Keep up to date with all the news happening in the school at the moment. Articles are added during the week. Parents are encouraged to check regularly. Our weekly bulletin, emailed directly to parents, summarises content for the week.

• COVID-19, New 'normal' for our school

  Fri 09 Jul 2021 Peter Dunmall

  As the country moves to Step 4 of the roadmap, the government has published new guidance to schools this week:

  • DfE, Schools COVID-19 operational guidance, July 2021 

  This marks a new phase in the government’s response to the pandemic, moving away from restrictions on everyone’s day-to-day lives, towards advising people on how to protect themselves and others, alongside targeted interventions to reduce risk. The government says that direct risks to children are low and every adult will be offered two doses of the vaccine by mid-September.

   

  We will continue to assess and control risks so that our staff and pupils continue to be as safe as possible at school. Emphasis will shift to:

  • keeping good hygiene for everyone but less frequent hand-washing during the school day;
  • regular cleaning, including high-touch surfaces;
  • well ventilated rooms by keeping doors and windows open, at least for part of the day with blasts of fresh air;
  • following public health rules on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases.

   

  Our road map to relax restrictions in school is in several stages:

  • to the end of this term;
  • for the summer holiday period;
  • from 1 September;
  • from 1 October.

   

  To the end of term

  Continue with current arrangements to end of term so that pupils and staff start the school holiday period with as little risk of coronavirus infection as possible.

  • Year 6 parents may wish to drop-off and collect children from inside the school site during the last 2 days of term. We are relaxing our preference for these parents to avoid the school site.

   

  We will check uptake and places at specialist clubs for the Autumn Term. These were organised and booked by year group bubbles. Where year group bubbles are now removed, we will offer spare places to oldest pupils first so they have a chance to catch-up on missed opportunities. 

   

  Summer holiday clubs for childcare and Nursery

  Nursery and year group 'bubbles' are removed:

  • Nursery becomes a single Nursery bubble;
  • Holiday childcare for all other age-groups returns to pre-COVID arrangements with no bubbles;
  • Nursery holiday care is separate from all other holiday childcare as before COVID-19.

   

  All COVID-19 signage and 2m distance marking inside the school is removed.

   

  From 1 September

  The government has told schools that priority is delivering face-to-face, high quality education. We must use proportionate control measures as part of an on-going risk assessment. This means:

  • class and year group bubbles are removed;
  • class bubbles will not be sent home for remote learning if there is a positive confirmed case;
  • all parents are welcome on-site for drop-off and collection of pupils;
  • all gates are open for use by any age pupils and their parents;
  • hand-washing after using the toilet and before meals during the school day;
  • face coverings are removed (for the few staff who were choosing to wear a face covering);
  • letting of our indoor rooms to community groups restarts.

   

  We will be keeping some things the same to keep staff and pupils as safe as possible until all adults have been offered 2 doses of the vaccine:

  • parents continue to meet school staff by video or telephone call;
  • no face-to-face parent events on site;
  • staff continue to meet one another by video call;
  • assemblies for pupils continue to be by video;
  • continue good ventilation with open doors, windows and/or blasts of fresh air;
  • continue regular cleaning of high-touch surfaces;
  • positive, confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to self-isolate at home.

   

  Other things are running more smoothly as a result of COVID changes and will also stay the same:

  • flexibility for Year 5 and 6 pupils to travel to/from school alone for all/part of their journey. It is for each family to decide if, when and/or how often this happens, helping children become more independent and prepare for travel to High schools at Year 7;
  • vehicle gates at Wyndham Road to remain open at drop-off and collection time, along with the one-way system;
  • play times remain unchanged because timings give children more space to play but they will no longer need to stay in their bubble zone;
  • lunchtime timing and seating arrangements will stay the same;
  • pupils sitting in rows because attention on the teacher is better but teachers have the flexibility to change to group arrangements if there is a good educational reason or need.

   

  We will review use of Breakfast Club and the need for childcare before school. As national restrictions relax, more parents may return to office-based work more often in the week, resulting in an increase in the need for morning childcare. If not, we will need to review the viability of offering Breakfast Club before school.

   

  From 1 October

  All staff will have been offered 2 doses of the vaccine by mid-September. We will further relax our restrictions, including the changes made from 1 September, and return to pre-COVID arrangements:

  • face-to-face assemblies for large groups of pupils in the halls;
  • class sharing assemblies for parents to join us in school;
  • singing assemblies for pupils;
  • face-to-face events and meetings for parents at school;
  • continue hand-washing after using the toilet and before meals during the school day;
  • continue good ventilation with open doors, windows and/or blasts of fresh air;
  • continue regular cleaning of high-touch surfaces;
  • positive, confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to self-isolate at home.

