For those learning at home, the end is in sight! Thanks to parents for all of your support, kind words, feedback and sacrifices you made during these national restrictions. I've been delighted with the quality of work completed in school and at home. Together, we have given our pupils a far better experience compared to the March lockdown.

 

School closes on Friday 5 March at 12noon to all children. We need time to switch from home learning, class Teams and key-worker class groups to our usual classes. Teachers will prepare classrooms, hand-over and share information about pupils so that we are ready to welcome them all back to school. Nursery is open as usual: no preparation is needed because Nursery has remained open.

 

We are delighted that all pupils return to school on Monday 8 March. Reducing the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection continues to be a top priority. Please see our risk assessment summary. Key points:

1. Lateral flow testing for staff, twice weekly at home, to break the chain of infection if staff show no symptoms. There are no known plans to introduce testing of primary age pupils.
2. Stricter 2m distancing between all adults and pupils.
3. Tighter class 'bubbles' to contain any infection, including at break-times for pupils.
4. No face-covering for pupils or parents. The government does not expect primary age pupils to wear a face-mask. Staff may choose to wear a face-covering when inside but this does not replace 2m social distancing.
5. Drop-off during extended soft-start, 8.30-9am, and collection at 3.30pm remain.

Mrs Haines explains changes to pupils in her welcome back video.

 

Parents are asked to help us reduce the risk of infection in our school community by:

• taking a cautious approach to any symptoms. Pupils should only come to school if they are healthy and well.
• keeping 2m distance from other households.
• coming to school alone, without a partner, so that there are fewer adults on site.
• avoiding the playground for Year 5 and 6 pupils, so that there are fewer adults on site. Pupils can walk all, or part-way, alone.
• using our preferred gates, as before, so that we are spread out across the school site.
• wearing a face-covering, if you wish, especially at busy areas, like Nursery.

 

All pupils are expected to return to school on Monday 8 March, if they are healthy and well. Please:

• protect our 'bubbles' so that we stay open to as many pupils as possible for as long as possible.
• take an over-cautious approach to any symptoms. NHS symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) remain unchanged. Informally, parents tell us of other symptoms in their children, including headaches, upset tummy or a sense that their child is not themselves, followed by a positive test result.
• get tested and tell us about any positive result as soon as you can, using our on-line form (Parents, COVID-19).
• be ready if we are forced to close a class bubble at short-notice.

 

If a pupil needs to self-isolate at home or if a class-bubble is forced to be sent home, we will switch to remote learning at home using Microsoft Teams. For individual pupils at home, teachers are likely to contact them 3 times a week.

 

Breakfast club and After-school club re-open to all pupils for wrap-around childcare. Pupils will continue to be organised into year group bubbles so that any infection is contained to the smallest group of pupils possible. Booking is unlimited and places guaranteed though MyChildatSchool (MCAS). Specialist clubs are unlikely to restart until the Summer Term.

 

Teachers will focus on pupils' well-being and then finding out how much they know and remember. For Year 1 pupils upwards, we will use test papers for reading and maths to help us to do this. All low anxiety and with an emphasis on teachers knowing which gaps to fill. Teachers will adjust our curriculum plans as needed. Other changes include:

• no cooking until the Summer term.
• gardening sessions start straight away, please check the school calendar.
• no trips out or visitors to school to reduce the risk of infection, following government rules.
• Year 3,4,5 & 6 residential trips are being reviewed and compared to the government's 'road-map'. More details to follow soon.
• new dates for sharing assemblies, broadcast live and recorded on Teams, so that we catch-up on those missed. No class will miss out.
• return to information on Year Group Noticeboards and contacting the teacher by email (admin@fielding.ealing.sch.uk) rather than through Teams.