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What’s September going to look like because of Covid-19? A few insights…

We’ll be putting these guidelines in place for September. Please remember that there may be additional changes as new guidelines are released or clarified by the DfE.

• We’ll be open to all children. Yay! (Children must come to school unless there are exceptional reasons not to).
• We’ll operate as class bubbles – ie we will avoid one class mixing with another. This includes at break and lunch.
• Your child won’t need a back pack or bag – please don’t send them in with one. We’ll give them a small and durable book bag. Bags require cleaning, take up valuable space, and are a hazard.
• Children will wear normal school uniform, except on their PE days when they wear PE kit to school.
• Children will have their own pencil case, which we will provide. Again, please don’t send one in.
• All they need to bring in is their lunch (unless school dinners), drink, simple book bag (which we are giving them) and coat.
• We’ll be cashless and paperless. Please make sure you can use SCOPay/Tucasi (the online payment system).
• We are minimising the movement of staff around the school.
• PE kit will be worn to school on days that the children have PE. This way we don’t have to change at school – another hazard. We’ll let you know the days for PE.
• Books can be brought home from school, although a quarantine process will be in place.
• For lunch, we’ll offer two hot options each day. Lunches will be eaten in the classrooms.
• Frequent washing of hands will continue.
• We’ll be socially distancing as much as possible, although at times it is very tricky.
• Parents need to contact the school using phone and email, and not come into the school unless in emergencies.
• Homework and spellings will be on Google Classrooms.

School Map/Entry for September

Just to give you a heads up of what we are having to put in place for September. We can have our usual arrangements for coming on site, and so will be operating a staggered drop-off and collection time, and a careful not-quite-one-way-but-almost system. Click for a larger map!

Where possible, please can one adult drop off a child to reduce numbers on site.

The car park will not be available for parents unless in exceptional circumstances. Please don’t be offended if your request is turned down.

What about Covid-19 symptoms? What happens?

These symptoms remain the same (a new continuous cough; a high temperature; a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell).

Key points:

• Have a back-up plan in place if your child has to be collected immediately, or if the class, year or school has to close.
• If you child displays any of the symptoms, they must not be in school, and must have a test done (details here).
• Parents showing symptoms MUST NOT be on the school site and their children should be self-isolating for 14 days.
• Any person developing symptoms during the school day MUST go home as quickly as possible.
• The person (child or adult) with symptoms MUST stay at home for 7 days and arrange to have a test. Their household MUST stay at home for 14 days.
• Parents or staff must tell the school what the result of the test is.
• Anyone developing symptoms (and their household) should follow the ‘Stay at home’ advice.
• All parents will be informed if there has been a positive case in school. Public Health England will also be informed.
• If someone tests positive, the health protection team will carry out a rapid risk assessment to confirm who has been in close contact with the person during the period they were infectious, and ensure they are asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Close contact means:
  a) Direct close contacts – face to face contact with an infected individual for any length of time, within 1m, including being coughed on, a face to face conversation, or unprotected physical contact (skin to skin).
  b) Proximity contacts – extended contacts (within 1-2m for more than 15 minutes with an infected individual.
  c) Travelling in a small vehicle, like a car, with an infected person.
• If someone tests positive, the health team may recommend that a larger number of other pupils or staff self-isolate at home as a precautionary measure – this may be the whole school or a year group.

Breakfast Club and After School Club?

We are still working on the details for this for September – it’s very complicated because of the mixing of bubbles! We’ll let you know more when we do.

Breakfast Club may require pre-booking, and places may be limited. A heads up! We’re still working on the details.

Saying Thank you

Many parents have asked how they can say thanks to their teachers and staff at St Mark’s, at the end of the school year. We don’t expect anything! Unfortunately we’re not taking physical gifts because of Covid-19. If you’d like to give something, please give a donation to our new staff room kitchen fund, which includes the need for kitchen items. All staff would benefit. We’re grateful for any gift, small or big. Click here to give a gift. If you’d like to email a message of thanks, instead of a card, please do email the year group emails. This means a lot! Thank you.

Got items at school to collect? Or library books to drop off?

If you have a PE kit to collect or any library books to return, could you please come to school on Monday 13th July at the following times, depending on your child’s surname:

• A-F 3.20pm
• G-M 3.40pm
• N-Z 4pm

Please enter via the KS1 gate and wait outside your child’s classroom. Please exit via the KS2 gate, due to the one way system currently in place.

Google Meets – With New Classes

Links will be posted in the -2020 classroom near the start time.

Sports Day Success!

What a fantastic Virtual Sports Day we had on Friday. It was so lovely to see so many of the children participate and adapt to this different way of competing for their colour team. We were all so impressed with how many took part, and how many managed to beat the teachers. It was lovely to see some of the photos of you having a go at the different activities and challenging yourself to do something new and different. Well done to you all! Results are announced next week!

Feel Good Friday – 17th July – In the new -2020 Google Classrooms

Year 6 events this week – links will be emailed!

• Year 6 Talent Show Monday 4pm
• 6S Class Quiz Wednesday 4pm
• 6P Class Quiz Wednesday 4pm
• 6C Class Quiz Wednesday 4pm
• Year 6 Goodbye Friday 2pm

Previous Whole School Worships on Youtube

• 8th July – Connectedness
• 1st July – Self-belief
• 24th June – Courage
• 17th June – Hope
• 10th June – Thankfullness

Email and Contact Details

If you don’t receive the school newsletter and year group emails via email, you can Sign up here!

Remember, if you change your contact details, please let the office know here.