This is a message from Elaine McNeill at LJMU:

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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:

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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

Picture News have provided some Lockdown Reflection/Transition Resources.

Looking at children’s experiences during this period, this can be completed at home with families. It can be used to support any transition for children who are returning in June but also as a reflection for the past few months and looking ahead to the next school year.

Story: Reflected on and sharing with others our experiences during the pandemic.

Question: What have you learned about yourself from your lockdown experience?

Download: Emotion roller coaster Proforma [PDF]

Download: Lockdown Reflection – June 2020 [PDF]

Download: Lockdown Writing Proforma [PDF]

Download: Picture News Special Resource – Lockdown Reflection [PDF]

Information has been published on the Liverpool City Council website updating parents with no alternative at all of a limited availability of holiday provision. Please see below.

Hubs for primary-aged children

The hubs are closing on Friday 22nd May 2020 and will not reopen. Provision will be offered from your child’s primary schools from Monday 1st June (at St Oswald’s Primary School this will be from Monday 8th June) for vulnerable pupils and key workers. Please check your child’s school website for details.

We are incredibly grateful for staff who have worked in or supported the hubs across the city.

Half term provision for primary aged children

During the half term period from Monday 25th May to Friday 29th May (please note that St Oswald’s Primary School will have a half term period of Monday 25th May to Friday 5th June) there will be a limited number of places for primary aged children ages 5 to 11. There are a limited number of 72 places available for children where there are 2 key worker parents both working out of the home at the same time next week.

North: Rice Lane Farm. (20 places) – open 9.00am to 4.00pm – available Bank Holiday Monday if sufficient demand. Cost: £20 per day per place.

Central: Out of this World, Joseph Lappin Centre. (up to 32 places) – open 8.00am to 6.00pm – available Bank Holiday Monday if sufficient demand. Cost: £20 per day per place.

South: Five for Families (Speke). (20 places) – open 9.00am to 4.00pm – available Bank Holiday Monday if sufficient demand. Cost: £30 per day per place.

Places are only available in exceptional circumstances. Places will be allocated on prioritised need for key critical workers and first come first served.

Please email: Judith.Boyce@si.liverpool.gov.uk; to discuss a place.

Staff who have worked in all types of education settings for the last 3 months need a break during half term and some will also be working to prepare their school for opening to key workers children and vulnerable. Employers, including those of key workers should also recognise that their staff need a break. As above we will do all we can to accommodate those with no alternative options.

Primary schools

All primary schools are closed for the half term during the half term period from Monday 25th May to Friday 29th May (please note that St Oswald’s Primary School will be closed until Friday 5th June and reopen on Monday 8th June). They will reopen for their own vulnerable children and key workers. Please check your child’s school website for details.

Secondary Schools

Provision continues to be available for vulnerable children and key workers from your child’s school. Please contact the individual school and check their website for details.

There is no half term provision for secondary aged children.

Special Schools

The majority of special schools are closed during the half term period from Monday 25th May to Friday 29th May. Palmerston, Redbridge & Princes are offering some support to their own families. Special schools will reopen on Monday 1st June for vulnerable children and key workers. Please check your child’s school website for details.

Care for nursery and early years children

Keyworkers who need to secure child care provision as their usual provider is not open or does not plan to open need to contact the Family Information Service on 0151 233 0499 or 0151 233 0495 or email EarlyYears@liverpool.gov.uk who will identify a provider for them.

View a list of private, voluntary and independent childminders and nurseries that remain open.

Dear parents and carers,

Like you all, I am aware that we are living in very troubling and uncertain times. I sincerely hope and pray that all your families are safe and well.

I am extremely grateful to the staff in our school. Not only has the school been open as a hub every day, including some back holidays, but teachers have also been providing information and resources for all our pupils. I am sure you are aware, through the media that we are still in a situation of some considerable confusion regarding the potential phased reopening of schools. Even as I am writing this, it appears that the situation is changing daily if not hourly.

As Chair of Governors I have kept in regular contact with the school and we, as a Governing Body have been holding regular meetings via Zoom.

There are many factors for staff and governors to consider regarding the current situation which is primarily focused upon ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone in school. In addition to the many difficulties all schools face, St Oswald’s is one of the largest primary school in the country with a split site and a very challenging layout.

Being very honest with parents, one thing that can be confirmed, is that however our phased re-opening is managed moving forward, school will be a very different place during this unsettled period. It is highly unlikely that children will return to their class teacher or teaching assistant and may be separated from friends.

I cannot praise highly enough the hard work, courage and dedication of every person working in the School. All members of the senior leadership, teachers, administration staff, support staff, catering service and our cleaning team have all contributed to a fantastic effort that has kept those attending safe.  I think that as this week we saw #thankateacherday it is fitting to thank, not only the teachers, but everybody involved in the smooth operation of our hub.

The staff are greatly missing each and every one of our precious school family. However, I am sure you will all agree that the safety and wellbeing of our children and staff has to remain our absolute priority.

I hope you all keep safe and well.  I would ask that you keep our school community in your prayers as we continue to work together during these unprecedented times.

