Update 7th September 2020

Dear Parents/Carers

Following the Government announcement on 2nd July that all schools will re-open in September, we are delighted to inform you that Westvale Primary will be re-opening for all children on Wednesday 2nd September.

Obviously school will be quite different for some time for the children and we ask that you help us in our re-opening by adhering to the rules we have put in place. Parents and carers should wait at the designated school pedestrian gate for their year group at the given time, where staff members will greet the children and take them into school. At the end of the school day staff will accompany the children back to the gate. Parents and carers will not be allowed onto the school site.

Class

Start time Finish time

Entrance/Exit

Nursery 8:30 11:30 Pedestrian gate near car park exit
Reception 8:55 11:45 Pedestrian gate near car park exit
Year 1 8:50 3:10 Pedestrian gate on Melverley Road
Year 2 8:50 3:10 Pedestrian gate near car park entrance
Year 3 9:00 3:20 Pedestrian gate on Melverley Road
Year 4 9:00 3:20 Pedestrian gate near car park entrance
Year 5 8:50 3:20 Pedestrian gate on Whitefield Drive
Year 6 8:50 3:20 Pedestrian gate on Whitefield Drive

A separate letter will be sent out to nursery parents/carers with their start dates. Reception parents will also receive an additional induction letter.

To adhere to social distancing and to ensure arrival and dismissal flows as quickly and safely as possible, there will be no opportunity to speak to staff directly at the beginning or end of the school day. If there is a message or any information to be shared, please telephone school or email the school office – [email protected]

Similarly, if staff need to speak to you, they will contact you by telephone or e-mail, since they will be unable to have a quick chat at the end of the day as they might have done previously.

If, at any point during the school day, you need to visit the school office, please note that only one person will be admitted into the entrance at any one time; please wait outside, standing 2m apart. Please use the hand sanitizer provided on the door entrance before, and after, leaving the office.

Children will need to wear full school uniform. These clothes do not need to be cleaned any more often than usual, nor do they need to be cleaned using methods which are different from normal. Parents will be asked to comply with the uniform policy at all times. Your child will need to independently manage their own clothing. Please find an alternative fastening if your child struggles with laces or zips.

Children will be taking part in PE lessons. We will be encouraging the majority of PE lessons to take place outside. You will be notified the first week back which day your child has a PE lesson. On this day, your child can wear black or navy jogging bottoms and trainers instead of a uniform. They will be expected to wear their white PE t-shirt and their school cardigan or jumper on that day.

Children should bring minimal equipment to school with them. They will be provided with their own set of writing and drawing equipment. They must bring in their own water bottle clearly labelled with their name on.

The children will be learning in whole classes again –one whole class for each year group (max 30). They will remain in those groups or class bubbles for all lessons. Think of these as bubbles to stop any potential transmission of the virus. They will have the same teacher all day, except when their class is covered by the weekly PPA teacher – who is also a member of Westvale staff. Visiting teachers such as our Learning Support Teacher Mrs Lackey and our Speech & Language Therapist Mrs Vaudrey, will still be able to work with pupils in our school with the additional measures and specific risk assessment in place. A Teaching Assistant will be linked to each class to support at key times in the day.  The children will only mix with the children in their bubble throughout the day and will not be able play with other children on the playground as this will be staggered and zoned.  Lunch will be supervised and eaten at staggered times in their own classroom.

Teachers for September at Westvale are:

Nursery: Miss K McIntosh
Reception: Miss E Fealey
Year 1:  Miss A Hedley
Year 2: Mrs J Harris
Year 3: Mrs T Kelly (Mon – Wed) / Miss H Wilson (Wed – Fri)
Year 4:  Mrs J Bailey (Mon – Thurs) / Mr C Carson (Fri)
Year 5: Mrs C Munro
Year 6: Mr C Carson (Mon – Thurs) / Mrs J Haywood (Fri)

Attendance in school is mandatory from the Autumn Term 2020. We will follow normal expectations for attendance with first day response and follow up any non-attendance according to the procedures in the Attendance Policy and the Covid 19/Government guidelines.

 Anyone Displaying Symptoms of Covid 19

Please remember that children should not attend school if they have had symptoms in the last 7 days, or if they live with anyone who has had symptoms in the last 14 days.

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

  • high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms.

If anyone becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature whilst in school, they will be sent home and advised to follow the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection guidance. It is essential that the child is collected from school if requested as soon as possible.

If a child is awaiting collection, they will be moved to a ventilated room where they can be isolated behind a closed door, with appropriate adult supervision.

Children and members of their households can access a Coronavirus test. Tests can be booked online through the NHS testing and tracing for coronavirus website or ordered by telephone via NHS 119 for those without internet access.

 These are very challenging times for all of us. However, hopefully we can all work together through this. Please be aware that there may have to be changes, we will continue to update you of the situation regularly, as there may need to be further changes as Government guidance updates.

Thank you for your continued support. May I wish you all a safe and happy summer and we look forward to seeing you all in September.

A Afflick

Headteacher