Information for families
The safety of your child, our team, families and the wider community is our top priority. We know that returning your child to school is a big decision. This leaflet shares how we are making our school as safe as possible.
What has the government said? The government announced that phased school returns could happen from 1 June (after half term) at the earliest. This will be done in stages, beginning with Reception and Year 1. There is information available on the gov.uk website for families.
Which children can attend school? From 1 June (if the government say it’s safe to do so) we will be open for children in Nursery, Reception and Year 1.
Government guidelines say a maximum of 15 children can be in each classroom. Therefore we won’t be able to welcome all of these year groups back every day. We don’t have the space. Instead, your child will be able to attend school part-time. Reception will attend on a Tuesday and a Wednesday Year 1 will attend on a Thursday and a Friday Key worker children can attend any day after liaison with the Principal Nursery will be open on reduced hours from 8:30am – 3:00pm from Tuesday to Friday. If a child, or someone they live with, has received a letter from the NHS saying they need to shield, they do not need to attend school.
Preparing for a phased return to school How is Charles Darwin Primary and Nursery preparing? We are taking a number of steps to make sure we’re prepared to welcome children. Our school is being deep cleaned over half term We’ve installed sanitiser/handwashing stations in all of our classrooms We have no-touch thermometers We have put up signs to remind children to wash their hands Our corridors have signs to support children moving around the school safely All staff have gloves, visors and sanitiser
What do families need to do? Please read all of the information in this leaflet. If you have any questions, a Q&A is available on our website: inspirationtrust.org/charlesdarwinprimary
The school day There will be some changes to the school day. We’ll be making sure children wash their hands regularly and social distance. We are following government guidance to make sure your child is as safe as possible.
Dropping children off at school Parents should make sure they are social distancing when dropping children off - there will be markers on the ground. Which entrance/exit a child should use depends on their class. We will notify parents directly about which one they should use for their child.
In the classroom Children will be in familiar rooms, with teachers /support staff and pupils they know Each class will have no more than 15 children – they will stay within this group Groups of children won’t mix Desks and workstations will be spaced apart Assemblies will take place via remote technology
Children will be escorted to the toilet and only one child can enter at a time Children in Reception and Year 1 will be able to access outdoor learning whenever possible - they will wash their hands after each session All soft toys will be removed, as these are difficult to clean regularly All tables will be cleaned between each session/break/lunch Children will be given a pencil case, pen and pencil - these will be labelled and not shared. These will be stored in the hild’s tray overnight. There will be limited use of exercise books - if they can’t be cleaned then children will use paper
Lunch time We will provide lunches for all children at school There will be staggered break times and children will stay with their group Children won’t be able to use the play equipment Children will wash their hands before eating and after spending time outside
More information for families Uniform Children don’t need to wear their blazers or ties, but we would like them to wear the rest of their uniforms. Children won’t need a PE kit during this time.
Protection for teaching teams Our teaching teams will be regularly washing their hands, using sanitiser and social distancing. PPE will also be available for staff who wish to use it. This will include face coverings, disposable gloves and visors.
Regular cleaning Throughout the day we will be significantly increasing our cleaning. This will include: All touch points Toilets Emptying bins Tables and other surfaces The school will be deep cleaned weekly.
The steps to take if someone is unwell What if someone in the household has symptoms? If a child, or someone in their household, has Covid-19 symptoms, they shouldn’t come to school. Families should: Notify us of the absence via the normal channel Arrange testing by calling 111 Follow government guidance on self-isolation Email us their result
What if a child has symptoms at school? If a child becomes unwell at school, they will be removed from their class and settled in The Nest with a member of our teaching team. We will contact parents and ask them to collect their child.
What if someone tests positive for Covid-19? We know this is a worrying thought, but we have a process in place if a child, or member of staff, tests positive for Covid-19. The entire class group – known as the ‘bubble’ will be sent home. They will need to seek testing and self-isolate for 14 days.
Nursery: 01603 733165 School: 01603 733166 Nursery: charlesdarwinnursery@inspirationtrust.org School: charlesdarwin@inspirationtrust.org