Well the light at the end of the tunnel is almost here!

Let me start by saying a big thank you for all you have done for the community, either as a key worker or for all you have done for the children at home, but now the time is getting closer for all the children to return to school. 

It is great to be able to welcome our children back on Monday the 8^th of March and I am looking to bring all the children back on that day. We will of course follow tried and tested procedures and risk assessments to do this as safely as possible.

With that in mind I thought I would give you the latest update on the arrangements for the children returning to school with another one of my extensive e-mails! 

To reduce the chances of an outbreak of Covid-19, we will continue to place children in ‘Bubbles’ and continue to remind the children about washing hands and continuing with the latest Public Health England advice. 

Drop off and pick up times for the children are as follows: 

The only main difference is that all Year 1 children are now in the Horse Chestnut Classroom and will now come in at 9:05am and are to be picked up at the end of the day at 3:20pm. 

All the children will continue to be dropped off in the zones in the car park (which will be pedestrianised for when the children come into school and go home).  

If you have siblings attending the school, then could you please drop off all your children at the earliest time for your first child’s age group and then pick up at the latest times of your child’s pick up time please. (e.g. if you have two children, one in Year 6 and one in Year 1, you will drop off both children at 8:45am and pick up both children at 3:20pm). I do understand that this will mean longer days for some children, but I feel it is a better than one or more of them losing dedicated teaching time. We will continue to use the ‘One-way System’ at school. 

I would also ask that you are prompt in your timings please, so we can get all the children in as safely and easily as possible. We also continue to have no parents inside the school building unless by prior arrangement. I would also ask that although not legally enforceable, it is still Public Health Derbyshire’s advice that parents wear masks when dropping off or picking up children from school (unless you have a medical condition that restricts you from doing so). 

School Uniform  

There is an expectation that children will be wearing the correct school uniform- here is a reminder of the correct school uniform.  

“At Buxworth, our children wear a uniform: red sweatshirts or cardigan bearing the school logo   white polo shirts or school shirts grey or black trousers or skirts or pinafore dresses and sensible black footwear.” 

I of course understand that the children have grown (especially shoe sizes!) since I last saw many of them, therefore if their school shoes no longer fit and to reduce nonessential travel, you can always wait until after the Easter holidays before sending the children in with new shoes. Therefore if necessary until then please get the children to wear appropriate flat heeled shoes or trainers. 

P.E. kit is still not to be left at school. Red T-shirt, black shorts, pumps or trainers and tracksuit tops/bottoms for outdoor work. (logo clothes such as football shirts are unacceptable.)  

To reduce cross contamination, on the days your child has P.E. or forest school sessions (your child’s teacher will inform you of when) I would ask that the child comes in the appropriate kit for the whole day, there will not be no expectation for them to get changed into or out of school uniform on those days. The children may leave some spare clothes at school in case they get wet at Forest Schools or P.E, however these must remain at school until needed. 

Equipment for classes  

We will supply all the children with their own equipment for classes; I would ask that you do not send children in with pencil cases or other equipment from home.  

I would also ask that you only send your child in with a coat and a drinks bottle. They may of course bring in a packed lunch if they are not having school dinners (which are ordered in the normal manner). Please do not send in book bags for the time being as we will continue to come up with creative ways to work at home to encourage your child’s reading. 

Each of the classes will have quarantine boxes for returning work and books and your child’s teachers will inform you on when they would like such returned.  

This is all in guidance to reduce cross contamination and will of course be regularly reviewed.  

School Dinners 

School dinners will still be booked on a day by day basis; however we would ask that any payments that need to be made are completed by the end of the week on ‘Parent Pay.’  

School Clubs

After school clubs will begin from Monday the 15th of March, but will be restricted to the children in your child's own 'Bubble', teachers will confirm days and times of these.

Procedures for closing ‘Bubbles’ 

We will of course continue to follow Public Health England’s advice on Covid-19 symptoms and  the need if necessary, to isolate ‘bubbles’ and we already have detailed procedures in place on the off chance we have to isolate children at home. Could I ask that you please still continue to follow current Government advicewith regards to symptoms of coronavirus, as protecting my staff from infection is a priority of mine and I also do not wish to close the school due to inadequate staffing. Latest Government advice can be accessed at  

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus 

I also need to inform you that due to track & trace system continuing to be in place in all schools that your phone number may be requested by Public Health England (currently).   

If you wish to discuss any of these arrangements please don’t hesitate to contact the school office on 

info@buxworth.derbyshire.sch.uk  

The caveat to all of this is that it is dependent upon ongoing updated Government and County advice and therefore subject to change. However I felt it was important to give you the current idea of procedures that we will look to apply at school, so you can prepare the children as much as possible.  I will of course update you of any changes if necessary. 

My staff have done an excellent job over the last few months and along with me are now very excited to have all the pupils back in school and I look forward to welcoming the children back. See you at drop off very soon. 

Best Wishes