Earlsdon Primary School
Latest News
This is where you will find all of the information that will keep you up to date with our latest events!
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A letter from Mrs Forde
Fri 05 Jun 2020Dear Parents/ Carers
We have had approval from the Local Authority and are looking forward to starting the reception children's phased return to school.
As the approval arrived last night and we have been unable to confirm arrangements with parents until today, we will be starting to welcome the reception children back from Wednesday 10th June beginning with one day in school next week, 2 / 3 days during week beginning 15th and 22nd June and full time from 29th June. You will receive a second email today providing specific details about your child's phased return top school- please look out for this.
School will look and feel very different for the children as the classrooms have been set up to support social distancing requirements. The children may be working in a new learning environment and with different staff, there will be new expectations and routines and the children will have access to a limited choice of resources and toys and short periods of time outdoors in a zoned area of the playground.
Whilst we have shared information in letters and via emails over the last few weeks, we want to take this opportunity to remind you of some key messages so you are aware of some of the changes to the organisation of the day and can prepare your son or daughter. The children of key workers will be based in the upstairs classroom and the reception children will be learning and playing in fixed groups based in one of the downstairs classrooms.
Drop off and collection
Please drop your son/ daughter off between 9am - 9.10am entering school through the main school gate.
The approach to the drop off area will be marked out to support social distancing (just like the supermarkets). The children will enter school through the Y1 door where they will be greeted by a member of staff and directed to their classroom. (Please note that drop off times may be staggered in the future when we welcome more children back into school.)
Parents must not enter the school building. Once you have dropped off your son/ daughter you will be asked to follow a one way system around the school building, across the playground and then exit through the car park.
At the end of the day, collection will be staggered to support social distancing. Please collect your son/ daughter between 2.40pm- 2.50pm .( Please note that collection times may vary in the future when we welcome more children back into school.)
Please enter school through the main gate and approach the playground in a queue following the 2m line markings. The children will be waiting in a socially distanced space on the playground.
Please be as prompt as possible as remaining in a socially distanced space on the playground may be quite challenging for some of the children. When you have collected your child please follow the one way system and leave the school site through the car park.
School uniform
We expect children to wear their school uniform but understand that they may have grown in the last couple of months. Although we still intend to take children outside for physical activity, they will not be using P.E or sports equipment and they will not be getting changed into their P.E kits. Instead we ask that children come to school in their uniform and wearing their school shoes (if they still fit) or trainers, so they have appropriate footwear.
Classroom groups
The children will be learning and playing in fixed reception groups. The children will remain in these fixed groups at playtime, lunchtime and during their timetabled sessions on an area of the playground. They will not be able to mix with the children in the other fixed reception groups or with children from across the school. As a result children from the reception groups cannot attend breakfast or after school as the blending and mixing of groups needs to be avoided wherever possible.
Lunches
The school kitchen will be preparing lunch for the children from a reduced menu. We will assume that your child is having a school meal unless you tell us otherwise.
What should my child bring to school?
All children should bring a filled water bottle to school- this should be taken home and cleaned each day. Coats and/ or hats may also be needed. P.E kits, book bags, ruck sacks etc. will not be required. The children will not be using the cloakrooms so please help us to ensure that classrooms are as clutter free as possible by sending less equipment into school with your child. In addition as the fruit scheme is not currently operating, we would like to request that children bring a piece of fruit or fruit based snack into school each day.
Please contact us if you have any further questions or queries. You will be receiving an additional email today outlining the phased return to school for your child.
We are looking forward to seeing you next week and hope you have a relaxing weekend.
With best wishes
Mrs Forde
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While We Can't Hug
Fri 05 Jun 2020The Literacy Trust have recommended this book as a way of supporting children with their understanding of social distancing and showing affection in other ways.
While We Can't Hug by Eoin McLaughlin
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Where the Wild Things are
Fri 05 Jun 2020A dear friend of our school Ray Wilson (a retired Headteacher and a member of the local community) is currently arranging fun activities for preschool and Early Years children as well as their parents through the local woods. Ray has worked with our school in the past and taught us all about the wildlife, environment, we have made dens and bug houses as well as planted the local blubells.
This week the story focus is 'Where the Wild Things are', discovering the different wild things that live in the woods. If you are interested there is a sign pointing to Where the Wild Things are on Beechwood Avenue, we believe it is near the water fountain and off Earlsdon Avenue South. Next week will be a dog centred task featuring the Gruffalo - further information is in the Echo.
Happy hunting.
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Letter to parents
Wed 03 Jun 2020Dear Parents/ carers
As you are aware as part of the wider opening of school during this pandemic, we are operating a phased return so that all necessary protective measures are in place and the process is managed with extreme caution and care. This means that it has been necessary to take a more gradual approach than the government initially indicated.
It is important that we respond to the unique circumstances of our school including taking into account our building, the size of our classrooms, staff availability and the increasing number of key workers within the community requiring places.
Staff have worked relentlessly to prepare all of the necessary documentation and risk assessments as well as reorganising the learning environment to create socially distanced classrooms by removing soft furnishings, toys and furniture.
We have enjoyed welcoming more children into school this week and have been supporting them as they have adjusted to the new environment, changes to routines, social distancing and the importance of following the new behavioural expectations.
We are planning to receive the first groups of reception children next week but are awaiting Local Authority approval. As soon as we receive this, we will contact you with more information including a start date and times for drop off and collection at the end of the school day.
We fully understand that not having a confirmed date for a return to school is frustrating. We will be in touch as soon as we have confirmation and look forward to seeing you soon.
Thank you for your continued patience.
With best wishes
Mrs R Forde
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The Twits
Tue 02 Jun 2020We have a new Twits link live on J2E, enjoy!
