Dear Parents and Carers ,

 

I wanted to clarify following the announcement yesterday that although we are currently in Tier 4, we will return to school on Monday 4th January 2021 as planned. We have a very creative week planned for the children based on an Enrichment Curriculum provision. The idea behind this is to create the best opportunity that we can to help our children settle back into school as smoothly as possible amidst the uncertainty that we find ourselves in.

The Senior Leadership Team have worked together today to look at how we can tighten up on our existing arrangements as we learn more about this new strain of COVID 19. We have minimised the movement of support staff between bubbles in carrying out interventions etc and have made very stable new bubbles (as stable as is possible in a primary school).All teaching, support and interventions will be carried out within that class bubble by the staff within the bubble. The morning TAs will remain in the class all day in accordance with the hours that they are contracted to work.

Thank you to all of the families who have contacted us using the office2@yaptonschool.org email to notify us of positive cases within their family. I thank you for your honesty and your support in helping us to create live data that I have shared with the Local Authority. We have kept you and your families in our thoughts and prayers. At present we have 2 staff and 12 children testing positive for COVID 19.Mrs Eirlys Groves and Mrs Sarah Turner are our 2 staff members who are unwell. We have 16 further children who are isolating due to parents or siblings testing positive for COVID 19.

It has been brought to my attention that there has been some unhelpful activity on social media from some of our parents which has caused anxiety for others. Whilst I understand that individuals may have opinions about this pandemic I would like to be very clear that as a school, we are taking this extremely seriously and are doing all that we can to keep our school community as safe as we possibly can.

We need to continue with our staggered starts and finishes as before, only 1 adult/teenager per family to be on site to drop off or collect children and that masks MUST be worn at all times whilst on our school property unless there is proof of exemption. Families must not congregate with other families outside the school unless they are in a designated bubble together. The requirements of TIER 4 must be adhered to. By keeping to all the requirements of TIER 4 we stand the best chance of keeping our school open for as long as we possibly can.

 

STAFFING

Mrs Groves will not be back in school next week. We have arranged for Mrs Paget to take the class for the week. She knows our school and we have already given her the planning for the week so that she is organised and ready to teach Bramber class. Mrs Paget is looking forward to spending the week with us.

Mrs Turner will be back to school in Arundel class when she is feeling better.

Mrs Bayliss unfortunately has to attend a family funeral on Monday 4th January so Mrs Hillier is teaching Southsea Class. Mrs Hillier knows our school, she has the planning and is looking forward to welcoming back Southsea class.

 

TRAFFIC LIGHTS

We have been informed that a set of traffic lights will be in operation just along the road from our school on North End Road opposite the BT building.

 

We look forward to welcoming you all back on Monday 4th January. Please be assured that if Government or Local Authority guidance changes at any point, we will keep you informed.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

Take Care

Kim Huggett