Covid 19 updates

To see our most recent risk assessment, click on the picture below.

To read the BET Covid equality impact assessment, click on the picture below.

 

 

Tuesday 22nd September

We know that some families are finding it difficult to get tests.  See below testing dates in Woking Leisure Centre.  Click on the image to find out more information.

 

 

Monday 14th September 2020

 

Parents and carers, we would love to hear about what we are doing well and what we could do to improve to keep everyone safe at Sythwood Primary and Nursery School. Please complete the short survey via the link below so we can get your views. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DR5NMCN

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 27^th August 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

Face coverings in primary, infant and early years settings 

You will be aware that there has been considerable debate over the wearing of face coverings in public places, and that this debate has now extended to their use in schools. The government issued guidance to schools on 26^th August 2020.  

 

As you are aware, Sythwood Primary and Nursery School is part of the Bourne Education Trust, and all its schools have worked collaboratively and successfully since lockdown to ensure a high-quality educational provision, and to provide as safe a framework as possible under which a full return to school next week can be envisaged.  

 

In order to allay any anxieties, and to reduce confusion about what is required, Sythwood Primary and Nursery School, will not be requiring its primary pupils to wear face coverings, nor will it require its staff to do so. However, should parents or carers wish their child to wear a covering at school, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@sythwood.surrey.sch.uk so that their class teacher can be made aware.

 

Please be assured that we will continuously review our plans for the return to school in line with government guidelines. 

 

Best wishes

 

Nicola Matheson

 

 

Wednesday 26^th August 2020

 

Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope that you and your families have stayed safe and well over the holidays.  We are really excited about welcoming all children back from September.  Our plans have not changed since I last wrote to you in July but I wanted to write again, as we move towards the start of term, to you to remind you of the processes and procedures we are putting into place to keep everyone safe.

Week beginning 3rd September 2020 Years 1 – 6 return to school 8:45 am – 3:15pm Nursery and Reception children to take part in stay and play and doorstep visits (as communicated in a separate letter at the end of term)

Week beginning 7th September Nursery and reception children will begin stay and play sessions before resuming normal hours.  Nursery and reception parents have been written to separately about these arrangements in more detail.

Wrap around care (Breakfast and After School Club) and Extra Curricular Activities Breakfast and after school club Unfortunately, we are not able to offer breakfast and after school club from September.  This is because we cannot offer this provision whilst children remain in bubbles.  We will review this regularly and hope to open this by the spring term. Extra-Curricular activities Throughout the autumn term, we hope to offer limited extra-curricular clubs in year group bubbles.  Further details of these and how to sign up will be provided in the autumn term. We are currently not able to book any school trips or workshops and will review this during the autumn term

School Uniform and equipment

All children will be expected to come back in full school uniform and can resume using their normal bags and PE kits.  We do ask, however, that belongings brought in from home are kept to a minimum.  Please also remember to send your child in with a water bottle, as there will be no cups available from school; and a spare change of shoes, as children may be playing on the field in all weather conditions so that bubbles can be separate at break and lunchtimes.  Please ensure that all belongings are clearly named so that they can be safely returned if misplaced.

Safety Procedures

We have put a number of measures in place to keep the children and adults as safe as possible.  Pupils will be kept in year group bubbles throughout the school day and, as such, we have had to make some changes to the normal procedures in school. Pupils within their year group bubbles are not expected to socially distance from each other however, they are still required to socially distance from all staff where possible.  There will be additional cleaning in place to ensure that high standards of hygiene are evident.

