Autumn Term / COVID19

Dear Parents,

You will now be aware that we have had to close Year One until Thursday 26th November. Whilst this is unfortunate it is important that we follow the DFE guidelines in order to keep all within our school community safe and well. We hope that those who are unwell recover quickly - you are all in our thoughts and prayers.

We know that this is a challenging and  difficult time but please know that we are here to help in any way that we can. If your child starts to develop symptoms, please ensure they are tested. Please inform the school of any positive results. Thank you. If you require food parcels, home school learning packs , resources etc please contact the school office- we are here to help.

As a parent who has had a child self isolating for 14 days, I know only too well how challenging it can be especially trying to work from home and teach a child. Class dojo will provide your child's daily learning as well as information from your child's class teacher. Please do what you can and contact us if you need support. 

We hope that you and your child remain safe and well.

God bless 

Mrs Nash 

DfE guidance for parents

The Department for Education has published updated guidance for parents about early years providers, schools and colleges during the Covid-19 outbreak, in line with the national restrictions implemented on 5th November. The guidance includes the relevant information about face coverings, clinically extremely vulnerable children and extra-curricular activities.

Entry and Exit times for each year group 

Arrival is via the main front door each morning however Nursery and Reception parents will have the option of taking their child round to their classroom via the playground. 

Yr 6 8.20 am      3.00pm

Yr 5 8.30 am      3.10pm

Yr 4 8.40 am      3.20pm

Yr 3 8.50 am      3.30pm

Yr 2 8.55am       3.40pm

Yr 1 8.55am      3.30pm via dining room for collection 

R 8.55am          3.30pm.

N 8.45am          3.30pm

FREE SCHOOL MEALS OVER THE HALF TERM BREAK.

MESSAGE FROM BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL

You may have seen earlier today that the Leader of the Council announced that Birmingham City Council will fund free school meals for eligible pupils over the half term period.

This has been a fast moving situation with a local response being provided to a national issue and we apologise that we were not able to inform you earlier.

The council will be making arrangements for this during the next week and there will no ask of schools during the holidays. We are working to ensure vouchers or equivalent can be provided retrospectively to schools after the half-term break to be distributed to families. 

Parents may wish to contact the locality fund for support during the half term break.

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50224/birmingham_children_s_partnership/2156/birmingham_children_s_partnership_-_resources/2

Wishing you all a safe and restful half term break.

Date: 23 September 2020

Dear parents and guardians,

This is an important letter to share some information on how we can work together to make sure we can continue to give children and young people the best education in the safest way possible.

One important part of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of pupils, students, parents and our communities is testing for coronavirus. We all have a duty to make sure that the right people have access to get tested at the right time. Every time a test is used inappropriately, a person with COVID-19 symptoms may miss out on getting tested.

Therefore, I ask that you all follow these principles:

• you should only book a test if your child has any of these 3 coronavirus symptoms:

  1. a high temperature: any new high temperature where your child feels hot to touch on their chest or back (you do not need to measure the temperature)
  2. a new continuous cough: coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
  3. a loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste: a noticeable loss of smell or taste or things smell and taste different to normal
• your child does not need a test if they have a runny nose, are sneezing or feeling unwell but do not have a temperature, cough or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste because these are not normally symptoms of coronavirus
• if you are unsure about whether to get a test, please check the official list of symptoms on the NHS website, which is reviewed regularly
• only the person with symptoms should get a test. You do not need to get a test for anyone else in the household unless they also have any of the 3 symptoms listed above. All members of the household need to self-isolate whilst waiting for the test result
• if the person with symptoms’ test comes back positive, other members of their household should continue self-isolating for 14 days and only get a test if they develop coronavirus symptoms
• if a pupil or student in a class or bubble tests positive for coronavirus, anyone who is advised to self-isolate does not require a test unless they subsequently develop symptoms.

No one else in the same class or bubble as the symptomatic person needs to take any action unless advised by the school or college. Schools and colleges have detailed guidance and access to a Department for Education and Public Health England helpline for advice and support.

Contacts of a person who has tested positive must follow the guidance carefully and in full, which means they must stay at home for 14 days. This is because it can take several days following contact with an infected person before an individual develops symptoms or the virus can be detected. Students should only book a test if they get symptoms.

The NHS has produced some guidance to help parents understand when their child can and cannot attend school which you may find useful.

