Due to adverse weather and heaven snowfall causing dangerous road conditions around the school site, school will be closed today. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

All children will move to remote/ home learning today.

Thank you to parents/carers for their efforts in beginning the programme of home/ remote learning with their children.

Remote/ Home learning appears to be going very well with school providing IT support for those families without IT devices.

The next few weeks will be challenging for many families as they try to deliver home learning, support school in teaching their children and work from home – school is here to help!

Keep up the great work, TEAM Stanley Crook!

Please see the attached information for actions required from parents/ carers and families in the event of suspected COVID symptoms and/ or a positive COVID test.

Parent_Carer Actions_COVID19_Jan_21

Dear Parents/ Carers,

In deciding which pathway to take in reopening school for the Spring term, today has been incredibly difficult.

The publication of new and updated guidance from the main teaching unions and unions representing support staff, have highlighted their position for education to move to remote learning for all pupils with schools reopening for children of key workers and those most vulnerable only.

Local Authority updated guidance also supports schools moving to implement remote education for the next two weeks.

Balancing the need for children to be in school alongside ensuring the safety of the children, families, staff and wider community is an almost impossible task and one which has been made more difficult by the lack of guidance from government and the confused communications received from Department for Education.

The safety of the children, families and staff are top priority. As much as is practicably possible, decisions must be based on protecting the health interests of our whole school community.

Considering union advice and local authority guidance and as there are still so many unanswered questions regarding the safe return to school for children for the start of the Spring term – alongside the increased transmissibility of the new COVID variant – we have taken the extremely difficult decision to use emergency powers and close the school to all children tomorrow (Monday 4th January). This will provide myself and senior leaders at school opportunity to establish a wider, long-term strategy for the safe return of all children to school as soon as possible and when it is safe to do so.

Given the ongoing uncertainty and seriousness of the current situation in Tier 4 areas, a decision has also been taken to open school from Tuesday 5th January to children of key workers and vulnerable children ONLY. This plan will remain place until Friday 15th January and it is my hope that school will be in a position to open to all children from Monday 18th January.

Learning for children not in key worker groups or classed as vulnerable will take place remotely, with class teachers working in close communication with families to provide learning activities and tasks based around core curriculum areas. More information will be published to parents/ carers tomorrow on measures to deliver and feedback on home learning activities and tasks.

I have published a link to Gov.UK detailing the key worker list. In order that we can establish an up to date list of children from key worker families, I ask that you study the list and – if you feel that you and your family are eligible – to please contact your child’s class teacher directly on Class Dojo from 9:00am tomorrow morning. Each Team will then compile a register list of children who are eligible to attend school from Tuesday.

Children classed as vulnerable will be contacted tomorrow to confirm arrangements for attending school on Tuesday.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

No headteacher wants to take a decision to close a school to children – school is where all children should be. The decision taken today has been incredibly difficult and has not been one easily made. Everyone at school also appreciates the pressures this will be placing many families under. However, given the seriousness of the situation which we now find ourselves in, advice received from unions/ LA and the significant threat to public health, I have no choice but to make this decision to protect the wider health interests of our school community and to enable a wider strategy for the safe return of all children to school to be established.

Thank you for your continued support.

Mr C.

Happy New Year and many best wishes for health and happiness in 2021.

You will all be aware of the ongoing news stories in the media regarding the reopening of schools alongside the increasing numbers of COVID cases and the heightened transmissibility of the new COVID variant – particularly its largely unknown affect on younger age groups.

The government’s confused communications to school leaders regarding a return to school for the start of the spring term are causing significant concern and worry for all teachers and school support staff. Recent u-turns on policy from the Department of Education have further exacerbated anxiety among parents and local school communities regarding school reopening and the setting of a clear long-term strategy on schools reopening in a safe and controlled learning environment.

Throughout this crisis, I have been clear that children should be in school – it is the best place for their emotional, mental health and well-being and is the best place for them to learn and be educated. However, alongside the seriousness of the current situation and a significant rise in COVID case numbers, a return to school has to be done with regards to public health considerations focused on the safety of children, families, staff and the wider community at school.

