Dear Parent/ Carer,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a safe, healthy and happy 2022!

Everyone at school is looking forward with much excitement to welcoming children back tomorrow.

Concerns around rising case rates will for some of you be causing a degree of worry and anxiety. You will have no doubt all heard or read the stories in the news recently around education and the potential impact rising cases may have on the sustained delivery of face-to-face provision.

Please be assured that the team and I will do all we can in school to mitigate the impact of COVID and rising case rates in order to provide a sustained, safe and secure learning environment for the children.

To this end, it is important that we all continue to follow the government guidance around testing and isolation. I have included links below to websites which outline current guidance.

Please do not send your child(ren) to school if they are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19:

– A HIGH TEMPERATURE
– A NEW, CONTINUOUS COUGH
– A LOSS OR CHANGE TO SENSE OF SMELL OR TASTE

Instead, please book a PCR test as soon as possible.

In cases where a member of the child’s household has tested positive for COVID-19, the child can still attend school if well and not displaying any of the above symptoms. This is also the case in the event of the child being identified as a close contact.

It is strongly recommended that these children (if over 5 years of age) take daily LFD tests for 7 days (or up to 10) to confirm they are not asymptomatic and potentially transmitting the virus. Daily tests should be taken each morning before attending school. If a daily LFD test returns a positive result, the child should isolate immediately and seek a confirmatory PCR test.

Routine twice-weekly LFD testing at home for primary-age children is not recommended.

Isolation can now be reduced to 7 days, if the infected individual returns a negative LFD test result on Day 6 and Day 7 and is well/ non-symptomatic. In these cases, where a child has been isolating and has taken LFD tests of Day 6 and Day 7, please notify the school office with results from the LFD test and to arrange when the child is able to return to school.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/when-to-self-isolate-and-what-to-do/

Despite rising case rates and the regrettable impact COVID may continue to have on education, I am sure that by continuing to follow the current guidance and with protective measures in place at school, we can plan for and achieve a successful start to the Spring term.

Thank you – as always – for your continued support and I look forward to welcoming you all back to school tomorrow.

Mr C.

Dear Parent/ Carer,

After a busy term, tomorrow is our last day in school before the Christmas break. The children (and staff!) have worked incredibly hard over the last fifteen weeks and the break is extremely well deserved!

Tomorrow, children can come to school in ‘non uniform’ to enjoy their day in school before the break, as the excitement continues to build for Christmas!

Children will be also be enjoying a special Christmas party ‘buffet’lunch to continue the festive feel.

To begin their Christmas holidays early, children can be collected from school from 1pm. The yard gate will be opened at 1:00pm, so that parents/ carers can collect their children.

Children in Team Cowell (and their siblings) can be collected from the Team Cowell class door on the yard. All other children can be collected from the main yard door. Please ring the bell and a member of staff will collect your child(ren) and bring them to you.

For any children remaining, school will officially close for the Christmas break at normal time: 3:00pm (Cowell,Walliams,Morpurgo) and 3:15pm (Donaldson and Dahl). There is no wraparound provision tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you all for your continued support…and HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Mr C.

A big, big thank you to Santa for taking time out his busy schedule to visit our school and wonderful children this afternoon!

It was fantastic to see the excitement on the faces of the children, as Santa visited their Teams and handed out the presents.

Mr C.

BLING YOUR BIKE FOR CHRISTMAS

After some tough competition, we selected a winner from every team and chose two overall school winners, one from Eyfs/KS1 and one from KS2.
All our winners received an Amazon gift voucher and every child in school should have come home with a reflective slap band to help spread the Be Bright, Be seen message.
Take a look at our winning entries!

**CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCES**

Dear Parent/ Carer,

As a result of concerns around the emergence of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, much guidance is now coming into schools regarding recommendations for the introduction of new measures and safeguards.

The recommendations include the need for schools to carefully consider whether planned Christmas eventsgo ahead.

After much consideration of the new guidance, and with a focus on enabling the children to enjoy showcasing their hard work in delivering their Christmas performances to parents/ carers, we have taken the decision to PROCEED WITH THE CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCES AS PLANNED.

These will begin on Monday, with Team Donaldson and their performance of ‘Noisy Nativity’. Doors open at 4:00pm. Children-will remain in school following the end of the school day to get dressed and prepared for their performance. Treats and snacks will be provided.