In order to keep all pupils and staff safe, there are some changes that have been in place since June 2020 that will need to remain in place, along with some new procedures.  We anticipate that these will remain in place for the autumn term but we will review this regularly and keep you updated:

• There will be no assemblies in halls, however members of SLT will run some assembles virtually using Microsoft Teams

• There will be no assemblies/events where parents are required to attend
• Year 6 parents are not to come on site but should drop off and leave their children at the entrance to the premises
• No parents should enter the school office - any meetings required are by appointment only and should be arranged by a phone call or email to the school.
• Parents are expected to adhere to year group bubbles when travelling to school and to support the school in adhering to social distancing both on and off site

Below is an outline of some of the arrangements that will be put into place in school for when your child restarts in order to keep the bubbles apart:

Beginning and end of school day

In order to help maintain social distancing, there will be a one-way system around the school.  Certain gates will be designated for entrances and others for exits.  These will be clearly signposted.  All children in Reception to Year 6 will start school at 8:45am and finish at 3:15pm.  It is important that you drop off and collect on time, and do not loiter in or around the school grounds.  There will be a member of staff on each gate to greet and direct you.

 

Hand washing

Pupils will be expected to wash their hands on entering the school building and will be encouraged to wash / sanitise their hands at regular points during the school day. Any parents with appointments will also be expected to use hand sanitiser on entry into the school office.  The hand sanitiser that we will use will contain alcohol.  If you would not like your child to use this, please make your child’s class teacher aware of this so that we can ensure additional hand washing is in place as an alternative.

School meals/lunch times

We will be offering hot meals at lunch time from September for those children who order school dinners.  Children will remain in their bubble groups over lunch time.  Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will all eat lunch separately in the halls.  For children in Year 3 to Year 6, those with packed lunches will eat in a classroom in their year group and those having school dinners will eat in the hall.  Up to two year groups in Year 3 to 6 will eat in the hall at one time but they will remain socially distanced.

Curriculum

Please be reassured that when children return to school, we will analyse where their starting points are and plan a suitable curriculum taking these into account. We are also teaching extra Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) lessons to focus on wellbeing.

Children’s tables will not be grouped as previously but instead all tables will face the front of the classroom in KS2.

Suspected or confirmed coronavirus cases in your child’s bubble

• If anyone becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough, a high temperature or loss of taste or smell they will be sent home and advised to follow Government guidance.
• If a child is awaiting collection, they will be moved to a room where they can be isolated behind a closed door
• All staff and students who are attending an education or childcare setting will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus and are encouraged to get tested in this scenario.
• When a child, young person or staff member develops symptoms compatible with coronavirus, they should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 10 days. Their fellow household members should self-isolate for 14 days.  Isolation does not need to take place once a negative test result has been received.  Your child can return to school, once a negative test result has been received and they are free of any symptoms for 48 hours.
• Where a child, young person, or staff member tests positive, the rest of their bubble will be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 14 days. The other household members of that wider class or group do not need to self-isolate unless the child, young person or staff member that they live with from that group subsequently develops symptoms.

 

Travelling to and from school

If your child is walking or cycling to and from school independently, they must follow the above guidance and not mix with children from outside their year group.

 

If you and your child normally travel to school via public transport, we ask that you consider all other options to avoid public transport if at all possible e.g. walk, cycle.

 

 

 

If this is not possible, please adhere to the following: 

• Read the government guidance on using public transport https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers  
• In particular, note that a face covering should be used   
• Consider the route and timings of the transport taken to avoid crowded times 
• Your child should remain at least 2 metres away from other members of public on public transport, adhering to strict social distancing 
• Your child should remove their face covering and wash their hands immediately when entering school :  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering 

 

Please be reassured that if there are any changes to Government guidelines over the remainder of the summer break, we will write to you and update you of our plans.

Tell us how we can help your child

We know that the last few months have been extremely difficult for many families.  We want to support your child as best as possible when they return. In order to do that, we would be grateful if your circumstances have changed or you think we need to be aware of anything, could you please complete the form via the website at https://www.sythwood.surrey.sch.uk/3320/covid-19-returning-to-school-in-september .  Please be reassured that this information will only be shared with people who need to be made aware of it, for example your child’s class teacher and the safeguarding team.

 

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents for their support over these strange times and we look forward to seeing you next week.

 

Kind regards,

Nicola Matheson

Head of School