Dear parents / carers
We hope you are keeping safe. Thank you for your continued support over the past few weeks which we appreciate have been very difficult for everyone. Staff have worked incredibly hard to ensure your children have access to online learning as well as providing childcare for families who have needed it.
Following the Government’s announcement on Sunday and the publication of several DFE documents, the senior leadership team are working together on a plan for how we will reopen school safely in June. Our priority is of course the health and safety of staff and pupils; bearing in mind school has been open for the last 8 weeks with children and staff in regular contact with one another.
We are still awaiting clarification around whether or not we can rota children in school – this is the only way we think we can safely accommodate the 4 year groups that have been mentioned. We have decided, after measuring classrooms, that we feel only 9 or 10 KS1 or KS2 children can be safely accommodated per classroom; rather than the 15 the government has suggested. We are also suggesting a maximum of 5 / 6 EYFS children per adult. Our hope is that the ‘bubble’ of 9 /10 or 5/6 children will be taught by a member of staff from their phase in school, although for some children this will not be their class teacher. School will operate a staggered start and end of the day and staggered break and lunchtimes so that the bubble of children will only interact with that same group of children. Further details of specific start times and pickups, school lunch provision, movement of parents around the school site as well as the allocated teacher and classroom will be sent out to parents nearer the time.
At the current time we have very little indication of how many of you will be sending your children back to school and so we will plan for the return of the majority. Our plans will then be adjusted on a regular basis depending on need and further direction from the government and Local Authority. This could result in school being opened up to further year groups or alternatively only being open to the youngest members of our school community.
School remains open to all children of key workers and vulnerable families and will continue to do so from June 1st. If you require childcare please contact Mrs. Gerry via the school email address windynookprimaryschool@gateshead.gov.uk
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with any member of the Senior Leadership Team or your child’s class teacher.
Please take notice of any school text messages and regularly visit the school website for further updates.
Keep safe
Windy Nook Primary School Staff