   

  Some things have worked better as a result of COVID-19 changes and we will offer a flexible approach:

  • parent consultation meetings with teachers by video call or face-to-face in school. Parents make their choice.
  • staff team meetings by video call or face-to-face in school, giving staff more flexible ways of working when not teaching in class.

   

  We all need to be ready to return to class and year group bubble arrangements, including class bubbles being sent home for remote learning, if any local restrictions are implemented by the government and/or Ealing Council.

   

  I remain worried that national restrictions will lift, infections increase and staff are not able to work as a result of becoming infected and unwell, even with the vaccine. We will monitor, review and manage this as best we can.

  

• PTFA and Ealing Half Marathon/Mini Mile

  Thu 08 Jul 2021 Clare Dunne
  The PTFA understands there are many pupils taking part in the Ealing Mini Mile on 26 Sept 2021 and that they are keen to raise money for the school!  This is absolutely wonderful to hear and very humbling at the same time.  

   

  If you would like the PTFA to set up a dedicated fundraising page for a particular class where there are multiple pupils running, please get in touch by emailing fieldingPTFA@gmail.com.  We'll be able to provide you with landing pages and totalisers alongside social media assets to promote to family and friends about your child's involvement.

   

  On the other hand, if you are a parent that is keen to take part in the Ealing Half Marathon and have not signed up yet, then we are in contact with the organisers and can arrange a school discount on entry fees alongside amongst other things!

• PTFA Summer Fair activities raise over £12,500

  Thu 08 Jul 2021 Clare Dunne

  Although the Summer Fair was not able to take place in its usual fashion due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, the PTFA managed to pull all the stops out and continue to run activities that raised over £12,500 in just a few short weeks.  

   

  Events included the Summer Raffle, Second Hand Uniform and Second Hand Games, Chicken Poop Bingo, Silent Auction and Non-Uniform Day collection. On top of this we managed to attract sponsorship from local businesses like RSK and Pitzhanger along with generous donations of products to the Raffle and Silent Auction.

   

  Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the PTFA effort - whether this was through donations or participation.  A special thanks goes to the Summer Fair organising team who had to pivot from organising a physical event to a hybrid event at a moment's notice.

   

  We exceed our £10,000 target which helps the PTFA deliver on its commitments to fund extra-curricular activities like the Kitchen Garden amongst others.

   

   

   

• End of Year reports will be published on Tuesday 13th July

  Wed 07 Jul 2021 Clare Haines

  Your child's end of year report will be published on MCAS on Tuesday 13th July. It will be available to download from 12noon.

  Find out more here:

  • Find out what your child knows and remembers

• Gifts to staff

  Wed 07 Jul 2021 Peter Dunmall

  Gifts to members of staff are never expected and should not be asked for. However, parents might want to show their thanks to a member of staff at this time of year. Gifts continue to be welcome but we must remain COVID-safe to minimise the risk of coronavirus infection. This year:

  • e-gift vouchers are preferred,
  • avoid presents and giving things because we want to prevent any infection being passed on to staff through surfaces.  If a present is given, staff will quarantine the item for 72 hours.

   

  It is important that we remain COVID-safe with few changes to the end of term so that staff and pupils start the school holiday period as infection free as possible.

   

  I will write later this week with details of our school's roadmap to reduce coronavirus restrictions in-line with the government's expectations on schools. 

• KS2 Clubs Launch - Change of date

  Tue 06 Jul 2021

  KS2 clubs launch was planned for Wednesday 7th July at 8pm, due to the England team reaching the Semi-finals this now clashes with kick-off for the England Denmark football game.

  To allow families to watch the game together KS2 clubs launch has been moved to Thursday 8th July at 8pm

• Check your child's hair regularly for head lice

  Tue 06 Jul 2021

  To prevent the spread of head lice the NHS has produced these guidelines. Please could you regularly check your child's hair and ensure long hair is tied back.

  
  Head lice and nits
  Head lice and nits are very common in young children and their families. They don't have anything to do with dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact.

  
  How to get rid of head lice
  You can treat head lice without seeing a GP.
  Treat head lice as soon as you spot them.
  You should check everyone in the house and start treating anyone who has head lice on the same day.
  There's no need to keep your child off school if they have head lice.
  
  Wet combing
  Lice and nits can be removed by wet combing. You should try this method first.

  You can buy a special fine-toothed comb (detection comb) online or from pharmacies to remove head lice and nits.

