Dear Parents and Carers
With the Easter Holiday now upon us, I would like to congratulate the children for the way they have settled back into school. It is so good to see them all rebuilding their friendships and getting back into the way of whole class learning.
Going into the new term, we will be continuing with all our distancing and hygiene arrangements, including on the car park. As the roadmap for national changes takes effect, I will let you know when we can start easing the restrictions, but for now, please try to keep your distance from other families when delivering and collecting your children, wear a face mask when out of your vehicles, and try to phone or e-mail the office or the teachers with any queries.
We are hoping we will be able to return to our full provision as soon as possible, including a summer play, sports day and swimming!
Bikeability – the new Cycling Proficiency
I have had a few responses in the on-line form for this brilliant training, which some schools insist children complete before they are allowed to cycle to school. Open to all children in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, the children are taught road safety skills in a fun and engaging way. All you need to be able to do is get your child’s bike (and helmet) to school on the days the training is run and collect it at the end of the day. If you would like your child to take part, please either complete the form https://forms.office.com/r/tT1808Pv65 or phone/e-mail the school office.
Test and Trace
Touching every piece of wood in sight, I am pleased to let you know that Stower Provost Primary School has been Covid-free for the whole term. Please read the information from the Department for Education copied below.
To support the NHS Test and Trace process, we have asked that staff are available for the first 6 days of the Easter holiday to fulfil necessary contact tracing responsibilities. This means that if your setting finished face-to-face education on Thursday 1 April, you should remain available for contact tracing purposes up to and including Wednesday 7 April. There is no expectation to be on-call after this point.
We have asked that staff, students, parents and carers only inform you of a positive case if either symptoms or a positive home LFD test occurred within 2 days of them being at their education setting. Where this is the case, you are asked to assist in identifying close contacts and advising self-isolation, as the individual may have been infectious whilst in their education setting.
Where symptoms or a positive home LFD test occurred more than 2 days since the person was last at their education setting, this does not need to be reported to you and contact tracing by the education setting is not required. Where this is the case, staff, students, parents and carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.
Therefore, if your children show symptoms or have a positive test, please let me know on the school mobile 07783 573315 – leave a voicemail or text if there is no answer and I will deal with the information as advised.
Nut Free
Please remember that, due to a number of children here who have severe allergies, we are a Nut Free School. Please do not send your child to school with any products which have nuts in – labels stating ‘may contain traces’ are allowed.
PE Kits
In last week’s newsletter I neglected to say that the new arrangements for the children wearing uniform to school each day, and leaving their PE Kit in school for the half term, would start after the holiday – many apologies for the confusion. As before, if the children could just have a drawstring bag for their kit and a small bag for any other belongings, it will help cut down on the congestion in the corridors.
INSET Days – no more this year!
A reminder that we rearranged our remaining INSET Days earlier this term in order to affect as few children as possible. We have therefore, apart from the May Bank Holiday and the Half Term Holiday, a completely unbroken run to help the children make the most of the Summer Term. The first day back for the children will be Monday 19th April.
I hope you all have a very relaxing and fun Easter Holiday and I look forward to welcoming all the children back on Monday, 19th April.
With best wishes
James Stanford