It is vital for children and young people’s learning and future opportunities that they are able to return to school and college. It is therefore vitally important that all we work together and do our bit to make this possible.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Viv Bennett CBE
Chief Nurse and Director Maternity and Early Years, Public Health England

Dr Susan Hopkins
Interim Chief Medical Officer, NHS Test & Trace
Deputy Director, Public Health England
Consultant in Infectious Diseases & Microbiology, Royal Free, London

Letter from Birmingham City Council

 24th September 2020 
 
 

Dear parent/carer, 
 
It’s been wonderful to see children back at schools and early years settings, learning, playing and seeing their friends again. I know the past few months have been hard on all of us and I’d like to thank you for your continued support. 
 
You will have seen some changes to the way your setting operates so I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of why these are vital to its safe running; please remember that although many aspects of society have opened up again, although in a different way, the virus has not gone away. 
 
While changes will vary from place to place, depending on such things as building layout and number of children, the differences you will notice could include: 
 
− Staggered drop-off and collection at the start and end of the day to minimise the number of people at the building entrance. − Children will be in ‘bubbles’ to reduce contact as much as possible, but allow them to play with friends. − If a child or staff member within a bubble shows symptoms or is infected then the bubble may need to isolate, but the setting will communicate with parents if this happens. − Asking children to wash their hands even more than usual, use hand sanitisers and follow any one-way systems while staying apart as much as possible. − Fewer soft furnishings and less sharing of equipment and toys 
 
I know some of these changes may be hard to get used to, and they may be frustrating, but they are entirely in order to keep all children, staff and parents safe. 
 
I would therefore ask for your continued patience and consideration as we all do our best to help each other get through this difficult and unusual time.  
 
Managers and staff have been working so hard to ensure early years settings are a safe environment for learning and playing, so please do what you can to support them and each other and we will get through this. 
 
Please also keep in mind that it is important that we all play our part in not going for a test unless we have one of the three covid symptoms, a temperature, new continuous cough or loss of sense of taste or smell, or if we are asked to by the NHS or public health teams. 
 
 
 
Birmingham City Council Director of Public Health         10 Woodcock Street Birmingham  B7 4BL 
If you have any questions or concerns, please speak direct to the manager of your child’s setting – they are here to help. 
 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Dr Justin Varney Director of Public Health Birmingham City Council 
 

RECEPTION INTAKE 2021 OPEN MORNING

Our open morning for parents interested in a place for their child for September 2021 will take place on Thursday  22^nd October from 9.30-10.30am via zoom. This will involve a shared power point in addition to providing parents with the opportunity to ask any questions about our school.  We look forward to welcoming you via zoom into school.

Mrs  Nash is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Reception 2021 Intake

Time: Oct 22, 2020 09:30 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88139064092?pwd=SVhhcDlWZFFsdmJKNVlibXUvbGRpdz09

Meeting ID: 881 3906 4092

Passcode: iQGL1A

What are the new restrictions on households in Birmingham?

From Tuesday 15 September 2020, Birmingham residents will not be able to mix with people they don’t live with, in their homes or gardens.

Your household is defined as the people you live with and any support bubble.

Households that have formed a support bubble with another single adult household behave as if everyone lives in the same house.

These new restrictions are coming into effect for Birmingham, to reduce the coronavirus rates of infection, which is rising fast.

What is a support bubble?

A support bubble is a close support network between a household with only one adult in the home (known as a single-adult household) and one other household of any size.

Once you’re in a support bubble, you can think of yourself as being in a single household with people from the other household. It means you can have close contact with that household as if they were members of your own household.

Once you make a support bubble, you should not change who is in your bubble.

Can I still go to a hospitality venue like a pub or a restaurant and meet up with family or friends that don’t live with me?

Yes, pubs and restaurants have to have Covid-safety risk assessments in place and must be managing the space to keep you safe. From Monday 14 September, the rule of six applies for meeting up OUTSIDE private homes and gardens in Birmingham, this is the same as the rest of the country.

Why can I go to the workplace, school, or hospitality venues, but I can’t visit other households?

We understand that it can be frustrating to be able to go to these certain places but not visit your family and friends within their household.

However, the reason that these restrictions have come in place is that the data shows that the infection rate has risen mainly due to social interactions, particularly in private household gatherings.

