Monthly Archives: June 2020

Letter from Executive Director of Education

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Dear Parent/Carer

Information Update – 24 June 2020

Normally the last day of the summer term is a time when parents, carers and families are able to reflect and to celebrate the progress and achievements their children have made during the school year.

There is no doubt this year has been one of significant change for all of us. However, it has not been one without hope and inspiration and I have witnessed the way in which families and young people have supported each other, as well as some of the outstanding work that that has taken place between schools and families.

Yesterday’s announcement by the Deputy First Minister outlining the ambition for a full return to schools for pupils in August, if it is safe to do so, is something that we would all welcome. He said: ‘If we stay on track, if we all continue to do what is right, and if we can further suppress this terrible virus, the Government believes that we should prepare for children to be able to return to school full time in August.’ 

It is very important that we support our children and young people following on from what I am sure will have been one of the most significant periods in their lifetime.  I delighted to have seen how excited our P1 and P7 pupils have been when we have had some of them in our schools during the past week or so.  Of course, there are considerable logistical issues that we will need to address, such as what does getting back to normal look like, issues around transport and, of course, how we welcome our children and young people back.  I would wish to reassure you that this will be the focus for our team during the summer period.  

I am now waiting on further national advice and guidance that will help guide us in our preparations. I will be back in contact over the summer when we have some specific information about the restart in August. I am acutely aware that you only have a note of our blended learning plans, which if deemed safe to do so, will need to be changed for a full return of all pupils in August.

We will continue to work closely with our council colleagues, professional associations and trade union partners and keep you updated. Schools close today for their summer break, and staff have been working extremely hard in setting up classrooms, preparing resources and arrangements, much of which we will build on for August.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support.

Take care and stay safe.

Tony McDaid

Executive Director of Education Resources

South Lanarkshire Council

Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0AA

Phone: 01698 454379

email: Tony.Mcdaid@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

Council website: www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk

Re-opening Information Letter from Headteacher

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Dear Parent / Carer

INFORMATION FOR AUGUST

Over the last few weeks, we have been working on organising the school to allow for social distancing and to comply with all current guidelines to reduce the risk and spread of infection.  We have put into place new procedures to support this and I have listed these below for you to read and become familiar with.

Car Park and Entry to the Playground

  • No parents are allowed to drive into the school car park unless they are in receipt of a blue disability badge or approved red car park badge.
  • The school gates will be closed from 8.45 – 9.15 am and from 2.45 – 3.15 pm.
  • To date there is no confirmation of what school transport will look like, if there is any.  As further details are shared about school transport, I will update you.

  • Our Traffic Management Plan includes the Bent Recreation Ground car park for parents to park/ drop off children.

Pedestrian Entrance and Exit

  • A one-way system will be in operation.  Entry is via the side gate at the Bent stairs and exit is via the main gate on to Dixon Street.  This one-way system will allow for adults and children to social distance and adhere to the 2m guidelines.
  • Parents can drop children off on foot at the front of the school but must leave children at the side gate to the playground beside the gym hall.
  • There will be a soft start for pupils to be dropped of in school from 8.55am- 9.15am to allow for social distancing and a safe entry to the building. Children can be dropped off at the side gate anytime within this 20-minute period. We ask that children are in school for 9.15am at the latest. School doors will be open at 8.55am and children will filter into the building. There will be no lining up in the playground. The side gate will be closed at 9.15am.
  • No parents will be admitted to the playground past the side gate.
  • To stagger the amount of children leaving the building at the same time children with siblings will meet together in the gym hall at 2.55pm and will leave by the gym hall doors.
  • Children without siblings will leave by the usual exit point for their class at 3pm.

Uniform

  • We want children to be comfortable and wear clothes, which can be easily washed every night.  We suggest:

    – school polo shirt / white shirt;
    – grey skirt, joggers, shorts or trousers;
    – red/green sweatshirt, cardigan, jumper;
    – a heavy warm waterproof jacket. 

    We suggest school ties should be worn for special occasions only and need not be worn on a daily basis.

Resources for school

Each child will be provided with a large plastic zipped wallet, labelled with their name, which will hold jotters, pencils, rubber, sharpener, ruler, coloured pencils.  Primary 1-3 will also have a whiteboard, whiteboard pen and crayons.  We ask that children do not bring stationery materials from home as all will be provided within the school and again this will reduce cross contamination.  Children do not need a schoolbag.

Lunches and snacks

Packed lunches can be provided from the school cafeteria. There will be a selection of hot and cold foods, which will be delivered to classrooms. Primary 1 – 3 are still entitled to a free meal.  Anyone wishing to bring their own packed lunch should bring it in a disposable polythene bag.  We are unable to lend cutlery to children.  As with lunches, snacks should be brought in disposable packaging. For P4-P7 children the cost of a school lunch is £1.75 and can be paid in the usual way through Parentpay.

Water bottles

Children may bring full water bottles to school and take them home at the end of each day to be cleaned. Water bottles must have children’s names clearly marked.

PE Kit 

Children will not require PE kit or a change of shoes but please ensure that children’s footwear is appropriate for outdoor PE and active learning, i.e. trainers.

Personal Possessions

We ask that children do not bring toys or valuable possessions to school.  Some staff are making individual, age appropriate play boxes for children to use in school, where appropriate.

Mobile Phones

We strongly discourage children from bringing mobile phones to school, as it will be very difficult to keep the mobile phone safe.  If a child brings a mobile phone they must turn it off, keep it secure in a zipped pocket and must not take it out at any point during the school day.

Classroom / Playground Layout

Class and playground will be set out to encourage social distancing.  Each class will have a designated area in the playground to allow children to play with the same group of friends or ‘bubble’ every day.  Please see school website for more details.

Classes and Class Groupings

Classes have been organised by literacy groups.  Every attempt has been made to ensure that children have a familiar peer and are part of a working group.  It is not possible to change children’s classes / class group as this has been calculated to fit with the school’s capacity audit.

Information about classes, teachers/ rooms will be emailed to children’s Glow accounts on Friday 18 June and an alert will be placed on our school app to encourage parents to check the Glow email as well.  

Groupings

Children in group 1 will attend school on Monday and Tuesday and children in group 2 will attend school on Thursday and Friday.

School opens to children on Wednesday 12 August. For the first week only children in group 1 attend on Wednesday 12 August and children in group 2 attend on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 August.

After this first week group 1 will revert to the pattern of Monday and Tuesday.

ASN Classes

ASN classes will follow the same structure, with more specific information for parents of our supported class children following as it becomes available. 

I understand that this is a lot to take in and you will have many questions. As soon as I have further updates, I will share them with you. We are all learning together and trying to make this a safe, secure and happy learning environment for our children. 

We are making a child friendly leaflet which will go on our website to support children.

It is likely that some of the above procedures will change or be adapted due as new guidance is issued.  We always wish to work with you to achieve the best for your child and thank you all for your continued support and perseverance with these new rules.  We hope that all of the above will ensure the safety of all children.

Yours faithfully

ALISON HOPE

Head Teacher