Covid - 19 information
coronavirus risk assessment
Gildersome Primary School Coronavirus Risk Assessment V6.06 10.1.22
All previous versions of the Risk Assessment can be obtained by request from school
COVID UPDATE LETTER TO PARENTS 6.1.22
OPENING SCHOOL TO ALL CHILDREN FROM 8.3.21 - LETTER TO ALL PARENTS AND CARERS
Please take the time to read this as there may be some different information from that last time that your child attended school
Rapid lateral flow testing for households and bubbles of school pupils and staff
On Sunday 28 February, the Department of Health and Social Care announced that from Monday 1 March, households with primary school, secondary school and college age children, including childcare and support bubbles, can test themselves twice every week at home as schools return from Monday 8 March. The twice-weekly test kits can be accessed:
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· via employers if they offer testing to employees · at a local test site · by collecting a home test kit from a test site · by ordering a home test kit online |
Parent questionnaire
Thank you for your comments - we had over 150 responses to our survey about how we have managed the current situation in school.
useful documents
Here are some documents and links that you may find useful
How to administer a Coronavirus test to your child
Clinically extremely vulnerable children - Nov 2020
Updated appendix to the school's Behaviour policy Sept 2020
Leeds City Council - Attendance Guidance for Parents
Letter to parents - opening of school
What to do in the event of a suspected Case of Coronavirus on school premises
Frequently Asked Questions
Please check out our responses below to your most frequently asked questions about the Coronavirus and the re-opening of schools. Please note that whilst we have done our best to answer your questions, the situation may change quickly which may result in different information and we are not experts! (Last update 11.9.20)
Click here to see the letter that was sent to all parents about returning to school - this has lots of information on it to refer back to.
Q. Are children staying in class bubbles?
A. As of 5.10.20, children will be playing together in the playground as a year group bubble. Some children will work with other children across the year group as this makes interventions more effective. We will do everything we can to minimise the risk of having to close a complete year / cohort but the ultimate decision lies with the DfE.
Q. If we decided not to send our child on day 1 of school reopening, could we choose to send her a couple of weeks later if we felt it was working out ok for the others?
A. Yes - you could send your child at a later date if you wish but please give 7 days' notice.
Q. And in reverse, if we did send her on day 1 could we take her back out if she or us were not happy with her being there?
A. Yes. However, we would discourage changing your mind more than once as this could be disruptive for the child and would be difficult to manage at a school level. Care needs to be taken that the decision to then withdraw a child is for the right reasons. Children will have to return at some point and we need to ensure that children are not given the impression that they can choose whether they attend school or not.
Q. Would you say my child would be better going back to school, with the risks involved but with getting a better education or keep her home and continue the home schooling?
A. This is purely parental choice. We have done everything we can to minimise the risk to children, the community and staff but we cannot guarantee that there is no risk at all.
Q. Will the home school activities run along the same lines as previous weeks once the school goes back?
A. Yes - home schooling will mirror the teaching that is happening in school. Although, we have decided as a staff, that there will be a period of revision and checking to see what children have done in the time they have been off from school initially. We need to find out what children have learnt and what might need to be retaught so bear this in mind when looking at the tasks that are set.
Q. Will the children have different teachers? Be placed in different classes?
A. We do not have a full complement of staff yet and although some teachers will be the same, because of the small numbers, some children will be in different rooms with different staff to start with at least, until we are sure it is safe to combine classes.
Q. What will children need to bring in to school?
A. Children will need a PE kit and a filled water bottle. They will need to come in school uniform.
Q. What social distancing measures will be applied?
A. Initially children will be sat at their own desks - 2 metres apart and that will be their base for the day. In reception, this is more difficult because children will find it difficult to follow and remember this rule. However, staff will prompt children throughout the day.
Q. What would the school day be like for children who attend?
A. The day will be very different initally. There will not be any assemblies, PE lessons will have to take place outside. Lunch will be taken in the classroom. Breaks will be staggered to avoid contact in the playground. Teachers will have to find different ways of supporting children who need help with their learning. We have tried to group children with at least one of their friends but obviously the 'friend' may not attend.
Q. One of our concerns is are the children of key workers who have not been self isolating, going to be in a separate group to those who have been self isolating/aren't key worker children?
A. The Government guidance says that Key worker and vulnerable children can join their year groups but as we are not yet operating to a full timetable, it would not be feasible to do this at the moment. Key worker children can be in school every day of the week and that would mean they would be exposed to larger groups of children. Therefore, for now, our key worker and vulnerable children will stay apart from the rest of the children.
Q. What will the classrooms look like for when they return?
A. Here is class 1H ready for year 1s to return in June.
Q. I assume my child will require her own stationery?
A. No – staff will try to sort this as best they can. They will try to allocate stationery to children where possible but it is difficult when children are so young.
Q. Will my key worker child do 2 days with his bubble (group a or group b) and the other days in the key worker group?
A. Your child needs to stay with the key worker group for now, otherwise he would end up mixing with 15 new children and I don’t feel that this is the right thing to do at this stage.
Q. Are they required to wear uniform in the bubble group (at school) and normal clothes in key worker group?
A. All children back in uniform to create a sense of normality and routine. We have also had some children (not yours!) who have been dressed inappropriately during the time we have been closed.
Q. Will key worker group play in a different area or at different times to bubble.
A. All playtimes and lunchtimes are staggered as much as possible but I cannot guarantee that he will see his friends. The playground will be divided up into areas and children will wear a coloured bib for their class.
Q. When will we find out pick up times as it was suggested that these may differ.
A. Pick up and drop off times for key worker children will stay the same – 8:55 start and 3:30 finish. As your children also access breakfast club, this will continue but only current key worker and vulnerable children will be able to attend. This is not open to other year groups.
Q. Year 6 was expect to go back on the 1st June - in the latest information from the school there was no mention or explanation as to why they weren't . Would it be possible to advise the plans further year 6 students.
A. The government guidance later stated that year 6 are not priority so it was discussed at governors and we felt that the younger children were also more at risk from having so much time off. We are hoping that as long as key worker groups do not increase much more, we can bring them back part time in a couple of weeks when we also have more understanding of whether we have capacity with regards to staffing. The children have a right to have closure and transition and we will do everything we can to make this happen as long as it is safe to do so.
Q. What will happen with school dinners? What will children eat?
A. Because of the restrictions on using the hall at the moment and the safety measures that the kitchen need to put in place because of social distancing, there will be a different menu from w/c 8.6.20 which will have a hot element on some days. The menu is attached below.
Reopening Menu Grab Bag Menu.pdf
Q. What happens if there is a confirmed Covid-19 case in school? Will I be told as a parent of a child in school?
A. We would consult and follow guidance from Public Health England with regards to our next steps. We would inform parents that there has been a case in school and in which 'bubbles'. We would not identify the child or family involved.