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New Covid tab on the website
Wed 27 May 2020Please notice the new tab that has appeared on the school website. You will notice a Covid-19 tab on the parents drop down menu. Here you will find example photographs of socially distanced classrooms, guidance and regular updated information.
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Recent letter from Mrs Forde
Wed 27 May 2020Dear Parents/Carers
Thank you for your patience as we continue to plan to welcome back more children from Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 as well as more vulnerable children and children of critical workers.
We are working hard to make sure that the school environment is a welcoming and safe place for pupils to return to and that the nurture, care and wellbeing of children is at the heart of what we do. This has proved to be an enormous task logistically, incorporating all the daily DfE guidance documents into our planning, many of which have only come out recently. To this end, despite working relentlessly since the Prime Ministers statement about primary schools reopening, we will not be in a position to start this face to face contact on 1st June. During the week commencing 1st June we will be welcoming more vulnerable children and children of critical workers into school and helping them to settle and adjust to the new school routines and classroom environments.
When we are told it is safe to do so and all the appropriate adjustments are in place, we will be implementing a phased return timetable starting with the Reception children.
When groups/year groups return to school
To support social distancing and minimise the amount of adults on site, we ask that only one parent/ carer drops their child off each day. We will also be introducing staggered start/ ends to the school day. You will receive further information about dates and times as part of the phased return.
It is important that you adhere to the timings specified to your child as we will be working hard to ensure that different groups arrive at different times, in order to follow social distancing guidance.
As parents/ carers please make sure you are aware of others around you and that you maintain social distancing at all times. Please refrain from using the school office/ main reception area and either telephone or email school instead.
Please can you talk through the following with your child, in advance of their potential return to school, to help this to be as safe and smooth transition as possible:
- Hand-washing. At school, children will be washing their hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and running water.
- Social distancing on the school site. Everyone on the school site will be very conscious about keeping a 2m social distance wherever possible – within classrooms, other rooms and buildings, corridors and outside. We will be putting up posters, marking the floor areas with tape and stickers and other visual reminders of this.
- Classrooms. Chairs, desks and other items in classrooms will be moved and adapted to enable social distancing wherever possible.
- Equipment. We’ll be making sure that children don’t share equipment with each other – including pencils, pens, books etc.
- Playtimes/breaks. It will be a change for children to not be playing in close contact with each other. We will talk to the children about this and ways to have creative playtimes/breaks that keep a social distance. The children will be playing with the children from their learning group at playtime and lunchtime.
- Lunches. School will make sure children are socially distanced at lunch times- they will stay in their learning groups. Equipment for lunchtime will be carefully cleaned and children must not mix cutlery, or share/swap food.
- Following instructions from school staff. In order for everyone to stay safe, it is essential that all children carefully follow instructions from school staff on everything mentioned above and the way that our school will operate for the rest of this half term.
Home learning
We will continue to post our weekly home learning plans on the school website and this will form the basis of the provision for the children who are attending school.
School uniform
We expect children to wear uniform but understand that they may have grown in the last couple of months. Although we still intend to take children outside for physical activity, they will not be using P.E or sports equipment and they will not be getting changed into their P.E kits. Instead, we ask that children come to school in their school shoes (if they still fit) or trainers, so they have appropriate footwear.
Website
We have added a new tab to our website entitled COVID-19 guidance. We will use this section to keep you up to date with useful information.
Thank you for your help with this as we all play our part in preparing for the wider opening of school. As soon as we have been advised it is safe to open school to more children and have completed our own local evaluations, we will be writing to you to confirm dates and arrangements.
With best wishes,
Mrs R Forde
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The Twits on J2E
Wed 27 May 2020We are spoiling you this half term - there is another one, enjoy! -
The Twits on J2E
Tue 26 May 2020Visit our J2E page and you will find chapter 17! Enjoy -
A letter from our LEA
Tue 26 May 2020I hope that you and your families are safe and well. Coventry City Council would like to thank you for all of your support for schools and childcare providers during these challenging times, it is much appreciated.
Following the recent announcements from the Government around schools re-opening, I want to reassure you and provide some clarity, so that we are able to work together as we move forward. We are aware that many of you will be extremely concerned and will hear a lot of discussion and different opinions around this. Whilst we know how very important education is to you and your families, we are also aware that the safety and welfare of your children is paramount. So, we recognise the need for children to be back in school, yet we need to ensure that they are not put at increased risk of COVID-19 at this time.
The council has always worked in partnership with all city schools for the benefit of all our children and we have been working closely with them since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a consequence of this partnership and support we provide each other, most of our schools have remained open since lockdown was announced in March – even opening during the Easter holidays – to provide a service for some of the children, as the Government requested.
We are approaching the Government request to open schools for some year groups next month in exactly the same way.
Working with head teachers, governors and local unions, we are clear we cannot work towards a specific date to return for every school. What is important, is that our young people will be encouraged back into their school when it is ready to do so, in line with locally agreed principles and against the national tests set by Government. However, we are clear that schools will only do this when they have assessed it is the right time to do so, even if this isn’t the immediate date the Government has announced.
Following Department for Education guidelines, which are strongly encouraging parents/carers to send children in the identified year groups back into school when the Government announce it is safe to do so, schools in the city will have already contacted you to understand the potential number of children who will want a place.
Once this process is complete, schools will contact you again to let you know when your child can return to school. This is complex, so it is unlikely that all schools will be able to reopen to all of the year groups proposed at the same time, but they will not be able to confirm this until all of the preparation work is complete.
We would like to assure you that we will continue to do our utmost to serve your children diligently and responsibly. Many of us are parents ourselves and we understand the level of concern and uncertainty that so many of you must be feeling.
Kind regards
Kevin Maton
Kirston Nelson Cllr. Kevin Maton
Director of Education and Skills Lead Member – Education and Skills
