Dear Parents and Carers,
From Monday 23rd March 2020, the school day will end at 13:45 where students will travel home as normal.
Student classes will be collapsed and teachers will move away from the current timetable and curriculum, moving to a creative and life skills based delivery. This may include, forest schools, working on the allotment, movie mornings and cooking sessions just to name a few.
The final day of the Spring term will now be Thursday 2nd April 2020, with the school closing at 13:45 and students travelling home as normal. School will reopen on Wednesday 22nd April 2020 with the reduced school day remaining in place.
We continue to have over 30% of staff off, which is proving very difficult for the school to remain open. We will content to do our best to ensure we can remain open and we will continue to update you as and when the current situation changes.
We will continue to risk assess staffing and student ratios daily to ensure we can continue to offer a safe, supportive, learning and working environment.
I recognise parents’ right to protect their children and the need for clarity. If you feel your child is vulnerable or may be placed at an increases level of risk by sending them to school, please follow the national guidance on social distancing.
The guidance state those under 70 with an underlying heath condition listed below (i.e. anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds) should be social isolating.
· chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
· chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
· chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
· chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
· diabetes
· problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
· a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
· being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
We will support any parent choosing to do this for their child as an authorised absence. All we ask is for you to contact the school to info us. If you have yet to inform us, please can you do so no later than 12:00 noon on Monday 23rd March 2020.
The school continues to remain open and will do so until we are instructed to close or until the level of risk in doing so becomes too great. Over a third of students and staff were off school yesterday (because of household isolation or social distancing), we will continue to review this daily and make major adjustments to the provision offered and the organisation. We will review this at the end of every day and we will be sure to update you via letter and via the Head Teachers blog on the school website: https://www.pennfields.com/news
A few Reminders:
We understand that this is a difficult time for our students, so to support those students that are anxious or worried about the changes we have two social stories on the home page of the school website: www.pennfields.com
Students who upon arrival to school or throughout the day who are identified as having a raised temperature or a dry / new cough will be sent home and parents / carers will need to follow Government guidance on isolation.
If your child has a raised temperature or a dry / new cough before arriving to school, please do not send them into school, follow Government guidance.
Below is the Government website address where you can find up to date information on the coronavirus.
Please send your child in with their swimming kit & PE every day as where possible, students will be able to access a swim / exercise every daily.
Thank you all again for your ongoing support during these ever changing times, please keep both yourself and your family safe.
Best Wishes
Ms Thackaberry