We are so looking forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Monday morning!  The school has been thoroughly cleaned and tidied, we have reviewed our curriculum the teachers are all planned and ready and we are all raring to get back to ‘normal’!

I have attached here the start and end of day procedures as a reminder:-

End of the Day Procedures

Start of Day Procedures

Please can we remind parents of the importance of sticking to the 2m social distancing, and of keeping younger siblings with you at drop off and pick up. So far we have not had to close any classes due to Covid, and the worst case scenario is if we get a positive case and there has been mixing we might have to close more than one bubble or even the whole school and return to remote learning – and we really do not want to have to do this!

Teachers will be letting you know which days are PE days so that children can come to school in their PE uniform (dark coloured tracksuits please), and can we remind parents that children JUST need a packed lunch (if not having a school meal), a waterbottle and a reading book in ONE bag, as well as their waterproof coat.  Just one bag as there really isn’t space for more in the classrooms.

We are very aware that non-essential shops are closed, and that this includes shoe shops.  If your child’s school shoes still fit then please can they were them.  If they do not, then children can wear clean, sensible shoes or trainers (not boots/Uggs please).

Have a restful and enjoyable weekend and we very much look forwards to seeing you next week!

About 1 in 3 people with coronavirus do not have symptoms but can still pass it on to others. Regular testing of people without symptoms is important to help stop the virus spreading and protect your loved ones. As lockdown restrictions gradually ease we all need to play our part to help protect each other.

The following people in England will have access to regular rapid lateral flow testing made available to them as schools reopen:

• secondary school pupils
• primary and secondary school staff
• households, childcare and support bubbles of primary and secondary-age pupils
• households, childcare and support bubbles of primary and secondary staff

Primary school pupils will not be asked to test at this time.

Find out about childcare bubbles and support bubbles.

Learn what rapid lateral flow testing is and why it’s being used.

Here is a link to the full guidance and information.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff

This year we are not in school for World Book Day. But, we can still celebrate and share our love of reading and books – virtually!

On Thursday next week send in photos and videos of you reading and enjoying books and stories. You could share a story with a parent, brother, sister or your pet!

Maybe you could dress up as your favourite character? Maybe you like to read in different places like up a tree, in a tractor or under the stairs?!

WBD – Quiz Here is a fun quiz to have a go at too.

Also, take a look at the World Book Day website where there are lots of ideas and activities for celebrating books and reading: https://www.worldbookday.com/

Send in any photos and videos to the class email addresses. We look forward to seeing them!

A slight tweak to the timings for families with siblings when school fully re-opens on 8th March – please can all families with children in different classes, arrive at school at the earliest time, and collect at the latest time – as this maximises time in school – thank you!

Following the announcement that schools will be opening to all children form Monday 8^th March, I thought it would be helpful to remind parents of some key information relevant to the safe and smooth operating of the school in this Covid19 world.  The start and end of day times and procedures remain the same, but here is a reminder:-

Start of the Day

*Siblings are to arrive at the time of the eldest sibling

End of the Day

*Siblings are to be collected at time of eldest sibling (if this includes a sibling in Class 1, then please collect from the infant playground.

• Please arrive and depart promptly.
• Please ensure you maintain 2m distancing at the start and end of the day – this is so important to keep the class ‘bubbles’ apart. If there happened to be a positive case of Covid19 within school, and the class ‘bubbles’ were not kept apart, then this could lead to school closure – which we do not want to happen.
• Children should only be collected by members of their own family/household or support bubble.
• Class 3 & 4 Parents: Please be considerate of local residents’ property and access when collecting children at the end of the day from the top gate.
• If you are going to be late collecting, please notify the school, and then wait until after 15:25, when all other children have left the school grounds.

Care Club

• Care Club will be available, but we kindly stress that parents should only book Care Club if absolutely essential and not as a convenience. We have a limit to the numbers that we can take and we need to ensure that we prioritise those essential workers.
• Bookings can only be made a week in advance, and should be made by noon on the Thursday for the following week – so the earliest booking for the week beginning 8th March is Monday 1st March.
• Further details in Care Club Procedures.
• Care Club Procedures

Illness / Self Isolating

• Please keep children at home if they are ill.
• If your child is displaying any coronavirus type symptoms, then they need to stay at home and be booked for a coronavirus test.
• Inform the school that your child/children won’t be attending due to self-isolating, as well as whether it is due to having symptoms and going for a test, or whether they are a primary contact of someone who has tested positive.
• Let the school know when the test is booked.
• As soon as the results of a test are known please inform the school via email: admin@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk (out of hours) or a phone call (in hours). This is really important.
• Ensure the school has an accurate email address, as if children are well they will be expected to follow our Remote Learning Policy

Communication

Due to the need for prompt arrivals and departures, as well as social distancing, we kindly remind parents that they ring or email the school with any queries.  If the query is general then please use the admin@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk address, or if it is specific to a class then you are welcome to use the class email addresses.

Uniform and Belongings

• We do feel uniform is really important, so kindly ask that full school uniform, including appropriate black school shoes are worn.
• Children can wear PE uniform all day on PE days.
• Children must bring in minimal belongings, so just a packed lunch (if required) and waterbottle, waterproof coat and reading book, all in ONE bag please.

Thank you so much for all your positive support throughout the Autumn Term and the last 8 weeks.  We know that school is still going to be operating in a Covid secure way rather than normal, and we look forwards to your continued patience and understanding so that we can keep school as normal as possible for the children, whilst respecting everyone’s safety and well-being.

We are holding a ‘live’ Pet Show and Tell session on Microsoft Teams on Monday 25th January at 1pm.  All children are welcome to join (with or without a pet), and all children do need a parent to attend with them.

In order for the session to work as smoothly as possible we kindly ask that:-

• You ‘join’ the meeting in plenty of time, as with the numbers potentially being large it may not be possible to admit latecomers.
• Please ensure children are dressed and not in pyjamas.
• You select mute on joining the meeting.
• Miss Relph will be hosting the session and will manage the ‘show and telling’.
• Children will be invited to ‘show’ their pet (either in the flesh or in a picture) and tell us some information about it. If there are a large number of participants we will have to limit the amount of information shared.
• To volunteer to speak we ask that parents select the ‘raise hand’ symbol on the icon bar, and then to de-select once your child has spoken.

Please be patient with us – we have never done this before and have no idea how it will work – but we know how important it is for the children to see each other in a social context.

Please read the following Protocol and Communicating on Microsoft Teams document prior to the session.

Protocol and Communicating on Microsoft Teams

We are delighted to share with you the nativity performance that Class 1 have created!  A big well done to Mrs Fox and her team, and the children, for their hard work!