The government has announced today that all pupils, in all age groups, will return to school full-time from the beginning of the new school year:

• DfE, What parents need to know about schools in the autumn term, 2 July

 

We are looking forward to welcoming all pupils back to school. Our working plans match the government's guidance for school leaders. This means we are already well prepared for re-opening:

• Nursery, re-opens from Thursday 3rd September, with our full offer to parents, up to 52 ½ hours a week;
• Reception, Year 1 - 6 start the new school year from Thursday 3rd September;
• Canopus and Sirius class group 'bubbles' join and return to their usual whole class;
• wrap-around childcare for working parents, Breakfast Club and After-school club, re-opens from Thursday 3rd September;
• specialist clubs, start from Thursday 3rd September;
• lunchtime meals return to a full, hot-cooked meal;
• pupil hours return to full-time with no closure at Friday lunchtime, from and including Friday 4th September;
• better home-learning offer if we are forced to close or partially close.

 

Protective measures

While coronavirus (COVID-19) remains in our community, we re-open with a range of recommended protective measures including:

• ensuring that anyone who has coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or has someone in their household with symptoms, does not come to school;
• regular hand-washing when pupils arrive at school, return from breaks, before and after eating and before going home;
• good personal hygiene, promoting a 'catch it, bin it, kill it' approach;
• cleaning more often, especially surfaces and classroom resources that are touched most often;
• minimising contact and maintaining distance as much as possible, including through whole class or year group 'bubbles'.

These protective measures mean that some things will look and feel different and a few things that we are used to in school cannot happen for a while. We will publish more information about our arrangements next week.

 

Attendance

Every pupil is expected to return to school, including those who have been shielding or shielding a member of their household. Some pupils who remain under the care of a specialist health professional may need to talk about their care before returning to school. From September, absence will no longer be authorised unless agreed with a health professional.

 

Uniform, behaviour, school meals & trips

All return to our usual expectations. Education day trips off-site re-start with additional protective measures. Residential, over-night, visits continue to be postponed at least for the Autumn Term.

 

What happens if there is a coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in school?

If we have 2 or more confirmed cases with 14 days, or there is an increase in absence due to suspected or confirmed cases, we will work with our local health protection team. Closure is unlikely.

Mobile testing of a class, year group or whole school may then follow.

If a class, year group or whole school is forced to close, learning will continue for that group at home.

 

Learning at home, if needed

We have listened to parents and staff. We have learned lessons from this closure period. We are at an early stage, like most other primary schools in Ealing, of developing our use of a digital education platform to improve our home learning offer. We have chosen to use Microsoft Teams.

If pupils are learning from home during the next school year, we will take a blended approach, selecting lessons from Oak National Academy, setting and receiving work using Teams, and giving feedback to groups of pupils regularly by video in Teams. 

Some classes in Years 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be invited to trial using video chat in Teams with their teacher at home before the end of this school year. We will contact parents of pupils who usually learn at home in 2F, 3F, 4F and 5F about the trial shortly.