traditionally, we have found that this half day transition week really helps the children settle into school life and eases them into the new changes. We also plan to proceed with a New Starters Parent meeting on Monday 7th September, 10.30am in the school hall.
The Reception 2020 children will begin full time schooling from wb 14th September. As they will be in school all day from this point, we will be informing you of the two staggered starting days in the coming week.
Recovery Curriculum
From Monday 7th September, Nursery-Year 6 will with their new teachers. At this point, teachers will begin an individual class ‘Recovery Curriculum.’ The primary focus of the recovery curriculum is to ‘help children to recover from their loss of routine, structure, friendship, sleep, opportunity and freedom’ by focusing on key basic skills (Literacy/Numeracy); understanding new rules and our school values; restoring children’s mental wealth and rebuilding the resilience of our pupils to allow them to become effective learners again by.
We are confident this transition curriculum will enable our children to once again become efficient and confident learners. This time will reinforce our very high expectations of all children. Many children will have regressed as a result of not being in school however we will do everything we can to ensure each child quickly progresses as appropriate. Our quest is to journey with each child through a process of re-engagement, which leads them back to their rightful status as a fully engaged, authentic learner.
General
Year 6 leavers
Unfortunately many of our planned leaver events for Year 6 have had to be cancelled. At an appropriate time we hope to invite our children back to school celebrate properly. Year 6 have been completing various transition preparations in class and over the last week of term will have a special liturgy as a class to reflect on their time with us. If your child is not currently in school, please inform Mrs Stoker if they will be in next week so she can plan accordingly.
End of year reports
We will issue an adapted end of year report for parents on Friday 10th July. They will be emailed to parents. Emails will be sent individually to you and will be staggered throughout the day so for parents who have children in different year groups, the reports will arrive intermittently. If you do not receive a report on this day please inform school immediately. Within the report there will be a summary of attendance, progress and attainment.
Summer holidays
A reminder that our school will not be open over the six weeks holiday. As such, home learning resources will end wb 13.07.20 – thank you for engaging in this learning during this period of enforced school closure – your support has been vital.
Uniform
In the light of full school reopening from September I have attached a reminder of our school Uniform Policy. To order uniform for September please visit our school website or contact Motiv8: https://www.motif8.co.uk/schoolwear/primary-schools/st-bernadette-s-primary.html
And finally,
Thank you for your support, patience and understanding during this period of partial school closure. We are really excited about and planning for all children to return in September. Please prepare yourself and your children for this.
School will look different for a period of time and it is likely we will need to have staggered times (start and finish times, break and lunch times etc) throughout the day. I give you fully up to date information and guidance on how a fully open school will look in late August. This information will also be inclusive of our wraparound provision. At this time I will also share appropriate risk assessments and attendance expectations.
Please note that we plan for our School’s In service to begin again from September. We will open as usual from 8am. School’s Out will also be available 3-6pm. Following feedback, from November 2020, we hope to adjust our timings from 7.45am-5.30pm. I had planned to share the findings of our Wraparound care survey in March and hoped to alter timings earlier but as a result of school closure decided to wait until a more opportune time. Please find the results of the March 2020 survey attached.
God Bless,
Mr P Conway [email protected] / [email protected]
St Bernadette, Patron of our School, Pray for Us and Help Us
Blessed Nicholas Postgate, Pray for Us
Wider school opening (Dfe guidance)
Please find below the latest Government guidance on wider school opening so you are fully aware of how we are planning this return.