However, I would like to take this opportunity to remind those parents/ carers attending the planned performances of the mitigations in place:

– Face coverings to be worn by parents/ carers when in school and during the performances
– Maximum of two tickets per family
– Seat pairs will be socially distanced from other family pairs
– We request that all those attending, undertake a lateral flow test before their attendance at the performance and confirm a negative result
– The hall will be ventilated during the performances

The children and staff have worked so incredibly hard in preparing and rehearsing for their performances – and are so looking forward to showcasing these to their parents/ carers/ family – that we need to do all that can toproceed with plans next week!

I hope this decision eases concerns some parents/ carers may have had with regards whether the performances would be going ahead, in light of new guidance and decisions being taken to suspend  events in other schools.

I am very much looking forward to these performances!

Thank you for your continued support.

Mr C.

Today, we’ve enjoyed a visit from Fiona at Tow Law Food Bank.Fiona talked to us about what the Food Bank is, how it works and how they help people. We asked lots of questions!
We then enjoyed making posters to raise awareness for the FoodBank.
Thank you for the overwhelming generosity shown already in the number of donations we have received to take to the Food Bank on Friday. 🌈
Well done, TEAM Stanley Crook! 🌟

Dear Parent/ Carer,

Many of you will no doubt have questions and/ or concerns regarding the emergence of the newly identified Omicron variant of  COVID-19.

As guidance from the Department for Education arrives in school, please be assured that our response at Stanley Crook will be balanced and proportionate.

The introduction of new measures and safeguards will always aim to protect staff and, in doing so, ensures stable and sustained staffing levels. Measures will also seek to minimally impact on the educational experiences of the children in school.

In the event of a confirmed case of the Omicron variant, close contacts will be identified by the NHS and instructed to self-isolate for 10 days. This instruction will be made regardless of vaccine status, whether the close contact can return a negative PCR test result or is non-symptomatic. The DfE have confirmed that this 10 day self-isolation rule will also apply to children.

This guidance has the potential to cause major and significant disruption to staffing levels and the sustainability of educational delivery and provision for all children.

Therefore, I have introduced additional measures and safeguards for staff at school, which will begin with immediate effect. These measures are proportionate and will minimally impact on the day to day educational experiences of the children at school. However,the measures will provide increased reassurances and support in sustaining staffing levels in the event of a confirmed Omicron case in  school by reducing ‘close contacts’ between staff. This will,therefore, reduce the need for several staff at any one time to isolate for 10days.

These new measures will be in place for the next three weeks and will be reviewed, following the government review of guidance, in time for the beginning of the spring term in January.

Guidance regarding actions to take following confirmed COVID cases involving all other variants, remains unchanged.

Any information on additional changes or updates will be provided to parents/ carers in due course.

Thank you for your continued support as our school responds to these changes.

Mr C.

Dear Parent/ Carer,

The power to school has not been restored with estimates forrestoration of power now being 12:00am on the1st December.

Advice I have received is that it is highly unlikely power will berestored in time to allow us to prepare forschool reopening in themorning.

Regrettably, without power or heating, I have made the decision toclose school again tomorrow.

It is my hope that power and heating can be restored to school forreopening on Wednesday.

Apologies for any inconvenience. However, I hope this advancenotice of the decision to close supportsfamilies with organisationof childcare etc.

Take care everyone.

Mr C.

Dear parent/ carer,

Due to there being no power or heating in school and noindication as to when this may be restored, I havetaken thedifficult decision to close school tomorrow.

Repairs to damage around school caused by Storm Arwen stillneed to be completed and conditions aroundthe school siteremain hazardous.

I hope to have power and heating restored tomorrow along withother repairs being completed, so that schoolcan open onTuesday.

Apologies for the inconvenience this closure may cause; however,I hope the advance notice given thisevening supports familieswith any childcare needs etc.

Please keep an eye on your child’s Team Class Dojo pagetomorrow for information on set learning activitiesand lessons.

Thank you for your continued support and I will provide furtherupdates tomorrow.

Children in all Teams have enjoyed a fun end to the Half term, getting dressed up in their favourite spooky costume at the Halloween Disco.

Thanks to Mr Shaun for the music and lights!