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Phased return to school letter
Monday 15th June 2020
A Phased Return to School – the Cluster Primary Schools
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We hope you are all well.
Following the publication of the Welsh Government’s operational and learner guidance last week, Newport schools are simultaneously communicating their broad re-opening arrangements for pupils today, with further information from individual schools to follow within the next few days.
The Newport High School Cluster of Primary Schools have been working very closely together during lockdown and will continue to do so during the phased re-opening of all our schools.
As such, the following broad arrangements have been agreed as a cluster:
- From 22/06/20 the Childcare Hubs for the children of Key Workers will re-locate to their ‘home’ schools
- Every pupil will have the opportunity to return to school once a week for a period of four hours; this will be over the course of three weeks, the fourth week will be utilised at the individual school’s discretion to best meet the needs of their pupils
- Pupils will be able to attend in groups or ‘bubbles’ in a manner that enables siblings to attend on the same day
- All pupils will be in groups no larger than 10 pupils; a number of schools will operate groups of no more than 8 pupils because this is subject to the availability of space, appropriate staffing and access to cleaning
- The schools will be closed to all pupils (*) for one day a week to allow for deeper cleaning and distant learning preparation to continue
- All pupils will have the option to undertake some distant learning activities in school with the support of their Class Teacher
- Our original transition plans for Year 6 are somewhat changed following Welsh Government’s announcement and the related guidance, but be assured alternative opportunities are being discussed and finalised to take place over the next four weeks
*Except for the children of Key Workers.
The Hub childcare provision will continue for four weeks as it currently runs but located in individual schools from Monday 22nd June; we will be asking all eligible parents to reapply in order for all applications to be assessed against newly refined criteria and address the fact that some family circumstances have changed since the original application.
The arrangements that we have made are in line with the Welsh Government guidance and we, as a group of Headteachers, feel that this is safest way for staff and pupils to be able to return to school.
With Newport City Council’s guidance, all the appropriate risk assessments have been undertaken to reduce the risk of infection and cross contamination, but please understand, that the risk has not been completely eliminated.
If you have been keeping up-to-date with Welsh education news you will know that these four weeks are for pupils to be able to check-in, catch-up and prepare for the summer and a continued phased return in the Autumn. The choice to send your child to school is yours. The Government have stated there will be no penalty if you choose not to do so.
School will look very different. The way we undertake our daily routines will be very different. However, what is very much the same are our pupils and staff. By working together constructively over this difficult period of phased return we can ensure they reconnect, albeit in a different way, with the wellbeing of everyone being our priority.
Information regarding “timetables and organisation” will be sent to all parents by Monday 22nd June.
Your continued patience, understanding and cooperation is very much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Debra Guy
Head Teacher
Cluster Primary Head Teachers
Crindau Primary School – Mrs M Ward (Head Teacher)
Malpas Church in Wales Primary School – Mrs S Hunt (Acting Head Teacher)
Malpas Court Primary School – Mrs D Guy
Malpas Park Primary School – Mrs K Guest
Millbrook Primary School – Mrs L Watkins
Monnow Primary School – Ms L Bowden (Executive Head Teacher)