Head Teacher Blog: Friday 26th February 2021

Date: 26th Feb 2021 @ 11:35am

Full Opening on Monday 8^th March

At the beginning of the week, we received the fantastic news that we are able to welcome back all of our children on Monday 8^th March and we are very much looking forward to this.

After considering the guidance very carefully that was issued on Monday evening, I am pleased to say that for Over St. John’s, we are able to open on that day in the same way that we were operating before Christmas as we already had a very stringent risk assessment in place. The re-opening plan is attached below to refresh your memories of all the details, but I would like to take this opportunity to remind you all of some of the key points as it will have been two and half months since we were all in school. It would be very helpful if you could also share this information with anyone in your childcare bubble who may be dropping off and collecting your child.

A key aspect of our plan is to reduce contacts between people and therefore reduce any potential spread and as such:

• You should come alone to drop off and pick up your child – please do not come with anyone else who then waits outside the school gate.
• Please ‘drop and go’ – do not stop to chat to other parents.
• Please observe the social distancing guidelines of 1m+ - unfortunately our space does not allow us to do 2m otherwise we would be all along Delamere Street.
• Please be on time for arriving within your child’s 5 minute drop off and collection ‘window.’ Do not arrive before their time to be ready for it, just arrive within it. Times are detailed below in the dates section.
• Face masks, not visors, should continue to be worn unless you have spoken to myself and you are exempt. Please do not be offended if I ask you about this on return – I may just need reminding!
• Please remember to use the one way system around the premises and use the pedestrian gate to enter school and the car park gate to leave. Please keep all gateways clear for movement of people and keep the footpath clear for the public.
• Please remember not to gather on the car park, grass area or cross area – go for a little walk along Delamere Street if you a few minutes.
• Children should have a small bag for their belongings – but only if they need it. For example, if they could put snacks in their coat pockets or carry their lunch bag without putting it in a second bag, this would be very helpful. Cloakrooms continue to be out of use and everything has to be stored on the back of your child’s chair.

When school closed, a number of you came to collect your child’s stationery pack for use at home that they had been using in school. Please return your child’s stationery pack on your child’s first day – we do not have enough stationery to give out new equipment for all children.

Please forgive me for what must seem like a very long list of dos and don’ts and appear rather bossy, but I am sure that you would all agree that everything that we have put in place is for the common good and I really appreciate all your support with working within these guidelines. Since this pandemic began, we have still not had to close any bubbles within our school and whilst I absolutely appreciate that there is a whole lot of luck involved with this and I am not so narrow minded as to think that we will certainly stay this way, everything that you all do to support us goes a long way to keeping our school community safe, so thank you.

Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State for Education, has issued an open letter to all parents. In it he thanks parents, carers and guardians for their sacrifices since the start of the pandemic and discusses why it is so important pupils return, the safety measures that will make it possible, and how rapid testing is key to suppressing the virus. You can read his letter here:

Letter from Secretary of State for Education to all Parents

Unofficial Symptoms PCR Test 

Earlier this week I sent out details in an e mail from Cheshire West and Chester Public Health Team about some unofficial symptoms of COVID-19 to look out for. Below is a repeat of that information in case you didn’t see it.

CWAC Council Public Health Team have issued local advice to residents to book a COVID-19 PCR test if they experience any of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, muscle or body aches, fatigue, sore throat, headache, nasal congestion or runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting.

This advice is locally issued advice and there are currently no changes in national guidance on the three official symptoms of a new, continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.

Therefore staff and pupils with these extra symptoms are not required to seek a PCR test in the same way as they would if they had any of the three main COVID symptoms.  However, they are being encouraged to seek a PCR test.

Staff and pupils do not need to self-isolate if they have just these additional symptoms and none of the three official COVID symptoms so staff and pupils can continue to attend work/school while waiting for their PCR test results unless they are not well enough. Remember: this is for the unofficial symptoms listed above only, if these unofficial symptoms are present as well as official symptoms, then self-isolation is necessary.

If either yourself or your child shows any of these unofficial symptoms at home, we would encourage you to go for a test and if your child displays any of these in school, we will contact you to encourage you to take them for a test.

#WakeUpWednesday

Between May 2020 and January 2021, the value of audio chat discussion app Clubhouse soared from $100 million to $1 billion. Only available on Apple devices (for now), it’s currently ranked #7 in the App Store’s social networking chart: not too shabby for an app that users can only join by invitation - and what a roll call of attendees so far – with A-listers like Kanye West, Drake and Oprah Winfrey among the early adopters, the app is packing some serious cultural cachet. But are there risks among the razzamatazz? This #WakeUpWednesday, National Online Safety’s guide slips on its tuxedo, adjusts its bowtie and brings you the details from inside the elite gatherings of Clubhouse.

Confirmed Dates for the Spring Term 2021

Thursday 4^th March: World Book Day. Whether at home or school, dress up as your favourite character or get cosy in your pyjamas

Monday 8^th March: School opens for all pupils at usual bubble times.

Five minute windows are:

Blakemere: 8.25am – 8.30am

Linmere: 8.25am – 8.30am

Oakmere: 8.30am – 8.35am

Delamere: 8.35am – 8.40am

Sandymere: 8.40am – 8.45am

Hatchmere: 8.45am – 8.50am

Thursday 1^st April: School closes for Easter with bubble closure times as follows:

Blakemere at 1:45pm

Linmere at 1:45pm

Oakmere at 1:50pm

Delamere at 1.55pm

Sandymere at 2pm

Hatchmere at 2.05pm

 

I look forward to seeing you all in just over a week’s time!

Mrs E Snowdon

 

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