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Important Information And Updates About School Phased Reopening
Thu 21 May 2020Phased Re-opening of School
The government have asked school to begin a phased reopening from June 1st. They have asked schools to open to Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children and to continue to accept children of key workers and those that are vulnerable. After giving careful and lengthy consideration to the DfE guidelines, looking carefully at the school site and resources, and taking into account the best way to keep children, parents and staff safe, the following plans are in place from the June 1st.
Reception Classes
School will not be open to Reception children yet. I believe that to open to EYFS at this time is ill advised and if we were to follow all social distancing and resource guidance relating to EYFS, the children would have a very alien, socially and emotionally unhealthy experience in school that could create trauma that will make their return to Year 1 in September more difficult than it is already going to be. Early Years education is at its very heart a social education, based on play, exploration and relationships. Being taught the basic skills of letter formation, number formation, reading and writing for these young children is heavily dependent on 1:1 or small group support directly with an adult, not sitting at a table 2 metres away from the adult giving instruction. We will not be able to provide sand, water, play dough, large physical apparatus or the usual range of resources that make early years education what it should be. We will review the situation for EYFS in light of how it works with Yr1, or indeed if Government guidance on social distancing is relaxed and we can operate in a more normal way with our youngest of children.
Having spoken to many parents of Reception children it is clear that they support this decision at this time.
Work will still be available on the website, a paper pack can be collected each week.
If you have to come to the main entrance, please wait in the ‘taped box’ on the floor and wait for someone to come out to you. You will not be allowed in the building. If you need to contact school please do this by phone or email where possible.
Those children eligible for FSM vouchers will still receive them.
If the situation changes then we will let you know.
Year 1
School will reopen to Year 1 classes on June 1st. If you have told us that you are sending your child to school – these are the arrangements. Children will be taught in groups of 15 or less according to government guidelines. Currently we have less than 15 children intending to return in each Year 1 class. This means that they can continue to work in their own class room. However, timings and organisational changes have been made as follows:
- The school day will begin at the later time of 9:15 This is to reduce the amount of people on the school site at any time in order to maintain social distancing.
- Doors will open at 9:15 and will be locked at 9:20. We will not be accepting late arrivals.
- The school day will finish at 3:15. Again, please be on site and standing 2 metres away from others.
- Only one adult allowed on site to drop off and collect.
- 1HG will enter and exit through the main doors onto the infant playground. There is enough space here to stay 2 metres apart from others at all times. Please do not congregate in a group.
- 1S will enter and exit through the door which they normally come out of. Please pay attention to the tape on the floor along the vegetable garden fence line and keep a distance of 2 metres apart when you come to drop off and collect. Do not come up to the door along the small path. Please do not congregate in a group.
- Each group will be staffed by 2 adults - not necessarily their normal adults. The groups will not mix. They will use the toilets at different times (which will be regularly cleaned) and they will use different parts of the playground at social time.
- Children should come to school in their school uniform. This should be washed or changed every day if possible to reduce the risk of transmission.
- Rooms will be set up so that each child has an individual seating space – in order to comply with social distancing. They will have their books on their table as well as pencil, ruler and other resources needed which will not be shared.
- Water fountains will be unavailable. Children must bring a bottle of drink from home. Water will be available at lunch time as usual.
- Juice and toast will not be available at morning break. Your child may bring a healthy snack with them if they wish. Not chocolates, crisps or sweets.
- The only items that your child should bring to school are the water bottle, a snack and a packed lunch if needed.
- If you have stated that you do not intend to send your child back on 1st June please do not just turn up. Staffing levels and groupings of children have been carefully considered and would not be safe simply to add another child. If you decide that you want your child to return, contact the school and we will arrange a safe start date.
- Extra measures we are taking – increased cleaning, regular hand washing, social distancing, setting ground rules for social distancing, staggering lunchtimes.
- Children who are entitled to FSM and are coming into school will receive these at school. Children who are entitled to FSM and are not coming into school will continue to receive vouchers. Children who normally pay for their meals will need to do so.
- Work will still be available on the website, a paper pack can be collected each week if your child is staying at home with you.
- If you have to come to the main entrance, please wait in the ‘taped box’ on the floor and wait for someone to come out to you. You will not be allowed in the building. If you need to contact school please do this by phone or email where possible.
- If someone in your household develops symptoms, do not bring your child in, self-isolate for 14 days.
Year 6
School will reopen to Year 6 classes on June 1st. If you have told us that you are sending your child to school – these are the arrangements. Children will be taught in groups of 15 or less according to government guidelines. Currently we have less than 30 children intending to return to Year 6. The children will be split into 2 groups. You will receive a Group Text to make you aware of which group your child is in so that you know where to come to drop off and collect. Other timings and organisational changes have been made as follows:
- The school day will begin at the earlier time of 8:45 This is to reduce the amount of people on the school site at any time in order to maintain social distancing.
