The Windmills Junior School

Welcome to Year 6

Our topic for Summer term is Environment Matters

21.05.20 Email to parents / carers - information re: returning to school for year 6 

Dear Year 6 parents,

Firstly I hope that this email finds you and your families in the very best of health. As you are aware, we are busily preparing for the arrival of Year 6 children back into school on 1^st June. We are all very much looking forward to seeing them. You will have received the letter from Mrs. Murray previously which gives some detail of our plans for the children's return and I attach this again just in case you didn't see it the first time around. 

I am writing to request that, if your intention is not to send your child back to school on the 1^st June, please can you notify the office by next Wednesday (27^th May) at the latest. We do not need to know that you are taking up your place. If we don't hear from you, we will expect to see your child in school on the above date unless they are unwell. 

We are currently working on putting the 'pods' of 15 children together and it is of high importance that children do not change between these groups. If we know that your child will not be attending from 1^st June, it enables us to create accurate groupings and negates the need for last minute changes on the first morning back. It is important that you notify us in the usual manner if your child will not be attending on that day due to illness or self-isolation (should they or anyone in the household be displaying COVID-19 symptoms). 

In the event of a child displaying symptoms at school, or feeling poorly in any way, they will be sent home immediately - if they are displaying covid-19 symptoms, we will ask you to get your child tested and report back to the school. If your child's teacher develops symptoms, the group will be closed until it is confirmed by a test if this is covid-19 or not. It is essential that you have a plan in place for picking up your child at short notice and if they need to be off for a week due to a positive test confirmed within the group. 

Please see the below extract from Mrs. Murray's letter:

'No one with symptoms should attend a setting for any reason - or if anyone in their family has had symptoms in the last 14 days.

The expectation is for everyone in Yr6 who are well and not living with someone vulnerable to come back to school. (see letter for links to DFE site)

DFE guidance:

"We strongly encourage children and young people in the eligible year groups and priority groups (such as children of critical workers) to attend, as requested by their school, unless they are self-isolating or there are other reasons for absence (such as shielding due to health conditions).

You should notify your child's school or college as normal if your child is unable to attend so that staff are aware and can discuss with you.

Parents will not be fined for non-attendance at this time." (see letter for links to DFE site)

Please also note that there is a change/ update on ordering hot meals:

We would prefer all Yr 6 children, where possible, to come to school with a packed lunch apart from children who receive FSM (who will still be provided with a hot meal every day). This is part of our risk assessment to avoid different groups of children mixing together and putting staff at risk by working across multiple groups.  

If you are unable to provide a packed lunch, please notify the office that your child will need a hot meal every day. We cannot plan for children choosing to eat hot meals on some days and not on others. They either need to have a meal every day or not at all. We also cannot guarantee which food will be cooked on which days. The cost of these meals is being covered centrally. 

I am sure that you will appreciate the challenge of the logistical arrangements to keep everyone safe and we believe that this is the safest way to manage lunchtimes. Also, please can we ask that all children bring in their own water bottle as the water fountains will be out of action. They will be able to refill the bottles with fresh water during the day. 

We will be writing to you towards the end of next week to notify you of the timings for your child's class to come into school - which route they will take into school and which teacher they will be working with (these plans will continue to be subject to change - but we will try and do our upmost to keep everything consistent once we have opened and the groups have been established).

If there is anything you would like further clarification on regarding your child's return to school, please do email the school office with your question (once you have double checked that it hasn't already been answered in the attached) and one of the SLT will get back to you in due course. 

Thank you for your continued support and understanding. 

Steve Kingcome

Deputy Headteacher

The Windmills Junior School,

Homework Spring Term 2020