  There may be instructions on the pack, but usually you:

  wash hair with ordinary shampoo
  apply lots of conditioner (any conditioner will do)
  comb the whole head of hair, from the roots to the ends
  It usually takes about 10 minutes to comb short hair, and 20 to 30 minutes for long, frizzy or curly hair.

  Do wet combing on days 1, 5, 9 and 13 to catch any newly hatched head lice. Check again that everyone's hair is free of lice on day 17.

  
  For more information about wet combing, see the healthychildren.org website.

  
  Medicated lotions and sprays
  Ask your pharmacist for advice if you have tried wet combing for 17 days, but your child still has live head lice.

  They may recommend using medicated lotions and sprays. These kill head lice in all types of hair, and you can buy them from pharmacies, supermarkets or online.

  Head lice should die within a day. Some lotions and sprays come with a comb to remove dead lice and eggs.

  Some treatments need to be repeated after a week to kill any newly hatched lice.

  Check the pack to see if they're OK for you or your child and how to use them.

  If lotions or sprays don't work, speak to your pharmacist about other treatments.

  
  Some treatments aren't recommended because they're unlikely to work.

  For example:

  products containing permethrin
  head lice "repellents"
  electric combs for head lice
  tree and plant oil treatments, such as tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil and lavender oil herbal remedies
  
  You can't prevent head lice
  There's nothing you can do to prevent head lice.

  You can help stop them spreading by wet or dry combing regularly to catch them early.

  Do not use medicated lotions and sprays to prevent head lice. They can irritate the scalp.

  There's no need for children to stay off school or to wash laundry on a hot wash.

• Parent/Carer Online Drop In resources and information

  Mon 05 Jul 2021 Narinder Reehal

  Thank you to the parent/carers who joined us for the Online Drop In last week. For those of you who were unable to join us, here are the links and resources for:

   

  Family Lives - Information on family coaching, The Energise Project (see leaflet for more details), and all things families and parenting. 

  Family Lives

  Ealing Energise Families

   

  Ealing Families Directory - Information on what's on offer for families in Ealing, things to do, and parenting support. Did you know there is an Ealing Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, where children in receipt of free school meals can access free holiday provision and meals. 

  Ealing Families Directory

   

  The School Nursing Service - information on Fussy eaters, sleep routines, bed wetting, top tips for teeth, and general health advice. Please have a look at The 

  Inclusion, SEN&D and Local Offer page on the school website for this information. 

  

• Autumn term Specialist Clubs

  Thu 01 Jul 2021 Karen Esprit

  As we approach the end of term we look back and reflect on the positive impact the return of specialist clubs has provided for the children. Clubs have been cautiously monitored and adapted to run safely in year group bubbles. It has been a great pleasure to see children embrace the change, continue to thrive and enjoy developing new skills and friendships.

  On Tuesday 22nd June children in Judo club took part in grading here at school, everyone was well prepared and executed the required techniques to a very high standard, theory proved to be strong too. All that were graded successfully achieved a belt higher showing their progress and commitment to training.

  All the grades will be registered with the British Judo Association and all will receive Certificates confirming their grade. A big well done and congratulations on a successful grading.

  In preparation for autumn term clubs

  • Make sure cashbooks are clear both childcare and orders
  • Share the programme with your children
  • Test MCAS login details

  The launch dates have been split for a smooth booking process.

  • Monday 5th July 8pm - KS1 - Years Reception (current) 1,2
  • Wednesday 7th July 8pm – KS2 - Years 3,4,5
  • Monday 26th July 8pm - Reception (new starters)

• PTFA: Calling all Chelsea FC fans and foodies

  Thu 01 Jul 2021 Clare Dunne

  DON'T MISS OUT ON EXCLUSIVE PRIZES AS THE FIELDING SUMMER SILENT AUCTION COMES TO AN END!

  The bidding will close at 4pm on Saturday 3rd July so you have one day left to make any last minute bids. 

  Thanks to the generous donations from parents, you could be in with a chance of winning....

  · Lunch for two at the Michelin starred River Cafe, Thames Wharf W6  

  · Brand new 'Isla Cnoc 16' and 'Frog 62' bikes!!! 

  All you have to do is click on the link below to register* your email and find the full T&C’s for the prizes.

  https://www.32auctions.com/fieldingsummer

  Winners can pay via PayPal on the auction site or we can accept cash/cheques on collection payable to "Fielding Parent Teachers and Friends Association"

  Good luck!

  *You may be asked to verify your email address (please check your junk mail for verification from 32auctions- if is not in your inbox).