Return to School FAQs

Will children be expected to be in school every day, Mon - Fri?

It is the expectation that once children attend, they are back full-time Monday to Friday.  

If your child does attend and you feel that the provision is unsafe and wish to withdraw them - then we totally understand this. 

If you do feel that the school is not acting in a safe manner, we would have rather that you draw this to our attention immediately so that we can try to rectify the situation.

It is our hope however that, through careful planning, the environment will be safe from Day 1. 

What will school hours be?

The opening hours will be be Monday to Friday... 8.45am to 3.30pm as usual. 

There will be staggered arrival and pick-up times for each year group to avoid congestion at the start and end of each day.

These will be published soon.

Will the school organise deep cleaning of every classroom / toilet at the end of each school day?

The school will be cleaned at the beginning of each day.

We will also have a cleaner working in the school for the entirety of the school day. They will constantly circulate around the school cleaning all areas.

Staff will also have basic cleaning products in the rooms (non-toxic).... they will also be regularly wiping down surfaces such as desks, door handles etc.

It is a priority of ours to keep on top of cleaning at all times.

Can students wear masks in class?

Please see the government guidance in italics below.  The government does not recommend children wear face masks as they don't always use them properly.

I will not be placing a ban on masks however, if you require your child to wear a mask, you will have to train them properly in it's usage. Teachers or support staff will not be able to take responsibility for this.  

"Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools or other education settings is not recommended. Face coverings may be beneficial for short periods indoors where there is a risk of close social contact with people you do not usually meet and where social distancing and other measures cannot be maintained, for example on public transport or in some shops. This does not apply to schools or other education settings. Schools and other education or childcare settings should therefore not require staff, children and learners to wear face coverings. Changing habits, cleaning and hygiene are effective measures in controlling the spread of the virus. Face coverings (or any form of medical mask where instructed to be used for specific clinical reasons) should not be worn in any circumstance by those who may not be able to handle them as directed (for example, young children, or those with special educational needs or disabilities) as it may inadvertently increase the risk of transmission."

Will teachers be wearing PPE whilst teaching? Or only when administering first aid?

It will be optional for teachers and support staff to wear PPE, as all of them have their own health concerns/families at home.  The school has been open to Key Workers and Vulnerable children since lockdown began, all teachers have worked in school on a rota and, so far, none of them have chosen to wear PPA.  Some support staff have.

It is not something I will be recommending, however if they do decide to wear PPE, they will be expected to use it properly and in line with government guidance.

Will children’s temperatures be taken every morning or at some point in the day? Or not at all?

We have purchased a number of electronic thermometers, all children will be checked on entry to the school building.

Children will also be checked during the school day if we have any concerns about their well-being

Will children be provided school meals or are parents to provide packed lunches everyday?

The school will be providing packed lunches. These will be delivered to your child's classroom (Bubble) each day. 

Also, all lunch and play-times will be staggered so there are a minimal number of children on the playground, and children are not playing with other children outside their Bubble. 

Will parents be informed if a child/staff in school start showing symptoms of having coronavirus?

We cannot inform all parents if a child starts showing signs of coronavirus e.g. a cough is a sign of coronavirus.   However, any child displaying any signs will be removed from the environment and sent home to isolate. We will follow all government guidance on this.

Will children be provided their own pencil cases (containing essentials like pencil, pens, sharpener, rubber, ruler, etc) that they will solely use and not share with anyone else throughout the term time?

Yes.   Each child will have their own little pack containing all the essentials. These will be labelled and not be shared. If we feel the pack has been shared, it will just be replaced by a new pack.

Will there be facial tissues, hand sanitisers and anti-bacterial wipes made available for children’s use per classroom?

Yes - all classes will have their own packs of facial tissues and bacterial wipes, as well as hand sanitisers.

Will the children have staggered lunch breaks so as to use the lunch hall or will each bubble of children & teacher be eating in their own classroom?

Children will be eating in classrooms in their own bubble.

All breaks and lunches will be staggered to minimise children on the playground.

Do children have to wear their school uniform?

Yes. We will want things to feel as normal as possible, so will be asking that children wear their school uniform.  They can come back wearing their winter uniform, as I do not want to place extra expenses on parents at this time. I know many families are finding themselves in tricky financial situations.

We there be Breakfast Club and After School Care?

There will be no breakfast club or afterschool care - as at present I cannot see how this would work with the Bubble System e.g. a child would be at Breakfast with one Bubble and then go to class and mix with another Bubble, it just wouldn't make sense. Over time, I might come up with a solution to this.