RE: Nursery/Reception children returning to school

Dear Parents and Carers,

I am pleased to be able to tell you that Public Health England have now advised Liverpool Council that it is safe to open school wider to welcome back some Nursery and Reception children in the next few weeks. There is no definite date yet but I will update you when I find this out. Our teachers are really excited and are so looking forward to seeing all the smiling faces and finding out all the exciting things that the children have learnt with their families during lockdown.

Before you return though I need to just explain a few things about what school will be like when you do come back because unfortunately due to Covid 19 the government has asked us to make a few changes to help keep you and your families safe. I’m sure you already know lots about social distancing and this is a big part of the changes we have had to make. We know that younger children find this really challenging but we will teach them through fun games and songs about trying to keep apart. We have a detailed risk assessment that you can find on Weduc and our website that will tell you all the controls we have had to put in place.

One of the biggest is the restriction on the number of children that we are advised to have in each class bubble, our risk assessment has identified smaller than normal bubble groups. The government have told us that we can only have a maximum of 15 in each class but in St Oswald’s we do not have the space required for 15 so our numbers are much smaller than that.

Prior to giving out all of our arrangements it would be really helpful for our planning to know if you are sending your child back to school before the summer holiday. The more information we have the more we can prepare to welcome them back. So can I ask that you fill in the attached questionnaire, please follow the link and answer the questions.

Click here to answer the quick survey

Thanking you in anticipation,

Mrs M Walsh
Headteacher

Download: Nursery and Reception Wider Reopening [PDF]

RE: Y6 returning to school

Dear Y6 and families,

At last I can let you know that you can come back to school on Monday 22nd June, it is what we have all been waiting for and we are excited to see all of you again.

Before you return though I need to just explain a few things about what school will be like when you do come back because unfortunately due to Covid 19 the government has asked us to make a few changes to help keep you and your families safe. I’m sure you already know lots about social distancing and this is a big part of the changes we have had to make.

We must make sure that all pupils can be kept 2 metres apart at all times and this includes in the classrooms. This means that we had to move our classrooms around so that you can all sit at your own desk 2m away from other children. You will have your own equipment and resources and not be allowed to share with anyone else.

This also means that we cannot fit the whole class in one room. In our classrooms we can fit between 10-12 children in each room. This means that your classes will be split into bubbles of children, one in Mr Dunn’s room, one in Miss Kirwan’s room, one in the computer suite and if we get big numbers we will be using the year 5 rooms as well. Not all your Y6 classmates are coming back so unfortunately you will not be able to catch up with everyone. Each bubble will be taught by different teachers so you may not have your own teacher.

Each bubble will have separate playtimes and lunchtimes and will not be allowed to mix with any other bubble. The bubble that you are allocated will be the bubble that you stay in until we finish school in July. These rules are very important to help stop the spread of the virus. We have asked that you let us know who is coming back to school so that we can sort out the bubbles with as many friendships as possible but this might not always be something we can do.

Life in school will not be as we are used to, the playground will be zoned off so only children from one bubble can play in particular areas, there will be new markings in the corridors so that you know where you can and cannot go and to help you maintain a 2m distance from others. Hand washing and hand sanitising will be regular.

Unfortunately, there will be no assemblies, no after school clubs and no end of term parties, however we will try and make school as much fun as possible and I know there will be lessons and activities around transition to secondary school, but sadly not what we all would have wanted.

Each bubble of children will enter and exit school via separate places, once we know who is coming back to school and what bubble you are in I will let you know. School uniform is optional but we ask that clean clothes are worn each day. We ask that when you come to school you only bring a coat and a water bottle no other equipment. If you have a packed lunch it should be in a disposable, plastic bag. There are new codes of conduct and a Home School Agreement that must be signed by your families as you come back and will explain other rules as well.

All of this may seem very odd and it is not meant to put anyone off coming back to school, I just need you to know what to expect when you come back. What I will promise is staff who will greet you with a smile and will do everything they can to make school fun again, we have missed all of our wonderful children and want to get back to seeing Y6 before you leave us.

I will be contacting you again by Friday 19th at the latest telling you what bubble you will be in and where your room will be.

Regards,

Mrs M Walsh
Headteacher

Download: Y6 Return To School [PDF]

Dear Year 6 children,

Normally at this time of year, we would be busy organising lots of fun events and experiences for you, to make the end of your school year a special one. As we cannot officially celebrate you leaving St. Oswald’s, we are going to put together a video of memories, for you to treasure. We need your help to compile a range of memories, pictures and written mementos to make the video as special as possible.

We would love any offerings of photographs of you now; during lockdown, or lower down the school, video messages of any memories you have (no longer than 15 seconds) and writing or pictures you think would look nice within the video (poetry, messages of thanks, memories and prayers). The more the better!

If you have access to the internet, send them to our year 6 school email address, making sure to label with your name and class.

Y6@stoswaldsschool.com

If you have paper copies, we would be grateful if you could hand them into the school office or during your time in your year 6 bubbles.

The closing date for all entries is Friday 26th June 2020. We want everyone to be on it in some way and we know it will be an amazing video to look back on.

We look forward to seeing all of your wonderful memories.