- Doors will open at 8:45 and will be locked at 8:50. We will not be accepting late arrivals.
- The school day will finish at 3:00. Again, please be on site and standing 2 metres away from others.
- Only one adult allowed on site to drop off and collect.
- Group A will enter and exit through the external door of Mr Davis’s room. This will be where they are based. There is enough space on the main playground to stay 2 metres apart from others at all times when you come to drop off and collect. Please do not congregate in a group.
- Group B will enter and exit through the external door of Mrs Mutton’s room. This will be where they are based. There is enough space on the Trim-trail playground to stay 2 metres apart from others at all times when you come to drop off and collect. Please do not congregate in a group.
- Each group will be staffed by 2 adults - not necessarily their normal adults. The groups will not mix. They will use the toilets at different times (which will be regularly cleaned) and they will use different parts of the playground at social time.
- Children should come to school in their school uniform. This should be washed or changed every day if possible to reduce the risk of transmission.
- Rooms will be set up so that each child has an individual seating space – in order to comply with social distancing. They will have their books on their table as well as pencil, ruler and other resources needed which will not be shared.
- Water fountains will be unavailable. Children must bring a bottle of drink from home. Water will be available at lunch time as usual.
- Juice and toast will not be available at morning break. Your child may bring a healthy snack with them if they wish. Not chocolates, crisps or sweets.
- The only items that your child should bring to school are the water bottle, a snack and a packed lunch if needed.
- If you have stated that you do not intend to send your child back on 1st June please do not just turn up. Staffing levels and groupings of children have been carefully considered and would not be safe simply to add another child. If you decide that you want your child to return, contact the school and we will arrange a safe start date.
- Extra measures we are taking – increased cleaning, regular hand washing, social distancing, setting ground rules for social distancing, staggering lunchtimes.
- Children who are entitled to FSM and are coming into school will receive these at school. Children who are entitled to FSM and are not coming into school will continue to receive vouchers. Children who normally pay for their meals will need to do so.
- Work will still be available on the website, a paper pack can be collected each week if your child is staying at home with you.
- If you have to come to the main entrance, please wait in the ‘taped box’ on the floor and wait for someone to come out to you. You will not be allowed in the building. If you need to contact school please do this by phone or email where possible.
- If someone in your household develops symptoms, do not bring your child in, self-isolate for 14 days.
Key Workers and Vulnerable Children
School will remain open to children of key workers and vulnerable children from June 1st. If your child is classed as vulnerable you will have received a letter stating which days your child can attend. Children will be taught in groups of 15 or less according to government guidelines. However, timings and organisational changes have been made as follows:
- The school day will begin at the normal time of 9:00. Other groups in school have different start times. This is to reduce the amount of people on the school site at any time in order to maintain social distancing.
- Doors will open at 9:00 and will be locked at 9:05. We will not be accepting late arrivals.
- The school day will finish at 3:15. Again, please be on site and standing 2 metres away from others.
- Only one adult allowed on site to drop off and collect.
- Children will enter and exit through the library doors from Monday 1st June. They will be based in the Y3 classrooms. There is enough space on the main playground to stay 2 metres apart from others at all times when you come to drop off and collect. Please do not congregate in a group.
- Please do not come up the steps.
- Each group will be staffed by 2 adults - not necessarily their normal adults. The groups will not mix. They will use the toilets at different times (which will be regularly cleaned) and they will use different parts of the playground at social time.
- Children should come to school in their school uniform. This should be washed or changed every day if possible to reduce the risk of transmission.
- Rooms will be set up so that each child has an individual seating space – in order to comply with social distancing. They will have their books on their table as well as pencil, ruler and other resources needed which will not be shared.
- Water fountains will be unavailable. Children must bring a bottle of drink from home. Water will be available at lunch time as usual.
- Juice and toast will not be available at morning break. Your child may bring a healthy snack with them if they wish. Not chocolates, crisps or sweets.
- The only items that your child should bring to school are the water bottle, a snack and a packed lunch if needed.
- If your child is classed as vulnerable and is entitled to free school meals but only attending part of the week – the value of the FSM voucher will be adjusted accordingly. This information is in the letter which you have received from Miss Carroll.
- Extra measures we are taking – increased cleaning, regular hand washing, social distancing, setting ground rules for social distancing, staggering lunchtimes.
- If you have to come to the main entrance, please wait in the ‘taped box’ on the floor and wait for someone to come out to you. You will not be allowed in the building. If you need to contact school please do this by phone or email where possible.
- If someone in your household develops symptoms, do not bring your child in, self-isolate for 14 days.
Years 2, 3, 4 and 5
Currently there are no plans to reopen to these year groups.
- Work will still be available on the website, a paper pack can be collected each week for your child if you prefer.
