Saturday 2nd January 2020

Dear Parents & Carers,

Returning to School on the 5th January

I hope that you are all safe and well.

When your child returns to school from 5th January, s/he will be in a ‘bubble’ comprised of their year group, teachers and support staff. “Bubble” is the term given by the Government guidelines for the group that your child will be in while at school.

Arrival and departure times for each year group will be staggered, as will break and lunch times.

This partial reopening will be different for the children than in March. They will be completing a full timetable accessing all areas of the National Curriculum.

Understandably, parents and carers are bound to have lots of questions about the partial opening of school and I would like to take the opportunity of addressing these.

What happens if my child has symptoms of coronavirus?

If your child has any symptoms of coronavirus, it is essential that you do not send them to school and notify us as soon as possible.

The NHS advises that the main symptoms of coronavirus are as follows:

• High temperature
•  A new continuous cough
•  Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

Tests are now available for everyone and you should book a test immediately. In the event that the test is positive, you must let us know straight away.

Does my child have to wear school uniform?

Yes. All children should return to school in full school uniform. As ever, please ensure that this is clearly labelled with your child’s name. To better protect the school and community we are requesting that the children wear clean uniform each day. With this in mind, the children are able to come into school on a Wednesday in non-uniform. This will allow time for washing and drying ready for Thursday and Friday.

Please see the school website for further information about school uniform.

What are you doing about start and finish times?

The drop off and collection times remain the same for children attending from the 5th January.

•  Year groups have a 10-minute time slot to enter school.
• Each Year group has a designated gate assigned to them.
• Times have been staggered for each of the bubbles gates.

In order to ensure the safety of your child and our school community, it is essential that you drop off and collect at the times you are given.  We would really appreciate your support with this.

Year 5 & 6 children must not be on school site until their time of 8:50, it is vital that the bubbles we have in school are protected. They are able to arrive from 8:50, and should not be waiting on the road side or pathways.
If you have a child in year 5 or 6 that has a sibling in year 3 & 4, and would like to drop them off at the same time, they MUST come into school via the main office. They will then be placed in the hall in year group bubbles and be released to their classrooms at their designated start time.
Can I come into the school?

You may drop off and collect your child at their gate. However, please note that we will not be accepting any visitors in to school without an appointment arranged by the school office. We would ask that you follow social distancing guidelines when you drop off and collect your child and not to congregate in groups by the playground. Only one parent or carer may drop off or collect their child. If you would like to know how the school is set up, we will be posting videos on our twitter page before your child returns to school @thamesviewj

Is my child allowed to bring anything to school from home?

he guidance has now been relaxed somewhat. Your child can bring their book bag to school with their reading book. Your child should also bring a named water bottle. Lunch boxes are allowed. Your child should also bring their named PE kit to school.

Children cannot bring in their own pencil cases or stationary. Each child will be given an allocated stationary pack which they will not share with anyone else at school.

What are you doing about hand washing?

The children will sanitise their hands on entering the school. They will continue to wash their hands at regular intervals throughout the day and before they eat. Please remind them about the importance of washing their hands thoroughly and also that they should cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow.

Can my child wear a face covering in school?

No. They can of course wear them to travel to school but they must be removed at the school gate and given to a parent/carer.

Will you be serving school dinners?

Yes, however during due to the reduced pupil numbers we will only be offering cold options.

Will you be having Breakfast club?

Yes, it will be a reduced service. In order to attend Breakfast club, you will need to book your child in using ParentMail.

Will you be running after school clubs?

No, there will be no afterschool provision on offer.

We understand that ‘back to school’ doesn’t have quite the same feel to it this year. Please be assured that we are doing everything possible to keep your children safe. We encourage you to visit gov.uk/backtoschool for information and practical guidance to help you plan for your child’s return to school.

Yours Sincerely
Mrs Rachel Anthony
Headteacher