In places such as shops, cafes and restaurants, there are strict measures in place to ensure safety, whereas it is much easier to cause a spread in someone’s house where people are less vigilant.

Can I still meet other households in outdoor public spaces e.g. local parks?

Yes, these rules only apply to households, including indoors and gardens. However, you must still be in line with the maximum numbers stated in the national guidelines.

Can I go to meet a friend or relative in their home in an area not subject to these restrictions?

No – and they cannot come to your home either.

Can I still travel to work or school?

People living inside and outside of these areas can continue to travel for work or school. Workplaces and schools themselves should also be implementing secure measures.

How are community activities like support groups, clubs and classes affected?

Activities organised by community and voluntary organisations, including physical activity, education, providing support to vulnerable people, youth groups, charitable and voluntary work, are allowed to exceed the limit of 6 people based on their individual Covid risk assessment. However, particular care must be taken to stringently follow guidance on social distancing, handwashing and the taking of attendees’ details for purposes of contact tracing.

Can I have someone in my house (or go into someone’s house) to do repairs or other work?

You can go to other people’s homes for work purposes as long as you follow national guidance on how to work safely there. This includes limiting contact with customers, explaining your safety measures to them, making sure your staff are properly trained and understand what they need to do and avoiding crowded areas. Check before you go if anyone in your customers’ house has symptoms.

Can I go to a wedding or a funeral?

Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies, and funerals (including ceremonies at crematoriums) can still go ahead if they comply with the guidance and venue capacity, these are limited to a maximum number of 30 people current in national guidelines.

People living in Birmingham can travel to attend a wedding, civil partnership ceremony, or funeral, but they must not meet with another household in a private home or garden.

Can I go to a place of worship?

You may attend a Mosque, Church, Synagogue, Temple, and other place of worship, but you should socially distance from people outside of your household. Please also follow guidance that these establishments have set out.

Can businesses that visit other households continue?

Businesses can continue as normal as per national current guidance if they are Covid safe.

Does this affect education?

All schools, colleges and other educational establishments should remain open and continue to allow all their students to attend.

Do pupils now need to wear face coverings in schools?

The only difference in education settings as a result of the updated rules is that where pupils in year 7 and above are educated, face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained.

Can I still move to university outside Birmingham, even though I will be living with other people?

If you move away from home to start university then your new accommodation will be your new place of residence, and you will therefore be subject to any restrictions in that area (and of course national ones) rather than your current home.

What if my university says I can’t move to their student accommodation because I currently live in Birmingham?

If your university suggests you can’t move into accommodation, you must go back to them and remind them that you will no longer be a Birmingham resident, and that they can check with government regulations if in doubt.

Does this affect childcare?

All nurseries, childminders and breakfast/after-school clubs should remain open and continue to allow all their children and young people to attend.

What about if a relative provides childcare for me?

People looking after children under the age of 14 years or vulnerable adults are exempt from the ban when it’s necessary for caring purposes. This does not include playdates or parties.

Is this a local lockdown?

No, these restrictions only apply to the mixing of households in private households and gardens.

Is shielding being reintroduced for the vulnerable in the city?

No. These new restrictions only apply to the mixing of households in private households and gardens.

Can I visit another household to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person?

You may visit another household to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person- for example to provide personal care support for a disabled person.

But it is important that you limit the visit to provide the care and it may be helpful to look at the guidelines for people going into other households for work purposes for some tips on how to keep the person you provide care for safe.

What do I do if I see people breaking the rules?

If you encounter individuals breaching the restrictions, you can fill out a reporting breach of restrictions form with West Midlands Police.

If you are concerned that a business or venue is not following the Government's regulations, you can anonymously report them to the council.

How long can we expect these restrictions to go on for?

These restrictions will go on for as long as is needed to bring down the coronavirus rates of infection. They will be reviewed regularly with Government.

More information?

The Government website has its own page dedicated to the restrictions in Birmingham.

Translation of guidance for parents and carers on early years providers, schools and colleges in the autumn term

We have translated our guidance for parents and carers with children in nursery, school, or college in the autumn term.

The guidance is now available in the following languages:

A quick reference guide for parents and staff (September 2020)

Gifts from God invitation 

Parents will receive their Zoom invitation in the morning via text. Have a restful evening 

Thank you