Corona Virus letter to parents 19th March 2020
19th March 2020
Dear Parent/Carer,
I am very proud of our Catholic community and the fact that we have continued to operate despite these extraordinary times. I am sure that you are aware that we have now been instructed to close the school to almost all children after this Friday (20th March, 2020) until further notice. As you know, we have been planning for this eventuality and staff and pupils have responded brilliantly to the initiatives proposed.
As advised by the government, we will do all we can to stay open for the children of key workers (e.g. NHS staff, police, others in frontline services) and children with certain needs.
We are waiting for the government to publish more information on what this means but it would help us in the meantime if you could let us know if you think your child may fall into one of these categories. Please email office@st-josephs-uttoxeter.staffs.sch.uk today to inform us that your child will need to continue to attend school due to meeting the criteria. Please do not be offended if we ask for proof of profession etc. We will also be contacting you if your child meets the criteria for attending due to having certain needs. The government has made it clear that these children must attend school and the usual rules will apply. Thank you, in advance, for your patience whilst we work on the logistics of these issues.
All other children will need to stay at home, so we ask that you do not send your child into school from Monday onwards.
Over the next 2 days, we will be training your child how to access work remotely using a variety of platforms that can all be accessed through the school website under ‘pupils’, ‘class pages’. As explained in previous letters, children must participate in online learning. The following applies:
Pupils’ lessons per day:
Year 5 and Year 6 – 9.30-10.30 and 11.00-12 there will be live lessons through the platform
EYFS to Year 4 will have work allocated daily via the school website by 9.30am
We will send out instructions to help you understand how your child can log on to the necessary software within the next few days.
If you have not contacted school regarding difficulties with IT provision, please do so today by emailing office@st-josephs-uttoxeter.staffs.sch.uk If you have been in touch, we will contact you within the next few days to discuss how we can help you. Again, thank you for your patience.
It is important to stress that pupils and teachers will communicate via school software and emails only.
All policies, including the Rewards and Sanctions Policy, applies throughout this period of closure. I look forward to seeing many achievement points being awarded to your child! I also thank your child, in advance, for appreciating the difficulties that their teachers are experiencing at this time. The use of google classroom must be respected at all times. This is a time to show great maturity beyond their years and I am sure they will all do this.
In order to help with our planning, we will be having an extraordinary INSET day on Monday 23rd March. This means that no work will be set or live teaching will begin until Tuesday 24th March. School will be closed to all pupils on this day.
The school office will be open as normal throughout the closure and some members of the teaching and non-teaching staff will be in school. Please use the normal channels of communication throughout the closure. The Wellbeing Policy (available on the school website) applies throughout this period and includes reasonable expectations in terms of response time etc.
If your child is not well, please telephone the school office on the first day of illness in the normal way so we know that they cannot participate in live teaching or complete online work.
If your child usually receives free school meals, we will continue to provide them with a meal. More details will follow regarding this.
Sadly, I also confirm that we will not be running breakfast or after-school clubs until further notice.
With regards to exams, as you will know, SATs will not take place in May. The government has not yet announced if or when alternative arrangements will be implemented. I want to assure young people that the government has clearly committed to not disadvantaging any child. Therefore, it is important for your child to continue to work hard as alternative arrangements are developed. I will update you as soon as I can with additional information. We will talk to all affected children today in order to reassure them about their future.
We appreciate your continued patience as we deal with this ever-changing situation. We understand that this latest news will have an impact on you and your family and it is far from ideal.
Remember: if you or your child feels ill and you want to know what to do next, please use the NHS 111 online.
Thank you again for your continued support. We will be in touch with more information tomorrow. Please continue to remember the vulnerable in our society, all coronavirus sufferers and their families, the staff here at school and the work of all frontline services in your thoughts and prayers.
Yours sincerely
Mrs L Sassi
Principal