- If you need to contact school please do this by phone. If you have to come to the main entrance, please wait in the ‘taped box’ on the floor and wait for someone to come out to you. You will not be allowed in the building.
- We will continue to make welfare phone calls. If, however, you require any advice or support do not hesitate to contact school. The email address of your child’s teacher is available on the class page of the website. Teachers would love to hear from their children and will get back to them.
We appreciate that this is a lot of information but wish to keep you as informed as possible. If you have any queries please do contact school and we will do our best to answer them. We hope that all of our families are managing in these difficult times and continue to keep safe and well. We can not wait until we are all back in school together as normal.
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Alfie's Amazing Bike Ride
Wed 13 May 2020Some great news to share. Alfie in Year 3 is embarking on a cycling challenge. He wants to cycle 100 miles in 10 days to raise money for Birmingham Children's Hospital. What a great way to spend time during lockdown, getting fit and raising money for a worthwhile cause!
If you would like to donate please go to Alfie's just giving page. Link below:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/alfies-bch-100miles?utm_term=ZyNve8AyE
Good Luck Alfie!
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Update about Possible phased re opening
Mon 11 May 2020Many of you will have watched the Government's update last night and heard the announcement that schools may be opening to Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from 1st June. At the moment we are waiting for more clarity and details about this. As soon as we know more and can make plans to have children and staff in school safely, we will inform you. Until then, we continue to be open to vulnerable children and children of critical key workers. We also continue to provide work packs that can be accessed on the class pages or can be collected in paper form from the school office. These are renewed every Monday.
Free School Meal vouchers are being processed every week for those that are eligible. We appreciate that accessing the Edenred site to download the vouchers has been difficult for many of you, as it is for us, but there is nothing that we can do about that. Once we have processed them it is out of our control.
I hope that you are all keeping well and staying safe. We are missing having the children in school and look forward to some normality as soon as is safely possible.
If you are experiencing any difficulty, such as a change in financial circumstances and need to access the food bank, please let us know at school as the food bank is now kept here for us to distribute to any families in need.
I would like to thank all of those families that donated to my just giving page when I shaved my head for NHS charities last week. I am deeply grateful. I am pleased to say that we raised almost £3000
All best wishes
Debbie Colley
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Mrs Colley's Head Shave
Wed 06 May 2020Mrs Colley's Head Shave
The big event has happened!! 24 children were in school today to witness the shave. Mrs Colley looked visibly nervous as she walked to the shaving chair in the hall. Mrs Peake wasted no time in scything through Mrs Colley's locks. The children sat in stunned silence. The staff present had open mouths. Less than 5 minutes and the floor was strewn with hair.
Once complete the children gave 3 cheers for the brave Mrs Colley - raising money for the NHS. Only then was Mrs Colley allowed to see the finished look in a mirror. After a gasp of surprise - the usual smile returned. The children in the hall thought overwhelmingly that it suited. What do you think?
If you would like to donate, the JustGiving page is still open. Just go on the page and search for 'Mrs Colley's Head Shave'.
Congratulations Mrs Colley on raising so much money for a very worthwhile cause. Woodgate is very proud of you.
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Welcome to new Reception intake 2020
Tue 05 May 2020Welcome Reception September 2020
We would like to welcome all our new families who are joining Woodgate and thank those who may already have brothers and sisters attending school, for continuing their journey with us.
We are very much looking forward to meeting your children and working in partnership with you to ensure that all the children have a happy and successful education here at Woodgate.
Due to the nature of the circumstances that we find ourselves in at this current time, induction for our new children may have to look very different this year. Unfortunately, we may not be able to offer our usual programme of meetings and visits. However, we will do our best to make your child's transition into school a happy one.
We aim to give you as much information as we possibly can. We are currently open for key workers at this time and we will update you on our plans for induction visits dependent on guidance from the Government.
Should you have any queries or require further information or support please do not hesitate to contact us on 0121 464 2315. You can also contact myself, Mrs Turner EYFS Lead via my email address z.turner@woodgate.bham.sch.uk We are currently operating on limited staff but will get back to you as soon as possible.
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Mrs Colley is shaving her head for the NHS!
Fri 01 May 2020Yes! You read that right. Mrs Colley will be shaving all of her hair off to raise money for the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The NHS have been working tirelessly to keep us all safe during these dangerous times and Mrs Colley wanted to a way to raise as much money as possible. So next week she will have her head shaved in front of the key worker and vulnerable children that school have continued to look after during lock down.
Please help her raise as much money as possible. Click on the link and donate whatever you can afford. Please share the link on your social media platforms so as many people as possible can support her.
Thank you Mrs Colley. You are very brave and have the full love and support of the whole Woodgate family. Thank you to all of our families who work in the NHS, social care and other key roles. We are all very proud of you.
Stay Safe