Mrs Walsh will keep you fully informed of developments as the situation develops.

Kind regards,

Tony Hegarty
Chair of Governors

Download: Mr Hegarty Letter [PDF]

School Opening Arrangements

Download: School Opening Arrangements Letter [PDF]
Download: Letter from Steve Ready: Liverpool Position on School Re-openings [PDF]
Download: St Oswald’s Risk Asessment [PDF]

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Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope that everyone is safe and managing to cope with this strange new world we are all living in. I’m sure that there isn’t a family that hasn’t in some way been affected by this virus and I pray that we can all come through this together as best we can.

Following on from the communications from Steve Reddy, Director of Children’s Services, outlining the Liverpool Position on school reopening, our Governing Body has elected to follow this guidance too but with some slight alterations, namely the timing of the half term break.

I wanted to write to you to further clarify our position as a school, and the potential way forward; all decisions the Governing Body and I have made have been with the best interests of our children, staff and community at heart. In communications with families, we have been overwhelmed by the positive and kind comments, these have been so welcome and have helped us through some very anxious times.

Since March, St Oswald’s school has been open as a safe space Hub for the children of key workers and vulnerable children. There has been as expected, a limited uptake for this facility, this is as it should be, as the Hub was always open on the understanding that it was a last resort and the safest place for everyone was at home.

On May 22nd the St Oswald’s Hub will close for the final time and all Liverpool schools with have the planned half term break. As previously agreed, St Oswald’s will reopen on June 8th for the children of key workers and vulnerable children, this should continue to only be where there is no other viable alternative, as the safest place for the vast majority of children is their home. This provision will be childcare not education based and we will continue to provide home learning for all our pupils during this time. We will be applying challenge when families ask for a key worker place, just as we did when we opened the Hub. Please do not be offended, this is to make sure we can provide a safe environment for all.

As outlined in Steve Reddy’s letter from Friday last week, on June 8th Liverpool City Council will be conducting further risk assessments to ascertain whether Year 6 pupils return to school later in June. Once we know more, we will be in touch. These risk assessments, which will include liaising with public health and taking into account the local context of Covid 19, will continue before other year groups potentially come into school.

Schools too are making risk assessments based on their own circumstances’ around space, staffing numbers and availability to be able to meet the stringent requirements to reopen.

As and when children do return to school, it will by no means be in ‘normal’ circumstances, I want to make this very clear from the start; school will be very different. We have to introduce strict social distancing measures, which I’m sure you can imagine is extremely difficult. Children will have to adhere to the new stricter behaviour requirements and those who cannot or will not follow social distancing would have to be risk assessed to determine whether it would be safer for them and others if they stayed at home.

We will be allowed no more than 15 children in a class group, so half the children will not be in their usual classroom or with their teacher. We have been advised that the children must remain within the group that they are with for lessons, break times and lunch times. The 15 child bubble will only be allowed to mix with themselves, no other friendship or learning groups will be allowed. Within each class group children will be socially distant, separate on a table, working in the same area, with the same equipment throughout the day to prevent cross contamination. Children will be limited to bringing only a coat and possibly a packed lunch in a disposable container, a drink bottle will be a requirement to prevent sharing of cups.

Lunch and playtimes will have to be staggered so that these bubbles of children do not mix. The school day will have to be altered to accommodate arranged times for drop off and pick up. Entrances and exits from the building will have to be agreed with adults having to distance at the agreed points. Throughout the day there will be planned and regimented hand washing and cleaning protocols, the buildings will have one way systems for travelling.

As you can see there is a lot of planning and risk assessing that will go into any decisions to safely open school. I feel sad just thinking about how this goes against all our usual, happy school life. For our year 6 who must want so much to have leaving celebrations and big goodbyes, sadly there will be none. We are not allowed to gather together so that expectation must be managed with your children.

I want to make it clear that there is no expectation for you to send your children back to school, this is a family decision, and there will be no pressure to attend. If families make the decision that your child is safer at home then we respect that decision, no one will be penalised for non-attendance at this time.

Having had communications with some families we understand that a number of you do not intend for your children to return to school at this time so alongside any potential reopening we will be continuing to provide access to home learning and communications with teachers via the usual method of Weduc and the website.

There has been lots of commentary and fear about children falling behind in school, well ALL children are not in school so there can be no falling behind. When we do get back to normal school, the professionals will ensure gaps are filled and basic skills reemphasised, but for now my advice is to look after each other, enjoy the precious time together and try and be happy. Anxiety needs to be minimised.

So in closing, I just want to reiterate that there is nothing more I as Headteacher or my staff want more than to be back in school with all our pupils, laughing, learning, celebrating success and being the wonderful family that we are so very proud of, however we also want everyone to be safe, our children, their families, our staff and all our extend families. The future is certainly uncertain and I fear it will be a long time until we can go back to our old lives. This virus is like nothing we have ever known and so our response has to be like nothing we have ever known, staying safe is our first priority for everyone.

Stay safe and well everyone and I hope to see you all as soon as it is safely possible.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Walsh
Headteacher

Download: School Opening Arrangements Letter [PDF]