Friday 16^th October 2020

Dear Parents,

Thank you so much for all your support with meeting C19 guidelines, risk assessments and the impact this has had on our ‘normal service’ since we returned in September.

Heads from the Trust & our CEO have spent considerable time taking advice from schools of a similar size to our village schools. Discussions have been around Bubble sizes and the logistics of staffing these Bubbles and the timetables that go with these. We also are mindful of Public Health England’s advice.

Following recent Trust SLT meetings it has been decided that we will make some subtle changes in school to enable us to return to a more normal life whilst running as safely as possible.

Due to the size of school, the number of siblings across year groups, the fact that Bubble 2 cross Bubble 1 to get to their classrooms and the necessity for staff to cross bubbles to support and to use the loo(!),from next week we will be running Broadhempston as one Bubble.

This will mean that we are able to run a sports club. We are currently looking to book Mr Tanner to get this club up and running as soon as possible. More details will follow once this is in place. A separate risk assessment will cover these activities.

Peripatetic music teachers will be invited back into school after half term. Details will follow when this has been confirmed by these teachers. A separate risk assessment will cover these activities.

The only time in school that all the children will be together is outside in the fresh air. This will enable us to support the children’s social wellbeing and physical and mental health with playtimes.

The following will remain in place in school:

• Risk assessments will be updated and placed on the school website.
• All handwashing, sanitizing and health and hygiene rules remain in place.
• Children in Years1-6 will sit forward facing, at all times, as per guidelines so that face to face seating is avoided. This is not an expectation for Reception children.
• Class 1 will continue to have free flow into the back playground and make the most of opportunities to be outside.
• We will continue to have reduced movement around the school which will be monitored by school staff
• The use of toilets will still be on a one in/one out of cubicle basis
• Assemblies will continue in smaller groups and key stages, where children can be distanced and forward facing
• We will use the playground at break times.
• Children will be encouraged to maintain distance between themselves and their peers but we recognise that this will be a challenge.
• Staff will be maintaining 2m distancing at all times in school.
• Parents and external agencies will still not be allowed on the school premises.
• In order to support adult distancing, we will continue to have a staggered beginning and end of day with drop off points remaining as they are.
•  

I hope this will enable everyone to feel some sense of community and normality. From talking to several parents, I believe this will be well received and allow life for our children to be as secure as possible, whilst supporting their mental health and well-being.

Thank you for your continued support

Kind regards

Jill Ryder

Link Academy Trust – Registered Office Address

        Landscove School, Landscove, Ashburton, Newton Abbot, Devon.TQ13 7LY

    Tel:- 01803 762113      Email:-       admin@thelink.academy