Urgent update – Please read.

Dear Parents/Carers,

After my update yesterday regarding events and COVID restrictions, we have had more children off school through illness and school protocols require those children displaying COVID symptoms to take a PCR before returning to school.  We let classes know if there is a positive case.

My concern now is Christmas and how important it is for everyone to be able to spend time with family and friends and how we can reduce any risk to that and still invite parents in for events.  I have therefore made the difficult decision to cancel some events during the last week.  This way we will have over a week from our last key stage event.

The following events will be cancelled:

1. Parents in to share Christmas lunch with children.

This has been a very difficult decision as we really wanted everyone to be together but it is so near to breaking up for Christmas, I do not want to risk families being unable to be together over Christmas because they have to isolate after an event in school.

Instead, we will invite parents and families in to share a lunch in the new year when it is safe to do so.

Parents will be refunded on ParentPay.

Children will still have Christmas lunch but we will have separate key stage sitting to minimise the amount of children in the hall at one time.

2. School disco

This will be cancelled and we will plan another one in the new year instead.

We have a special day planned on the last Friday of term for the children so they do not miss out:

During the morning, separate key stages will watch a special pantomime we have booked on line.  It involves some teachers and we want to keep this as a surprise for them on the day.

During the afternoon every class will have a Christmas party in their classrooms.

It is also Christmas jumper day so children can come to school in Christmas jumpers or party clothes and bring in a donation to go to a charity.

We are still hoping to go ahead with our carol concert in church and nativity as planned but, if we have a surge in cases, I will let you know and we will have to cancel parents attending.  Fingers crossed that does not happen.  These will be recorded anyway so you can enjoy them if either, we cannot invite parents or parents choose not to attend.

Just a reminder about protocols if the events go ahead:

The following guidance must be followed:

• Every adult MUST wear a face mask unless they have medical proof they are exempt.  (If you are exempt, please share proof with the office before the event)
• Every adult must take a lateral flow test prior to any event in school and not attend if it is positive.
• Everyone must sanitise hands prior to entering the event and sign their name on our register to confirm they have had a negative LFT.

I hope you feel reassured we are managing risk with celebrations.  I would also like to invite you to a Parent Forum, which I will now hold on Thursday at 5pm to discuss any concerns you have, share any other thoughts about events and update you on what we are planning for learning and opportunities in school.  The link will be shared separately on ParentHub.

The link will also be sent out again on Thursday as a reminder.

I hope you can make it.

Thank you so much for your understanding and support,

Mrs Fletcher