Dear Parents and Carers,
We have had an amazing and festive end to our term, starting with a whole school worship on the playground yesterday, with classes sharing a Christmas message to the rest of the school. This morning we met for our Festive Feel Good Friday (please see the photos attached) where we had a socially distanced whole school disco…….. I don’t know who was more excited, the children or the adults!
Chestnut Tree House Reindeer Run
Thank you to, not only the 270 reindeer that dashed the daily mile last Friday, but to their families who have helped us to raise an amazing £2,135 for this charity. This amount of money is incredible and we can’t thank you enough for your generosity.
Festive Rainbow Hampers
As part of our Festive Feel Good Friday, some of our Year 6 children took responsibility for picking the 8 winning tickets for these fantastic hampers. The lucky winners have all been notified and collected their hampers today. This fundraiser has raised £571 for the children in our school to take their learning outside of the classroom. Each class will decide how best to spend their money. Thank you to the willing team of Mums who took responsibility for this. We really appreciate their time and energy in helping us to raise such an amazing amount of money.
6 day Test and Trace
Please use the office2@yaptonschool.org email. I will check it each day up to and including 24th December 20 as advised. I will notify you by parent mail if there is a reported case that directly affects your child.
The DfE is recommending that all schools make sure that their staff and parents/carers are aware of the following information and relevant arrangements regarding positive cases in the holidays:
- Where a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted. Parents and carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.
- For the first 6 days after teaching ends, if a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school, the school is asked to assist in identifying close contacts and advising self-isolation, as the individual may have been infectious whilst in school.
- School staff are not asked to remain on-call or conduct any contact tracing more than 6 days after the final day of teaching. Where a school’s last teaching day is on Thursday 17 December, there should be no pupil contact tracing asks beyond Wednesday 23 December.
Where pupils are required to self-isolate due to contact with a positive case after the first 6 days following the end of term, schools do not need to be informed about their absence until the first day of the new term.
For the first 6 days after the end of term, schools are not asked to be on-call at all times. Staff responsible for contact tracing may designate a limited period in the day to receive notification of positive cases and advise close contacts to self-isolate (this can be done by text or email). The Department for Education coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline and PHE advice service are available to support with any queries you have about positive cases in your school.
Public Health England guidance states that for most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from the nhs.uk website at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/. If you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, or they are worsening you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://111.nhs.uk/ or by phoning 111.
Welcome Back! Week of Wisdom
Looking forward to the start of the Spring Term on Monday 4th January 2021, we have planned a themed week based on the value of wisdom. Over the next two weeks, please collect any coloured cellophane sweet wrappers, any cards that show the 3 kings and any wrapping paper or cards that have stars on. These can be brought into the classroom on the Monday, so that we can quarantine them before we use them. We will be creating a starry outdoor prayer space at the front of our school using the oak tree and welcome you to come and visit.
Thank you for your support and understanding this term as we have made our way through the changing guidance and advice. The children have been amazing and are a credit to you.
Have a fabulous festive season and we look forward to seeing you on Monday 4th January 2021.
Take Care
Kim Huggett