Last term, achieving 15 weeks of uninterrupted schooling – with no enforced closures of bubbles – was a great success and clearly reflected the commitment of everyone at school to maintaining continuity of education for the children at Stanley Crook. The support and efforts of parents/ carers for the new safety measures introduced at school was greatly appreciated – as is the ongoing support which I know school will receive from parents/ carers moving forward into the Spring term.

The rapidly changing situation does require additional and clearer guidance from the government and the DfE to all school leaders on ways in which schools can continue delivering educational provision in a safe learning environment, including guidance on necessary changes to risk assessments and updates on keeping staff and children safe in response to the increased risk presented by rising case numbers and increased transmissibility of the new variant.

Ensuring the safety of children, staff and families is the number one priority for any headteacher. School leaders continue to seek reassurances from government and the DfE on the scientific evidence currently being used to direct policy with regards school closures and schools reopening in different Tier 4 areas of the country, as well as the differentiation in risk between primary and secondary schools.

As the situation currently stands, school will reopen to all children on Monday 4th January. Enhancements to current school risk assessments have been made, which focus on further minimising contacts between Team bubbles, reducing contact between staff teams and redoubling efforts on ‘hands, face, space’ around school. Every effort will be made to minimise disruption to the education of the children and school will continue to endeavour to operate as ‘normally’ as possible so that the children do not notice much of the changes in school operations – very much in the same spirit as the Autumn term was planned and delivered.

Further announcements are expected later today and into tomorrow and I will post updates to ClassDojo tomorrow with final arrangements before any potential return on Monday.

In the meantime, I hope that you can all continue to stay safe and well and I look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Mr C.

As we break for Christmas, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our entire school community for their ongoing support during what has been a challenging 2020.

In the face of great adversity, our community has demonstrated outstanding strength, resilience, compassion and togetherness in supporting one another and going above and beyond in many ways to help those most vulnerable. These past few months have clearly demonstrated the strength of community spirit at Stanley Crook and the importance of T.E.A.M. – Together Everyone Achieves More.

Since September, there have been many more challenges in providing uninterrupted education for the children in a safe, welcoming and familiar learning environment. Despite the many government guidelines and necessary risk assessments and changes to procedures around school, it has been extremely pleasing to have achieved 15 full weeks of schooling, without the need to close any ‘bubbles’ or interrupt the education of the children. The efforts of the staff and families in working together to achieve this has been remarkable and another excellent example of the community spirit and togetherness which exists at Stanley Crook Primary.

It is my wish that we can all now look forward to 2021 with much hope of better days ahead.

Have a Happy Christmas and many wishes of health and happiness in the new year.

Thank you to Mrs Liddle and Mrs Law for serving over 140 delicious Christmas lunches!

As always, these lunches were enjoyed by all and although things were slightly different to normal, each Team bubble of children and staff had lots of fun!

A huge ‘Well Done!’ to each Team bubble for their efforts in writing, directing and performing their very own Christmas presentations.

Because of restrictions, these performances have had to be a little different this year – however, each presentation was outstanding and clearly demonstrated the range of skills in each Team!

A DVD of the Team presentations will be sent home to each family to enjoy over the Christmas break.

In the absence of inter-school sport competition this term, each bubble has utilised their dance units in PE to establish and choreograph a Christmas-themed dance routine.

Each bubble has then delivered their completed routines as part of a special Christmas edition of Stanley Crook Does Strictly Come Dancing!

Every dance was outstanding and different in context and content! It was an extremely difficult decision for the judges – however, after a close vote, Team Cowell were overall winners and were extremely proud to lift the glitter ball trophy.

Great work, TEAM Stanley Crook!

Despite the many changes to school routines this term, everyone wants to ensure that the children have an opportunity to celebrate Christmastime with some our our usual festive activities and learning.

Watch this space for festive activities and competitions across school and between bubbles!