Many thanks

Year 6 Teachers

Download: Dear Year 6 Children [PDF]

To keep ourselves, friends, adults and family happy and safe, we:

• Listen and follow the advice of our grown-ups, particularly when we are moving around the school
• Wash our hands with soap and water when we arrive at school, at the end of the day, when we’ve used the toilet

and when we are told to.

• Stay at the desk we have been given and only leave it with permission from our grown-ups
• Use our own class equipment – we don’t share
• Do not bring toys, books, pencil cases or bags into school
• Only play with the children in our class bubble
• Try and keep 2m social distancing- no touching, hugging etc
• Only play games that follow the social distancing rules – we cannot play contact games
• Try not to touch our face, this includes our mouth, nose, ears and eyes.
• Always cover our mouth and nose if we cough or sneeze. We use a tissue if we can and wash our hands.
• Let a grown-up know if we have a problem
• Speak to a grown-up if we are worried about anything
• Tell a grown-up straight away if we feel unwell.

Download: Child Code Letter [PDF]

This is a message from YPAS.org.uk

—

We have been working with LivPac and parents to put together a page specifically with resources for our SEND parents, this includes two personal blogs from our parents about life during lockdown which I am certain you will find uplifting, like the first parent blog it shows how our parents are coping during these times using humour, warmth, technology and embracing community for support.

The resources included in this page can be used by both parents and professionals and it has a number of different focus areas all in alphabetical order which should prove easy to use for both.

The link for the page is https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/send-parenting/.

The blog covers the following areas;

• Parent Blogs
• Send Resources and Support
• FOCUS: Bereavement resources
• FOCUS: Early Years / SEND resources
• FOCUS: Liverpool SEND Support Groups
• FOCUS: Mental Health support
• FOCUS: Preparing for Adult Life
• FOCUS: Supporting families during Covid-19
• FOCUS: Supporting children through Covid-19
• FOCUS: Transition back to school
• “SEND Toolkit” (an introduction to supporting children with additional needs in the classroom):
• Supporting Students with Autism
• Support
• Partner Websites
• Website and activity ideas
• Other Useful Resources

I would like to thank the parents, LivPac who have been an outstanding supporting organisation and our amazing partners across the city for their contributions to this.

There are two additional pages that have been developed recently which offers information, https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/parenting-through-covid-19/ and the second is an insight into how services are currently supporting families across the city during Covid 19, https://fsd.liverpool.gov.uk/kb5/liverpool/fsd/service.page?id=tbo-99nGg_A&familychannel=9.

Good morning!

Here are your weekly Home Learning planners for the week ahead:

Nursery > Click here

Reception > Click here

Year 1 > Click here

Year 2 > Click here

Year 3 > Click here

Year 4 > Click here

Year 5 > Click here

Year 6 > Click here

Leave us a message or picture in the comments of any work you complete as you go! We love seeing your progress.

Thank you.

This is a message from Elaine McNeill at LJMU:

—

Hello,

As you know during the Covid-19 Lockdown we’ve all had to adapt and do things differently. But thankfully we’ve seen an increase in arts and creativity across the country with rainbows artworks offering a symbol of hope.

I’ve developed the labyrinth research project along with our outreach department at LJMU and we would really like to reach out to the schools in Liverpool during Lockdown. We’ve developed a Covid-19 Art competition that invites young people to express their experiences of social isolation. The winning pupil’s school will receive £250, with runner up prizes of £100.

I’ve attached some posters to share:

Download: LJMU Covideo Competition [PDF]
Download: LJMU Art Competition [PDF]

We are asking young people to engage in an art project and submit them for a competition:

Artwork Entries:

We’re keen to know from our young artists, what new things they have done during this time?

What will they look forward to once this is over?

• Young artists can work with anything from paint and pencils to crayons or charcoal.

• Young writers can use spoken word and create a design using lettering (hand drawn or digital)

The competition is divided into two categories:

Primary Schools

Ages 4 – 7
Ages 8 – 11

Secondary Schools

Age 11-15

Looking forward to hearing from you and hearing your lockdown tales.

Best,

Elaine McNeill
Liverpool John Moore’s University

This is a message from Councillor Barbara Murray: Cabinet Member – Education, Employment and Skills:

—

Good morning,

I hope you and your families are all keeping well.

You may have noticed that we have started a campaign to improve parental behaviour at school gates on the return to school. We are using COVID-19 social distancing requirements to try and establish behaviour change at the school gates. Ideally we want to stop all cars parking or dropping off within a given radius dependent on the particular school and we want children to start walking approximately 200 meters to school which could be the last leg of the journey.

Obviously we will be developing our guidance as we monitor the situation.

Additional resources:

Download: Parents Back to School Guide [PDF]

Video: https://vimeo.com/425116815/ffc36b0e28
Video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=246680076428591

Stay safe and well.

Kind regards,

Councillor Barbara Murray
Cabinet Member – Education, Employment and Skills

Dear parents/Carers,

We have been advised by the local authority that following recent information about the virus and advice from local Public Health, any wider openings to children in Year 6 on 15 June is not advised. Consequently children from year 6 will not be invited back to school on 15th June.

Any wider opening will be dependent on a number of variables including advice from local Public Health colleagues, availability of teaching staff, cleaning staff, classroom capacity, entrances and exits and PPE.

I realise this will be disappointing for lots of children and families but the safety of everyone has to be the priority, school will of course keep you updated when any more information become available.

Regards

Mrs Walsh
Headteacher