17th July 2020

Details of September Opening of Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School

Dear Parent/Carer of new Year 5 2020 starters,

As we leave this unprecedented school year comes to a close, I would like to communicate with you our plans for opening Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School to all students in September. The DfE has produced this guidance for all schools to follow to ensure that the health and safety of the students and staff of the school remains the highest priority. Whilst we understand that everyone wants schools to return to normal, we may have to adjust to a ‘new normal’ until we are confident that the virus poses no risk or a vaccine is widely available. In this letter I will set out what this ‘new normal’ will look like at Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School in September, which may differ from the website videos that you have seen for Y4 transition, and the rationale behind some of these decisions. 

 

Please take some time to read through this with your child before school starts in September. The DfE have also put together this guidance for parents and carers to read about students returning to school in September.

 

Start of the Year 2020 / 2021

 

To ensure we have a controlled and well managed start to the school term with all students coming into the school, we are implementing a staggered start to the term.

 

We are very conscious that our new Year 5 will not have had a physical transition this year and we would like them to have the best possible start to Dr Thomlinsons so they feel comfortable in their new surroundings. Therefore, only Year 5 students will start back to school on Wednesday 2nd September. All other Year groups will then start on Thursday 3rd September.

 

 

• Wednesday 2nd September – Year 5 only

• Thursday 3rd September – All other Year groups

 

 

During this day that only Year 5 are in school we will spend some time discussing the new expectations and routines with the students, as well as them being able to look around the whole school whilst other students are not there.

 

Your child’s attendance to school is under the same guidance as before lockdown, therefore, the expectation is that all children who do not have a shielding letter regarding a health condition, will come to school.   If there are children who do have a shielding letter we ask that a copy of this is sent to the school.

 

Personal hygiene measures

We will ensure that all students have the opportunity to ensure the highest standards of hand and respiratory hygiene throughout the school day. There are hand sanitising stations across all entrances and exits in the school, on every corridor and in every classroom.  Tissues and bins with lids to dispose of any used tissues are also in every classroom. Students will be reminded to clean

hands during every lesson, and on entering and leaving a room, and to adopt the “Catch it, bin it, kill it” approach to coughing or sneezing. Students will sit in the same seat for the majority of their lessons in the same classroom thus minimising contact with other students’ belongings. Where practically possible students will sit facing the front of the classroom.  Students will only move rooms if they are having a practical lesson in a dedicated room for that subject, and this room and all equipment will be cleaned before another year group uses it. 

 

Bubbles  / student groupings 

The social distancing measures in schools have been reduced, so all Y5 students will be in their allocated form class, with each year group (consisting of 2 form classes) being classified as a ‘bubble’. However, school staff must maintain a 2 metre social distance rule wherever possible. 

 

Students will be in Year group bubbles and will be allowed to interact with other students outside of their class group, but in their year group. This enables subject specialists to deliver to students across a year group where setting occurs, and for students to use specialist facilities such as the Science labs. 

They will have breaks and lunches with their Year groups and will be allocated an area to remain in for their breaks and lunches also. 

 

Equipment / Uniform

Students are now able to take equipment to and from school. Therefore it is essential that students have the following equipment with them on a daily basis as schools are not able to lend equipment amongst students due to the increased risk of transmission. 

 

Required equipment

 

• Water Bottle
• a pack of tissues
• Reading book
• Black handwriting pen

• Pencil
• Ruler 
• Sharpener
• Rubber
• School Planner (given to students on the first day in school)
• Optional: green/blue pens, glue stick, coloured pencils, protractor, drawing compass

 

The guidance states that the following items are also allowed – “lunch boxes, hats, coats, books, stationery and mobile phones. Bags are allowed”.

 

Phones – We do ask students who have mobile phones with them that they are switched off, and stored in their bag when they are on the school grounds. Any student found with their phone switched on regardless if it is on silent or vibrate, will have this confiscated. Upon confiscation, the phone will be wiped clean and stored in an envelope until it is returned to the student at the end of the day. 

 

Cloakrooms will not be used by students for the foreseeable future as this is an additional space where students congregate in close proximity to each other. As the majority of lessons will be taught in the same classrooms, students will leave their belongings at their desk space throughout the day.  As children will not need to bring PE kit to school, we ask that each day they only bring with them the items essential for that day.  Doing so will mean that their bags will not take up much room in the classroom.

 

Uniform

 

Our school uniform remains as stated in your joining pack of letters, however we are unable to provide an area for students to get changed for PE without increasing the risk of transmission of the virus.  As students will not be changing for PE we ask that students not wear school shoes, but come in sport appropriate trainers every day (in case they forget to wear them on their PE day).  Also on the days that students have PE they can come to school in leggings / jogging pants, but still wear school uniform on their top half (if they forget, they can still do PE in their whole school uniform).  There is no longer an expectation during this period of time that uniforms are washed on a daily basis. Our school uniform policy can be found on our website.  

 

Staggered starts, finishes, lunches and breaks

 

The DfE guidance states, “…. schools should consider staggered starts or adjusting start and finish times to keep groups apart as they arrive and leave school.”

 

As a large proportion of our students arrive on buses, a staggered start time is not feasible, therefore we are adjusting our start and finish times slightly.  We ask that students who walk or get a lift to school do not arrive before 8:45am, whereupon they will be directed straight to their supervised form room through different access points in school to avoid as much as possible the mixing of bubbles.  At the end of the school day Year groups will be dismissed in a staggered fashion from 3:25pm from these same points.  

 

We understand that students use school transport and may arrive at school before their start time or finish before their bus typically arrives. Upon arrival these students are to be encouraged to remain socially distanced from other students outside of their bubbles and to make their way to their allocated access point and wait until it is time to enter the school. At the end of the school day, students will be lining up socially distanced from other bubbles in the front yard until called for their bus – this will be outdoors, and so please ensure your child has a coat in case of inclement weather.

 

As Year 5 will be the only Year group in school on Wednesday 2nd September, this will be gone through with them so they know what to do and where to go the following day when other students return to school.

 

In order to minimise the risk of COVID-19 to all students and staff, we encourage all students to be mindful of social distancing outside of their school bubbles on their journey to and from school.  Please can you discuss the importance of this with your child before September.

 

Breaks – Break time will be slightly extended, during which Year group bubbles will spend some time in their form rooms, and some time outside.  When outside, each Year group bubble will be allocated a specific area of the grounds in which they can play, separate from other bubbles.

 

Lunch time – Year group bubbles will be eating lunches together, with cleaning taking place between each bubble. Mrs Muir – our school cook – will continue making her lovely hot food for those wishing to have a school dinner. Lunchtime has been extended to take this into account.  When not eating, lunch-time will be as described in breaks above.

 

Extracurricular activities and enrichment

 

For the foreseeable future we are unable to offer any extracurricular, enrichment activities or educational visits due to the restrictions set in the guidance. We value this area as integral to every child’s learning and will offer any opportunities where possible to ensure we can offer this moving forward. 

 

E-safety

 

We would like to support positive e-safety approaches at home during the Summer holiday. Please refer to this link for up to date advice and guidance.

 

Thankyou

 

Finally, I would like to thank you and your children for your patience and understanding surrounding a lack of physical transition for our new Y5 students this year.  I hope you found the videos and information regarding that on our website useful.  We hope that having a day in school in September without other Year groups will help further support your child with the change of school, staff and routines.

 

I look forward to seeing all of our new Year 5 students in September ready and eager to enjoy this new phase of their education at Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School.

 

Best regards,

 

Liam Murtagh

 

Headteacher