Applying for Places for Key Workers
Dear Parent / Guardian,
Sorry but this has just come out. I am working as quickly as I can to secure places. As a country, we all need to do what we can to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Last night we received notification of the key worker list and expectation for schools from Monday 23rd March.
School will close to all children until further notice from this afternoon as the government has asked parents to keep their children at home. However, schools have been asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children who cannot be safely cared for at home.
Places can be offered to:
• Children who have a social worker and cannot be cared for safely at home.
• Registered Young Carers who cannot be cared for safely at home.
• Children who have an EHCP and cannot be cared for safely at home.
• Children whose parents are key workers (as defined below) and cannot be cared for safely at home.
The key principles (from Government and Local Authority guidance) are:
• If children can stay safely at home they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.
• If one parent is a key worker and the other isn’t, the child should remain at home.
• If both parents are key workers, but can keep children at home around shift patterns etc, then the child should remain at home.
• Provision is only available for those children who absolutely cannot remain at home.
There is no requirement for parents to take up the offer of a childcare place.
The more children that remain at home, the less chance of the virus spreading. This is why these measures have been introduced.
The key workers are Health and social care - doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector. Education - nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active.
Key Public Services - justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.
Local and national government – this only includes administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response.
Food those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sales and delivery.
Public safety and national security – police, ministry of defence, army, fire and rescue service, National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff.
Transport those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating.
Utilities, communication and financial services – essential financial services provision (e.g. banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors, postal services and delivery, waste disposal sectors.
If you think you fall within one of the categories above, you should confirm with your employer that, based on your business’ continuity arrangements, your specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service and you are not able to work from home. Proof of employment may be required.
If it is not at all possible for your child(ren) to be safely cared for at home, please complete the registration form for Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th March only, using this link https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nZszU1wt1E2P2rQsJPv9SlE2jiB4udRAotjwlpolmdRUN1U3TTFUOU9RNjZLSFZITzhXRzVKSDczVi4u
Please complete the registration form by 5pm today. This is a requirement so we can get an offer of a place out to you by 6pm today for Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th March. If you do not receive an offer by 6pm at the latest, your child will not be able to attend Chiseldon Primary on Monday or Tuesday.
Bookings for Wednesday to Friday will be available from Monday. I will then be doing this weekly for those parents who need different days.
The headteacher’s decision will be final in all applications.
Please note there will be no provision for nursery children due to staff shortages and there will be no breakfast or after school provision. The hours will be 09:00 to 15:25 only
It is important to understand that, if you need to send your child into school, they will not be following their normal timetable and normal curriculum.
Just to re-iterate, the most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can safely stay at home, they should do, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.
We hope you and your family keep safe and healthy during this uncertain time.
Mr A
COVID-19 Update
Dear All
Once again we have listened to the Prime Minister and there is not anything new for schools that have come out of today's briefing. Unfortunately, this brings no further clarity to who is entitled to attend school on Monday.
The senior leadership of the school have come up with a list which we think maybe included. We may have not thought about everything as we are not scientists or chief medical advisors that are likely to make these decisions.
We have listed so far:
However, it would be really helpful if you feel that you are a key worker and that you would require the school to remain open, please can you email me directly on head@chiseldon.swindon.sch.uk so I can start preparing for Monday.
If you are the only key worker in your household and your partner is not, then this would not apply (we think at this moment). If both of you are key workers, we are here to help, and if you are the sole carer and a key worker, we are here to help.
I am sorry that we cannot be more specific at this time but we are working with the information that is coming out of Downing Street and the DfE.
Have a restful night and we will see you tomorrow for our final day. All books, text books will be coming home tomorrow with the children so that they are prepared for Monday's learning.
Just a reminder that we break up for Easter on Friday 3rd April for 2 weeks. Teachers will not be teaching on Teams for that two week period but they can set a quest activity for children to complete to keep them occupied if you wish.
Mr A
COVID-19 Update
Dear All,
We have just listened to the PM and the closure of UK schools from Friday. Therefore, we are putting our plans in to action and making sure that we still provide the best education we can for all our pupils during this time.
We are waiting for the Government to announce the key worker groups. We know that so far he is referring to NHS staff, doctors, police, and those who deliver food. Once we know more, we will be asking parents who fall in to this category if they require us to be open.
Those pupils who have a social worker will need to make sure that they are in school every day unless they come down with the virus - cough and/or temperature. I understand that this is an extremely worrying time for us all but I am sure that if we work together as a community, we will get through this and be stronger at the end. Mr Hatcliffe and I will be in school every day should you need to contact the school. All our learning will be done via Teams.
Tomorrow we will send out user names and passwords for you to use. All you need is internet access and simply type in search office365 login. Using the user name and password you will be able to see Teams and then how they children will access live teaching and work. The only downside to this, after the teacher makes sure that everyone ends the call, children will be able to call each other if this is not monitored by parents. Therefore, please use this sensibly and monitor the children's useage. If you need a demonstration, please come in to school before Friday and we can take you through this and help you access the learning for your child.
All teachers have been working hard to make sure that everything is ready to go. Tomorrow will be the last time we can have the After School Provision. Therefore, school will close at 1pm on Friday.
Thank you for all your kind words and messages that you have sent through, we are still here. Mr A
Dear All
SLT have now met following the update from the UK Government. Although there has not been much change from the Government, we also receive updates from the DfE.
They have stated that headteachers no longer need to monitor attendance during this time, so the paragraph in letter relating to monitoring attendance, will no longer take place. We will expect our pupils to log on, either during the main teaching or at other times to complete the work, as powerpoints and material will be there - this is in the event of the school closing.
If someone in your household is in the 'At Risk' category (pregnant women, over 70s, anyone with an underlying health concern or condition), you can self isolate. If you can let the school or myself know that would be good. We need to know, what the risk is and that you are self isolating. If your child has a temperature of 37.8 or above, they should self isolate for 14 days. At this time, teachers are busy preparing in case of a closure. So if you do self isolate children can read at home daily, spellings weekly, and on our website https://www.chiseldonprimary.co.uk/special/kidszone/ there are different activities for the children to complete.
All sporting festivals, matches have been cancelled and will no longer take place for the foreseeable future. We have also decided that this Friday will be the last sharing assembly that parents are invited to until further notice. We will still hold them for the children and we will tweet or place on Facebook so that parents can see their child's achievements.
SLT have also discussed spellings - we have decided that to help parents, we will be sending out the spellings to each year group via the school APP so that you know the spellings the children will be bringing home.
We have updated the website communication tabs, so that if you need to contact the class teacher you can complete the form on the class page and this goes directly to the teacher. They will then respond as quickly as possible and within 48 hours, unless over the weekend.
If you are worried about a child's well-being and safety, please follow the link and complete the form this goes directly to our safeguarding team: https://www.chiseldonprimary.co.uk/keeping-children-safe/
If you have any worries regarding the virus, please contact me at the school 01793 740349 or via email: head@chiseldon.swindon.sch.uk or via social media. I am responding as quickly as possible. Please bare with me as I try and get back to you all.
Kind regards
Mr A