Coronavirus Updates
In line with the full re-opening of schools this September I felt it was important to let you know of the measures that Bishopstone CE Primary School will be taking to keep our staff and children safe when we re-open on Wednesday 2nd September. The following is based on the current government guidance which was last updated in early August.
We understand that some of you and your children will be anxious about returning in September, after some months out of school. Please be reassured that we are taking exceptional measures to make our school as safe as can be. We will be providing additional emotional and wellbeing support for all pupils, and will also be providing additional opportunities to support learning where this is required.
Letter to parents from school - 28th August 2020
Letter to parents from Public Health Department SBC - August
Letter to parent from DfE on when to book a test - 23/09/20
Letter to parents - reminders - 18th November
Parents to wear face masks on the school playground - 18/11/20
Covid restrictions over Christmas - from SBC 0 15/12/20
January 2021
Open letter from Education Secretary - Rt Hon Gavin Williamson - Feb21
Documents
Remote Learning Provision at Bishopstone CE - DfE policy - January 2021
Updated RA for music lessons - violins KS2
School Risk Assessment - Updated December 2020
For September 2020 - approved by Swindon Borough Council
Direct link to the Government's parental advice page
Wiltshire - welcome back to school booklet
September return powerpoint and what to do if your child shows symptoms of Coronavirus
Piano lessons - risk assessment
Useful Links and Information
NHS Website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19
NHS 111 Online: https://111.nhs.uk
PHE: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
Alternatively, the Department of Education are providing advice for parents:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: Dfe.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)
4th January 2021 - Parentmail seems to be struggling this evening, please find the parents mails below:
Good Evening Parents
I apologise for sending such a late evening parentmail. However, I now wish to share with you the next steps for Bishopstone CE having spoken to staff and our Chair of Governors.
Having listened to the Prime Minister my understanding is that from tomorrow the school will only be open on site for Vulnerable and Key Worker children - you have notified me of these requests today. This new lockdown is expected to last until February half term, the date has not been set by the Prime Minister though.
For children who are remaining at home we will be launching remote learning. The information for this will be issued tomorrow, ready to start on Wednesday 6th January. Tomorrow teachers will be both working with the children that are in school and preparing/trialling the use of Teams, to understand if our current internet capacity will support this way of working. We will be sending you a Teams invite in the morning, to join an afternoon trial call. This allows us to check that the process works. If it does not then we will adapt to find a way that does.
As you can imagine this is going to be a challenging time for our school, until we settle into a new routine and a new way of working. Staff are working incredibly hard to ensure that both children at home and within school receive the best education that they can. The work and expectations will be made clear to the children.
Please bear with us, we have an awful lot to process and do after the 8pm announcement tonight and only a small team to do so. Staff are upset that we are not starting back with all our children, however, the priority is the health and safety of all of the school community. The safest place currently is at home. As before we will be in constant communication with you and as before we will find a path through this.
I will be sending further information tomorrow.
Kind regards
Miss Lindsay and Mr A Fraser
Head Teacher Chair of Governors
For Key Worker/Vulnerable families
Dear Parents
If you have requested a place as you meet the requirements and are classed as Key Worker/Vulnerable family then we will look forward to seeing you in the morning. If we become over subscribed then I will need to prioritise using the Government criteria but will contact you regarding this, if it occurs. If you have reconsidered your place after listening to the Prime Minister then please let us know tomorrow. As you can imagine we have had a very short amount of time to organise this.
- Children are to come in normal school uniform.
- Bring their water bottle to and fro daily.
- Drop off time is between 08:50-09:00.
- Pick up time is between 3pm-3:10pm.
- Please can they bring a pack lunch with them tomorrow - we will then reorganise as hot food will not be being provided but we can swap this to ready prepared pack lunches. Further information will be passed to you as we have it.
As always it is vital that we continue to follow the guidance regarding Coronavirus.
- Masks to be worn on pick up and drop off.
- If your child is unwell in anyway at all then they must stay at home.
- If they become unwell with Coronavirus symptoms then they must not come to school and are required to have a test. This is even more important with the new strain which is known to be transmitted more easily.
As I said prior, the safest place currently is at home. As this is not an option for some of our families we need to work together to ensure we keep the school community, both children and staff as safe as possible.
Miss Lindsay
Remote Learning
The school has a new remote learning policy. Within this it sets out our provision.
For a summary letter that went to parents on 25/09/20, please click here.
Parents completed a survey with their views. Please click here for the findings that we then fed into the policy.
Due to the incredibly poor internet provision that the village of Bishopstone has, the impact is directly on what we can supply as a school. We currently can not live stream lessons to children at home as we do not have the internet capability, however we have factored this in to our offering.
We are currently in contact with Swindon Borough Council, our local MP, SWGfL and other avenues looking and asking about the level of provision to the village, when and how this is going to be improved.
As a school we signed up for the Government grant of £1500 to install Microsoft 365 - Classroom and teachers have training booked for mid November and the installation is being completed by Centerprise International. Now complete.
